Background Information: This was my 68 cruise cruising on 13 different cruise lines that include Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America, Disney, Costa, Cunard, Viking, MSC, and Celebrity. This was my first cruise on Viking. I am 48 years old. We cruised on Viking Gullveig doing the Romantic Danube Itinerary the beginning of November starting in Nurnberg, Germany and ending in Budapest, Hungary for 7 nights. Air: We booked our air through Viking and paid the extra money to pick our seats. I was glad we did because after we booked our cruise, we moved so we needed to change our airport and Viking allowed us to without penalty because it was before final payment. Hotel Info: We decided to fly to Europe early and spend 3 nights in Prague, Czech Republic. Viking put us up in Corinthia Hotel Prague. If I was to go back again, I would pick their other hotel option that was located in old downtown (even though it was more money) because this area was amazing and I loved walking around. Viking offered free shuttle service to and from downtown from the hotel. Prague: We did the Panoramic Prague tour that was complimentary with Viking and purchased the Privileged Access: Lobkowicz Palace tour. The Palace Tour was similar to touring a museum; however, it also included an amazing private classical concert for our group and a nice lunch in the Palace. Ship Info: The average age on Viking Gullveig was around 70 years old. The ship was extremely clean and the staff was friendly. Our cabin was a French Balcony. Our cabin location was at the very back of the ship, and I found it to be loud when we went through the locks (around 26 locks). I was impressed to find out that our bathroom floors were heated. Viking is a “well-oiled machine” especially when it comes to their excursions. Their tours show you the best of the best with excellent tour guides, and I love how they give you headsets so you can hear the guide. The guests on the cruise were very friendly and about 98% of them were from the US. I found there was less food variety in their dining room vs. a larger cruise line (probably because there are a lot less people). The one thing I really missed not having was a fitness center. You do not need to go through metal detectors when you walk on the ship (like other cruise lines); it is just like walking in and out of a hotel. Tours: I did all the included Viking tours and purchased two other optional tours. We did the Mozart & Strauss Concert in Vienna and the Schonbrunn Palace. I HIGHLY recommend both of those tours. My favorite tour was the Schonbrunn Palace Dress Code: The dress was casual (slacks or jeans). There were no formal nights. Most people dressed business causal during the dinners. Read Less

My husband and I did not arrive early enough to explore Budapest. I had been there twice before and he didn't get off work early. The airport pickup, embarkation and disembarkation were very smooth and on time. I didn't realize the ship departed on the 13th while we toured and had arranged to meet a friend who lives in town after lunch but had to cancel that. Now to be clear, we've sailed on 15 cruises on very large ships so I'm trying not to compare as had I expected this river cruise to be much different and it was in many ways. The ship is very clean and allowed enough spaces to meet our friends on board, either up on the decks or in the lounge but there's only a few places to meet, but there's also a lot less passengers. It is all very relaxing while on board and you can go at your own pace which means there's not a lot of activities you feel compelled to attend. The cabin seemed smaller than I'd expected but the cleaning service was great. Unfortunately I became very ill for 2 days and was confined to the cabin and couldn't join in the group activities as much as I'd wanted and the maid was very accommodating. One small surprise is that I had expected from the brochures the staff to be very outgoing and entertaining, and while they were, they were not all that I had expected. Maybe being respectful? And there were many, many locks to get through, around 50 or so. Very scenic, quaint, beautiful. The tours were great, the guides fantastic, loved the headsets! Only ding was the tour of Vienna seemed rushed, wished we'd had more time. Husband and I did the optional night tour of Mozart and it was a highlight! We still talk about that concert. All in all a great way to see the smaller, harder to get to areas without the hassle of transportation which means it's a little pricier than larger cruises. Read Less

We had heard good things about Viking and decided one of the Danube cruises would be a great place for this type of cruise. It exceeded our expectations. We enjoyed the excursions and appreciated that so many were included in the trip. The tour guides were outstanding. The food was wonderful and we liked the regional options at various locations along the way. Having beer/wine included with meals was nice and a good value. The wine options were very good. The staff was very accommodating. We had to swap ships at one point on our trip due to high water along the Danube. The crew did an amazing job of making that happen with very little inconvenience to everyone on the ship. We did an extended stay in Prague and appreciated the Viking staff at the hotel that helped us with transportation information and excursions in the area. We will be on another Viking cruise soon! Read Less

