Viking is a great value for your dollar and the locations visited are wonderful! Never worried about safety during tours. Some of our tours were repeats and learned new information and perspective than on the first tour. Was nice to return to towns that had visited before and go back to shops that we had been to before. The Christmas Markets were amazing and enjoyed each of them. We find Germany rich in history and enjoy each stop. We have made 2 trips to Budapest and really enjoy the city. Our tour guide was amazing and so knowledgeable. She was raised there. When she was an adolescent moved to the US. Now her and family are back. She could really put the history in perspective. Cabins were always clean and staff very pleasant. Easy to find the Viking staff @ the airport and smooth process to get to the boat and back to the airport at the end of the cruise. The food was outstanding and the dining room staff awesome. By end of trip we all knew each others names and were treated like family. Read Less

I must first blame the whole thing on Rick Steves' travel series on PBS that got me interested in taking the Danube tour at Christmas time. I really had to see the Christmas Markets along the Danube. I saw that there was a deal for two with Viking, looked into it and immediately signed up. the tour was everything I expected. The ship was lovely, the tours were fabulous, and the staff was very attentive. The accommodations were small but neat and clean. The shore excursions were informative and enlightening. I love history as does my daughter who accompanied me, and what we got was lots of history. Prague was wonderful as was Budapest. The cities along the Danube were beautiful and fun to walk around. The tour guides were very good and well informed. We also enjoyed some extra tours, like the food tour in Prague, and the wine tour. All in all, it was a trip of a lifetime! Read Less

We had never cruised before, so chose a river cruise and the Danube in particular as we were keen to visit all the destinations on offer. From the moment we boarded the Viking Njord, everything was lovely. All of the staff were polite, efficient and really charming. We had a cabin on the lower deck, so only "portholes" to view out of, but it was perfectly adequate. The rooms, whilst compact have plenty of wardrobe space for clothes and there is plenty of space for luggage to be stored out of your way. A small but very functional shower room with an amazingly powerful shower (not sure what I expected there). Normally very independent travellers, we were overwhelmed by the total organisation to get all of the guests off the Ship at ports of call and into coaches for our various chosen excursions. As most were included in the overall cost of the holiday, I think we definitely received value for money. I can say that we definitely send a huge thank you to everyone onboard the Njord for helping to make our first cruise experience a thoroughly enjoyable - and to be repeated - experience. Wish you all a very merry christmas and happy new year. Read Less

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We took the Budapest to Nurnberg direction in late-November/early-December stopping at Vienna, Krems, Passau and Regensburg and had cabin 228. First off, the onboard housekeeping and food service staff and meals were excellent. There were food choices of local dishes as well as American fare (steak, burgers, chicken). When we booked this cruise our ship was to be the Tor then the Bestla then the Njord was a last minute substitution when Bestla was delayed upstream. Earlier that fall, longship Freya was taken out of service after it collided with a bridge causing the death of two wheelhouse crew so ships were juggled to fill cruise itineraries and we unfortunately ended up with Njord. We have cruised in cabins with French balconies on Avalon, Uniworld and Viking lines but the French balcony cabins on the Njord were the smallest of all. There was 12-inches clearance on each side of the bed. There was no room for a chair. The peek-a-boo bathroom had two glass walls (apparently to make the cabin appear bigger) and a dial that turned the translucent panes to clear glass. Maybe for a honeymoon suite but not here! Who wants to see their roomie shower or pee? Njord is the oldest of the longships and its floor-to-ceiling windows in cabins, lounge and dining room were not double glazed so cold drafts came with the view. Very appropriate that Njord was the Norse god of wind. The central hallway was narrow with a low ceiling. There were pale yellow bleach stains on some of the grey sofa cushions in the lounge. So Njord needed to be dry-docked and refurbished. Advent 2016 began on November 27 and marked the beginning of Christmas markets along the Danube, an annual event which appeared to surprise Viking Njord staff. Passengers expected to spend time at these seasonal markets but Viking was still on its summer tour program. Extended time with bus connections back to the ship were hurriedly worked into the schedule. At the Regensburg market, Viking booked 70 returning passengers on a 50-seat bus and had to hold back another tour bus to accommodate the overflow. These two buses arrived in the dark at Essinger Hof then Kelheim to wait for the ship to arrive thru the lock. In the pitch black with no lighting in the parking lots or on the gravel path sloping down to the riverbank, one woman fell, hit her head and went to hospital. The puny flashlight held by Program Director Boris was useless. Multiple public safety violations during this clumsy transfer. Overall, an interesting itinerary but if you want to experience the advent Christmas markets, check that Viking has allotted sufficient time and, try to get a different ship. Njord is not great (nor is their see-thru bathroom). Read Less

