Wanted to cruise the Danube, see Budapest and Vienna. This cruise exceeded my expectations. The cities were beautiful. The guided tours were fantastic. Best of all, the ship, crew, meals and total experience were exquisite. Viking has perfected the river cruise experience. Every detail, from arrival to departure, was well planned and executed. The only recommendation I would have is that the flights that were booked through Viking were not as well planned or efficient as the rest of the trip. I would suggest that more effort be placed on securing the best possible flights with the shortest possible layovers.

Once we arrived in Budapest the experience truly began. We were amazed at the preparation of the staff, the excellence of the tour guides, and the attention to detail. The cabin was comfortable, clean, and very pleasant. We reserved a room with a balcony (veranda) and in retrospect would probably not pay for that upgrade again. We travelled in late November and the weather was cold (it snowed in two of our stops) and, therefore, we did not use the balcony. In warmer weather I'm sure it would have been better used. We loved our cruise director (named David I think) who was extremely knowledgeable, personable and witty. He truly made the on-board experience a lot of fun. We loved the ability to visit with the chef and tour the kitchen. We also took great advantage of the beer and wine that was available at meals - a great benefit! We can't wait to do another Viking cruise!