16th Nov 2025 | 7 nights | Uniworld | S.S. São Gabriel
As you follow the Douro River through Portugal and into Spain, you’ll cruise past steeply terraced hillsides, quaint villages and acres of ripe vineyards. Enjoy private tastings of Port. Explore Porto’s historic Ribeira district, home to iconic rabelo boats, cutting-edge cuisine and a thriving art scene. Wind your way through the dramatic landscapes of the UNESCO-designated Douro Valley, heading ashore to visit charming quintas and meet the winemakers who operate them. See the famous university of Salamanca, Spain, and visit the mountaintop village of Castelo Rodrigo. There’s no better way to discover Europe’s best-kept secret than this scenic and all-inclusive river cruise!
Uniworld also offers an 11-day version of this itinerary, featuring additional excursions in Lisbon.
Designed specifically to navigate the narrow Douro river in Portugal, the all-new S.S. São Gabriel brings the best of the region to life with public rooms, décor and cuisine all designed to highlight this famous epicentre of port wine production.
Carrying 100 passengers in 50 cabins, all of which offer river views, S.S. Sao Gabriel offers cruisers plenty of niceties, like an onboard swimming pool, a small spa and fitness centre, and a small gift shop.
A panoramic lounge situated all the way forward offers 180-degree views of the Douro River Valley, and like all Uniworld vessels, all beverages onboard are offered on a complimentary basis.
S.S. São Gabriel Top Deck Attractions
S.S. São Gabriel's Sun Deck features an outdoor swimming pool that is perfect for cooling off in the heat of the Douro, which can get hot, particularly during the summer months. Other niceties include plenty of shaded seating, and unshaded options for those looking to work on their tan.
S.S. São Gabriel Entertainment
In addition to daily briefings, cooking classes, demonstrations and the odd guest lecture make up the majority of the entertainment onboard. S.S. São Gabriel sails a port-intensive itinerary through the Douro River Valley, so expect to be off the ship for much of the day.
At night, a piano player entertains in the ship's main lounge, while passengers mingle over cocktails. Between the heat and the copious amounts of port wine to be enjoyed while on-tour, many cruisers elect to retire to their cabins shortly after dinner.
S.S. São Gabriel Itineraries
Uniworld's S.S. São Gabriel operates year-round on river cruises out of Porto, Portugal. The vessel can be found on Uniworld's 11-day cruise tour, "Portugal, Spain and the Douro River Valley" that travels from Lisbon to Porto.
Meals are taken in the ship's main restaurant on Cape Verde Deck, which features open seating and cuisine inspired by Portuguese favourites alongside international and North American dishes.
Breakfast and lunch are typically served over several hours, while dinners tend to start at a set time, usually around 7 p.m.
Lighter fare and afternoon snacks can be found in the ship's lounge on Azores Deck, which also houses a full-service bar offering specialty coffees, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day.
S.S. São Gabriel offers five grades of cabin accommodations, from economical river-view staterooms to the ship's four lavish Grand Suites.
Deluxe and Classic staterooms are all located on the Madeira Deck, and all feature fixed half-height window views of the passing river.
Moving up one deck, French Balcony staterooms are similarly sized but replace the small picture window with a French balcony that can fully open.
The uppermost accommodations deck, Azores Deck, houses only Suites and Grand Suites. These boast French balconies and enlarged living space compared with other cabin categories onboard. In a first for Uniworld's Douro river cruises, passengers booking suites aboard S.S. São Gabriel will be entitled to the same butler service found aboard Uniworld's other European-based river cruise vessels.
Affluent travellers who enjoy a touch of opulence with their luxury.
Young families, passengers with mobility issues and anyone who prefers subtle elegance over opulence.
Uniworld attracts affluent, sophisticated travellers. The bulk of passengers fall into the traditional 60-plus river cruise age group, but a good sprinkling of people aged 40 to 60 are also drawn to the stylish onboard ambience. In addition, Uniworld was one of the first lines to offer themed family cruising, and those sailings attract multigenerational groups.
Somewhat. Uniworld passengers run to smart-casual by day, but at night they almost always opt for dressier outfits, especially at the captain's welcome and farewell festivities. For those meals, as well as select dining ashore or concert options, the line suggests men bring a sports jacket and women, a cocktail dress or pantsuit. With that said, Uniworld only asks that cruisers not wear shorts to dinner.
No, but the experience is fairly inclusive with some differences depending on the itinerary. In general, unlimited drinks, most shore excursions, Wi-Fi and gratuities (onboard and on shore) are all included in the cruise fare. Access to onboard bikes and a self-service launderette are also complimentary. You will pay extra for some shore excursions, as well as spa and beauty treatments.
The ports of call draw passengers off the ship for much of the day and when they return onboard, they tend to spend quite a lot of time in the public rooms socializing. The indoor and outdoor pools attract more passengers than usual on river cruises, and the gym and spa facilities get plenty of use. Whenever offered, passengers gather for onboard programs, such as wine tastings, culinary classes and local group performance of traditional regional arts. Speakers from the line's Signature Lecture Series also usually draw a crowd. Dancing in the evening can prove popular depending on the passenger mix.