I chose this cruise to see parts of the world that I have not seen. The crew were fantastic, always smiling and ready to assist. They all seemed to enjoy their job and were happy to be there. That makes a difference. The ports were incredible, the scenery splendid. Be ready for lots of walking. The tours were fantastic, the buses were clean and air conditioned. Bottles of water always available upon disembarkation of the ship to join your tour. Guides were easy to understand and were very knowledgeable. The ship was a nice size and the cabin (balcony) was adequate. There was plenty of storage so no problems there. I regret paying for a balcony. Several times we were tied up next to other boats so the balcony could not be used that much in some of the ports as you were virtually inches from the balcony of the other ship. I felt jilted. It is not worth the extra money. Just sit on the sun deck. Advance notice about the limited availability of the balcony would have been a nice courtesy. There was a terrible odor the first night and on another night. When I reported it, they said there was nothing they could, it happens when another ship is tied up against ours. Two stars for the dining experience. The quality, quantity, availability and variety were limited. Breakfast was fine. For lunch there were pasta, sandwiches or burgers, etc. Dinner was mediocre. Availability of cheese & fruits or crudites for snacking is not asking for much - I would have given 3 stars for dining but instead, the get 2 stars. Entertainment is almost non-existent but I didn't expect much to begin with. If you are not on the ship during the meal times or if you wanted a snack between meals, then you are sorely pressed to find anything to eat on board and there was nowhere to get anything to eat. I asked in the lounge if they had any appetizers but no luck. I’m glad I experienced it but next time, I will consider other options as it was not worth my money. Read Less

I wanted something special as a graduation gift for my son! The cruise was even nicer than I ever dreamed. The service was superb, as each crew member was so kind and responsive. The cruise director was amazing, always finding solutions to any challenges that presented themselves. The chef and his staff were very talented in creating delicious and beautiful meals. The scenery and towns visited were like a dream! The guides did a great job of introducing us to the cities we visited each day. The concierge was extremely organized, keeping track of the location of each guest, to ensure no one stayed behind. Local guides were authentic and knowledgeable, adding a local insight to what we were seeing, and giving us tips on where to buy the best souvenirs and the best prices. We would love to return someday, or take other cruises in the U.S. Thanks Viking! Read Less

We visited a wide variety of venues/countries. We were able to explore all cities/towns in which we docked and had a pleasant pre-trip extension in Munich and Salzburg. The ship was of a comfortable size (188 passengers). The service provided by the staff was excellent and the ship and cabin were very clean. (One example: After having some wine accidently spilled on me during dinner, the staff had my clothing cleaned gratis.) The meals were excellent and reflected the cuisine of each of the towns we visited. The shore excursions were interesting although we probably over-booked them; some additional relaxation time on the top deck was needed. Our relaxation time came when cruising the Danube with the French balcony door open. The guides for the shore excursions were well-informed and answered all questions put to them. The entertainment was great; I even got to sing with the piano player during one evening!! Both embarkation and disembarkation were well organized and went smoothly. We enjoyed the cruise so much that we booked another cruise (for 2020) onboard the ship. Read Less

Went on The Rhine with Viking last year and had such a fabulous time we couldn't wait to go on another Viking cruise! The Danube Waltz was one we had thought of before and it ended up being better than we thought it would be. The staff were incredible. Everyone could not do enough for us! The food was outstanding. The staff was attentive enough that if something wasn't to your liking they would be at your side asking you if something was not to your liking. You never ran out of beer and wine during lunch or dinners. We were in a standard cabin and had no problems with size or attentiveness from the staff handling our room. The excursions were very well thought out and planned. The buses very comfortable and were never too hot or cold. All the activities scheduled for our entertainment were awesome! Every night something different. If you wanted quiet there were more than enough places to go to find that and if you wanted more lively that was available. As a couple we loved walking the top deck and seeing the scenery flow by and also getting a little exercise to combat all the great food and wine! We are already thinking of which Viking cruise want to go on next! Read Less

