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Day 9 – Saturday 6 July 2024 Scenic Azure left its mooring at around 06:10 heading for Porto arriving at about 17:00, and we tied on the outside of Emerald Radiance at 15:10. Our room was next to an unoccupied cabin on Emerald and it was interesting to see how they differed. At about 18:30 the two boat swapped places and we again had a view of the river bank. After dinner, which tonight was a Portuguese buffet, there was classical music concert in St Francis church a short walk away. But we didn’t go as the Cruise Director warned us that the steps up to the church were difficult The bustling other side of the river - Vila Nova de Gaia - with lower river bank side and lined with Port Lodges. Overnight Location: Porto https://what3words.com/treaties.emails.streaks

Day 8 – Friday 5 July 2024 We didn’t take the 08:40 coach tour to Provesende, said to be "one of the most picturesque little towns in the country". I signed up for a Village Stroll with Enrichment Manager Guido. Pinhão is one of the hottest places in Portugal and the temperature was 35-36C – warm but not humid with a breeze. Lovely, and a chance for me to shake the moths from my shorts. This time we didn’t lunch in the main dining room, but had a lighter lunch in Portobellos at the front of the lounge. Late afternoon we took a short coach ride to Quinta Roêda which is one of the Port producing properties owned by Croft. There was the option of a vineyard walk which I would have liked to do, but was warned off it as being rough terrain They have 109ha of vines originally planted in 1811. Sixteen different varieties are grown here and we were told that a blend of a minimum 5 different varieties is required for Port. They poured a glass of Ruby and a 10 year old Tawny Port for us to taste. The boat stayed for a second night in Pinhão Overnight Location: Pinhão https://what3words.com/ramble.misfit.wavelets

Day 7 – Thursday 4 July 2024 If we’d been on the usual 7 day Douro cruise, we’d be vacating our cabin and heading to Porto airport for the flight home. But we had another four nights on board. The other boat had gone by 07:30 and our cabin faced the river bank. We left at the civilised hour of 09:30 for the Cao Palaeolithic Museum. This is seemingly in the middle of nowhere high on a promontory overlooking the Douro where the Cao River joins it. Plans were well progressed to build a dam at the mouth of the Cao. The dam company’s tame archaeologists said there was nothing of importance that would be obliterated and that pictographs which had been reported were modern graffiti. A change of government stopped the project and it was found that many thousands of prehistoric carvings were visible in sheets of schist along the Cao river. They had been made over thousands of years. The modern museum offered replicas and explanations of the carvings found for those that couldn’t venture to the almost inaccessible originals. A demonstration of Palaeolithic tools and techniques, including fire making, ended the visit leaving just time to admire the views and go down a wooden walkway overlooking the Douro. Lunch on board was a barbecue on the sun deck. Salads, sardines chicken, potatoes etc. Waiters served ice-cream for dessert. The mooring was next to a lock and about 13:00 we moved into it, reaching Pinhão at 17:30 – an hour before the scheduled time. We felt the boat could have travelled more slowly, giving us time to admire the beauty of the Douro. Overnight Location: Pinhão https://what3words.com/ramble.misfit.wavelets

