This was our second Viking River Cruise, the first being in China two years ago. Viking did such a great job in China, and they repeated the wonderful experience on the Romantic Danube river cruise this year. We began with the pre-cruise option of two days in Prague, where Viking housed us in the luxurious Palace Hotel and arranged several optional walking and bus tours that gave us a feel of the history and culture of that beautiful city.

We traveled by bus to Nuremberg, where we boarded the Viking Njord. In Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Krems, Vienna and Budapest, all along that stretch of the Danube, we had wonderful tours of the towns and/or countryside. The cabin on the Njord was spotless and extremely comfortable, with a king-size bed, excellent bath, good storage, and a little balcony with chairs (though in April it was a bit chilly to enjoy the balcony much). Breakfast and lunch were served buffet-style with other options available on the menu, and dinners were served from a menu with great variety. Food and service were very good. Programs were offered in the lounge that gave previews of things to appreciate at the next stop, and even included an evening of opera.

We finished our vacation with the optional post-cruise two-day stay in Budapest. Again, the Viking people at our luxury hotel were most helpful with advice and directions and even dinner reservations. Read more