We had the best time on our cruise. Even though the Danube River was at a 50 low due to drought conditions, the staff, crew and Program Director made our river cruise a delight. The dining staff quickly learned our names and preferences. The cleaning staff was an A++, but the Program Director simply out did herself to make our cruise the best it could be. We enjoyed all the excursions, the entertainment, the food, and the ship. The Program Director even helped us after we left the ship find a backpack one of our travel partners left on a taxi. She was simply the best. We especially enjoyed traveling during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. The dining staff prepared a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving meal for us. Breakfast was my favorite meal of the day. Walking through Budapest and seeing the fruit/vegetable markets and Christmas Markets was fun. Vienna was wonderful. I would have liked to spend several days in Vienna. The other ports were equally fun. Chesky Krumlov, Melk, and Passau were other favorites. Highly recommend Viking River Cruises. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it lined up with the time we wanted to be in Munich for Oktoberfest and because we Love Viking! This itinerary with its included tours was exceptional! We met lots of interesting and Fun people we still keep in touch with. We loved Cesky Krumlov and we had always wanted to see Melk Abbey. Simply Spectacular!!! Did I mention the fantastic meals? Wow! Every meal was wonderful! Great menus, delicious food and impeccable service!! Breakfasts are a feast to get you off to a great start every morning. What more could you ask for? Coming in from a morning of exploring, we were happy to sit down in the Aquavit Terrace for a wonderful lunch every day. Dinner menues were excellent and the “Oktoberfest Night” was sooo fun. Authentic meats, cheeses and breads! Wonderful! My boyfriend, who loves his coffee, was thrilled with your coffee stations! That and the yummy cookies!! As we cruised into Budapest at night, we were thrilled to see the beautiful bridges lit up so beautifully. What a spectacular way to end our trip! Thank you, Viking! We love you sooo much we’ve booked an Ocean Cruise for 2019 and another River Cruise in 2020! Can’t wait!!! Read Less

We wanted a river cruise and found a lot of great revues The cabin was clean, window below the view line. Food was great, service too. I asked for no pork on my menus. Was totally ignored Almost every soup or any meat was with pork. We had $300 credit on board Not only you can’t get the credit if you did not use it, but you can’t use it for gratuitous So you have no choice just to buy items you don’t need in a shop from a hand full of items with the name of Viking So now my husband is free advertise for Viking Entertainment had a piano player that was not always sober The excursion were great, the personal was excellent We will not take any more cruises with Viking River cruises are great but there is to price you want to pay for it Viking is too expensive for us Read Less

Went with three other couples based on one experience with Viking and several recommendations specifically for the "Danube Waltz" cruise from Passau to Budapest. Our experience was just as others have provided. Absolutely outstanding. Your every need was anticipated by the crew and attended to. Onboard activities were keyed to the cities the ship would visit. Food and service was excellent throughout. Relaxing and wonderful. Have read about other cruise lines, more expensive and "exclusive" but they'd have a heck of a time beating Viking. We arrived early for our trip, about 11:00AM but they were prepared for us since the ship knew each passenger's travel arrangements. Onboarding was painless and very professional, as was the disembarkation process at the end. Excursions were excellent with local guides providing unique insights into the areas we visited. Optional excursions were similarly conducted. Viking clearly targets the 50+ age group and knows what that age group is looking for as far as accommodations, amenities, and service are concerned. We were all treated like VIPs from the time we got into Viking's hands at the arrival airport until we left. There's nothing like a Viking river cruise. Expensive, but worth every nickle. This is the vacation you worked to be able to afford! Read Less

