The Danube River cruise is the best cruise that my husband & I have taken. We did explore Budapest several days before the cruise & do suggest others to do so. There are many free, guided walking tours of the city. Plus, we explored on our own too. Embarkation & disembarkation were both easy & worry free. The staff greeted us from the moment our taxi arrived & took excellent care of us throughout the cruise. We loved the intimate size of the longboat & soon knew our cruise staff well and made lots of new friends with fellow passengers. Our cabin was very comfortable & we enjoyed having a balcony, mini frig, heated bathroom floors. Dining was great whether in dining room or in Aquavit Terrace. The daily free tours were wonderful. The daily briefings by the cruise director were informative & always prepared us for the next day. We enjoyed the entertainers, singers & dancers and lecturer that were brought onboard in several ports. My husband & I only have praise for Viking River cruises! While onboard, we bought a voucher for our next cruise & have already booked a Rhine River cruise. This was a dream vacation!