Tauck will begin sailing on the Douro River in Portugal for the first time starting in 2020 on a new ship, the ms Andorinha.
The three new itineraries will include a family river cruise on the "Douro Discovery: A Family River Cruise in Portugal," and two adult cruises; the eight-day, cruise-only "Villages & Vintages: Cruising the Douro River Valley" and the 12-day "Exploring the Douro, Plus Lisbon & Madrid."
The latter itinerary combines a seven-night Douro cruise with a two-night, pre-cruise hotel stay in Lisbon and a two-night, post-cruise hotel stay in Madrid with included sightseeing. Although initial departures are still a year away, Tauck is reporting strong bookings across all three itineraries.
The details were revealed in a press conference at the Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach.
Hull construction for the Douro riverboat, ms Andorinha, has been completed at the Vahali Shipyard in Serbia, and the hull was recently transported by tug to Hardinxveld, the Netherlands, where final outfitting will occur.
Tauck is intentionally limiting the ms Andorinha's capacity to just 84 guests, compared to other Douro ships of similar size that accommodate up to 112 passengers.
The new ship will have a crew of 36, and it will measure 263 feet long. Guests will be accommodated in 42 cabins, including 12 300-square-foot suites on the upper Diamond Deck, and 20 225-square-foot staterooms primarily on the vessel's Ruby or mid-level deck. The remaining accommodations - six 200-square-foot cabins and four 150-square-foot cabins - will be on the lower or Emerald Deck.
The ms Andorinha will also feature a Panorama Lounge, Compass Rose restaurant for fine dining, and a second dining venue, Arthur's (named for company chairman Arthur Tauck Jr.), serving more casual fare.
The family river cruise begins in Lisbon with an included transfer from the airport to the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon for a two-night stay and guided excursions, followed by a five-night river cruise.
Prices start at $4,290 ($5,570 CAD) per person, plus airfare.
The eight-day, cruise-only itinerary "Villages & Vintages: Cruising the Douro River Valley" is priced from $4,190 per person ($5,440 CAD), plus airfare.
Tauck's third Douro itinerary, the 12-day "Exploring the Douro, Plus Lisbon & Madrid," begins with two nights at the InterContinental in Lisbon and concludes with a two-night post-cruise stay in Madrid at The Westin Palace. Cruise prices start at $6,490 per person ($8,440 CAD), plus airfare.
Included in the prices of the three cruises are all shore excursions, all gratuities, all beer, wine and spirits, airport transfers, luggage handling, and much more.
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