On Location: All that glitters on Viking’s “River of Gold” cruise on the Douro

BY DIANE TIERNEY

The saying “Whatever floats your boat” has taken on new meaning for river cruising in Europe this season. Many rivers had water levels that were too low for some cruises to operate as planned.

However, PAX participated in a 10-day media cruise called “Portugal’s River of Gold” from Lisbon to Porto (including a stop in Spain).

As we experienced firsthand, the Douro River was fine during the voyage, which ran from Aug. 21-31, 2026.

We spoke with Lorrie Dirksen, a luxury travel advisor with Direct Travel in Edmonton, who booked most of the Canadian guests on board.

There were 82 Americans, 17 Canadians, two Australians and two from the UK. The average age was 70 and the ships are for adults 18+ years.

The journey on the 106-passenger Hemming longship showcases the supreme benefits of river cruising in Europe because clients can get up close and personal with a destination since docking is sometimes right in town.

Stops included the cities and surrounding areas of Lisbon, Porto, Regua, Pinhao, Balca d’Alva in Portugal and Salamanca, Spain.

Viking’s all-inclusive offerings feature tours, meals, some beverages such as wine, beer and soft drinks during meals, Wi-Fi and more, so your clients won’t feel nickled and dimed.

Pre-cruise hotel stay in Lisbon

A two-night, pre-cruise hotel stay at the Corinthia Hotel in Lisbon was included and featured a bus tour of iconic Lisbon highlights.

A free hotel shuttle was also available to go downtown for strolling among souvenir shops, quaint restaurants, bars and the main square Praca do Comercio.

After the hotel stay, a day-long bus ride from Lisbon to the ship in Porto included highlights just like a tour, plus lunch entertained by local musicians.

The rest of the week was serene sailing past picturesque, terraced hillsides and vineyards, through fascinating 30-metre-deep locks (100 feet), under low bridges and on comfortable coach tours.

Shore excursions

The “Included” shore excursions are so well curated that your clients may not need to book the “Optional” excursions that cost extra.

The latter usually features a more thorough, lengthy tour with a meal and wine, but some of the included tours include snacks and beverages. Encourage your clients to compare them and assist if necessary.

Tours visit iconic UNESCO World Heritage sites, museums, palaces, gardens, castles, cathedrals, libraries, universities, wineries and bakeries – and Portugal’s famous delicious custard tarts are everywhere.

Beyond the most popular sites, a few surprising stops included places such as Coimbra University where students wear black cloaks that are said to have inspired J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Hogsworth uniforms.

The Joanina Library is stunning for its extravagant gilded shelves and thousands of rare books. It served as the inspiration for the library scene in “Beauty and the Beast”.

Ship features

Hemming’s soothing decor echoes Viking’s consistent Scandinavian style of soft blue, beige and cream tones, with the occasional pop of orange in accessories such as pillows. Beautiful artwork and interesting black and white photograph wall murals of the region add interest.

The ship’s top deck features a hot tub that’s so large it looks like a pool, lovely teak furniture with cushions, shady canopy, loungers, cafe tables and chairs.

The dining room has floor-to-ceiling windows to admire the river views and tables for two to eight guests. Being such a small ship, friends are made quickly and crew remember guest names and preferences.

A lounge features comfy couches and chairs, river views, dance floor, piano and bar. Nearby is a small shop and elevator.

Outside at the bow are teak rocking chairs and cozy couches for front-row panoramic views.

Guests can also visit the Captain’s fascinating wheelhouse that can be raised and lowered depending on bridge heights and water levels.

Staterooms

“I have clients in staterooms on all three levels and everybody likes them. They aren’t in their rooms for very long anyway since they’re out on daily excursions,” Dirksen told us.

Staterooms range from about 135 to 445 sq. ft. Some have large windows and others have balconies with or without a seating area.

Dining

Menus feature special regional meals that highlight unique ingredients of the destination, along with classic options.

Snacks are available at the 24/7 self-serve coffee and tea location, and the traditional Afternoon Tea is popular.

Entertainment

Evening entertainment is low key such as listening or dancing to the Viking pianist or inviting local performers on board such as flamenco dancers.

However, the most entertaining events involve passenger participation such as a lively Music Trivia Contest that included guests performing dance moves for bonus points.

"It was hilarious and a lot of fun. On another day, one of the guests played the piano in the lounge and she was very talented,” said Dirksen. “And the Executive Chef is very sociable and funny with a dry sense of humour. The staff are just great.”

Other entertainment included port talks with the Program Director; Q&A with the Captain and Hotel Manager; art seminars; cooking and wine demonstrations and more.

Dirksen’s advice to others?

“I would encourage advisors to get on river boats, experience it, and see what the differences are. Nothing beats experience. And if they haven’t been on a river cruise, Viking is a great place to start,” she said.

Diane Tierney has been on 106 cruises to 58 countries and has 275,000 combined followers as Cruiseguru.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.