Miguel Torga Cabins

All 66 double occupancy cabins are river facing and spread across three decks: Upper, Middle and Main. There are four suites and one accessible cabin. The Upper Deck has 34 double occupancy cabins, the Middle Deck 14 and the Main Deck 18.

Given their compact size, the cabins are well designed to maximize storage opportunities, but the lack of seating means you are unlikely to spend hours in them, aside from sleeping.

The decor is neutral, with white linen and soft fur throws across the beds giving a clean, homey feel. Beds in all cabin categories can be configured as doubles or twins, with separate duvets and two big pillows each. Suitcases can be stowed beneath beds.

Space is tight within the cabins and there are no easy chairs, so the beds double up as seating, facing directly out the window. This is fine when you're sailing along the Douro, which is light on other river traffic, but when the ship is docked, particularly in busy Porto where as many as four Croisi ships might be lined up side by side, you will want to check what's outside the window before flinging back the curtains to enjoy the view from the comfort of your bed.

Cabins have air conditioning and central heating, TV, radio, hair dryer, full-length mirror and a safe. The TV has CNN, BBC and other European channels, plus ship information and an overview of the daily program plus menus. A word of warning about the positioning of the retractable TV, which hangs down by the window so it can be viewed from the bed. If you leave it down, you're likely to bump your head on it, as it does obstruct the window view. The switch to lever it upward and out of harm's way is on the far side of the bed.

Cabin lighting is good and includes bedside reading lamps and a main switch that can be pressed from the bed. However, you do need a key card to activate the electricity, so if you leave devices charging and exit the cabin, removing the key card from its socket, devices will no longer charge. Onboard voltage is 220 volts with European sockets, so Americans will need adaptors.

Bathrooms include a generous-sized shower, with a folding door. Tiles are white with a mosaic frieze adding a little color. There is not much room around the sink for bottles and towels are placed on a towel rack and on a ledge above the toilet. However, there is a cupboard below the sink where you could place a toiletry bag. This is where the hair dryer, which isn't particularly powerful, is fixed in place.

Onboard toiletries are provided, miniature bottles of shampoo and body wash, and there is a fixed liquid soap dispenser by the sink. The bottles do contain CroisiEurope's own brand, so bring your own if particular about your beauty products. Other amenities are minimal, a box of tissues, two large bottles of drinking water and two miniature bottles of hand sanitizer are provided and re-supplied when necessary, and there is a phone for onboard calls only.

Standard: Virtually all cabins fall into this category and measure 143 square feet. On the lower Main Deck, there are 18 cabins with rectangular pictures windows that don't open and are above the water line. Although they don't open, they still offer views of the passing scenery, but you do feel close to the water. There are 12 more standard cabins on the Middle Deck and 32 on the Upper Deck. These all have French balconies and floor-to-ceiling sliding windows. These cabins are compact, with little room to maneuver around the bed. There are five cupboards with two shelves for storage and a wardrobe with 10 wooden clothes hangers. A small desk area with a round stool is situated next to the wardrobe and behind the headboard.

Accessible: There is one wheelchair-accessible cabin on the Middle Deck, closest to the lounge, and an elevator provides access to the restaurant on the lower Main Deck. It has a larger bathroom than the standard cabins, equipped with grab rails and a plastic stool for use in the shower.

Suite: The ship's four suites are located at the rear of the Upper and Middle decks. Measuring 204 square feet, they are one room, with a French balcony to the side, and a panoramic floor-to-ceiling window that opens into an outdoor balcony overlooking the aft of the ship. These outdoor balconies have two easy chairs, with cushions, and a small coffee table. The balcony isn't private as you can see the neighboring suite's balcony and the two verandas are separated by a small area that other guests can access from a door at the end of the corridor. However, passengers are unlikely to use it when there's a whole Sun Deck above.

The extra space is the main reason to book these suites. They have ample space to walk around the bed and a large area of floor between the bed and access to the balcony. There's an extra chair for the dressing table area. There's a wide mirror and storage to one side of the bed, and the French window to the other side. The TV is fixed to the wall and can be swung round to face the bed.