Are You Ready For Lisbon Pride & The Douro?

The countdown is on! It’s time to start planning and fine tuning all those little details that will make our OUTbound cruise along the Douro and Lisbon Pride even more epic! Below are a few things to help you make the most of your vacation with us. As always, if you have any questions that we haven’t covered, or have a special request, hit us up… either by phone at 916.683.1000 or email us at info@iamOUTbound.com.

Let’s get started!

Flights

Flight Ideas

Since our Douro cruise leaves from Porto and we depart from Lisbon after Pride, many OUTbounders are booking round trip airfare to and from Lisbon, with a one-way ticket from Lisbon up to Porto at the start of our cruise. This is often cost-effective option while also giving our OUTbounders the ability to arrive early in Porto if you wish to do a little exploring on your own.

TAP Air

A popular one-way flight option from Lisbon to Porto is with TAP Air Portugal.

Select ‘Book a Flight’, then ‘One Way’. Enter your ‘from’ as Lisbon (LIS) and your ‘to’ as Porto (OPO), then enter your ‘when’ date of travel. Our cruise begins on Friday, June 17, 2022. Currently there are eight daily direct flights from Lisbon to Porto, typically ranging in price from about $60 to $80 per person.

And of course the standard disclaimer, you are always welcome to book any flight or airline you wish and OUTbound does not guarantee or endorse any airline or flight.

Boarding Our Ship

Getting to the Ship

Our ship will be docked at Fluvial Pier Quebrantões, located at R. Silva Tapada 317, 4430-999 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Vila Nova de Gaia (or simply Gaia) is the district in Porto on the south side of the Douro river.

Getting to the Fluvial Pier from Porto International Airport (OPO) takes about 25 to 30 minutes by car.

Have your driver follow the signs for Vila Nova de Gaia to the Avenida da Republica (the main road) towards the river. Just before the Douro, take the Rua Luis de Camoes on the right. When you reach the roundabout, follow “Cais de Quebrantoes” (for direct access to the boat). The dock is under the Sao Joao railway bridge.

Fluvial Pier Quebrantões Address: R. Silva Tapada 317, 4430-999 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

By Taxi: Rates for taxis can often range from €35 (day time) to €50 (night time), and are readily available as you exit the Porto airport on the arrivals (ground) level.

By Rideshare: Uber is available all over Portugal. Uber fares from the Porto airport to our ship docked at Fluvial Pier Quebrantões often run anywhere from €18 to €25, depending on the time of day and traffic.

Boarding

Boarding officially begins at 4:00pm local time on June 17th, but you are free to arrive at our ship at any time after 12:00pm noon. In the event your stateroom is not ready prior to 4:00pm, feel free to drop your bags at the reception desk, grab a drink from the bar and relax in the panoramic lounge or head up top to the sun deck to recover from your long travel day.

City Lights Cruise

Our ship will leave the Fluvial Pier at 9:00pm for a City Lights cruise past downtown Porto and under its many iconic bridges which can be best appreciated at night. The cruise will last about an hour and is scheduled to return to our dock at 10:00pm. Should you arrive at the pier during this time, dock workers will be available to welcome you, grab your luggage and stay with you until our ship’s return at the end of the tour at approximately 10:00pm.

Late Arrivals

We get it… it’s your first trip out of the country in almost two years and hey, sometimes delays happen. No worries… we’ve got you. OUTbound has arranged for our ship to stay docked at the Fluvial Pier in Porto overnight. In fact, our tour of Porto doesn’t take place until Saturday morning, June 18th. So there’s absolutely no reason to stress about missing the boat!

Porto Hotel Options

Porto Hotels

For those of you who are getting a jump on things and arriving early in Porto, there are a good selection of hotels to choose from. Below are a couple of really good options for getting a jump on your vacation!

First is the InterContinental Porto Palácio das Cardosas. This is one of the hotels most frequented by gay couples. It’s an old converted palace right in the heart of the old district. The staff is really friendly & always have suggestions for dining, bars & things-to-do off the beaten path. Rooms will run right around $350 to $375 per night in June. Here’s a link to their website… InterContinental Porto

The Yeatman is another great spot, but more on the pricy side. They call themselves a ‘wine hotel’. It sits near the Douro with some really great views of the river & the old city. Again, this place is also very gay friendly. It sits on the opposite side of the Douro from the old city, so you’ll need to take one of the ferries across to explore there. The ferries are super easy to use & run continuously back & forth. Prices here can be upwards of $500. Here’s their website… The Yeatman

You might also want to look at the Hotel Infante Sagres. It was just renovated a few years ago. It sits a little further from the Douro than the other two, but still within walking distance of all the things you’d want to see & do. Prices are a little cheaper here… usually under $300 for a night during the summer months. Here’s their website… Hotel Infante Sagres

Entertainment

OUTbound Entertainment

Get ready to ‘Stretch It OUT‘ with our very own Shawn Pelofsky!

