Cruise Features Included:    

• Luxurious River Cruise Experience - There is really nothing that compares to the luxury of a river cruise.  Experience the personalized VIP treatment on a small ship (only 102 passengers) pampered by the entire crew from the cabin stewards all the way up to the Captain.  Enjoy smooth sailing along the Douro River often docking in the heart of each town we visit for easy exploration.  Once you've tried river cruising with AmaWaterways, no other cruise vacation compares.

• Bus transportation - from Salisbury to Nearby International Airport (Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia or Newark) depending upon our group flight arrangements.

• Round trip flights - from nearby International Airport to Lisbon, Portugal

• Transfers to and from the Ship in Porto, Portugal - Our guide will meet us at the airport in Lisbon and escort us to the ship in Porto, Portugal.  Our motor coach will return us to the airport in Lisbon after our cruise.

• 7-Day Luxurious Cruise on AmaWaterways MS AmaDouro - including gourmet meals, local entertainment and activities onboard the ship.

• Free-flowing complimentary local wine and beer - served at lunch and dinner, plus champagne with breakfast, a complimentary happy hour before dinner each night, and specialty coffees available around the clock.

• Tours Included at No Extra Cost - in each port, there will be a variety of tours available to join.  Tours are further divided into groups based on fitness level, ranging from gentle walkers, regular walkers, or active walkers.  All participants receive complimentary bottled water and a headset so you can hear the guide at all times.

• Tour Hosts (Kelly and Tracy Shannahan, Sal and Colleen Chavez) with you from start to finish.

• Several free gifts and mementos of your cruise from the Salisbury Cruise Club

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Travel Itinerary:        
 

Friday, October 15, 2021 - Travel Day

• Bus from Salisbury to Nearby International Airport (perhaps Newark or Washington-Dulles) with a brief stop for dinner at WaWa before our overnight flight to Lisbon, Portugal.  Flight details will be announced in December 2020 once our group flights are booked. 

 

Saturday, October 16 - Arrive LISBON, PORTUGAL transfer to PORTO, PORTUGAL

• ground transportation to ship.

• Welcome Aboard the luxurious AmaWaterways AmaDouro .

• Enjoy our Gala Cocktail Party and Welcome Dinner.

Sunday, October 17 - PORTO - ENTRE-OS-RIOS 

• Daily Highlights: “City of Bridges” tour (or hike) with Port wine tasting; Dinner at local quinta.

• The colorful city of Porto blends the best of old and new, which you can discover on an escorted tour of the historic quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Cathedral, one of the city’s oldest monuments; and the São Bento Railway Station, known for its blue and white tile panels depicting scenes from Portugese history.  

• We will also enjoy a taste of Port, Portugal’s most renowned contribution to the world of wine.  

• If you prefer to get more active, you can go on a guided hike and then enjoy a Port wine tasting.  

• In the afternoon, we cruise along the Douro River from 1:00 to 5:30 pm to Entre-Os-Rios.

• In the evening, we will indulge in a traditional Portugese dinner with our fellow travelers at a local quinta - a country estate - for a truly authentic culinary experience.

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Monday, October 18 - REGUA - PINHÃO 

• Daily Highlights: Lamego tour (or Holy Staircase hike) and Bôlas tasting; local quinta wine tasting

• Enjoy a morning cruise on the Douro River from 7:00 to 11:30 am as we travel to Regua and picturesque Lamego, home to one of the most important pilgrimage sites in all of Portugal, where we will go to Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies).  The shrine features a staircase of nearly 700 steps, beautifully decorated with white and blue tiles, which the more active adventurer will want to climb on a guided hike.  

• Concluding both tours, we will have the opportunity to sample local traditional specialties, such as bôlas de Lamego, bread filled with smoked ham; presunto, a type of dry-cured ham; and Espumante, a Portugese sparkling wine.  

• We will then go to the formal Episcopal Palace Museum.  

• Later in the day, savor the flavors of Portugal’s renowned fortified wine, vinho do porto, made exclusively in the Douro Valley.  Head to a local quinta for our authentic Port-wine tasting experience and enjoy the sweet nectar of this fascinating region.