Day 6 – Wednesday 3 July 2024 Today most people took the full day excursion to Salamanca, leaving at 09:00. We’d been there on our previous Douro cruise with Viking and didn’t fancy the long coach ride. Instead we were one of a small group to visit the sleep old village of Freixa de Espada à Cinta. The name means sword on the belt of an ash and according to the legend we were told a king tied his sword belt around an ash tree under which he slept and had a dream about his coming success in war. When he woke he declared the village be known as Freixa de Espada à Cinta. There’s a 550+ year old ash tree with a huge metal belt and sword next to a church and the ruins of a castle. We entered a small museum in an old house equipped to show how people lived in old times, then we went to a modern small museum of silk. This was the place where they made silk in the pre-industrial way. They had everything, including some silk worms eating leaves. Then a 10-minute drive to Quinta do Sagueiro. This is a vineyard and farm. The energetic owners have rooms they rent via various sites. We sat at large round tables on their patio under umbrellas with jugs of cold freshly made lemonade, pastries, sandwiches, olives and slices of ripe juicy oranges. The owner, Margarida, had baked an apple cake for us and cut wedges which she put on our plates. Her husband then poured wine for us. They grow grapes of the region which go to the local co-operative. The red wine was delicious and I had a second glass. And I regret not trying his Port. Margarida came around with almonds from their trees which she’d caramelised, and then she sang fado. It was an idyllic spot, a feast of food and welcoming generous hosts. I wanted to buy a bottle of the red wine (a blend of Tourigas Nacional & Franca and Tinto Roriz), but neither of us had Euros on us and they didn’t take plastic. But they insisted I take the bottle, and later give €10 to the Scenic guide who’d pass it on next time Scenic returned to them. Food and drink kept being pressed on us but we had to return to the boat for lunch. At 14:20 we moved to let Viking Hemming moor and we rafted on the outside. After the Salamanca contingent returned we set off at 18:30 back down river to Pocinho which we arrived around 20:00 and rafted to another boat, our cabin facing theirs. Overnight Location: Pocinho https://what3words.com/hilarious.proofread.surroundings

Day 5 – Tuesday 2 July 2024 Around 8:45 we pulled out into the river to let a Tauck boat to moor to the river bank as we rafted on the outside of them, so we retained our river view. Irritatingly the front of Scenic Azure's sun deck is barred to passengers There were various on board entertainments but we missed them all as we were taking in the beauty of cruising the Douro Around 11:00 we moved off up river to Vega de Terrón. It was an all day sailing, passing through two huge locks and we arrived before the expected 20:15. This is the furthest the boats go. The other bank is Spain. We weren’t rafted and our cabin faced the river Overnight Location: Vega de Terrón https://what3words.com/lefthander.chillier.robed

Day 4 – Monday 1 July 2024 Group about to walk up the main street, Note the British style post box. 😉 At 09:00 we departed for an excursion to the town of Vila Real. After a mooch along the main street and a glimpse inside Vila Real Cathedral we went through some side streets to Casa Lapão, a patisserie specialising in convent sweets. These use the yolks of eggs as in the olden time convents used the whites as starch. Pastry and filling are made to a secret recipe by the owner and the staff turn them into the sweets. The day we visited they were making a pastry linked to the town, Cristas de Galo, or Rooster Crests. Our group was split in two to enter the small kitchen by turn. Owner with staff The owner was there, but she employed an English speaker to tell us the history and explain what was happening. The two staff wore nun’s habits and worked away, making 600 a day. A volunteer was called for and I put myself forward. One ‘nun’ rolls a pastry ball very thinly. The other ‘nun’ adds a spoonful of filling in the middle, wraps the pastry over it and uses a zig-zag crescent cutter to represent the roosters comb. These are placed on a tray which, when full, is put in an oven until golden, then sprinkled with sugar. The filling is egg yolk and ground almonds cooked together. My Cristas de Galo was pretty good, but not perfect like the professionals were turning out. Afterwards we sat outside in the sun and a tray of Cristas de Galo was passed around with glasses of tawny Port. The Port came from the local co-operative. The local guide came out and sang fado. The combination of sun, Port, Cristas de Galo and fado was sublime and the highlight of the trip for me. After lunch back on the boat we had the second excursion of the day, this time our choice was to go to Mateus Palace. The palace is depicted on bottles of Mateus Rosé wines, though the property had nothing to do with the wine other than sell its image for use on the label. Gardens are extensive and there wasn’t enough time to enjoy them all. At 17:00 we moved mooring to the other bank for quiet, we were told. Now we had a river view and we weren’t rafted. The bank we’d left filled with hotel boats from Ama, A Rosa, Riviera, Tauck and more. In the evening we were invited to dine in Portobellos. Everyone gets an invitation, and as there were 72 passengers they did three evenings each with 24 diners. It’s something that Scenic trumpets about but I can’t see the point. In the main restaurant one has plenty of choice, in Portobellos there is a set menu. But Mrs P wanted to go, so we did. Overnight Location: Lamego https://what3words.com/stem.egos.mini

