RIVER & CANAL CRUISES
Reviewed, compared and ranked by the people aboard.
The 15 most popular wine tours, compared side by side. What you see from the water, how long you are aboard, what it costs and which operator to book, so you can pick your boat in a couple of minutes.
A guided Douro Valley day trip from Porto with two winery visits, lunch, tastings, and a 50-minute Rabelo river cruise.
Most Popular“The guide is super nice and funny，he gives nice intro during whole trip and whole tour is very well organized，we enjoyed our time in wine yard also cruise tour”
Full-day Douro Valley tour from Porto with 2 wine estates, Amarante stop, lunch with pairings, and a Pinhão river cruise.
“The trip was very well organized, only the boat trip was probably a bit more boring as we took the same route as the bus before, which may be a subjective feeling. But otherwise there is nothing to complain about, the guide (Mr. Castro) was fantastic and it was thanks to him that the trip…”
Small-group Douro day trip from Porto: two tastings, classic lunch in Pinhão, and a Rabelo river cruise with stunning N222 views.
“This is a full day experience. Our guide Luís was excellent! He was friendly, funny and very knowledgeable. He has great pride in his hometown and kept us entertained with his stories and humor. Douro Valley was beautiful and the Port wine delicious! Don’t miss out on this tour. It’s well worth the money. Ask…”
Porto to Douro Valley: two winery tastings, a Rabelo river cruise in Pinhão, and a winery lunch with reds, whites, and ports.
“We had a great day. The lunch was amazing (what a really interesting house/restaurant); the wineries were photogenic with great wines; Tiago, our guide, was friendly and interesting (and our driver Lucas did a great job in the rainy weather)”
Porto’s Magic Train links city sights, Real Companhia Velha port tasting, and a 1-hour Douro River cruise with classic views.
“Great value for money. First train leaves at 10am, recommend this time as we had the carriage to ourselves and only 4 in our English speaking tour of the wine cellar. Boat trip has no commentary (think you have to download in advance) and the wind can be chilly. Had a wonderful trip.”
Small-group Douro Valley day trip from Porto with 3 wine tastings, family lunch, aged Port, and optional Rabelo boat in Pinhão.
“The Douro Valley tour provided a cornucopia of picturesque scenery, a sampling of wonderful wines, a pleasant river boat excursion, and was capped off with a beautiful meal enjoyed in the majestic gardens of a 18th century vineyard under the canopy of chestnut trees… what a perfect day. This entire experience was further enriched by…”
Small-group Douro Valley day from Porto with two wineries, a traditional lunch in Pinhão, and a Rabelo river cruise.
“Our guide was amazing! He was very knowledgeable and positive and helpful to us all! He made the day amazing and memorable:)”
Seine River dinner cruise in Paris with Champagne, a warm 3-course menu, and glowing views of Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Louvre, and more.
“I was a little concerned based on some of the reviews but I was definitely impressed. Yes there are some up charges but I thought prices were reasonable and does not appeal to everyone so we didn’t mind splurging. You definitely want to sit next to window. The food was impressive for a dinner cruise.…”
Champagne at the Moulin Rouge with the Féerie revue, plus a glass-enclosed Seine cruise ticket for the next day.
“The show itself was great but when we get to the meeting point before the excursion our guide offer us open Seine river cruise tickets which we can use it anytime in the summer but that night ,which we planned to get sightseeing and the moulin rouge show at the same time!So we took it…”
Relax on a 90-minute Amsterdam night canal cruise with UNESCO canal views, audio in 20 languages, and an optional wine & cheese box.
“Was a great ride and tour to see the canal by lights. If your thinking about the wine and cheese package I would skip it. Nothing very special about it.”
Sail the Douro from Gaia with a guide, port wine on deck, and big views of bridges, churches, and riverside wildlife in about 2 hours.
“Fernando and Miguel were excellent guides for this sunset tour. They were knowledgeable and friendly and we enjoyed traveling on the River Douro, learning about the bridges and seeing the Atlantic Ocean very nearby.”
Two hours on a modern catamaran from Porto, sipping port wine past key bridges and Ribeira, with Atlantic air at Foz do Douro.
“It was a great experience and perfect way to see the city. Loved our driver, Miguel, who kept us informed of what we were seeing. Beautiful sunset!”
Cruise Bordeaux’s UNESCO waterfront on the Garonne with live English/French commentary, plus Bordeaux wine and a canelé for $22.
“Had a lovely time. The boat was very clean and the captain as well as the guide were excellent.”
2-hour Porto Douro cruise passing 6 bridges, with 4 port tastings and guides explaining Porto and port wine history.
“6 bridges boat ride Porto was informative, fun … plus a beautiful sunset!”
1-hour Seine cruise in Paris on a 100% electric boat with Champagne and live English/French commentary from the Eiffel Tower.
“Great cruise with informative commentary. Suggest that you get your champagne early as the service gets backed up! Would recommend!!”
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