Tour operator and river cruise line Tauck is to sail a new ship on Portugal’s Douro river from next year.
The line will offer three new itineraries on the 84-passenger Andorinha – the first ship Tauck has ever operated on the Douro.
The new 263-feet ship will have 42 cabins, including 12 300-square foot suites on the upper Diamond deck, plus 20 225-square foot staterooms.
The remaining accommodations – six 200-square foot cabins and four 150-square foot cabins – will be on the lower or Emerald deck.
Andorinha will also feature a Panorama Lounge, Compass Rose restaurant for fine dining, and a second dining venue, Arthur’s
The ship will offer a 12-day itinerary that bookends a seven-night Douro cruise with two-night hotel stays in Lisbon and Madrid; an eight-day cruise only itinerary and an eight-day Tauck Bridges sailing for families.
The Tauck Bridges sailing will have four departures slated for late June and early June 2020.
The ship will launch in spring 2020.
Tauck chief executive Dan Mahar believes the line’s new ship will offer passengers an unrivalled experience.
He said: “At Tauck, we measure success by the quality of the experience we provide our guests.
“One of the best ways to ensure a warm, relaxing and engaging atmosphere on board is to avoid crowding too many guests into a limited space.”
Mahar added that rival lines will have 55% more passengers in the same space.
“You just can’t deliver the same level experience or ambience with those kinds of numbers.”
Itinerary details and pricing will be announced later this year.