Pros and cons but overall a very pleasant cruise. We would choose Croisieurope again but not the Douro Booking procedure and communication etc was excellent The price was very reasonable and included drinks Check in process was smooth and all the staff were extremely friendly and helpful The boat docked in the middle of nowhere, the only way to get there is a taxi, there is nothing nearby. Other cruise lines seemed to dock near the Luis 1 bridge which has much much more to offer considering you board in the afternoon and do not sail till the following lunchtime so there is nothing to do with yourself in between times Unfortunately on our trip were 20 children - 1/5 of the total passengers They monopolised the pool completely and any daytime activities were only for them There are plenty of chairs and sunbeds on the top deck and a cold juice dispenser was sometimes put up there but it would have been nice for bar staff to wander around occasionally too because it's two floors down to the bar Our cabin was fine, number 304 on the upper deck at the back. The engines are extremely noisy though, so don't expect any lie-ins Luckily the sailing was not done at night, otherwise we would not have slept at all We had a large opening window with Juliette balcony. The lighting is good. The beds are comfortable. The cabin is very clean. Water and toiletries are supplied. There is only one plug! So take a four way adapter.The shower pressure is poor. You are allocated your table in the dining room for the whole week and share with other people of the same language. We had a nice table for 5 near a window. The food is tasty but absolutely no choice whatsoever for lunch or dinner. You get what you are given. Not even one single choice. My husband does not eat fish and therefore they did cater for him separately on those occasions. Water and wine are supplied at the table and they would bring you a beer or similar if you prefer. Starter, main course, dessert and coffee. Breakfast is a buffet and that was very good but they only had the egg station running for one morning which was a real shame. The lounge/bar area is a very good size with plenty of tables and chairs and a dance floor. Unfortunately because we had 20 children on board, they monopolised that area during the day playing noisy games and therefore there was nowhere quiet to set and play cards or read and have a drink etc. There was 'entertainment' 3 nights out of 5. One was the crew - this was awful, sorry. One was a Spanish dancing performance and one was a Portuguese dancing performance. Nothing during the day for adults. There was a daily picture quiz sheet but everyone was googling the answers so what's the point! It would have been really nice to have a talk about the river and the history of the dams and locks perhaps or generally about the Douro and Port etc but there was nothing. It would have been nice if a couple of films were available in English in the cabin but only 2 English channels and they were American news. Apart from Porto and Salamanca, the ports of call were awful - absolutely nothing there! Salamanca was wonderful but it was a 9 hour paid-for day trip and goodness knows what there was to do if you didn't go on the trip! The locks were fun, 5 of them, very low bridges and quite entertaining with the upper deck roof being lowered and everyone advised to sit on the floor haha The river is beautiful and the passing scenery was lovely Tea and coffee and water are left out in the bar to help yourself together with plain biscuits and cheese cracker biscuits. There were a few pastries first thing each day but unfortunately the 20 children on board seemed to enjoy those every day The boat itself is nicely presented and clean and the staff are all lovely We would choose a river cruise again one day and perhaps with this company but not on the Douro and not with so many children on board if we can help it. We would also take more nibbles and snacks on board because there is nothing to eat between meals and nowhere to buy anything We would also try to find a cruise with at least two choices of food for lunch and dinner. Read Less

After many ocean cruises we thought we would try a river cruise and booked this one through Archers Holidays. We were very very please with the ship, the food, the excursions but above all the attitude, friendliness and professionalism of the crew in all departments. The cabin provided ample space and was clean and comfortable. The bathroom was a little tight on space but again very clean with plenty of towels and toiletries. The food was excellent and as the menu is available in advance it was easy to let the Purser know when there was something you did not eat. I am not a great fish eater and had a fabulous steak one day to replace a fish dish at lunchtime. The service in all areas was first class and every member of the team made you feel like an individual. Ok some of the entertainment was low key but always well presented and supported local artistes. Read Less

Having done a river cruise last year we thought that we would try another one & consequently we went on this one. Embarkation went very smoothly, although some passengers who flew from the U K arrived too early to get on the boat (boarding from 4 pm) & were "dumped" in a hotel in Porto in very hot conditions 4 hours before they could board.This is hardly a good way to start a holiday as some of them had been up at 3 am. We occupied a lower deck cabin which was very clean but obviously quite small, but had the advantage of being on the same deck as the restaurant.Paying a supplement for a higher cabin is not worth the extra. Everyone is allocated a table in the restaurant which they keep for the week, which worked well for us but may not suit everyone. The standard of food overall was very good, but lunch & dinner was 4 courses with no choice other than vegy on request.We found 4 courses at lunchtime was too much when a buffet meal would have suited most people. Evening entertainment was very good with both Portugese & Spanish traditional music. As usual the excursions were a complete rip off & dont be taken in by the tour operators who try to persuade you to book a package before you go. All the trips were available on board & if anyone would like more info then e-mail me at barrylonghurst@hotmail.com. The boat only sails at night as the river is quite narrow & shallow in places & when it ties up you will find that there is no where to go ashore. The staff were friendly & efficient & mostly well trained. The overall standard of the cruise was very good & we would certainly do another one. do another one. Read Less

Wishing to cruise the Duoro River, and finding this Croisieurope offering with hiking excursions made this a perfect choice....and it was. The trip was great. Boat was well maintained and clean. The staff were friendly and willing to always help with explanations and advice. The English-speaking walking guide, Rick, did an outstanding job. The food and food service was fabulous. And last, I cannot say enough about the young woman, Susanne, in charge of customer service, housekeeping and wait staff. The local folk dancing on the last evening was very enjoyable. Matthew the Croisieurope USA was also very responsive and helpful. Whole experience is highly recommended. Too bad they are not able to offer more of the hiking cruises in this region. You should note that the Duoro River is shallow and narrow. For this reason, the boats are not allowed to sail at night, as we had experienced on other river cruises, and do all their sailing during daylight. Read Less

We fancied the Douro. Very beautiful but there are no towns to stop at so you moor in the middle of no-where! We did stop at Regua for 45 minutes so could not get off and explore. Staff all very helpful. Very clean ship and quite comfortable, bathrooms have a very high step to get into and out of. Food very poor. No choice. miniscule portions of meat. The vegetables had been cooked for hours and wete soggy and seved in teaspoonfuls! Puddings came from Tesco or similar. Will not go with this compan again although the free drinks are quite good. Transport to and from ship badly organised. For instance on the way home a lot of people were on the same flight. This entailed a coach and 4 taxis although all could have fitted in one coach. I counted 8 coaches which would take 400 people but 2 ships at 140 each would only need 6 and no taxis of which there at least 10. For the sake of the environment changes have to be made. Read Less

This was a great trip. The service was outstanding. The accommodations were better than expected because I am used to the large cruise ships but was pleasantly surprised. I wish to commend the Captain Helder Conceicao for a smooth ride. Purser Susana Melo was wonderful she did a great job and was so nice to me and tried to help in every way! The entertainment director Tania da Silva kept us entertained and organized for all the great and interesting excursions. Loved the traditional Portuguese dancers and Fadu singers. Rooms were kept clean cabin stewardesses did a great job. Our chef Alexandre Kowalski had a great menu enjoyed by all and he was very accommodating to those who had food issues. Our waitress ans waiters took great care of us at every meal. Would take this trip again. Thanks to and congrats to Croisieurope for a wonderful trip. Read Less