I chose this cruise based on the reviews by prior cruisers and the ads seen on TV for Viking. The ship was a nice size and the cabin (balcony) was adequate. There was plenty of storage so no problems there. Several times we were tied up next to other boats so the balcony could not be used that much in some of the ports as you were virtually inches from the balcony of the the other ship. There is only one chair in the cabin which presents a problem when both people are there as only one can sit in a chair and the other must sit on the bed. The bathroom is small but spacious enough for your shower, however if there are two women in the cabin one must do their makeup and hair out in the main cabin, especially if you have someone who seems to take a lot of time getting ready, like my sister. Dining--this is where my experience is much different from many of the others. I was not the least impressed with the food offered. Breakfast was fine, and at lunch you could go to the smaller cafe on deck three. There you could get sandwiches or burgers, etc. Dinner was not pleasant at all. The food choices were not great and I wound up eating steak three times in the one week. Not ideal for sure. The included excursions are all walking tours and a lot of your experience there depends on your tour guide. Some were good and others not so good. Be sure you are up for a lot of walking even on the easy ones as that is what they all are. We wound up leaving a couple of the tours and going off on our own because we were not impressed with the tour we were getting. My favorite part of the entire cruise was the two days we had in Budapest prior to boarding the ship. We have signed up for the Rhine cruise but my expectations are extremely lower than what I had for the first one. The crew did a good job of taking care of us and they are exceptional. Entertainment is almost non existent but I didn't expect much there to begin with. If you are not on the ship during the meal times (we missed lunch a couple of time due to excursions) then you are sorely pressed to find anything to eat on board. The cookies by the coffee machines were the same every day and there was no where to get anything to eat. I asked in the lounge if they had any appetizers but no luck. The bar tender finally took pity on us and went looking for something for us to eat . He came back with a sandwich which he said he found but didn't know who it belonged to. There is someone crew member on that ship still wondering where his sandwich went. My sister and I shared this one lonely sandwich to get us through to dinner time. Do I think these cruises are worth the amount of money you spend for them? Mostly no....I do it to see parts of the world that I have not seen and want to see Read Less

My husband and I really wanted to explore the cities on this itinerary, and a reputable cruise line was the only way we were willing to do it. I highly recommend the Munich and Salzburg extension at the start of the trip. Our Viking tour director Alec was knowledgeable, accessible, and, most importantly, extremely organized. We had a group of about 35 on the extension, and each tour and transition to another hotel and the ship went very smoothly. The ship never felt too small because it has so many different areas for activities, whether it's the bar/lounge gathering spot or the peaceful terrace. The crew was friendly and professional. Our room steward was very attentive without being intrusive. The excursions had a nice amount of time with guides and a good amount of time on our own. That had been one of our initial concerns because we aren't usually into formal tours. I can highly recommend the Cesky Krumlov tour. It was a highlight in spite of the travel time to and from. I can't imagine a better opportunity to visit that quaint, historic site. We were so happy with our overall experience that we are planning to do another Viking river cruise in 2020. Read Less

We've received many Vikings brochures but never booked one. When the brochure for the Danube Waltz Cruise arrived we were fascinated; we'd long wanted to try a Vikings Cruise and this itinerary seemed perfect for us - and it was! We booked both the pre-excursion stay in Prague and the post-excursion stay in Budapest. We saw/did everything we possibly could during the 3 day stay in each city, immersed ourselves in their cultures, and fell in love with both of them. Our hotel in Prague, Art Nouveau Palace Hotel, is absolutely beautiful, in a fabulous central location and thus walkable to almost everything in Prague. The Vikings staff were with us from the time we got off the plane in Prague to the time we went through the Security as we left Budapest; the Vikings desks in each hotel were valuable resources. When we left Prague for the drive to Passau, a bus (one of 2) picked us up at the hotel for a 4 hour drive through the Czech and then the German country-sides and delivered us to Passau where we embarked the ship. The Hermod is a lovely ship, our cabin (109) was perfect and our cabin steward terrific. Food at every meal was delicious and beautifully presented and the wine excellent. The wait staff were professional, pro-active in taking our orders, and conscientious in making sure everything met our expectations. The entire ship's staff was excellent - knowledgeable, thoughtful, caring, always responsive to any questions/requests, with the added plus of great senses of humor. Program Director Lee was truly outstanding; he did a great job with the programming, he interacted superbly with the guests, and always was interested in our feedback on shore excursions as well as our experiences on board. His descriptions of the views during our scenic cruise through the Wachau Valley were wonderful. The evening we sailed into Budapest at 10:00 pm, Monday, July 2, he made sure everyone knew to be on deck to see the magnificent lights of this beautiful city. Truly, is was an incredibly spectacular sight that took our breaths away! Not to be missed! We found every port to be wonderful to have a chance to explore - to at least give us a taste of it, and the Vikings excursions we selected were all very good. We'd like to highlight a few that we especially treasured. Even in the rain, the Passau walking tour was very pretty and the organ concert in St. Stephen's Cathedral magnificent--to hear our wedding processional (Purcel's Trumpet Voluntary) played on that instrument was very moving. The scenic cruise through the Wachau Valley was incredibly lovely - and Lee's narration perfect without being intrusive. We thought the tour of the Wachau Valley Winery - the Morwald family's winery, was the best winery tour and tasting we have ever experienced! Our group was small, which made it more personable, our Vikings guide fun, Erhard personally gave us the tour and was an absolute delight, and the 6 delicious wines we tasted were served in crystal glasses with generous pours, along with baskets of fresh bread. We bought 4 bottles! We thoroughly enjoyed our Danube Waltz cruise. To put our experience in perspective, we have traveled extensively around the world and also have been on many ocean cruises including 2 transatlantics, a Mediterranean cruise, Alaskan, and many different Caribbean islands, and we're doing a Panama Canal cruise in March 2019. We would absolutely do another Vikings River cruise. But first, we actually booked (on board the ship) the British Isles Ocean Cruise for the spring of 2020 -- along with our dear friends with whom we were traveling. We are very much looking forward to that. Read Less