My wife and I have always wanted to take a river cruise, and we have always heard that Viking was the best, but this cruise exceeded everything we had heard as well as exceeding our expectations. We went on this cruise with my sister and her husband. All the crew were very friendly, but I will forever remember the wonderful cruise director and our excellent waiter Atilla. After a couple of meals, he anticipated our drinks and our normal desires for specific desserts. We were met at the airport in Budapest and from there until we finally disembarked, we never had to really deal with moving luggage. The ship was great. The coffee and snack bar (there were two of them) was wonderful. Our cabin was just right especially with "American" plugs - not need to worry about plugging in our items. The dining was first class. There was so many options available at all meals. When we finally got to see all the cooks and the food prep area, we were amazed that so much great food could be prepared in such a small area! The tours that we signed up for were great. There was so much to see. We would never have visited all the towns and places that we saw without the assistance of Viking and the tour guides. And now, we are signed up for our second Viking river cruise where we will be going from Paris to Zurich. We can hardly wait for March 31, 2020 when we leave for another Viking Experience. My sister and her husband will be on this cruise also. Read Less

Wanted to see Germany and Austria. The sights were beautiful, espcially Salzberg and Munich which cost extra, but we were rushed during the excursions with only 45 minutes of “free time”. Captain and manager were great but the front desk was unhelpful. The “store” only offers Viking items, no essentials. The tickets that Viking booked had ridiculously long layovers in Frankfort and a 3:30 am departure unless you spend $50 to pick your own times (we were unaware that you could do this because the booking agent was oblivious). Also they say they take Amex but the front desk hassles you if you try to use an amex card to pay. Wireless rarely works and there are only a handful of movies to watch on the tv. If you are under 50 and not white or heterosexual, mingling may be challenging. The people are our cruise were oddly cliquish and pushy and were given special treatment. On the positive side, the boat was clean, food was excellent. Luckily, we ate upstairs, not in the crowded buffet style dining hall. Will not cruise on overpriced Viking again. Read Less

We were scared trip was going to be a bus tour not a river tour, ALMOST cancelled, but figured we would make the best of it, all the reviews were terrible but we had been on two other trips with Viking and figured what the heck!! Boy, are we ever glad to have gone, we were first ship in 6 months to make it all the way down the Danube, the Christmas markets made the trip a whole new experience and we were kinda expecting things to be sub-par, but Viking has been great on our two Grand European tours, and they did not disappoint!! Trip was fabulous!! I was not impressed with the concert in Vienna, we had gone the other two trips and it keeps getting smaller and not worth it, and that’s a shame because the first trip was a great experience, and really last year was also, but this was a joke!!! But really that’s the only thing we can find fault in our trip!! Don’t buy into to the people that can never be made happy, Viking is great!! Read Less

This is our 2nd Viking cruise this year. In April my family did the Paris to Normandy and it was wonderful and the crew top notch. We are on the Budapest to Nuremberg cruise right now and it’s proving to be quite the let down. Upon arrival we waited almost 2 hours at the airport to be transferred to the ship and no one came by to explain the delay. Had no time in Budapest save an hour to walk around the castle district. Never saw the parliament building like Viking advertises. But mostly the crew is a disappointment. The cruise director is gruff and not friendly or helpful. He talks a lot at briefings and goes on so long you forget what you need to know for the next day. There is a second supposed cruise director and he’s not any better. Unapproachable and not helpful. It’s common at a meal to have to go fetch your own water and yesterday no waiter ever came to ask about our lunch order. Going to be selecting a different company next time. Read Less

This was a family cruise, celebrating my mother-in-law's 80th birthday. There were 15 of us. A cruise was a great way to be together but not TOO together if folks needed their own space. We arrived in Budapest almost a week early and enjoyed exploring independently. We were pleasantly surprised by our cabin which was not super-spacious, but had enough space for us to fully unpack. The bed was quite comfortable and we appreciated the well designed bathroom. Service on the cruise was top-notch and everything was extremely clean. We enjoyed spending time in the public spaces of the ship, such as the library and lounge. Food was very good. Certainly it was plentiful. Staff were extremely good at accommodating dietary restrictions. Special requests were accommodated with alacrity. We did not take advantage of the tours that were offered because we prefer exploring on our own, but family members were very pleased with both the included tours and optional excursions. The ports visited were all excellent. From Budapest, we sailed to Vienna. The only problem was that one day in Vienna is laughably insufficient. Obviously, though, it is a wonderful destination. And it is the one port where you could leave anytime after breakfast and come back after dinner (the ship would still be there). There were shorter stays in most other ports, or we needed to take a coach from the town to the place the ship had traveled to. I gather that because of all the locks on the Danube, the ship really needs to make time to hit all the destinations, so it can't just sit in port all day. We were very happy with our first Viking experience. Read Less

