Viking Embla Review
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My husband and I sailed on Viking this past August, 2015, from Amsterdam to Budapest.
It was not what I expected. Many of us on this cruise called it the ABC tour, (another bloody castle, another bloody church). The boat we were supposed to be on was not the boat they put us on initially. We booked for the Embla, and started out on the Leaf. Too bad we could not stay on that boat as the staff were extremely nice. Then after three days, we had to switch boat back to the Embla. The tour director was very stoic, and was biased against women. Very autocratic! One of the main reasons we choose this tour was because of the Nuremberg tour. You are not able to sign up in advance for a tour. So, when they announced at dinner that we could sign up, we immediately went to do so after dinner, only to be told that the tour was full. Imagine that!! It was limited to 50 people. Many of us were very upset by this and complained bitterly. Finally, the tour director said he would look into seeing if the company would put on another bus. It was not until the night before the tour ( 2 days later) that we were informed that another bus was secured.
The entire tour is not for anyone with any physical impairments. The boat is not really handicap accessible. The elevator only goes one floor. If you want to access the sun deck, you had to climb a flight of stairs. There are no amenities on Viking, such as hot tubs, etc. .
Cabin Review
Veranda Stateroom
You need to bring electrical adapters for use in the cabin, especially if you have C-Pap machines. You need this too in Budapest.
Port Reviews
Budapest
Budapest is a beautiful city with a lot of history. You can book your own tour with the "Hop on Hop Off " bus available at any hotel. We purchased a two day pass which included a river tour. The cost was very reasonable ( much cheaper than booking it by Viking) and allowed you to see the city at your own pace. The Marketplace is a must see. We didn't do the hot spring baths (spas), but plan to do it on our next trip to Budapest.
Nuremberg
My husband booked the tour through Viking. It did not allow sufficient time to see the major landmarks. I took the free bus tour and got the highlights of the city. Unfortunately, the boat is in Nuremberg only for a short period of time, so you could not even explore on your own.
Bratislava
Best place to shop . Prices were the best . Ask the crew where to go as they know the best places.