Day 3 – Sunday 30 June 2024 There was a choice of three morning excursions; we took the one with latest departure (09:15) which was to Quinta da Aveleda and its gardens followed by a wine tasting. A local guide walked us around the gardens. There was a persistent drizzle at the start which developed into heavy rain. Our guide found shelter for us, and she radioed her colleagues and after 5 minutes a golf cart packed with umbrellas arrived and we continued the tour sheltering under umbrellas. The gardens were spectacular but we couldn’t fully enjoy them in the pouring rain. Goat Tower. There were goats inside but they hid when they saw a camera Summer House in garden As the rain stopped we ended the tour and entered a hall for the tasting. Quinta da Avelada produces 21M bottles annually, and exports 70% to 70 countries. Two glasses and cheese and biscuits were on the table. The first wine was Vinho Verde Casa Garcia NV, named after a long serving winery worker. This was made in the old way with added sweetening and pettillance. 9.5% abv, and on sale at €4. This wine is on Scenic Azure’s wine list. The red was Mandriola de Lisboa 2022, a blend of Syrah, Alicante Bouschet & Touriga National, 3% abv, €5 in the shop. Back on board the boat set off for Régua during lunch, arrived shortly before 17:30 when we departed for a walking excursion to the Douro Museum. This was a quite interesting modern museum about Douro wine. We learned the difference between Ruby and Tawny Port was a matter of the time spent aging in wooden casks. Tawny Ports spend a minimum of seven years in wood. Port can only be made in Douro, although many similar wines are made in other countries. Agreement with the EU protects the name Port, however because the USA does not recognise Port as a geographic name Porto is used in the USA by genuine Douro Ports, We finished outside in the museum garden overlooking the river where we could taste white Port on its own or made into a long drink with tonic or lemonade and ice. I expected white Port to be white, but it’s a pinkish-brown as a result of barrel aging and I couldn’t see the point as it didn’t offer as much flavour as normal Port. White Port gets its name because it’s made from white grapes only. There was a much more tasty 20 year-old tawny Port. Scenic Azure in Regua seen from the Douro Museum garden We remained in Régua overnight. Our cabin faced the riverbank and at some time during the evening Croisi Europe’s Miguel Torga boat was rafted on our outside. Location: Régua https://what3words.com/dozed.sags.bottle

Day 2 – Saturday 29 June 2024 During the night we’d change places with Emerald Radiance. Now our cabin looked out towards the bank. The Emerald Radiance seems to be the same outside, but was fitted differently inside. A walking tour left at 08:40, led by Cruise Director Filipe Nunes. We had to cross the Douro to Vila Nova de Gaia by ferry. But as we were too early Filipe took us on a gruelling walk up and down back streets. When we got to the traditional style Rabello boat used as ferries they were rafted and I couldn’t cross over the gap between the high sided boats, so returned to the boat. At 15:00 I joined a Tile Making class led by Maria Kocas, who we were told was a famous maker of traditional tiles. We could draw freehand or use a supplied template. We painted our design in blue paint; texture was given by washing with thinned paint. I was quite please with my finished tile and we were promised the fired tiles would be delivered to us when we returned to Porto at the end of the cruise. Unfortunately this didn’t happen, and I returned home tile-less. Slow cooked Beef Tenderloin for dinner At 16:30 Scenic Azure left its mooring and arrived at Entre-os-Rios about 20:00 Overnight Location: Entre-os-Rios https://what3words.com/fleshes.percussion.caged