We couldn’t be happier than to sail the Douro with the original Ha Ha Chick herself, Shawn Pelofsky! Born one out of only ten Jews in Oklahoma, Shawn has been pursuing a career in comedy since the age of eight. Shawn feels that her gay following is truly her success. She is especially proud to be an alley of the LGBTQIA+ community and to share in our Lisbon Pride & Douro River cruise with all our OUTbounders!

Your Nightly Entertainment Guide

FRIDAY NIGHT

Welcome aboard! Tonight is your chance to mix and mingle with your OUTbound family in the lounge as we kick-off our incredible Portugal and Spain getaway. Then head up top as we embark out on the water to take in the charms of Porto and its gorgeous waterfront illuminated by night on our City Lights Cruise.

SATURDAY EARLY EVENING

Tonight before dinner talented local performers will bring Fado to OUTbound during cocktail hour!

Fado is Portugal’s ever-popular and intensely heartfelt national song which holds UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage of Humanity award and is celebrated the world over as a major performing art.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Decades Night is a night all about the fun AND funny! Here’s your chance to take it all the way back to your favorite decade. With so many distinct looks from the years past, we can’t wait to see what style you land on. Plus direct from her Amazon Comedy Special we’ve brought comedian Shawn Pelofsky all the way to Portugal, so she can bring you the laughs! Tonight the lounge will be filled with the top of hits of decades past as we celebrate another day of seeing the world together!

SUNDAY NIGHT

Tonight the artistry and beauty of Flamenco will take OUTbound on a journey. Dance, costumes, and a celebration of the culture to celebrate our arrival in Spain.

MONDAY NIGHT

Get fierce, get funny, express yourself however you like! Wigs and Wine Night is your chance to have some fun while experiencing some of our favorite wines of the region. So pack your favorite wig and come grab a glass (or three!) and let loose with your OUTbound family.

TUESDAY NIGHT

It’s almost time for Lisbon Pride so let’s get Proud! Tonight is our Pride Before Pride Night. The lounge will be filled with your favorite Pride Anthems. So come as you are, or bring your favorite Pride gear!

Tipping

Tipping Our Hosts

Tipping is the ONLY thing not included with your OUTbound vacation. We never want to dictate anyone’s generosity or decide how much you think YOUR experience with a crew member, waitstaff or tour guide was worth. How much to tip depends on the type of service you receive and your personal experience.

During our trip together, you’ll come into contact with many different servers and hosts. At the end of each day’s guided tour, you’ll have the chance to tip our guide and driver whatever you feel your experience was worth.

Onboard our ship, you’ll receive an envelope in your stateroom on the last night of our cruise before disembarking the next morning for Lisbon. It’s here where you will have the opportunity to leave a tip that will be split among the crew… waitstaff, bartenders, room stewards and the entertainment staff.

A general rule of thumb for tipping the ship’s staff is €10 per day, per person.

However, if your experience warrants something more, then by all means feel free to be as generous as you would like. If you feel that any individual in particular has gone above and beyond in making your experience something extra special, then we encourage you to reach out to them directly and let them know how much you appreciated their service during our time together.

Laundry

Laundry Options

There is no laundry services aboard our ship. However, you will have access to a self-service laundry during our stay at the Brown’s Central Hotel.

Dry cleaning is also available at the Brown’s Central Hotel for an additional cost.

CoVid Information

CoVid Vaccination Requirements

Everyone onboard any OUTbound experience will need to be fully vaccinated at least 14-days prior to our departure date. That means having received two shots of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine (or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) plus one booster shot, if your last vaccination treatment has been administered six or more months prior to the start of any of our vacations.

In addition to OUTbound requiring all our passengers, guests, entertainers & staff to be fully vaccinated, all OUTbound trips are contracted so that the crew & staff of each resort & vessel we operate is also fully vaccinated.

In addition, PCR or antigen testing may also be required depending on the current entry regulations & requirements of each country visited during an OUTbound trip. Booked guests will receive email updates of current, trip-specific requirements as they become available.

OUTbound will also arrange for on-site testing for re-entry into the United States on each trip for those guests holding an American passport.

Travel Insurance

If we’ve learned anything over these last couple of years, it’s that the world can be an uncertain place at times. While you’re never required to buy travel insurance, it’s a good idea and we recommend all OUTbounders consider protecting your hard-earned vacation money. The price of your coverage will depend on a few factors, including the cost of the trip, what state you live in, how long before the trip departs, and if you have any pre-existing or underlying health conditions, to name a few.

Some reasons why you might buy travel insurance include:

Cancel for Any Reason
Unexpected Work Requirements
Personal or Family Illness

OUTbound does not provide travel insurance. However, we always recommend using a third-party insurance carrier to provide your coverage.

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