I have never been to that part of the world and I had always heard the Danube cruise was the one to take. We were not disappointed. In fact, the experience far exceeded our expectations. From the minute we left the U.S. until we returned this was by far the most memorable vacation we have experienced. To experience, first hand, the history and the grandeur of the European ports we visited was truly a series of memorable moments. The staff and crew of the Hermod could not have made the experience any more memorable or fun. They are true professionals and it would be an honor and pleasure to sail with them again. When sailing with Viking please know if you have any dietary restrictions, they are more than happy to accomodate your needs. Vienna was one of my favorite stops but be advised, you arrive on a Sunday and other than cafe's and typical street vendors, the stores are closed. That was the only disappointment we experienced and even so, it was still a wonderful experience. Budapest is a wonderful city and we were fortunate enough to spend a couple extra days there. It was most definetly well worth it. Read Less

Wouldn't go on any other River Cruise in Europe. Ship, rooms, staff, food and experiences are so fantastic. Our pre-cruise stay in Munich and Salzburg were amazing. Hotels were great, especially the one in Salzburg, right in Old Town and steps to shopping! Our tours and tour guides were excellent. Luc took care of us from start to finish. Getting on and off the ship was smooth, with our rooms and luggage taken care of almost immediately. Our cabin was spacious enough for the two of us, bathroom a bit on the small size, but adequate. We had a nice little balcony, that considering we were hardly ever in our room, was nice to have when we were. Loved our cabin steward, who took care of our every need. And the dining staff was superb! Our group loves to try and keep the same table, so we get to know the waiters and staff in our area very well. The cruise had great entertainment, from nice and relaxing to crazy and fun. The shore excursions were very nice, some need to have a few tweaks made, seems like Passau could do with a few more places you can actually enter and not just see the outside of buildings. But overall, love the selections. The ONLY real negative of whole trip, the hike up a very steep, and altitude challenging, hill to see Neuschwanstein Castle while staying in Munich on our pre-cruise. Loved the excursion, wouldn't have missed it. But, Viking needs to realize they are dealing with an older clientele that may not be able to deal with walking up such terrain. Should definitely look into adding a shuttle service to this tour. May save them from having to deal with a customer not being able to make it up (which did happen to a few of our group) or having medical problems because of the climb. Would definitely go again. Already have an ocean cruise booked, our 2nd. Look forward to booking our 3rd river cruise soon. Read Less

I have always wanted to see this part of the world. Spent 3 days in Prague prior to boarding the ship. The hotel arranged by Viking was spectacular. Plus they had an agent at the hotel to arrange tours, make restaurant reservations and answer any questions we had.Once on the ship we met many wonderful interesting people. Some of us are still in contact.We are hoping to see each other again on another Viking Cruise. All the staff went above and beyond to make our cruise memorable. They were always available to answer our questions and make recommendations. The entertainment at the lounge was varied, often music and or performers of the local area. We enjoy casual dining and the ship had a wonderful outdoor dining area we frequented.However, we enjoyed several delicious meals in the main dining room. The whole trip exceeded my expectations. I can’t wait to take another Viking cruise!! Read Less