We really wanted to partake of Christmas markets, decor, entertainment and cuisine! This was to be our Christmas present to ourselves in 2016, and that it was! We were met on arrival in Frankfurt and again in Nuremburg to be transported to the ship without incident! My son and I were most taken with the tours, which included walking and bus! The tour guides were excellent, so well informed in so many aspects, i.e. History, geography, language, day to day life! They were humorous and easily understood! Walks weren't too long and buses were very comfortable! Have to say that we did tire of the outdoor markets, seemed so much of the same, but the indoor market in Budapest was wonderful, including the tasting of local products and making of crepes! Elsewhere, the churches, monastery and local architecture were fabulous to take in! Every city from Nuremberg to Budapest (and all of them in between) offered something unique and left us feeling as though we wanted to return there one day! It really wasn't too cold or too wet, considering it was winter, very similar to our home climate in Vancouver, B.C., Canada! The staff were great, always available to answer questions and help out, although with useful evening information sessions and daily notifications it wasn't even necessary! Even though we couldn't afford another room, (with a balcony or large windows) we had absolutely no complaints and would probably opt for the same again! The onboard meals were satisfying, fresh and delicious, often local dishes of the area were available as well as many other menu items and thus we had no desire to dine out! There was entertainment on board and always lots of friendly people....we made new friends! A coffee and pastry while warming up or a warm drink, gingerbread or even a shot of liquor along the walking tour was a timely treat! We sincerely encourage folks to experience this River Cruise and hope that it won't be a once in a lifetime occurrence for us! Departure as was as simple as arriving ! The only time we ever felt apprehensive was thinking we wouldn't get a flight (or at least one in time) to meet up with our ship to begin our cruise, as Lufthansa went on strike the very day we were leaving....but even that worked out well in the end, with a short extra stop in Canada! We weren't good at picture taking, but were able to buy pictures, taken during our tours, right on the ship prior to disembarking! Highly recommended! Read Less

Second European river cruise on Viking. First cruise was with a group of 8 on the Rhine in May, 2015 and river was too high to actually cruise. Got bussed to several locations on the itinerary and then moved from the boat to a hotel for the remainder of the trip. Received a voucher from Viking because of those issues and the group booked the Romantic Danube cruise starting in Prague and ending in Budapest. I opted for the Explorer Suite for the Danube cruise because business class airfare was included in the price of the suite. Our first boat was the Bestla and the suite was nice and well furnished. Seemed like it was going to be a very nice trip, until the engines started and we began to cruise. Noise level is high and slight vibration of the cabin when boat is underway. There was a barge accident on the river on day 3 and we ended up having to transfer to a different boat on day 5 (after more bus trips) for the remaining 3 days of the cruise. We transferred to the Njord, which is apparently a year or 2 older than the Bestla. Room was not nearly as nicely furnished as the cabin on the Beslta, but the bed and pillows were awful. The worst part however is that when the boat got underway, the noise level was so high you could not hardly talk in the cabin and the vibration of the engines was felt on the bed and everywhere in the cabin. The walls, table, and ceiling rattled the whole time the boat was underway. The last night the boat was docked in Budapest, but no sleep on nights 1 and 2 on the Njord. Can't say that I slept all that well on the Bestla, but there was a night and day difference between the levels of discomfort in the respective cabins. Spoke to the hotel manager on the Njord who admitted that Explorer Suites are loud and do have a lot of vibration when the boat is underway. He suggested the Vernada Suites on the 3rd deck -- which are much smaller, but do have a separate sitting area -- if you want a bigger room option. The are mid to front on the 3rd deck and the noise is apparently a lot less. Not sure I'm going back on a river cruise after the 2 experiences that I had this year and last. Read Less

Loved the small number of passengers. Loved everything about the trip, but the excursions could have been better. Organization and communication about the excursions had a lot of room for improvement. The tour director did not tell us a lot about the tours and the free time was extremely limited except for the last night in Germany. The ship was often moved from the time the tour started until we were ready to get back on the ship, making it difficult to maneuver transportation. The day trip to Austria to see where they filmed The Sound of Music conveyed nothing about it involving 2+ hours each way on a bus! The food was delicious, the booze package was reasonable, the bartender and staff were adorable and the wait staff could not have been friendlier. We really didn't understand what and when the food was available a the Bistro/end of the ship. Read Less