 

Tuesday, October 19 - BARCA D’ALVA 

• Daily Highlights: Castelo Rodrigo tour (or hike) with tasting of regional fare.

• Spend time soaking up the beauty of the Douro River from 7:00 am to 1:30 pm as we cruise to Barca d’Alva and visit Castelo Rodrigo, a small fortified village perched high on a hilltop with centuries-old walls, steep narrow streets and fantastic views.  

• You can also opt to hike up to the village should you wish a more active exploration.  

• While here, taste some delicious locally grown produce.

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Wednesday, October 20 - VEGA DE TERRÓN

• Daily Highlights: Salamanca excursion with flamenco show

• Drive to Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Built of golden sandstone, Salamanca is known as a “living museum” and we will have an opportunity to step back in time to the Middle Ages during our escorted tour, which includes the city’s elegant university buildings, the New Cathedral, the intriguingly decorated House of Shells and Plaza Mayor.  

• You can also enjoy a traditional flamenco show and lunch in Salamanca.

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Thursday, October 21 - PINHÃO 

• Daily Highlights: Morning cruise; and Quinta de Avessada lunch

• After our morning cruise, we will be treated to an exclusive lunch at Quinta de Avessada, where we will enjoy an authentic and traditional dining experience complete with entertainment.  

• Quinta de Avessada is also a fascinating interactive museum commemorating the history and culture of wine in the Alto Douro region, so we will have fun discovering the various stages of wine production as well as doing plenty of tasting.

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Friday, October 22 - RÉGUA - PORTO 

• - Daily Highlights: Mateus Palace; Free Afternoon

• Visit the Baroque-style Palacio de Mateus and its gardens.  Inside the house, we will see interesting furnishings, paintings and a ceiling of intricately carved wood.  The gardens here are considered some of the most beautiful in Portugal.

• In the afternoon, watch the breathtaking scenery go by on our way to Porto then enjoy a free afternoon to explore all its charms on your own.

 

Saturday, October 23 - PORTO TO LISBON - Travel Day

• Disembark the AmaDouro and board our motor coach to Lisbon, Portugal for our flight home.

• After our flight, we will board our coach to Salisbury.

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Possible Pre-Cruise Add-on in Lisbon

We are looking into the possibility of adding an optional 2-night stay in Lisbon (additional cost) prior to our cruise.  This land extension of our vacation would involve flying to Lisbon on Wednesday, October 13 and would include 2-nights in a conveniently located hotel in downtown Lisbon (Thursday and Friday, October 14-15, 2021), a tour of the Lisbon area, full American breakfast each morning and dinner each night.  Registered passengers will be contacted (likely in December once we have booked our group flights) with more details and pricing information regarding this possible land extension of our cruise.

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Cabins and Other Features of the AmaDouro:

Each cabin features: All outside accommodations; Marble bathrooms, multi-jet showers, soothing bath products, cotton bathrobes, slippers and hair dryer; Generous closet and storage space with in-room safe; Entertainment-On-Demand with high-speed Internet, movies, music and English-language TV; Individually controlled air-conditioning; and Bottled water replenished daily. 

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A brief description of each cabin type is as follows:

• The Category E and D River View cabins are each 161 square feet in area and are located on Deck 1 (Douro Deck).  Category D cabins are located closer to the mid-ship stairs which is why they are slightly more expensive.  They have two relatively large fixed windows to allow plenty of light into the room, but they are located about 5 feet above the floor and above the water line so they don't offer much of a view.

• The Category C French Balcony cabins are also each 161 square feet in area and are located at the end of the hallway on Deck 3 (Porto Deck).  They have a sliding glass door that allows you to stand inside your cabin and enjoy the fresh air and scenery.  Although smaller and not as conveniently located as the other cabins, please note that the ship is not very large (only 260 feet from bow to stern) so these are still nice cabins and lower priced than the Twin Balcony cabins.

