MEL & JOHN

Jon BXL put great photos recently and info on this trip and want to put the details in our vistors file, can anybody let me know the price of the trip please?

Fortaleza

Can PM you of details of a boat doing cruises at quite decent prices. The trip is supposed to be a fishing trip - whether you are absolute beginner or expert - and they provide all the gear, food and wine, beer etc and can even arrange pick-ups froom your hotel, apartment etc... But you don't have to go fisihing, you can just go sightseeing, whether it be up the coast or up the river. Trip is out around 9am and back around 3pm. They are new and don't have a website set up yet and I don't think they're planning to do one in time for the summer. They do have an email though.

If of interest, PM me and I'll give you details

MEL & JOHN

Many Thanks Fort..have sent you a PM

Also answered my own question as remembered that Jur gave me info on this trip www.guadianatour.com ...price 48€ adult incl lunch

Jur

It´s a decent trip, my mother & father in law took it last year end enjoyed themselves. Not sure if the "rivercruiser" is operating this year, so all trips (I think) are leaving from Vila Real.

Fortaleza

This is a new, smaller venture - ostensibly leaving from Isla Cristina Marina, but as Isla Canela Marina is just 5 mins away it can go from there too.

The benefit of this is that it is to all intents and purposes a charter and you get to decide the route etc.....

Fredbargate

Looking at the website for this company you would not get me aboard this boat if it was in drydock let alone in the water.

jackytoo

passenger capacity 50

rugbymatt

Thats an odd statement. What is wrong with it?

It looks quite a nice website, fairly interactive, easy to navigate and as for the boat........ been on similar ones a dozen times and always felt pretty safe.

Odd.

Fortaleza

The website isn't bad. Does what it says on the tin.

I think the issue, as Jackytoo says, is more to do with the fact it has a 50 capacity given it looks smaller than that in the photos.

That said for those who just want a ferry style trip up the river or along coast it seems fine.

There used to be a really big cruise yacht that went out of Portimao along the coast, up the river to Alcoutim and back again. Passengers were able to walk about freely, there was a bar, swimming pool etc but they don't seem to be doing it anymore. It was called the Algarve Cruiser I think. However, I don't think they did day trips - it was a few days long I think, and quite pricey

Fredbargate

Fredbargate

My own experiences of small commercial boats ( mainly limited to 12 passengers ) does not lead me to believe a vessel like the one in the advert could pass an MCA ( UK ) inspection, which has European equivalents.

Especially in the areas of watertightness / fireproofness ? of the engine room bulkheads. Wooden boats are very difficult to bring up to standars in these areas due to their construction.

A little light reading >-

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mgn_280-2.pdf

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-...sel_safety.htm

rugbymatt

So why not e-mail the company rather than just come on and slag them off?

Fortaleza

The new one I referred to earlier is small - can probably take around 10 but they limit it to a maximum of 7 to give people a bit more room. Couldn't tell you about the technical stuff you mention or MCA, but I do know that it has passed all the inspections for its licences and insurance and so on as the guy was getting frustrated becuase he missed Easter trade as the bureacracy was taking ages. He finally got it all sorted in May.

Fredbargate

I have expressed my personal opinion.

I have given some information to back up my opinion.

I am not paid to police Spanish marine law, nor do I whish to.

If you consider that " Slagging off "so be it.

Fortaleza

Not to be petty or pedantic, the Guadiana Tours boat you refer to would have to adhere to Portuguese marine law as it is a Portuguese boat, run by a Portuguese company.

Splitting hairs, maybe, but there are many people who take that distinction very seriously.