Trip Review All timing use the 24 hour clock, thus 07:00 in 7am and 19:00 is 7pm. Mooring locations are identified by a What3Words square. What3Words have divided the world into 3 metre squares and given each square a unique combination of three words. To see the location enter www.what3words/ followed by the three words in my Review. You can switch between map and satellite view. Day 1 – Friday 28 June 2024 Since we couldn’t go on Saga, which was Mrs P’s intent, because it didn’t meet her flight requirements I chose Scenic’s Unforgettable Douro because it offered an 11 day cruise of the Douro whereas the competition have 7 days. Advice from Cruise Critic forums was the 11 day cruise avoided rafting because it didn’t call at the same places or on the same days as the other lines. Unfortunately this is not true now there are so many companies cruising a relatively short stretch of river. Scenic booked British Airways but it turned out to be a code-share and we flew return from London Heathrow to Porto on Iberia planes, via Madrid. The flight to Madrid was on a long haul plane and we were taken by cabin crew to our business class spacious seats with lie flat beds and full range of entertainments. But there wasn’t time to enjoy them as the flight was only 2 hours long. We had one hour 25 minutes before the Porto flight departed and had to take an underground train to the departure terminal, but there was no queue at immigration and security search was quick. The flight to Porto was on a much smaller plane and at both ends we had to use the aircraft’s own stairs. We landed at Porto around 16:00 and met the Scenic rep outside arrival hall. We were the only Scenic customers and were taken straightway to a car and driven to the boat. On the quayside our names were ticked off, our bags taken, and we descended the steep steps to a floating pontoon and up Scenic Azures’ steep narrow rickety gangplank. On board at 17:10 we collected our room keys and lanyard with QR code use to swipe on and off the boat. We were taken to our cabin by our butler Amhan Silva who explained all the cabin features. I asked for printed copies of daily programmes and for the mini-bar to just have red and white wines. There was a 15 minute Safety Briefing before dinner. It seemed casual. Unlike Viking we didn’t have to wear our life vest, go to our muster station, have our names checked off a list, staff didn’t check rooms and there weren’t crew dressed in fireproof costumes. In fact I can’t remember what we were supposed to do. However we learned that the boat had 72 passengers against a capacity of 96, thus we were only 75% full. Time for a flute of Drappier Champagne before dinner. I was pleased to see the wine list was all Portuguese wines, apart from one red and one white from Spain. But the only two names I recognised were Mateus Rose and Monte Velho so we went with the suggested wines most nights The boat was rafted next to Emerald Radiance, and our room faced the Emerald. Overnight Location: Porto - https://what3words.com/treaties.emails.streaks (The satellite view currently shows Scenic Azure moored here.)

Introduction This was our sixteenth river cruise since May 2022. Our second with Scenic. All the others have been with Viking except for one 2 week cruise on a canal boat crewed by our son and his partner around the English canals and rivers. Viking Longships are mostly identical, the shorter ones differ only in size. I expected this of Scenic boats but Scenic Azure had a different design to Scenic Diamond and the cabin we had was also different. The bathroom had both a nightlight and shaving mirror, both lacking on Diamond, but neither was heated so misted up after a shower. Although the wardrobe was in the same place alongside the bed, it had neat sliding doors and the safe was midway unlike like the floor-level safe on Diamond. We had a balcony cabin – which Scenic misleadingly calls a ‘Suite’ – at the very back of the middle ‘Sapphire’ deck. This was the same position we had on Diamond and many Viking boats, but on Azure engine noise was very loud. During the day, when cruising, engine noise and a large air-vent made it unbearable open the balcony window, and even when closed limited our time on the balcony. There’s no cruising at night on the Douro but the main engine regularly comes on and there are constant other engine noises. I suggest avoiding the rearmost cabins on Azure. Our cabin was on the left – portside – of the boat. All but once Azure moored with the left of the boat facing the bank. And although the boat cruises along the Douro in both directions, the boat always moored facing the direction on the river flow. That’s does not mean that odd-numbered cabins on the boats right had an uninterrupted view of the river as most times the boat was ‘rafted’, i.e. tied to another boat. The Douro is rural and very attractive; unfortunately access to the front or back of the boat is restricted on the sun deck. There’s no passenger access before the wheelhouse Mooring at Porto at the start and end of the cruise is on the Porto side. This has a much higher river bank than the other side at Vila Nova de Gaia, which has a riverside lined with Port Lodges. Entering and exiting the boat need getting down to just above water level which changes by about six feet as the river is tidal here There’s a fixed steep wooden ramp down the bank to a landing the a wooden ramp to a floating pontoon. The angle of this ramp varies from steep to very steep depending on water level. Then one has to climb a steep narrow gangway to the boat’s third deck, part of which has only two slack ropes as hand rails. Since an accident where my shoulder was shattered in multiple places I struggle with balance and I find the Scenic gangplank frightening, and that will be a factor in booking future cruising. In 2024 Scenic dropped their Tailormade app which you had to download to your phone to hear guides. They now use Quietvox devices instead, as used by Viking, which are reliable – unlike Tailormade. But they still rely on people using email onboard. Onboard photo competition could only be entered by emailing photos to the boat and they expected guests to receive an email with a link to complete their questionnaire before departing the boat. As I don’t use my phone for emails I was unable to do either.