This was our first cruise. My two sisters and I went on the Romantic Danube. We loved the boat, the service, the food, the tours, the structure... we loved the cruise! The only thing that was unfortunate was we had to switch ships due to low water. We chose a cruise so we would not have to pack during our 8 days but alas............... we had to switch boats. We did spend more time on buses as a result going from one port to another but again this is minor in the big scheme of things. We have already booked another river cruise for 2017!.If you have any hesitation, put it aside. Viking makes it so easy from beginning to end. We bought the upgraded booze package and I am glad we did, was well worth the $$. Don't miss the Mozart private evening event if it offered! Weather was exactly as we expected for October. Read Less

We heard nothing but good concerning Viking, so we decided to book our first cruise with them. We were not disappointed. Prior to the cruise we received our personalized "Cruise Documents" which I thought was a very nice touch. It was a 55 page document that contained a brief synopsis of upcoming cruise, our cabin number, emergency phone numbers, dock location at the port of embarkation, etc.. The crew was absolutely outstanding, the boat was spotless, the food was out of this world and the whole experience couldn't have been better. The wait staff was very pleasant, didn't rush you during the meal and were very attentive. The first night, the boat left the dock to take a short cruise up and down the river in Budapest, so we could view the beautiful lights on the bridges and buildings. Shore excursions departed on time, were coordinated precisely and were very entertaining. All of the tour guides were very knowledgeable and entertaining. The entertainment was very good. Not only did local talent come on board for shows, but the crew put on some very entertaining shows and skits. We are already planning a second trip with Viking. Read Less

The food, room, tours, personnel, concerts, etc. were wonderful, but the odor outside our cabin on the bottom level of the boat was horrible. I don't know whether it was sewage which had spilled or something else, but it took away from an otherwise great trip. The excursions were well planned and interesting, both the complimentary tours and the ones that were at an additional cost. The guides were for the most part well-versed, knowledgeable, interesting, enthusiastic and had a good grasp of the English language. The complimentary wine or beer at lunch and dinner were an added amenity. The opportunity to eat formally at breakfast, lunch and dinner or dining at the buffet was very convenient. I liked the idea that there were no set tables at dinner or lunch, because it gave one the opportunity to mix and mingle and meet more people. The staff could not do enough for you and always with a smile. All in all a wonderful trip but unfortunately affected by the horrible odor in the hallway of the bottom cabins. Read Less

We joined two other couples to celebrate a special birthday on the Romantic Danube Cruise. This is my first Viking Cruise and was so enjoyable that we plan to go to France next October. As a group, we are in our 50's and 60's. I will say that we were among the youngest on this cruise. I thought at first that it might make a difference with how well other people did on excursions, interactions, etc. It did not. We traveled with a great group on this ship. We met fun, kind and interesting people and had a blast. Most of the staff were wonderful. Remember, this is river cruising. The river was low and the staff and captain did everything they could to help the ship get through all the complicated locks. Compliments to them. Food and wine was great. The free shore excursions are done by knowledgable locals that train and study very hard to give information, history and a flavor of the town they live in. Our room was fine and adequate for us. The bed was a little on the hard side. We choose to go with one of the lower rooms near the water line as it was cheaper and we only went there to sleep as we were busy most of the time. I love traveling with friends and I also think that makes a difference. Cruising is fun in a group! Read Less

We choose to cruise the Danube in October as it fit our calendar. We were delighted with the Njord ship. We had a balcony room, that was comfortable and adequate for space for a ship. The bathroom was unique as it had glass that would allow you to see through or turn the knob and it would darken the glass so that it was hidden. Unfortunately we did not use the balcony as much as we wished. The food was very good. We found all the local delicacies very delightful. The American menu could be improved. The local entertainment was fun, as was the extra tour in Vienna to a Mozart concert. The weather and depth of the river played havoc on only one day in Passau. We choose to return to the ship and sail, so we did not endure the weather after a very interesting and informative tour. However, we missed the organ concert. We did not need to change ships as our captain navigated the river at the low spot and sailed through. We were fortunate! Our guide in Regensburg was outstanding. There was a mix up with the time for the guides so we were assigned another group, and we feel we "lucked out". We felt the service on the ship and the local guides was very good. Sonjia, our concierge, gave us great tips on what to see as we toured some of the cities on our own after the group tour. As we were allowed to make our own flight arrangements, we did not experience any difficulties with airlines or arrival or disembarkation. We encountered a very diverse and "fun" group of people on board which made the trip even more delightful. We look forward to another Viking River Cruise! Read Less