I had read an article by Wendy Perrin about this cruise. She took her family to the Christmas markets and i thought I'd love to take my wife on this trip. As everyone has heard by now, there was a pretty severe drought in Europe this year. We knew there was a possibility that our cruise was not going to go as initially planned. Our cruise went from Budapest, Hungary to Nuremberg, Germany. The first leg of the cruise was canceled due to low water levels. Of course this was through no fault of Viking Cruise Lines, all cruise lines had the same issue. We were provided with accommodations and transportation to the next port. We enjoyed our bus trip and the scenery. Our stateroom was very clean and our steward was fantastic (we miss him). The day we got in our room, I called the front desk and asked to have my dress shirts pressed. They picked them up and had them back within 3 hours, outstanding service! The staff on board was fantastic, from the waiters to the people on the front desk. Our program director was energetic, funny and made sure we were all well entertained. We are going to try Viking again. The cruise wasn't perfect, but we understand that the weather was not their fault. Read Less

Our Viking Christmas market cruise began in Budapest at a hotel because of the low waters. Oliver was our Tour Director and he went above and beyond to keep us informed and to make sure we were all happy with our accommodations. We ended up being bussed to Vienna, Austria where it was day by day whether we would have to do a ship swap. Our cruise was the very first cruise in 6 months that made it down the Danube without having to change ships. Every day we were kept informed and knew what was happening in advance. Even if we ended up with some early mornings, everything was done to keep us on schedule and to make sure we got to do the tours. The entire crew worked hard to make it a pleasurable experience. All of the guides on the tours that Viking chose for us was Top Notch. Loved every minute of it and I cannot say enough good things about our Tour Director, Oliver. Plan your next river cruise with Viking and you will not be disappointed. Read Less

We just returned from the Danube river cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest. The cruise was very disappointing for several reasons. Besides the water level issue which I will explain later, our room on the first ship was dirty upon arrival and needed to be re-cleaned. There was brown marks like chocolate on the floor and the bed headboard, side tables, and chairs all had all had brown sticky marks all over them like someone had spilled hot chocolate. When I showed the crew on board the mess they brought someone in to re-clean the room. The person cleaning the room said “I guess some of you expect everything to be perfect”. I offered to clean the room myself. The water level issue is very upsetting. Every port we went the guides as well as the crew on board told us the water levels have been several feet low for over a year. This is something that Viking should have brought up when offering this river cruise, or Viking should not be selling the tickets at all knowing that there would be several issues. A week before our trip I received an email stating that if water levels do not improve we will need to take a bus from Vienna to Budapest, that is all. I called Viking to ask them what the current situation was and the person said they could not give me any info because the water could change an inch and we might be fine. This was clearly not true that the water levels only needed to change an inch. We were told by Viking crew one of the Viking cruise ships, Oden, has been stuck in Budapest for over a year due to water levels being several feet too low. This was not the only location that was affected by low water levels which we were not informed of prior to the trip. Due to water levels we needed to take a 2 hr bus ride in and out of Passau, loosing out on 4 hours we should have had in Passau. We needed to take a 3 hour bus ride to another location outside of Krems to board a different ship. There was a tour in Krems that we did not go on because the crew onboard encouraged everyone to not go on the tour but rather stay on the boat while we sail to the Vienna. They told us the we would much rather see this part of the river and there would be commentary about the area. None of this happened because by the time we got on the new boat and started sailing it was too dark to see anything. We spent one night onboard the new ship and then took a 3 hour bus ride to Budapest. Due to the time all tours were cancelled except the included tour. We missed half of a day in Budapest and got to spend 45 minuted in Buda before going to a hotel where we were to spent the night. We were told at the hotel that we would receive dinner and drinks. Several other travelers stayed and had drinks, we all had the Silver package, which we were told was included. The waiter asked for one of the rooms, we offered ours not thinking anything if it. When we checked out at 3am we got a bill for 76,328 HUF. A Viking representative told me that if we pay the bill Viking would reimburse me. Which never happened. We requested a full refund for the trip. Viking as offered us 25% then 35% off on future cruises. They offered 50% if they do not have to reimburse us for the dinner and drinks we paid for that they were supposed to. We talked to a fellow traveler from the UK and he was called by Viking and offered a full refund for the trip prior leaving due to the water levels. When we asked the crew onboard why we were not called and offered the same deal we were told that the UK and US has different laws and therefor Viking was not required to call US passengers with this offer. Deailing with Viking has been an absolute nightmare. Several guests on the cruise are in contact with one another to determine what is being offered. Viking customer service told me that they could care less that they we are having a difficult time with their customer suervice and the fact that they are making various offers. Viking is also offering some couples who posted negitive adds a 40% off if they sign an NDA. I would like to reiterate that it is very disappointing that Viking knew exactly what the water conditions were and choose to sell tickets to this cruise regardless. They knew that people would come back dissapointed and their only option is to take a voucher to buy more products form Viking. This is FRAUD. Read Less