We wanted to try a River Cruise as a way to see this part of Europe for the first time. Good friends recommended this cruise as the right length and right area and the best Cruise Company. Viking takes great care of their travelers, from the minuite we landed in Europe they had a representative on sight to direct us to our hotel transfer and from that point on took care of our everry need to make this cruise the best. Their staff is present in the hotels if you book add on time at the beginning or end of your cruise. Once on board, your tour director keeps you aware of land tours andacivities on the ship. By not assigning you a table to dine, you are able to meet differentt people every night or settle in with new made friends for every meal. As you sail the river you will soon see the difference in service provided by your crew verses other ships. You will have water for you tours and umbrellas in case of rain and shade when it is hot. Our crew went out of their way for those who had or developed problems walking and cimbing stairs on the various tours. Their kindness was commendable. The Viking staff is supporting you right up until you are checked in for your departing flight. They have set the bar very high in providing the best in customer service and travel enjoyment. We have recommended this cruise to our friends. Read Less

This is my 3rd Viking cruise. We (my husband and I) choose this one because of the other two great experiences - 10/25/2014 Viking Helvettla Rhine River 4/29/2015 Viking Schumann Elbe River. However, the Danube Waltz (Germany, Austria and Hungry), left us somewhat disappointed. The food was just 'okay'. Believe it or not, my husband was not able to get a "hot" cup of coffee for the first two days - believe it or not! Our cabin stewart was supberb; as was the dining service. The entire crew always pleasant. As for the embarkation and disembarkation, everything was explained quite clearly; which is so very helpful to senior citizens - like us. On one shore excursion, my husband missed the return bus (toally, totally his fault) and the staff bent over-backwards to make sure he found his way back to the ship. We certainly will give Viking another chance in the near future. At present, we and two other couples are looking at another Viking cruise for next year. Read Less

This cruise was referred to me by my sister who had gone on a Danube Viking Cruise years ago. I enjoyed the cruise very much as it focused on cuisine and culture. Budapest has old world charm with gorgeous architecture. The city straddles both sides of the Danube. The iconic Chain Bridge made its appearance as we dined on the Hermod on the first night. Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, was a wonderful surprise with cobblestone streets. We learned that the country fortified its economy by successfully mass producing cars for European consumers. Vienna, capital of Austria, was lovely with music in the air. The Schonbrunn Palace reminded me of Versailles, the seat of French political power and culture. We went to a concert of Strauss and Mozart music which was wonderful. Krems was the next stop where we visited the Abbey on a mountaintop. We tasted wine produced by the Abbey which was quite good. Linz brought us to Cesky Krumlov, a medieval village that goes almost 1000 years. We saw a Roman viaduct that reminded me of the one found in Nimes, France. Our last stop on the Danube was Passau, Germany. It’s a small city that has three rivers including the Danube converge which raise the risk of flooding. The buildings are quaint and charming. St. Stephen’s Cathedral is gorgeous. The organ did not disappoint! Read Less

Chose this cruise on a two for one offer and free air, which was a great deal. The initial experience from my wife & I being met and greeted at the airport by Viking representatives and the arranged transportation and baggage handling to the ship was fantastic and made the start of the trip anxiety free. Arriving at the ship we were welcomed by the staff and then directed to a wonderful buffet style lunch while we waited for our room to be prepared and luggage delivered. Once in our room it was quite spacious & comfortable and amenities were very nice. Ship was very well laid out and it made it quite easy to get around as needed. The upper deck was also quite nice and if I had one complaint was that the removable umbrellas were not up at all times that we were docked and in the full sun, a little shade would have been nice. River views were awesome. The tours and shore excursions are first class with great locations to see and the transportation and guides were really great. Each location adding the local knowledge of the guide to the area we were visiting. Great insight for a tourist with no local knowledge of the history. The on board entertainment was also fabulous and very well planned. Basically all I have to say is WOW! Meals were very good and there was always a great variety of foods to satisfy the craving, whether for a local flavor or a contemporary steak & potato dinner. The drink package included with the cruise is adequate for the average drinker. I for one would not recommend the added beverage package. This was definitely a great experience and now looking forward to our next trip. I would highly recommend Viking. Read Less

