ms Vasco de Gama

MS Vasco de Gama cruises on the Douro River in Portugal (wine region). Itineraries are round trips departing from the homeport of Oporto, Portugal. This riverboat operates in Portugal together with the CroisiEurope ships Fernao de Magalhaes, Gil Eanes, Infante Don Henrique, Miguel Torga, and Amalia Rodrigues.

Decks and Cabins

The riverboat has 71 passenger cabins (each sized 129 ft2 / 12 m2) in 2 categories, including 5 cabins fitted with 2 single beds.

Main Deck staterooms (15 doubles) feature riverview windows (non-opening).

Middle Deck (18 doubles) and Upper Deck cabins (38 doubles) have French balconies (slide-opening windows).

The Upper Deck also includes 2 Suites with private verandahs (terraces).

Each stateroom features a private bathroom (WC, sink, shower cabin), wardrobe/closet, satellite TV, radio, phone (internal calls only), hairdryer, personal safe, and individual air conditioning.

Shipboard Facilities

Ship amenities include a lounge (with a dance floor and bar), a dining room (Vasco de Gama Restaurant), an Upper Deck lounge with a terrace, a sundeck relaxation area (with shaded seating, loungers, and deckchairs), gift shop, library, elevator, and complimentary Wi-Fi Internet.

CroisiEurope’s gourmet dining options, along with organized tours featuring themed food and wine tastings, allow Vasco de Gama’s guests to enjoy Portuguese cuisine and wines along the cruise itinerary.

CroisiEurope Douro River Cruise Itineraries

The Vasco de Gama’s Douro River cruise itineraries from Porto are themed:

• (code PPH_PP) “Porto, Douro Valley, and Salamanca” (Portugal and Spain) – 8 days with two overnights in Porto (after embarkation and before disembarkation).
• (code POB) “Pleasant Portugal” – 6-day Douro Valley cruise (two overnights in Porto).
• (code POC_PP) “The Douro River” (cruise-only deals; flights/transfers not included) – 8 days with an overnight in Porto before disembarkation.
• (code POC) “The River Douro” (deals inclusive of flights and transfers) – 8 days with two overnights in Porto, airport transfers (to/from the ship), and round-trip flights to Porto (from/to France).

Among the tours and excursions on Vasco de Gama’s Porto itineraries are:

• (day 1) Porto – embarkation (welcome cocktail), guided tour (optional, with wine tasting)
• (day 2) Regua (afternoon arrival, overnight) – Lamego (guided excursion)
• (day 3) Vila Real (bus excursion to Casa de Mateus), boarding in Pinhao, evening arrival in Barca d'Alva (overnight; Flamenco show onboard)
• (day 4) Vega de Teron (Spain – disembarkation) – Salamanca (UNESCO site / guided excursion), re-boarding in Vega de Teron, evening arrival in Senhora de Ribeira (overnight; themed entertainment)
• (day 5) Ferradosa – “Wines of Porto” (vineyard route / wine-tasting tour), afternoon Douro Valley cruising to Entre-os-Rios (overnight; Gala Dinner)
• (day 6) Douro Valley cruising to Porto (afternoon arrival, overnight) – guided tour (optional), Fado music performance onboard
• (day 7) Porto (free time) – Aveiro (afternoon bus excursion), overnight; themed folklore show onboard
• The 6-day “Pleasant Portugal” itinerary includes visits to Porto Antigo (arrival on day 3, overnight stay) and Solar de Mateus (house and gardens / optional excursion).

MS Vasco de Gama cruise prices are per person, based on double occupancy. These indicative CroisiEurope Portugal rates may vary depending on booking date, travel agency promotions, special offers, group reservations, or last-minute discounts.

Note that CroisiEurope cruises in Portugal are price-inclusive of beverages (coffee, tea, juices, soda, and wine and beer served at lunch and dinner), but shore tours and excursions are optional and cost extra.

The CroisiEurope cruise company is family-owned and based in Strasbourg, France. Established in 1976, this premium line manages all aspects of its operations—from vessel design and construction to cuisine and hotel services. CroisiEurope is among Europe’s largest river cruise companies.

CroisiEurope river cruise deals include soft drinks and alcoholic beverages (wine and beer with lunch and dinner year-round). During Europe’s high season (April through October), the line offers deals that include unlimited drinks. However, unlike most river cruise lines, CroisiEurope charges additionally for shore excursions.

The Vasco de Gama cruises on the Douro River in Portugal and Spain, operating round-trip itineraries from Porto, Portugal. From the same class are the CroisiEurope ships Cyrano de Bergerac, Gerard Schmitter, L’Europe, and Vivaldi. The company also owns the Douro riverboats Gil Eanes, Infante Don Henrique, and Fernao de Magalhaes.

Other major European river cruise lines operating in Portugal include AmaWaterways with the AmaVida; Viking Cruises with the longships Hemming, Torgil, and Osfrid; as well as Scenic Azure and Uniworld’s Queen Isabel.

A fun fact: this river cruise ship has two namesakes—the CMV-owned Vasco da Gama (formerly Pacific Eden) and the CMA-CGM container ship Vasco De Gama. The container vessel measures 175,000 GT, has a capacity of up to 18,000 containers, and was launched in 2015.

Note: You can view CruiseMapper’s full list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the “itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub, where all companies and their fleets are listed.