It was marketed as the best river cruise. I expected fine dining and wonderful cruising on the Danube River. The day before departure, we received an email that the river water is low and that we may have to be moved. We were not given an option to cancel or re-schedule. We started on Viking Egil, docked for two days, After short travels through locks, we had to pack and travelled by bus for four hours to our next destination where we met up with the Viking Gullveig. We missed the entire UNESCO Wachau Valley cruising sights. After two days, we had to pack again for another four hour bus tour to Viking Bragi docked in Budapest. It was truly sad to ride into beautiful Budapest by bus when we could have entered by ship. The Viking Bragi felt like a floating hotel that does not travel. The whole experience did not feel like a cruise because we were constantly unpacking and packing on an eight day cruise. We missed an excursion to the Gottweig Abbey because it was offered in the dark and there were safety issues. We did hear that someone fell and was hurt at the excursion. We did not feel that Viking was honest with the travelers. We heard that there have been issues since June/July and yet, we were not informed until the last minute when we can no longer cancel or re-schedule. The whole experience caused considerable stress and anxiety. We will no longer consider Viking for future travels and we will let our travel friends know of our terrible experience. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS OR ANY VIKING CRUISE! Read Less

On November 10, 2018 we concluded what we consider to be the worse cruise we have ever taken This cruise did not conform to what was sold to us in the Viking advertising and agreement. This was a bus trip with overnight stays at floating hotels, minimal river views, missed excursions due to significant time wasted in bus travel, and blocked views once on board due to Viking’s standard practice of double docking. Only a few days before departure did Viking disclose that our cruise could be impacted by low Danube water levels. However, evidence obtained once on board the Egil, Gullveig, and the Bragi from Viking employees and leaders clearly indicated that Viking leadership knew of adverse river conditions going back at least to July 2018 and never shared this information with us or others. A cruise line that is ethical and committed to business integrity values would have shared such impactful information with booked travelers and offered either to reschedule, or cancel with a full refund of monies paid. Clearly based upon our experience, Viking is NOT an ethical cruise line committed to business integrity values. We do not recommend Viking for ANY cruise, anywhere based upon this experience. Cruise details… 1. Our Danube River cruise was not a cruise experience; rather it was a bus/road trip where substantial vacation time was lost getting from point to point to arrive at the next floating hotel (i.e., VIKING ship Gullveig and then Bragi). Accordingly, many of the planned and promised cruise encounters were missed, including (but not limited) failure to see the Wachau Valley Austria, failure to dock in Pasau Germany proper (although many other similar sized ships were docked there as part of their on-going journey), and failure to cruise into glorious Budapest. In lieu thereof, we were forced into bus travel to move on to meet the next ship. This was not a river cruise by any shape of the imagination. 2. As a result of a late arrival, we could not participate in the rescheduled 4 pm excursion to the Gottweig Abbey as it would now be conducted after dark; we were concerned about safety. As it turned out one of our travelers had a serious fall and was injured due to the dark/unsafe conditions surrounding the exterior of the Abbey. 3. Instead of spending seven nights on the Gullveig as booked and unpacking once, we were on three ships for seven nights with multiple unpackings, repacking’s, and two four-hour bus trips each to meet the next floating hotel. Also, instead of docking in Passau, we docked in the remote village of Staubing and had to travel to Passau by bus for more than 90 minutes with a similar return trip (again more lost vacation time – more stress). Also, more time was wasted waiting on the bus as the Gullveig was late arriving into Vienna. 4. Even with the limited time on board the ships, our French Balcony view was fully obstructed frequently due to VIKING ship double docking where all we could see was another ship flush against our balcony within 12 inches. This created a dismal feeling of being imprisoned and clearly precluded river and shore views. 5. We had clearly communicated to VIKING and again aboard ship that I had dietary restrictions, not withstanding this prior communication staff continued to provide me with normal/undesirable meals. 6. Interviews with staff and employees of all three ships clearly revealed that the river conditions that VIKING sighted as the basis for non-performance were known by VIKING senior leadership at least as far back as July 2018. 7. VIKING knew that they could not provide the cruise experience they promised yet continued to operate in gross disregard to known conditions. VIKING leadership knew that it did not have or was unlikely to secure local governmental authority to pass through needed river locks to continue the journey it had offered to its’ customers. Yet it continued in gross disregard to this prior knowledge. Also, VIKING on board ship senior leadership boasted to passengers in an open meeting that there was no need to worry about “ship swaps” as it had perfected the “famous ship swap process” over many months. Another example demonstrating significant advance prior knowledge of the operational problem, and failure to inform booked passengers early on to afford a cancellation opportunity. 8. Instead of this vacation being a pleasant stress relieving experience, it caused significant stress and was a source of constant anxiety. As noted above, there was a significant gap between what was offered/promised by VIKING and what was provided. Overall this was a bus excursion road trip at best, certainly not a river cruise. It was totally stressful, and fully lacked the relaxing experience one would expect from being on a river cruise. We do NOT recommend Viking to anyone for any cruise based upon this experience and their lack of ethics and business integrity. Read Less

