Travel Regal cruise on the River of gold Jeannine Williamson finds out what it’s like to travel like royalty on the Spirit of Chartwell A s our vessel slowly ascends the cavernous lock at the Carrapatelo Dam it is an unexpected highlight – or to be strictly correct low point – on our voyage along Portugal’s Douro River. The dramatic landscape of lush forests, olive groves and steep terraced vineyards that produce the country’s famous fortified tipple is replaced by the impressive 108 September 2019 man-made view of the immense 115ft walls of Europe’s deepest lock. Half an hour later Spirit of Chartwell sails beneath the guillotine gate at the opposite end and re-emerges into the sunshine. Thanks to five dams built between 1964 and 1971, including the Carrapatelo, visitors can now enjoy tranquil sailings along the Douro, and savour the region’s port and lesser-known wine along the way @etcmag_south without spilling a drop. This wasn’t the case when the river was a turbulent, dangerous waterway that caused many traditional wooden rabelo boats to founder as they transported barrels of port downstream to the warehouses of Porto. Whilst numerous river cruise ships now ply the river, following near-identical sevennight itineraries from Porto to the Spanish border and back, there are none like the