Wine Lover's Escape to Saint-Emilion: Private Half-Day Shore Trip

FAQ

• What should I expect on a Shore Excursion with Ophorus?

  As a specialized France Tour Operator and tours & activities provider, we organize worry free shore excursions departing from all cruise ports in France. Our professional team of travel advisors, drivers and guides speak fluent English, are experts in the destination and all our shore excursions take place on board premium vehicles.
  
  All our shore excursions in France include pick up and drop off at your ship, once you have exited the Cruise Port terminal. We will always indicate where your driver/guide will be waiting for you. Our itineraries and programs are customized to suit your needs and never include side visits or stops that you had not confirmed. We guarantee your return to ship on time and have a very flexible cancellation policy. All tours can be cancelled up to 48 hours before the tour.
  
  All our shore excursions are for small groups only, we do not cater for groups larger than 20 persons. Typically, we use premium minivans that will take up to 7 or 8 persons maximum. If your group is larger, then we will provide a small minibus but no larger than 20 passenger seats.

• Who conducts these Bordeaux Shore Excursions?

  We only employ accredited and licensed tour guides that are also the drivers for all tours that need visits to be conducted by certified guides. Good examples are: the visit of museums, guided walking tours in cities, visit of historical monuments, like the St Emilion underground monuments and so on.
  
  In some regions, where wine tours prevail (Bordeaux, Alsace) the tours are conducted by professional local guides, that are experts in Wines.

• What type of vehicles are used during a Bordeaux Shore Excursion?

  Our company uses only premium cars & minivans that are recent, comfortable and fully equipped including individual A/C, shaded windows and large leg space.

• Can we choose which wineries we will visit on this trip to St Emilion?

  Yes, we will be happy to make the pre-bookings for your winery tours of Saint Emilion. Please note that most wineries open their doors to visitors but some high end wineries such as Cheval Blanc, Petrus, Ausone and a few others do not welcome any visitors. Also, it is important to mention that we only make the required Chateau reservations once you have booked your tour with Ophorus.

• Are the Winery Tours private in Bordeaux?

  Yes, we do our best to privatize the wine tasting sessions during our Private Bordeaux Shore Excursions. This means that you will follow a private visit of the winery, followed by a private commented wine tasting session.

• How many / much wines are served in the Wineries?

  In Bordeaux, the Wineries will typically serve 1 to 3 wines during the tasting sessions. It is always the wine produced by the chateau that will be tasted. Usually the first and second wine of the estate.
  
  Important note: For all our guests who have experienced wine tours in other countries, please note that the average pour of wine in Bordeaux is less important than in other destinations. Even though we strive to work with Wineries that are more generous, they remain the only ones that can determine the quantity of wine poured in a glass.

• Should I bring something specific for this Shore Excursion?

  Always check the weather before you follow one of our shore excursions. By doing so, adapt your clothing to the local weather conditions. On one of our shore excursions we will not require you to bring your passport but it is always better to have some type of ID just in case. We strongly recommend that you bring with you a photocopy of any ID. Good walking shoes are always recommended in France as you never know on what type of grounds you might be walking.