Numerous friends recommended Viking River Cruises. We decided to treat ourselves to the Romanic Danube Cruise. The Viking brochure states, "It's pure pleasure to travel with such ease..to unpack just once and relax to an ever-changing canvas of breathtaking landscapes...to dock in the center of small towns and stroll right off to begin your exploration." This is what we were expecting, however, not what Viking produced. Ten days before our trip we called Viking because we were hearing there were problems with low water levels. We were told, "Your trip will be just fine." Two days before our flight is scheduled, we receive an email from Viking stating there will be a mid-cruise "ship swap" and we will be transferred by motor coach to an identical ship. Our next email from Viking arrived while we were flying to Munich/Brussels/Budapest. It informed us due to low water we will be spending the night in a hotel in Budapest instead of on Gullveig and will be transported to Vienna by motor coach(150 miles) the next day. Our dream vacation became a bus/river cruise that was exhausting. We were able to enjoy the upper deck one time sailing through the Wachau Valley. The only port that we were able to stroll right off the longship was in Regensburg. We were able to participate in most of the tours that were scheduled. However, once again motor coach rides up to 1 1/2 hours were necessary to get into the city. Most of our tour guides were extremely knowledgeable. During Manager Jurgen"s farewell speech he stated that our specific cruise was the 2nd worse Danube Cruise of the year. Even the Program Director, Debra Thomas, suggested we communicate with Viking so they would be aware of our disappointments. "Because we believe your overall cruise experience may have been affected by an unexpected situation" we were offered a 25% discount on our next cruise which expires in one year. A 25% voucher is not sufficient compensation for what we experienced. Viking knows our cruise experience was indeed affected. They also know it was not an unexpected situation. The water levels have been low since August. I wish Viking would have shared exactly what changes would occur in our cruise, and given us the choice to cancel, or reschedule our trip. We feel that Viking was dishonest and manipulative. Now that our cruise is over, Viking states in an email to me, "We regret to hear that your recent cruise was impacted by severely low water levels, and are sorry to hear of your disappointment in the necessitated changes. If you have a November, Danube cruise scheduled with Viking, and you have travel insurance cancel your trip! If you want to go on any river cruise do your research regarding the best time of year to go. Word of mouth is powerful advertisement! After all, that is why we chose Viking. I will be using my voice to let others know they should consider other cruise companies if their vacation dream is a river cruise. Read Less

