Viking Embla Review

4.0 / 5.0
167 reviews

Grand European Viking Cruise; Tips and Other Considerations

Review for Europe River Cruise on Viking Embla
User Avatar
Keve55
6-10 Cruises • Age 60s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Oct 2015

My wife and I took our first river cruise of 15 days with Viking from Budapest to Amsterdam in early November 2015. Overall it was an excellent vacation and for the most part an exceptional experience on both Viking ships Embla and Aegir. That of course is another part of the story to be continued later.

I often consult Cruise Critic for trip tips prior to a vacation so hopefully some folks especially new river cruisers will find my observations helpful. So if you don't want to read the whole novelette here are the bullet points: It is an awesome trip. Go to Great Market Hall in Budapest. See a concert in Vienna and get a chocolate torte. Passau is best city to shop. Go on the Nuremburg, Rothenburg, and Pub Crawl in Cologne tours. All of these are special Viking offerings that are not included as free excursions. Make sure you are on the upper (sun) deck when sailing through the Wachua and Rhine valleys. For Ocean cruisers there are hurricanes. For river cruisers there are high water, low water or broken locks. Although it will be well handled, your trip could easily become a land tour. No, you don't need a balcony.

Itinerary tips:

Cabin Review

Port Reviews

Budapest

Fishermen's Bastion for beautiful views...

Bratislava

Highlight is artwork man exiting manhole.

Vienna

Stephansplaz is only a 4 stop subway ride from port.

Melk

Buy the honey liquor in the gift shop.

Passau

Best city to shop.

Regensburg

Try sausages at Sausage Kitchen below the stone bridge.

Nuremberg

Unfortunately needed more time. Documentation Center should be a required visit for everyone.

Koblenz

Walked around city on our own. St.Martin's celebration with parade and bonfire was very cool. Like a second line march in NOLA.

Cologne

Good to gain experience with the city. Very diverse.

Cologne

Impressive Cathedral.

Cologne

Pub Crawl was awesome.

12 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a Viking Embla Cruise from $1,999

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.