This was our first Viking river cruise and we almost certainly will do more. We took a Danube River cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest, with extra days in Prague before the cruise and Budapest at the end. Embarkation was smooth and handled well. However, at the end of the cruise they really push you out of the rooms early. Everyone has to be out by 9 a.m. even though that count as one of the eight days on the cruise. There was some confusion and late buses on our last day. The cabin was wonderful. We had a balcony but because of inclement weather most of the time on the river, we seldom used it except to take pictures. Cabins are extremely clean and incredibly well thought out. There isn't a lot of room, but it works well. Besides, who is going to spend time n the room when there are so many tours to take, places to visit, and good food in the shipboard restaurant. Speaking of food, the quality was excellent. Service was generally good, with an occasional lapse. Portions were general small, which we liked. We get frustrated when we go out and can't eat all the food. You could order as much food as you wanted, with several choices at each meal and at least 4 desserts. Shore tours were superb, with excellent guides, with just one exception. All were knowledgeable, spoke excellent English and offered tips and help when asked. We did several tours that Viking claimed were unique to its company, although there was no way to confirm that. There were no children aboard and I can't imagine what a child would do on such a cruise. Most of the passengers were in their 60s and older, with a few exceptions. The majority were from the U.S., but there was large Canadian contingent aboard our cruise, plus a few Brits and others. In Nuremberg and Vienna, our dock was not within walking distance of the heart of the cities. In most cites, we docked near the downtown and other sites. Viking always provided excellent buses for tours. This was a great introduction to river cruising and we definitely plan to do it again. Read Less

This trip was probably 4 yrs in the making. Friends recommended Viking some time ago then a lot of research was done before a decision was made. Everything about this trip was superb. The ship was very clean and had lovely décor. The cabin, although small, met our needs. Next trip we will opt for a cabin with a full veranda. Having dietary restrictions can always be difficult but the dining/kitchen staff handled my issues with great care & efficiency. The gluten free bread was actually very good. Prior to every meal, I was asked what I wanted from the menu & my meals were then prepared to meet my needs. My husband enjoyed every meal he had as well. The included excursions, was well as the optional ones we chose, were well run & informative. Really enjoyed the pre-excursion talks.The staff was very pleasant & attentive. The pre-trip planning was excellent. Booked airfare through Viking & was amazed at the incredible reduced cost. Could not have asked for better service. The historic sites; the beauty of the Danube; the incredibly great weather we had put this trip into the top 10 of trips we've taken over the past 30 years. We hope to do another one in the near future. Read Less

We did this cruise to celebrate a milestone with another couple and chose it as we hadn't seen many of the stops even though we've all travelled a lot. Everything exceeded our expectations. The service on and off board was outstanding - everyone went above and beyond to look after us. Our cabin was absolutely lovely, the food delicious, the excursions were well planned, and the daily embarkation and disembarkation schedule was adhered to precisely (which is great as nobody likes to be waiting around unnecessarily). We had picture perfect weather and were able to enjoy all the views from the upper deck, as well as the excursions on land. The ONLY thing that anyone who likes a bit of proper physical activity needs to know, is it's tough to exercise properly - there is a track on the top deck but you are restricted re the hours you can use it (to ensure the people in the cabins below aren't disrupted by noise), and the itinerary when in port is tight, so tough to do much more on land, unless you opt not to do the tour. Overall an absolutely wonderful holiday and we are already planning the next one! Read Less

I took the Nuremberg to Budapest Cruise in September and it was wonderful. I was able to visit three different countries, Germany, Austria and Hungary, visit several cities, Nuremberg, Regensberg, Passau, Vienna, Krems, Budapest and many wonderful sites. The organization of the trip, tours, and service were impeccable. The cabin was comfortable, the food delicious and the staff were professional, fun and always willing to please. This was my first cruise and I totally loved it. Viking is a first class operation - great customer service, my experience was wonderful - highly recommend it. The food on board was very good and the service fantastic. Ie bought the silver spirits package, for unlimited cocktails, beer and wine - we thought this ended up being a great value. It was great to relax and have a martini before dinner without having to pay each day. The organized tours were well done, interesting and informative. It was great to also have some free time each day to explore on our own. The crew on-board was excellent - very gracious ad accommodating. They seemed to really enjoy what they were doing. I would do another cruise - and will use Viking again - they were great. Excellent experience! Read Less

