Our experience with Viking was top notch! Our flight was delayed out of the US due to thunderstorms. The airline had rebooked our flights upon arriving in Germany. Viking knew that we were delayed and adjusted our transfer from the airport to the ship. We didn't have to do anything. Unfortunately, our luggage got lost in the shuffle of rebooked flights. However, when we awoke the very next morning it was outside out cabin door. As soon as we arrived on board, we were offered the chance to head up on the Aquavit Terrace to enjoy a meal since we had missed our lunch. That was wonderful!

My husband and I enjoyed sharing our meals with different groups. There were about 180 people on our cruise, and I'm sure that we interacted with almost everyone at some point. There were always plenty of menu options at each meal. We generally ate breakfast at the buffet in the dining room, lunch on the Aquavit Terrace (lovely al fresco dining), and dinner in the dining room. The portions were not huge and the wine flowed freely during the dinner hour. The cuisine always varied by our location. If you didn't like what was on the menu for the evening, they always had a few standard choices. After dinner we would head to the lounge to enjoy after-dinner drinks, music, entertainment, and dancing. Our cruise director, George, was so much fun. We enjoyed the various entertainment brought on board and our on-board piano player/singer, Sylvia.

Each day we went on the shore excursion (generally in the morning). These were small groups with local tour guides. My husband especially loved the smaller cities of Regensburg and Passau. I thought that each city had its own charms and beauty. After the morning tour, we were able to explore each city further on our own in the afternoon. There were optional tours each afternoon, if you were interested. I loved our tour of the Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna. Absolutely beautiful! Cruising through the beauty of the Wachau Valley and seeing the old towns and castles is something everyone should experience. We concluded our cruise in Budapest which was my favorite city. I loved being able to get off the boat and a few steps from the market, beautiful architecture, and local attractions. One evening we cruised the Danube after our dinner. Budapest is stunning at night! We did the post-cruise extension in Budapest so we were able to explore in depth. Our room at the Buda Hilton offered the most wonderful view of the Parliament. Viking sure knows how to pick the best hotel in Budapest! Read more