Scenic Group announced that the company’s two river lines – Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises – will start their 2021 European river cruise season on Portugal’s Douro River with the first sailings taking place on July 30 and July 31, 2021, respectively.

These sailings are exclusive to the U.S. and U.K. markets. All guests must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before departure.

Emerald Cruises is offering savings of $2,000 per couple on the eight-day “Secrets of the Douro” for July-through-September sailings and $1,500 on October and November departures on new bookings made through Aug. 31, 2021.

Savings on Scenic is $2,400 per couple on all 2021 departures of the 11-day “Unforgettable Douro” and on the August and November eight-day sailings of “Delightful Douro.” The savings is $1,500 per couple for September and October departures.

Deposits for new bookings have been reduced to a fully refundable $100 per person.

The company said it is working closely with relevant bodies, including the Cruise Lines International Association and Portuguese authorities, to ensure operations adhere to all necessary guidelines. Details on the increased health and safety protocols can be found at both www.scenicusa.com and www.emeraldcruises.com .

The river cruises are roundtrip from Porto and sail on the Douro River as far as the quaint port village Vega de Terron over the Spanish border. Unique to the two cruise lines is their own purpose-built dock, located in Porto’s historic Cais de Maragaia, and only a five-minute walk to Cais de Ribeira, one of Porto’s most popular riverfront promenades.