My first time with Viking exceeded our expectations. The staff were wonderful and we enjoyed a great time traveling. The food was excellent and the excursions were very good. The only frustrating thing was not having enough time to explore the cities of Vienna and Budapest. My wife and I would recommend the Viking line to anybody. The domestic room service was appreciated and she was very friendly. Thew transfers to and from the airports were done most efficiently. Our trip were perfectly and we have many happy memories. The Thursday evening German dinner was very good. I only gained 10 pounds! The views from the deck as we traveled on the Danube were very pretty. Perhaps some commentary on the castles and villages that we saw would add to the experience. I give this trip a "two thumbs Up" rating. We intent in the future to take another trip. Read Less

My two older children and I decided to experience a river cruise. My son is a history teacher and he was interested in Nuremberg and we felt this trip which included Austria and Budapest, was perfect. The ship was fantastic, so intimate that we made many friends on the trip. Our staterooms were large enough to move around comfortably and had everything we needed. The scenery was beautiful and since we never lost site of land there were fantastic views of the Bavarian landscape. The dining was terrific. All the meals included wonderful choices and the fact that the head chef personally came around during the meals to greet and inquired if everything was satisfactory was great. Every evening the lounge was packed due to scheduled entertainment, which was amazing, such as singers singing Sound OF Music show tunes, and German Night or just the piano playing of Nikko I believe his name was, We talked, laughed and danced until we were done. The music was played as long as we wanted it to. All the included excursions were fantastic a were the optional tours. We went on all the optional excursions and spent less than half of what it we spent on ocean cruise excursions. The had the most wonderful, and knowledgeable crew ever. They couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating. I have recommended this cruise, specifically the Njord, to friends. One of which has scheduled the Romantic Danube cruise in November. We have scheduled two more cruises in 2018, Portugal and France. Can't wait!!! Read Less

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We were two couples who had for years wanted to experience a river cruise. In every category imaginable, from staff to shipboard experiences & land excursions it was above & beyond expectations. We loved that the small size of the ship allowed us to interact with our fellow cruisers as well as getting to know the staff. Meal times were something we looked forward to with new choices every day. The local guides on our daily included shore excersions were so knowledgeable & interesting to meet & talk to. I thought this would be a once in a lifetime trip, and it was, but we plan on changing that and would not even hesitate to plan another cruise with Viking. There is a reason they have the reputation that they do & so many people are returning guest with them. If a vacation where everything is taken care of for you by personnel who care about your enjoyment, treat yourself!! Read Less

This was our first river cruise. We were completely satisfied with the way Viking handled it. They paid attention to detail and completely pampered us inside the ship. It felt like a 4 star floating hotel. The food, services and staff were all top notch. Their offshore excursions were also well planned and executed. And...the price was right. The ship we chose was one of their new long ships. It was very modern with Scandanavian themed decor. We had a state room with a veranda. It was ok, but the veranda was very small. Next cruise we will probably opt for room with a French balcony and save a few bucks. The bed was queen sized and comfortable. The dining area was elegant. The food for every meal was abundant and excellent. Beer and wine was served as an optional drink for lunch and dinner. The servers were personable and friendly. They were truly an international group but could speak fluent English. Their bar and lounge area was huge. This is where they held the entertainment. They had a small quaint outdoor restaurant at the front of the ship that you could relax at. It was especially nice for us on this trip as the weather was excellent and we could enjoy it fully. We definitely will seriously consider cruising Viking again if they sail where we want to go. Read Less

This was our first cruise and we totally loved it. Viking is a first class operation - great customer service, our experience was wonderful - highly recommend it. We did the Romantic Danube, from Budapest to Nuremberg - great stops along the way. The food on board was very good and the service fantastic. We bought the silver spirits package, for unlimited cocktails, beer and wine - we thought this ended up being a great value. We were there in August, and the weather was great - in the 80's every day. The organized tours were well done, interesting and informative. We liked having some free time each day to explore on our own. The crew on-board was excellent - very gracious ad accommodating. They seemed to really enjoy what they were doing. We would do another cruise - and will use Viking again - they were great. Excellent experience Read Less

Where to begin? The meals were excellent, and service thoughtful. Our room, a french-veranda, was modern with a very comfortable bed. Outlets were plentiful so charging all the e-toys was never a problem. The bathroom is small, but it's well laid out and has lots of shelves. A wonderful place to eat, read, or just have a glass of wine is the outdoor aquavit lounge at the bow...if they'd let me, I would have hung a hammock and slept there, too! The local guides were charming, and our tours felt like walking a city with a good friend. But the staff really sets this trip/cruise line well above the rest. Everyone, including the Captain on one occasion, helped my wheelchair-bound husband on, off and around the boat. Our concierge, Sonia, gave us expert advice and arranged tours and taxis to make traveling with wheels easier. I will book another river cruise with Viking. Read Less

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