Andorinha is making its first scheduled cruise along the Douro this week as part of a 12-day itinerary which also includes stays in Lisbon and Madrid.

Guests also got the “surprise” opportunity to enjoy the ship’s official christening ceremony which took place on the third day of the trip.

Tauck chief executive Dan Mahar said: “We work extraordinarily hard to find fun and unexpected experiences for our guests and craft them into our journeys.

“It’s very gratifying to surprise our guests with a sense of wonder and delight, and for this lucky group of guests, we were able to provide an especially memorable experience.”

Andorinha, which has capacity for 84 passengers in 42 cabins, was built specifically to sail on the Douro with its decor and design inspired by the region’s culture and climate, including the use of azulejos, traditional ceramic tiles, around the ship.

Mahar said sales for Tauck’s Douro cruises departing in both 2021 and 2022 were “very strong” after last year’s bookings were deferred to this year.