Bordeaux Cruise

Our cruise directors will be on-hand at the airport to assist with transfers down to the ship. Passengers can check in on board from 6:00 p.m. in Bordeaux. We will introduce the crew at 7:00 p.m., followed by a welcome cocktail and dinner.

This morning, we begin sailing up the Garonne and into the Gironde Estuary on our journey to Cussac–Fort-Médoc, a region internationally renowned for its red wine. Our excursion this afternoon will take us along the trail of the Grands Crus Wines of Médoc for a sample (or two!) before returning to the ship for dinner and the evening’s entertainment.

We will sail across the Gironde Estuary toward Blaye for today’s excursion: the UNESCO World Heritage Site Citadel of Blaye. One of the most impressive military fortifications in France, it was designed by the legendary French engineer Vauban in the 17th century. On our guided tour, we will learn how this citadel—together with Fort Médoc on the opposite bank and Fort Paté in the middle of the estuary—once made the river impassable to enemy ships. Following our tour, we will visit a nearby vineyard to see if the wine tastes better on this side of the estuary, before heading back to the ship. Dinner will be served on board, followed by our evening entertainment.

Today we cruise to Libourne, a beautiful town at the confluence of the Isle and Dordogne Rivers. From here, we take a coach to the UNESCO-listed, medieval town of Saint-Émilion. Saint-Émilion is another world-famous wine region, known for producing some of the finest red wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru classification. The town itself is set amidst rolling vineyards, stone houses, and breathtaking views. Our walking tour will lead us through the medieval centre, where we will wander down cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses. There will be time to sample the famous macarons of Saint-Émilion, and we will end our excursion with a wine tasting.

This morning, we return to the wine capital of the world: Bordeaux. We will begin the day with a walking tour of the historic centre, followed by a visit to the world’s largest wine museum: Cité du Vin. After the tour (if anyone is still standing!), we will have a final opportunity to taste some of the region’s magnificent wines. We return to the ship for lunch, followed by either free time or an optional excursion to Les Bassins des Lumières—a vast digital art space housed inside a former submarine base built by the occupying German forces during World War II. This immersive exhibition focuses on the works of famous artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, or Picasso, projecting their art onto the original water basins that once housed German U-boats, creating a spectacular visual effect. After the exhibition, we return to the ship for dinner and our “Au revoir” concert.

We enjoy a final breakfast together on board before making our onward journeys home. Check-out is at 9:00 a.m.