Just for readers not in the USA. Early payment may be standard policy in the USA but it's not standard policy everywhere. I believe it's only in the USA. Booking through the UK and one pays deposit on booking and the balance 10 weeks before cruise departure.

Unfortunately not so in 2024 Conversely we are interested in wine and selected all the winery visits. Disappointing in that while we visited places that made wine we didn't visit the part that made wine, instead in two we walked through barrel cellars and on all we were taken to a tourist tasting room where we tasted two of their lower priced wines. Again, unfortunately not so in 2024. We were rafted to an Emerald boat both at the beginning and end of the cruise. The Douro is chock-a-block with hotel boats.

Reading this forum for some years I've found that people have different needs from a river cruise. There are many who want to go on excursions and for whom the only purpose of the boat is to get them from one place to another without having to pack and check out of a different hotel each day. And amongst this substantial group there are many for whom the available excursions are not enough and they want to hire a guide organise their own sightseeing in addition. I'm afraid that the Douro is rural, and until the railway was built in the late 1800s and the modern roads constructed with EU money travel was very difficult. Towns of any size were built away from the river for protection because invaders and pirates travelled by river. The itinerary and a map would have shown you what to expect. You say your cruise didn't "get the benefits that other river cruise itineraries have" but what are these benefits? The Douro has the benefit of being quiet and rural. The towns are small and sleepy and there's nothing much to see. But we all have different wants. I live in and old city (not London) with Roman and pre-Roman remains, a medieval centre and an ancient cathedral. Walking around an old town on holiday isn't much of an attraction for me. But if you live in a new city maybe it is. If you live in a rural place maybe the buzz of a bustling city is an attraction. I went of the Scenic 11 day cruise that ended as yours started and I wandered around the town of Pinhao and a short walk in Regua. The river cruise lines do a pretty good job of meeting competing customer interests but I wonder if it's time to do cruises where the cruise is the most important feature, and others where excursions are uppermost. Some lines already make certain dates dedicated to cuisine with a a guest name chef or wine with tastings. Perhaps it's time to stop being all things to all people on every cruise.

