Your cart is currently empty!
CroisiEurope MS Miguel Torga Inaugural
New Luxury Ship Cruising the Douro River
The official inauguration of the MS Miguel Torga in Porto, Portugal. CroisiEurope MS Miguel Torga inaugural recap. Event coverage of cruise news from Porto, Portugal.
My immediate reaction to the invitation to attend the inaugural cruise for CroisiEurope’s new MS Miguel Torga was an immediate yes. I was excited about attending the event for many reasons. To begin with, I wanted to learn more about CroisiEurope, which is Europe’s largest river cruise line. And secondly, I wanted to see what the cruise line’s river cruise program was like on the Douro River (hint: this one of the world’s oldest wine regions and is aUNESCO World Heritage Site).
Arriving at the airport was the hard part, everything else was easy.
After a long flight from Los Angeles to Porto, Portugal, I was met by the transfer driver (an employee of the cruise line) who took our small group from the airport to the dock. Upon arrival to the ultra-modern ship that measures 262 feet long, I was greeted by the friendly staff that showed me to my cabin. I was told that the dinner service had started and that I could join the group in the dining room when I was ready.
I went into the dining room and was treated to a local glass of wine and a gourmet feast (I explain that here).
After dinner, our group went into Porto to admire the city at night.
The Big Event
Mid-morning, everyone gathered alongside for the inaugural festivities.
The Schmitter family inaugurated its new vessel, the MS Miguel Torga, in Porto with Ms. Isabel Ferreira de Castro, godmother and director of tourism in Porto and Northern Portugal, and Mr. Domingos Carvas, godfather and mayor of Sabrosa, in attendance.
Why Miguel Torga? He was a famous short-story writer and poet who was born in the Sabrosa Region in 1907. He is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. CroisiEurope wanted to pay homage to this honorable artist by naming our latest top-of-the-line ship after him.
Built in 2016 at the Sambre and Meuse Shipyard in Namur, the MS Miguel Torga is the fifth boat to join the Douro fleet and the second “5-anchor rating” ship.