We sailed on the Viking Danube; the positives: the crew and program director Michael are top notch; they made the trip so enjoyable; we were very impressed with them. Upon arrival at the ship (we came a day early, stayed in a hotel and arranged our own transfer to the ship) we were shown to the lounge where a light lunch was being served as well as drinks, wine and beer. Everyone was very welcoming; when our cabin was ready, they came to get us. The Viking Danube is being put out of service at the end of 2012; it is an old ship. The cabin configuration of space could be better and the mattress was not comfortable at all. We had more shelf space on a previous river cruise with a different company. The lounge area where all events were held was a tight fit for all the guests.
The entertainment brought on the ship was fun and enlightening; we especially enjoyed the wooden shoe making demonstration, the dance group, the men's choir, Belgian waffle demonstration and the speaker on Belgium and the Netherlands. The speaker on the European Union was good but went on too long.
Dining was excellent with a number of options; the wait staff made everyone feel very welcome and were very accommodating. It was a tight fit in the dining area.
Very quiet in cabin, location perfect for access to lounge and dining room; window had huge sill which provided area to put stuff, night tables lacked shelves and drawers; mattress terrible; cabin was immaculate