A river cruise has been on my bucket list for years. We spent two days in Budapest before getting on the ship and three days in Prague after the cruise. PERFECT! The ship was clean and comfortable. The French balcony suited our needs. You really don't need a balcony since there are numerous areas on the ship to get better views. We visited five different countries. I liked that the dining room meals reflected the cuisine of the countries we were visiting. Going through the locks on the river was a new adventure. The staff was amazing especially the room cleaning staff and the dining room staff. I just can't say enough about how well we were treated. Since there is a relatively small amount of passengers on board, we were able to meet other people who added to our enjoyment of the cruise. The cruise itself is relaxing. There was an excursion included at each port, plus additional excursions for a reasonable fee. So you could do as much or as little as you desire. Read Less

If Internet access is not important to you then Viking is a fine, even a great, cruise line. However, if you really need (or want) internet access then try some other line, and do some research before you book. We took the Viking Danube Waltz River Cruise May 8-16 on the Viking Hermod, starting in Budapest, plus two extra days in Prague. Everything was great, as advertised, except for internet access; essentially, there was none. Every question was met with a foolish explanation involving mountains, bridges, blank spots, weather, etc. However, there was no internet access in our stateroom even when docked in Budapest with not a mountain, bridge, or cloud in sight. In eight days we had perhaps one hour of internet access. We talked to other passengers about internet access and most reported similar results. The Viking Hermod supposedly is only four years old, so there is no excuse for its not offering an acceptable level of internet access. True, satellite access may be interrupted occasionally by terrain and weather, but those interruptions are comparatively rare and access is almost always available to the ship. (The momentary interruption when passing under a bridge would be so short, if any, that it was foolish of the crew member even to mention it. That was pure twaddle put out by someone trying to tap dance around the real problem.) If the ship has satellite access but no internet access for its paying customers then the problem must lie with the signal distribution system. If wi-fi propagation is problematic within a steel ship then the ship should have been wired for ethernet when it was built. There is absolutely no excuse for not having done so. Internet access simply was not given a high enough priority by top management in the ship’s design. Then the captain and crew were given the badly designed ship and put in the unenviable position of having to absorb the abuse from irate passengers who were promised something that the captain and crew cannot deliver and over which they have absolutely no control. It is beyond question that this problem has been reported time and time again; even a cursory search shows that the Internet is full of it. However, Viking continues to advertise internet access even though Viking management has to know that it is, in the main, a lie. Because of that dishonesty we never will book with Viking again. It is a shame that the Viking Hermod’s stellar ship and hotel crews have to work for such duplitious management. Read Less

A gift from my father-in-law, we chose this cruise as it seemed to offer a variety of excursions, gourmet dinners, and a relaxed pace to explore the countries along the Danube. Every aspect of the cruise exceeded our expectations! The ship, stateroom, staff, food, wine, informational talks, excursions, regional entertainment and cities visited combined to make the most well-balanced trip that was interesting, exciting and relaxing , all at the same time! No detail went unnoticed. Cold water bottles were provided before embarking on excursions and upon our we were greeted with warm, damp washcloths. Wait staff remembered your name and your preferred drink or wine. Staff seemed to genuinely enjoy their positions and this positive attitude set the tone for the ship. Tour guides were from the town of focus and were therefore able to give a close-up and personalized tour. Excursions were quite varied and interesting. Evening meals included regional specialities to offer guests a chance to immerse themselves in the culture. The small size of the ship (164 guests) afforded the opportunity to meet people and make new friends. We continue to be in touch with several fellow Viking Hermod travelers. This was great value for the money. We’re encouraging friends and family to sail with Viking and can’t wait for our next cruise! Read Less

