The locals will tell you Portugal is nine months of heaven and three months of hell. But aboard Riviera Rose, gliding through the Douro Valley, I can only think: If this is hell, then pass the sunscreen and top up my vinho verde.
With July temperatures hovering around 86 degrees F, the warm summer sun feels more like an invitation to unwind than something to escape. And the 124-passenger Riviera Rose — the latest ship from U.K.-based Riviera Travel — is perfectly designed for it. This sleek beauty is made for long, languid hours of sailing, sun-lounge siestas, breezy dips in the infinity-style pool and uninterrupted views of one of Europe’s more enchanting river valleys.
Thanks to the daytime-only sailing schedule, there is ample time on board to simply relax — glass in hand — while watching terraced vineyards and whitewashed villages unfold along the riverbanks. Slipping through narrow locks and past steep, vine-draped hillsides, the scenery is so strikingly composed, it often feels like we’re gliding through a film set.
A split-level beauty with hotel-like glamor
At first glance, the 260-foot Riviera Rose doesn’t look all that different from other ships on the Douro. But step aboard and the contrast is immediate. A clever split-level design floods the interiors with light and gives the space a relaxed, open feel more typical of a boutique hotel than a river vessel.
At the bow, a bar and restaurant are linked by a sweeping staircase. At the stern, an atrium lounge opens onto 12-foot windows that frame the Douro in cinematic detail. Just beyond, a small outdoor terrace offers one of the ship’s loveliest corners — a quiet perch to catch the breeze and watch the valley’s terraced vineyards slip away.
Rio | Photo: Riviera Travel
Upstairs on the mezzanine is Rio, the ship’s Portuguese specialty restaurant, and rustic dishes that bring Portugal’s soul to the table. Our evening here began with a generous antipasto spread — whole shrimp, shucked local oysters, marinated mussels, sardines, smoked meats, salads and cheeses — followed by à la carte plates like shrimp stew, bacalao (salted cod), and seared beef entrecôte. The main dining room is just as elegant, with an à la carte menu that travels the globe. Vegetarians are well-catered for too.
Up on the sundeck, the mood is just as chic. Sun loungers circle an infinity-style pool and the bar pours complimentary drinks — beer, wine, mixed cocktails, and a cocktail of the day — from 6 p.m. until midnight (with all-day service planned for 2026). A Portuguese barbecue seafood lunch was served here on our sail away from Porto.
Upper Deck Forward Stateroom | Photo: Riviera Travel
Cabins are generous by Douro standards. My 172-square-foot deluxe stateroom had a French balcony, flatscreen TV with free movies, a Nespresso machine and kettle, and a marble-accented bathroom with rainfall shower and Damana products from France. The only thing missing? USB ports — a small oversight in an otherwise thoughtful design.
Immersive excursions along the Douro
Peso da Régua | Photo:
Belinda Luksic
Over 125 navigable miles, Riviera Rose delivers more than just stunning scenery. Our 8-day Highlights of the Douro & Salamanca cruise offered an intimate window into northern Portugal life.
Each day brought a new port and an included guided excursion. In Peso da Régua, we sipped port and wine at a sixth-generation vineyard where traditions run deep. In Lamego, a scenic drive ended at its hilltop shrine, with the option to descend (and in my case, climb back up) all 686 steps of its baroque staircase lined with azulejo tiles depicting Mary’s ascension.
Across the border in Spain, a full-day excursion to Salamanca revealed its gothic spires, layered history, and sun-drenched plazas. Over tapas, we watched flamenco dancers strut, prance, and pound the floors. With time to spare, three of us paid the four-euro entry to climb Ieronimus Tower and were rewarded with sweeping views of rooftops, cathedral spires, and rolling countryside. In Porto, some went to Portugal’s birthplace, Guimaraes, while others like me visited the old wine ports on the waterfront.
Onboard entertainment struck the right note, with trivia nights, casual lectures, piano music at cocktail hour, and, while docked in Regua, a soulful fado performance at sunset. And of course, cruising through the river’s six locks — feats of engineering that once tamed the wild waters carrying port to England — added its own sense of history in motion.
Riviera’s US debut
Riviera Travel may not yet be a household name for American cruisers, but it’s been a quiet favorite in the U.K. and Europe for years, known for upscale, all-inclusive river cruises at refreshingly affordable prices. Now with the launch of Riviera Rose and the debut of its U.S. website, the company is officially making its move stateside.
Notable are the 55 dedicated solo sailings in Europe with no single supplement and itineraries that linger longer in port — two nights in Porto on my sailing — with options to add pre- or post-cruise stays. Plus, themed cruises covering the gamut of music, food, art, and wine.
If my week-long sailing is any indication, Riviera Travel has arrived with confidence. The ship’s contemporary design is a game-changer, the Portuguese crew attentive and days the perfect balance of downtime and exploration. And then there’s the Douro itself, surely one of Europe’s most spectacular waterways, best viewed on the sundeck with a chilled Portuguese wine in hand.
Riviera Rose Specs
- Entered Service – 2025
- Number of Cabins – 57
- Passenger Capacity – 114
- Crew – 38
- Length – 260 feet
- Beam – 37.57 feet
- Decks – 4
The writer traveled as a guest of Riviera Travel.
By Belinda Luksic
Appeared first on: Porthole.com