We chose a river cruise because we wanted to travel by boat and expected to enjoy the views along the river and have the luxury of not unpacking daily. the reality of our vacation was that viking was not upfront with us about the water levels along the danube. we called the week before our departure and were told that there were no changes to our itinerary. we received an email thirty minutes before boarding our flight to europe stating that we were going on a different longship because of the low water levels. like other travelers that have posted reviews about low water levels, we feel that we were deceived by viking personnel. Each time that we were unable to make it to the next port, we were informed the night before with the comment “just a few inches makes all the difference!” well, here is my observation....those bushes that are growing in the middle of the danube did not just pop up over night! viking has been pulling the wool over traveler’s eyes for a long time! they string the customer along day by day and pretend as if this is something new. One day we spent three hours traveling on a bus to go from one ship to another. it also took us two and a half hours on the bus to go see passau from the remote location of the ship. in fact, in two days we rode for 6 hours on a bus! Another day passengers had to ride a bus for one and a half hours to budapest and then back to the boat that evening. Ten people from our group decided we could not take another bus ride. we decided not to take the 90 minute bus ride to budapest and opted instead to walk around the town where we were docked. (komarno, slovakia) our captain and activities director met with us the night before and said we would be docked until the next evening. the following day when the others were bussing to budapest, we took a tour in komarno and had lunch before walking back to the ship. we were shocked to discover that our ship had sailed without us, knowing that they had briefed the passengers that we would be at this location until the evening. they knew we were off the ship, but they sailed anyway with only 4 passengers. We had to take taxis to the new location and were quite upset. The point of this review is not the there were low water levels, it’s that viking is deceptive in their approach. viking tells people daily that there are no changes to the itinerary when they know they are never going to make the schedule as planned. yes, you will get to the cities, but you will be logging a lot of bus time and not very much sailing time. After returning home, i contacted viking customer service. i was not satisfied with our conversation. they seem to take the approach that they can’t control the water levels. what they can control is their approach and they should be less deceptive! it appears that they offer some of their dissatisfied customers different “deals.” based on their perception of your inconvenience, some customers get a higher percentage off of a future cruise and some are even offered a shipboard credit. Read Less

Viking sent us an email informing us that the first part of our journey would be by bus two days before our departure, this did not give us enough time to discuss with 8 people to continue or cancel. The short notice for such a large investment in a vacation in addition to bringing new customers to Viking is not acceptable. Viking knew about the problems on the #Danube River at least 3 weeks prior to our departure. We were told by #Viking staff that at least one of the ships had been docked in Budapest for three weeks without moving due to the low water situation. We believe that Viking knew we would not be sailing for more than 2 days on our trip. When we called, Viking said that only one section was bad and that only the beginning of our trip would be effected which was false Read Less

As a repeat cruiser on Viking, I was disappointed to find that low water levels on the Danube significantly changed almost every aspect of the cruise. We were notified that we could not cruise to the last two ports only 2 days before our departure and then found out when we got there that the ship could not even be at the embarkation point. It was a week of multi hour bus rides and required a total of 6 hours on a bus one day to reach our tour of Nuremberg. Although I realize the low water levels were not within Viking's control, I believe they should have given us the ability to cancel in advance. Once we got there, it was just a series of disappointments including docking at a port in Passau that was industrial with multiple Viking ships side by side so there was no view out our window except the ship next door. We were never in a situation where we could walk off the ship in a port in the evening and rarely docked for any longer than the time it took to do the excursions. A discount on a future cruise is not enough to compensate for the inability for us to make a choice to go on the trip as I have discovered through research that the water levels were dropping prior to that and should have triggered Viking to give us that choice. What we would do from day to day was a mystery until after dinner when we got the program. And then it was "where would we be bused to today". I will say that the on-board crew did everything they possibly could to make up for it, especially the program director (Deborah) who worked very, very hard to coordinate a plan for every day, which was always changing. We will never take a cruise on the Danube again and will think twice about committing to a Viking trip knowing that these type of major changes would not net us a choice to cancel. Read Less