This River Boat Cruise was our first cruise of any kind. We usually just hop on a plane and get to a destination. For example; the Grand Cayman Islands. However, I can say that our river cruise we took from Budapest to Passau was one of the best vacation experiences we've ever had compared to many other trips we have taken over the past 30 years. The staff on the boat was fantastic, the boat itself was out of this world with great accommodations, and the food was fabulous. The Viking Cruise staff waited on us hand and foot. They did their very best to make sure we were well taken care of at all time including our time on the boat and all of our tours. Also, the entertainment at night was great. We danced every night on the boat as the piano/keyboard player was fantastic. We would recommend a Viking River to all. Read Less

Wanted to see part of Europe and a relative plus some friends told me about the cruise. Viking River Cruise on the Danube May 6 to May 19, 2018 Summary: On Sunday afternoon, May 6th flew from Dallas to Frankford, Germany then after several hours layover we arrived in Budapest, Hungary the afternoon of May 7th. We stayed at the Hilton Budapest in the Castle District for a couple of days walking around the Castle District sightseeing. We took the subway to the famous Budapest Thermal Bath House, a huge place with many hot pools to soak in the healing water. Went to a few museums, the Grand Market Hall and enjoyed the amazing architecture everywhere. Then to the Viking Hermod ship where we stayed another night and day on the ship. Viking had a nice tour bus and guide for bus and walking tour on the 10th . Went inside St. Stephen’s Basilica, truly amazing inside as well as outside. That evening the ship took us through the first of 9 locks. The first lock has a 35 foot water rise. The ship only had 6 inches on either side of the walls, the ships were made as large as possible to fit in the locks and go under the bridges. The night of the 10th and the morning of the 11th we traveled to Bratislava, Slovakia. There was a bus tour of the city and Bratislava Castle and the gothic St. Martin’s Cathedral as well as a walking tour that afternoon. This was probably the less impressive place we visited but was still nice, it is just the other locations were fantastic. That evening we were entertained with instrumentalist, singers and dancers from Slovakian Music. We departed at 11pm. On the 12th we arrived in Vienna, Austria. That morning we had another guided bus and walking tour, Vienna is beautiful. After lunch we took an excursion for a tour of the Schonbrunn Palace of the Hapsburg Dynasty, it was built to rival the palace of Versailles. Truly unbelievable how they lived. Said it would take 2 ½ days to see the whole palace. We also took an outside tour on a horse and carriage ride around the gardens. The palace was over 1 ¼ miles long. Took 60 gardeners to maintain the grounds. That evening we went to a Mozart & Strauss Concert in a Viennese Palace. We departed at 11:30pm. On the 13th we arrived at Krems, Austria. We toured the Gottweig Abby, a 900 year old abbey where Benedictine monks work and worship on a hill top overlooking the Wachau Valley. The Abby was fit for a king, unbelievable wealth. They owned most of the, vineyards, orchards and forest in the area. This is a big wine production area. That afternoon we sailed the Wachau Valley enjoying the terraced vineyards and sloping forested hills passing several cute towns. On the 14th we arrived in Linz, Austria, known as the 1st century Roman castle settlement. Here we had an all day tour of Linz and the old Bohemia town going into Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic, a fairy-tale looking town on the Vltava River. On the 15th we arrived in Lindau, Germany. A tour bus took us to Passau, Germany (City of Three Rivers) during the tour we enjoyed an organ concert in the baroque St. Stephens Cathedral. It is the largest cathedral organ in the world and had an unbelievable 17,974 organ pipes. Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne the first Holy Roman Emperor there. That afternoon we had free time to walk around Passau. On the 16th we departed the boat and took a 4 hour bus ride to Prague, Czech Republic. There we stayed several days at the Corinthia Hotel. That afternoon we took a tour to the Lobkowicz Palace ending with a panoramic tour of Prague. On the 17th we took another bus tour of the city and walking tour of the Old Town Square where the world famous 15th century Astronomical Clock with its “Walk of the Apostles” was being cleaned, therefore not operational while we were there. Went to more museums, shopping and antiquing but did not buy much but if I had a truck I could have filled it up. On the 18th we walked a lot going to several beautiful museums (the museums were more spectacular than the exhibits, I took more photos of the building than what was on display), walked across the famous Charles Bridge several times, enjoyed outdoor sitting, eating and drinking beer on the square. On the 19th we got up early, Viking took us to the airport where we flew from Prague to Frankford then back to Dallas. Overall was a wonderful trip together we took over 2,300 pictures. I learned a lot of history which I should have learned in high school and college or I did just forget it? Viking took good care of us every leg of the trip from the time we got off the plane in Frankford until get got back on to go home. The food on the boat was great, the wine flowed freely, we could order from the menu plus they had a buffet every meal or you could have both. One evening the chef had a special dinner on the bow for only 18 people, we were lucky to be one of the 18 on the 2nd night. Met many nice people on the boat, were open tables at each meal so we sat and got to know a lot of people. Some interesting facts: even though these countries are in the EU they only want to take money from their country, only a few places would accept Euro’s and no one wanted US Dollars. Beer was cheaper than bottled water, they even serve beer in fast food places like McDonald’s and KFC. The drinking age is only 16 for beer and 18 for wine and liquor. English is taught in all of the schools and most people did speak English, so there were no language issues for us. Read Less

