I and 4 others of the Miles Morgan Travel team were given the incredible opportunity to experience a 5* ultra luxury river cruise on board Scenic Diamond. The river cruise itinerary we experienced was called ‘Bordeaux Affair’ sailing through the Garonne river through to the Dordogne. I had never experienced a river cruise and I was beyond excited! Everything on this cruise is included within the price you pay.
We flew on a direct flight from Bristol airport to Bordeaux which was only 1 hour and 10 minutes, on arrival after collecting our luggage we were greeted by a Scenic Representative who escorted us to our chauffeur ready to take us to our beautiful ship, I was super excited! Approaching the river, I could not believe the elegance and class of this ship it looked stunning and waiting next to it were a team of Scenic crew waiting to whisk away our luggage so we could walk onboard.
Upon entry, we were all handed a glass of champagne and a huge warm welcome by all the staff. Check in was very easy and quick, a copy of your passports are taken and a quick photo which is linked to your cabin card and this is used to tap on and off the ship. Our first evening was enjoyed with a beautiful 3 course dinner at the Crystal Restaurant, all waiter service which will never leave a glass half empty... the service was exceptional and nothing was ever too much trouble.
Day 1 - Cadillac
Our first full day we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast (again so much choice) and at 9:30am everyone on board were asked to go up to the sun deck for a practice safety drill followed by a cruise overview with the cruise director onboard called Mandy. Mandy was incredible with so much knowledge and updates for the guests, nothing was ever too much to ask from her. Each day at a new port of call you are given 2 optional excursions to choose from and these are all included in the price you pay at the time of booking.
Whilst enjoying the beautiful waters and sailing down the Garonne we started to approach a very low bridge, my instant reaction "No way can we get under that!". All of a sudden, the crew were up on the deck asking everyone to sit down and enjoy what was about to happen... I turned towards the Captains control room and the roof of it started to flatten down and we sailed under the bridge...... it was SPECTACULAR!
We arrived in the town of Cadillac and our excursion for today was a tour of the Sauternes region and wine tasting. The scenery driving towards the Chateau was stunning and I have never seen so many vineyards in my life. The evening was spent with a beautiful meal and then off to the lounge for some music and relaxation.
Day 2 - Bordeaux
Today we all enjoyed a guided walking tour around beautiful Bordeaux with so much culture and history, the buildings and streets were magnificent to see. We were then allowed some free time and whilst the weather was glorious sunshine we decided to head back to the ship and enjoy some time on the sun deck in the Hot Tub.
This afternoon at 3pm it was oyster tasting onboard, all the crew had dressed up in French berets and outfits. What an experience this was to witness and there was no force in tasting the oysters if you didn't want to. Our evening was enjoyed by a private dining experience with the executive chef, this includes a 6-course meal with different wines which are paired with each course it was truly delicious.
Day 3 - Blaye
This morning we enjoyed some free time to explore the fortress and its incredible architecture and history before a leisurely sail across to Port Medoc. This evening everyone onboard Scenic Diamond had to have an early dinner as we were all booked to go and experience a classical concert at Chateau D'Agassac - This was a night I will never forget and recommend to everyone to go if they sail on this itinerary. On arrival back to the ship the chef had prepared a range of homemade soups and breads for everyone to enjoy.
Day 4 - Fort Medoc - Bourg
Breakfast was enjoyed at 8:30am then our coaches were ready at 9:15am ready to take us for a scenic drive around Fort Medoc with a tour and wine tasting at a different Chateau. We got to learn how all the red wines are made, from the start of the grape straight through to the bottle. The Barrell rooms where all the wines are stored were huge and so much selection.
After tasting a mixture of wines and making some personal purchases it was time to head back to sail onto the historic town of Bourg. Here we enjoyed a walking tour of the small town and visited a delightful carriage museum with a hidden secret from the past. Our final evening was enjoyed with 2 live singers in the lounge and watching the shimmering views of the beautiful river glisten with the night sky, I really didn't want this trip to end.
If you are interested or thinking about a 5* river cruise, then Scenic is the one for you. I can highly recommend this ship and I will definitely be returning onboard to experience its wonders again. Please feel free to get in touch for any help or questions and I will be more than happy to talk you through this stunning ship.
