This cruise was a group project involving 5 other couples from our hometown. It started as a birthday celebration, but evolved into an amazing opportunity to enjoy old friendships, make new friends, and see parts of the world that we had never before experienced.

We started with a pre-cruise experience on our own in Prague, and then connected with our friends in Passau, where we had the opportunity to explore on our own, as well as enjoy a guided tour (with the added bonus of a beautiful organ concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral.) One of our favorite excursions was to Melk Abbey, which is a "must not miss" opportunity, especially if the guide is as knowledgeable as was ours. In spite of one day of uncooperative weather, we enjoyed our tour of Cesky Krumlov, where we were given ample time for shopping, exploring on our own, and enjoying a tasty lunch. My favorite tour was to Bratislava, because our guide Katerina shared her personal experiences involving her life in Soviet occupied Slovakia. Another amazing excursion was the Strauss/Mozart concert, which offered a flavor of life in Old Vienna.

The ship was obviously the star of this journey. My experience on a large cruise ship had made me a skeptic about cruises in general, but everything about the ship, the crew, the entertainment, the delicious food, and the services provided made me a convert to river cruising. This was an amazing experience, and I would not hesitate to take another Viking Cruise in the future.