a. From a friend's impressive review, nothing short of Excellent. b. Reading the reviews and testimonials of seasoned Viking travelers c. From the initial contact with Viking representative to the port of debarkation. My wife and I were well- taken care and made us feel like a member of the Viking family. I commend the excellent service of the Viking Hermod staff. Displayed a high degree of professionalism, Courtesy, Politeness and sincere concern for our well-being. Truly reflects the values of the Viking organization of PROFESSIONALISM, COURTESY AND GENUINE COMMITMENT TO SERVICE. We keep on talking about our wonderful river cruise with our friends and relatives how we enjoyed and will cherish the memories we have had. As I continue to browse Viking River cruises scheduled within the next few months, We look forward to our next Viking adventure in the near future. Our heartfelt appreciation to the Viking Family for a job well-done. Bravo!! Read Less

Having already booked a Rhine River Cruise with 10 of our friends, we decided to book a "pre-cruise" before we met everybody in Basel. Thus we booked the Hermod for a Danube cruise before the Rhine cruise. The issues we had with Viking involved the corporate side of things. They combined our two bookings into a single booking. When this happened, we lost our transfer from Passau to Munich. After multiple phone calls and conference calls with her home agency and Viking, our travel agent thought it to be all worked out. Viking was going to transfer us to the airport. Apparently, not the case as our Hermod staff asked us about our transfer plans in Passau. All the stress of the previous weeks about the transfer came rushing back. To the credit of the amazing Hermod shipboard staff, they got it worked out and we were transferred to Munich as we had originally planned. Being our first Viking Cruise, we had no other yardstick from which to measure. The Staff was absolutely amazing--and set the bar for us. From making sure we got a reservation for the Manfredi's dinner to helping us make additional reservations and plans for our NEXT cruise with all our friends. Julian, our ship Hotel Manager, even hooked us up with Jens --the hotel manager on the Hlin--our next ship. Seamless. The dining wait staff was terrific and took an interest in the passengers--getting to know everybody and their preferences. Chef Neal was amazing and personable. We thoroughly enjoyed the menus and the local fare. Never a reason to dine off ship! We absolutely loved the chef's tour of the kitchen towards the end of our cruise. It gave all of us a chance to see the kitchen and be completely blown away by how they could turn out so much food in such a "small" space. It also gave us a chance to meet and thank the kitchen staff, some of whom we had never even seen. Our housekeeper, Maria, was always johnny on the spot. Due to the location of our room, we were among the first to receive housekeeping and our room was usually cleaned and ready before we even got back from breakfast! We were also very impressed with, Lee, our program director. We had booked a few optional excursions and were not disappointed in any of them. The guides were knowledgeable and spoke very good English. The included excursions were also very good. The only little hiccup was that we had some excursions that included some folks who were unable to keep up. This just cut into our "free" time a bit. Minor complaint, really. We enjoyed the Wheelhouse Tour and learned so much about the ship and her crew. The ship board entertainment was fun and informative. All terrific folks. Overall, so impressive that so many different nationalities are represented on the ship in her crew. We enjoyed meeting them and learning a bit about their languages and cultures. We'll definitely book with Viking again. Read Less