Same number of days? Same route? Viking have 7 different cruises on the Danube plus 2 Christmas cruises. I've not travelled with Avalon. But my advice is to draw up a list of what each includes: drinks with meals/at any time, excursions etc. then decide what you want. If you enjoy cocktails before and spirits after then that would be important to you, though $2000 would buy a lot of drinks. But if you don't drink alcohol then you won't want to pay extra. The Danube is one of the most popular rivers and there is a tremendous amount of competition. You've narrowed it down to two - so they must each have something that took your fancy. I am certain that whichever you pick you will enjoy it. But if it is your first river cruise then if you go for the cheapest you can find out if river cruising is for you and if so whether you are happy to stay with the first line you booked with - most people are - or if there was something lacking then find another line that offers it The pricing situation becomes even more muddled as companies offer discounts and incentives. As I say, there's a lot of competition on Danube cruises

All the Douro river cruises offer the option of going to Salamanca, and unless they move this historic city nearer to the boat, there long coach trip there is the price to pay for visiting. I was cruising the Douro and finished on 8 July when you started. I first cruised the Douro ten years ago in Viking Hemming and we saw few other cruise boats but now there are so many. It's a short stretch of navigable river and there are only a limited number of moorings so I'm afraid rafting is the norm. This time we didn't go to Salamanca because of the long coach trip, and we avoided other excursions that had long coach rides. That's a problem with a 7 day cruise. One day at the beginning and one day at the end for embarkation/disembarkation, one day moored at the limit to allow for the all day excursion to Salamanca. that's 3 days accounted for, leaving only two days to cruise the length up and two days back to Porto. well, you must carefully read the descriptions, but the Douro cruise is the only one where overnight cruising is not allowed. Other river cruises may cover a much greater distance but much cruising is done at night. Excursions are given importance. We've been on a lot of cruises and now we only go on excursions we want. We don't take those that require a long coach ride or an early start in the morning unless its something we really want to do. But for many people the excursions are the reason they book the cruise. I think you're of the same opinion as us. Next time - if there is one - remember that excursions are optional.

I don't know why you couldn't access the link. maybe @Host Jazzbeau could shed a light. I cannot see on the UK site any mention of the Danube Bend

Google maps show around 92km, 1h15 by car, so say 1.5h by coach. If Scenic booked your flight I'd expect them to meet you at arrivals and coach you to boat, but you can get that info from Scenic.

I went on this cruise in 2018 but from Passau to Budapest. I wouldn't like to end in Passau because its such a long drive to Munich airport. Add in a 2 hour coach ride, plus scheduled extra for delays and getting you there 3 hours before the flight departs and you have a very early start. Budapest airport is 30-45 minutes, depending on traffic, from the mooring. You might like to read this recent thread

Have a small breakfast then, toast, fruit, yoghurt 🙂

In the UK the 7 Oct cruise is 8 day Rhine Highlights starting in Amsterdam and ending in Basel with flights from Basel. I assume for USA bookings Zurich offers flights to USA. There should be UK people on board and if so there will be transport to Basel airport from the boat. I don't know about this itinerary but the Scenic Douro cruise had complimentary travel to a destination of passengers choice. I'd suggest talking with the Cruise Director when you are onboard. If you cannot get complimentary travel to Basel Airport, then if flight times match may be you can ride with the Brits to the airport, otherwise get a taxi. It's got to be better than going on an unwanted bus ride to Zurich and then getting a train back.

It is 1 kilo max and the laundry bag is very small, don't expect a hotel sized laundry bag. We managed to get 3 ladies tops and three men's shirts in the bag and then I managed to squeeze in 6 pairs of socks. Scenic Azure didn't have any tables for two in the dining room, only tables seating 4 and tables seating 6 . The seating for Portobello's in the lounge had two tables for two, and a light meal is served there at lunchtime

I think that's the most likely option. As you'll see from the room service breakfast menu, it's just drinks and pastries. Not everyone, just one per cabin.

The buffet is extensive, including hot dishes such as two types of bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, potatoes; there are also dishes on the breakfast menu that can be ordered Eggs Benedict are on the menu. I don't know what a specialist omelette is but there is an egg chef on the buffet counter with pans and people were ordering omelettes with fillings to their taste. There were many possible fillings to choose from.

For one, yes. The OP said "One of the reasons we chose Scenic was the ability to get room service for breakfast, lunch and dinner" which implies two people. But maybe the OP has booked a more suitable (more expensive) room 🙂

They do