On the Rhine Getaway cruise last year we had a fabulous time. The food was great, the trips, despite a couple of really rainy days, were enjoyable and informative. The evening entertainments were sparkling and the Programme Director Renee was lively and the life and soul of the party. Nearly all the reviews of this cruise are fulsome in their praise for the experience, and I heartily concur with them! Having had such a sterling experience last year we almost immediately signed up for the Romantic Danube cruise. Naturally having had such a brilliant experience we assumed that this was the norm for Viking. Oh dear! We should have read read the reviews. This year was a great disappointment, especially when compared to last time. Three days before departure Viking informed us that due to low water levels we would not be starting from Nuremberg but Passau near the Austrian border. We were under the impression that this was a rare event; Viking was being rather disingenuous because according to the reviews fluctuating river levels are quite common. This should be mentioned specifically in the brochure, that water levels can fluctuate and this should be taken into consideration before booking. No mention is made of this until the travel documents arrive, after you have paid in full. Further the excursions would be rearranged to suit the new schedule. So this meant the excursion to Nuremberg involved a round trip of seven hours, with little time to see the sights; added to that the visit to the Nuremberg Courts was cancelled because they are closed on a Tuesday. When we arrived at Munich airport there was a security alert causing a delay of one hour and twenty minutes before we were able to disembark the aircraft. Not Viking's fault and when we were met by the Viking rep the transfer to Passau was smooth and efficient. On arrival we were met with the sight of our mooring for the next two days. An old cement works! This was to be our home for the next two days and we had to be bussed everywhere for our excursions. Plus there was a pervading smell of sewage, which lasted for ??? several days. Last year most moorings were in or near the town centre so we could stroll off the boat and into town. Not so this year. Except for Tuesday when we actually moored up in Passau, anywhere else on the itinerary could only be accessed by coach. Our stateroom was a French balcony, but this was a waste of time because we were nearly always “rafted up” next to another Viking ship so all we saw was the state room on the other boat. No privacy at all. The curtains were drawn for most of the time. And on the Wednesday our air con broke down, leaking water all over the floor. It took the engineer four tries to fix the fault; give him his due he always arrived within a couple of minutes of being alerted. The upshot was that one night we were without air con and the weather was stiflingly hot so we had an uncomfortable night of it. In all we only had two days of actual cruising. We did cruise the Wachau Valley which was beautiful. However we missed the Danube Bend. Instead, on Thursday 2nd August, we had to moor up at Komarom on the Hungarian/Slovakia border with seven other Viking ships. The staff then told us that the ship would be going no further, due to a lack of water. Instead those wishing to visit Budapest would face a coach journey of at least one and a half hours each way. In addition, those catching an early flight on Saturday would have to pack and leave with all their belongings to stay overnight at a sister ship stranded the other side of Budapest. To say the least many passengers were not happy; notwithstanding the fact that the staff were having to drip feed the bad news. The upshot was there was no experiencing of Budapest's night life. Komarom did not have the same attractions. As compensation we have been offered 25% off the price paid for our holiday. This is in the from of a voucher which must be redeemed by the end of 2019 and the trip must be taken by 2020. No mention of a cash refund, so Viking have little to lose by this offer. On the positive side all the arrangements were well organised and went efficiently and smoothly. Our French balcony was compact but very comfortable and our steward Marius was friendly and efficient. The food was of a very high standard and we liked the regional taster menus which changed every night according to which region we were supposed to be in. Panayote the maitre d' was very efficient and friendly and special mention should also go to Aileen and Atilla our servers. In fact all the staff were very efficient and nothing was too much trouble. A nice touch was whenever possible the Captain would come and join people at their tables. Would we sail with Viking again? Yes........ BUT before booking I would advise that you read fully ALL the reviews on Tripadvisor and Consumer Affairs and Cruise Critic as well as on Viking's own website. The cruises are excellent, but you need to be fully aware of any possible pitfalls. Caveat emptor! Read Less

Our cruise was scheduled to start at Nurenburg but the river levels were so low that boat only got as far upstream from Budapest as Passau, Germany. The boat was docked at a freight yard and bus trips were scheduled to the three cities on the upper river. So there was actually very little "river cruising" for the first three days. So book your trip in the Spring instead of Summer when after levels are higher. That said, the week was wonderful with historic city tours, castles, and sightseeing. The staff were very nice and it seems that all the passengers on our boat were English speakers. The meals were excellent including both local dishes and standard fare. The actual river cruising later in the week was scenic. We often sat up on the top deck under an awning to watch the little houses, churches, and vineyards drift by. There was very little free time as the daily schedules were full of activities. There was not much night life I guess because the Social Security crowd tends to retire early after dinner. I never did find the casino or the rock climbing wall on the boat. Nice trip! Read Less