• The Category B Outside Balcony cabins are each 215 square feet in area and are located on Deck 2 (Lisbon Deck).  These cabins have both a sliding glass door section as well as a small outside balcony with a table and a couple of chairs where you can sit to enjoy the fresh air and scenery.  The bathroom and shower stall is also more roomy and a little more comfortable than the Category C, D and E cabins.

• The Category A Balcony cabins are identical to the Category B cabins but are located one deck above the Category B cabins on Deck 3 (Porto Deck).

• The Category SS Suite cabins are significantly larger at 323 square feet and also features a larger bathroom with a double sink and a larger shower.  They are ideally situated on Deck 3 (Porto Deck) very close to the reception desk, access to the Sun Deck, lounge and restaurant.  The suites also have both a sliding glass door section as well as an outside balcony with a couple of seats where you can sit to enjoy the fresh air and scenery.

 

The MS AmaDouro features: a Panoramic Lounge with bar, piano and dance floor; Walking track, pool and fitness room; Complimentary Wi-Fi; massage services (additional cost); Breakfast and lunch buffets featuring regional cuisine; Multi-course dinners made with fresh local ingredients; Hand-selected wine, beer and soft drinks with meals, plus a Sip & Sail cocktail hour included in your price; All-day tapas menu and afternoon tea; 24-hour coffee station; Welcome Cocktail, Welcome Dinner, La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Dinner, Captain’s Cocktail and Gala Dinner.

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Cost and Payment Schedule:

 

Total Cruise Package Prices - includes Ground and Air Transportation and More

• Category E - River View Cabins - $4,900 per person - protection plan $319/$478.50

• Category D - River View Cabins - $5,200 per person - protection plan $353/$529.50

• Category C - French Balcony Cabins - $5,700 per person - protection plan $388/$582

• Category B - Balcony Cabins - $6,200 per person - protection plan $422/$633

• Category A - Balcony Cabins - $6,500 per person - protection plan $422/$633

• Category S - Suite Cabin - $7,800 per person - protection plan $537/$805.50

Total cruise package price is based on double occupancy (2 people in the cabin)

We can also accommodate singles in their own cabin with very reasonable single-supplement charges (call or email for pricing)

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Payment Schedule

• $1,000 per person Deposit (plus Travel Protection Premium) Due Upon Registration

• Half of Remaining Balance - Due on February 10, 2021

• Final Balance - Due on June 10, 2021

 

Group Travel Protection Plan (Optional) - We’re offering a Group Travel Protection Plan for which the premium is based upon your Total Trip Cost.  The cost ranges from $319 for Category E River View cabin passengers to $537 for Deluxe Suite cabin passengers (see above for exact prices).  This recommended Group Travel Protection Plan will protect your trip in case of cancellation, interruption, trip delay, missed connection, baggage loss or delay, accident/ sickness medical protection, and emergency evacuation. You can also add “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) coverage which ranges in cost from $478.50 for Category E River View cabin passengers to $805.50 for Deluxe Suite cabin passengers (see above for exact prices).  See separate handout for more details.  To protect against unforeseen problems, we strongly recommend that you purchase the Travel Protection Plan.  If interested, please purchase the Plan at time of registration.  If you decline the Plan, please sign to confirm that you waive the protection and understand that you are assuming all potential costs and losses which may occur before or during the trip.

Download the Group Travel Protection Plan summary here.

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Finally, we recognize that this cruise is a year away.  Once you have paid your deposit, your next payment won't be due until February 10, 2021 with a final payment due on June 10, 2021.  I recognize that some of you may be a little leery of foreign travel given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, however certainly by October of 2021 there should be a vaccine and medicine available to treat the Coronavirus and it will once again be safe to travel the world.  And of all the cruises we have planned, we believe that our river cruises are among the safest given the limited number of passengers and crew onboard, the tightly-controlled tours arranged by AmaWaterways, the sparsely populated ports that we will be visiting and the fact that our group will comprise roughly 2/3 of the total passengers on the ship.

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Please Email Us for More Information

or

Download the Registration Form.

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