Recomended by travel agent. The ship layout is great and easy to move around. The staff and crew could not be nicer. Our cabin was always clean and organized and we hardly ever show the person responsible for our room, which I think is a mark of excellence. Every meal was excellent and served in a timely manner. Our excursions were well planned and organized as well as interesting and enjoyable with the perfect amount of free time. I can not say enough about the crew and their desire to please. The captain was very nice and would spend time jsut talking to us. Even though we had low water problems and could not go all the way to our final destination, the staff and crew stepped up and made sure we were taken care of. Would not hesitate to cruise with Viking again and again! I can't wait for my next chance to take another cruise with Viking!! Read Less

Our son and daughter in-law wanted to see Nuremberg again because my wife grew up there during the war.We wanted to see places we had never seen before in Europe. Taking this river cruise allowed us to do both. None of us had ever been on a river cruise before. We had friends that had been on many Viking cruises. We didn't consider any other cruise line. The food was great the waiters and service could not have been better. The included tours were all very good. The ship was nicer than we expected. The included tours were great. The ports were outstanding.We went on 2 optional tours that were very good. We found out in Passau the ship could not go any farther because of low water conditions. We had to take a bus to Regensburg and Nuremberg. We missed out on 2 tours but were refunded for them. We were sent a voucher to cover the inconvenience we encored. We are not happy with having to take a second cruise within a year to get the refund. I can understand Viking is at the mercy of the weather but we should have been at least given 2 years to use the refund or better yet given cash for the inconvenience. Read Less

My mom really wanted to go on a Viking Cruise, and she found this deal in April. We had a fabulous time together! We loved every minute and experience from this cruise. All of the staff on our ship were incredible and paid such attention to detail. The room was small, but bigger than we expected from what we had heard. The ships rooms were nicely appointed. Our port stops were fun and interesting. Budapest was amazing!!! Both of us being musical people, we went to the Mozart and Strauss concert in Vienna. That was our favorite part of the trip! There was a good balance between guided tours and free time in cities. Many of our tour guides were funny, insightful, and full of information. Our favorite tour guide was in historic Regensburg. Being on the ship felt like being with family. We made so many friends and it was fun to see the people out and about in cities and think, those are our people! Read Less

We were on a Viking Cruise last year and enjoyed it so much decided to take another. It was from Nirenberg to Budapest so both cities interested us as well as the towns between. Also, there was more time cruising the river than other tours. This was one of our favorite experiences of the trip. The food was excellent; tour guides well informed; and being on a smaller boat (vs ocean cruises) is to our liking since one gets to know the other passengers. We had a early return flight so got up at 2:30 AM. Breakfast was served at 3 AM which was very kind and considerate of the crew. On a Viking cruise, the passengers are taken care of down to stating when to have luggage outside the cabin and then loaded onto a coach. Even someone meets you at the airport to assist in guiding you to the correct line to check-in. Read Less

I had a wonderful time Gayla made sure everything went smooth. It was the highlight of my summer. I went with 51 people from Slidell and met new friends went to countries I’ve never been to and some I’ve seen before. Traveling in a group is the best. I’m probably going again on the New England cruise. We had plenty of time to go off and have dinners at fabulous restaurants. I have a bad knee so it was great to have the elevator on the ship. I looked forward to dinner each night the menu changed and everything was devine. The sommelier was fantastic and we had a table for 10, he remembered everything everyone’s favorite wine and added special wine pairings so yummy. I would recommend this and have recommended it to my friends. I love to shop and I had plenty of time for shopping, I advise the pre and post extensions, so worth it. Read Less

We picked Viking as we saw the TV ads and it looked like fun. My wife and I went on the cruise and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and trip. We arrived at Budapest two days prior to departure and we explored Budapest and really enjoyed it. We departed Budapest smoothly on the Cruise. We had a a cabin with a with a sitting room and separate bedroom and that is definitely the cabin I would recommend to my friends. The ship's staff was excellent, friendly and accommodating. Dining experience was good and we enjoyed the local foods the chef's prepared. Service at the dining room and bar was excellent. The excursions we took at each at each of the towns we stopped at was excellent and the guides were terrific. Met some fun people on the cruise from Europe and the United States and enjoyed getting to know them and made some more friends. 8 days on the Cruise was about the right amount of time. Enjoyed when we docked in a town, we were right in the middle of the town. Budapest, Vienna and Prague were gorgeous and very interesting. Saw some of the most magnificent churches that I have ever seen. Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna was spectacular. Nuremberg was interesting and enjoyed the history. Viking Cruise was an excellent experience and we are trying to figure out our next trip with Viking. I have recommended to our friends the Viking Cruise as it is an excellent experience. Read Less