Rather than review the destinations that Viking River Cruise took my wife and I (and extended family) on the Danube River cruise from Passau to Budapest venture July 12-19 2015, I am going to review Viking itself with the destinations becoming necessary ingredients of the story.

This is not a bullet-point review. It is longer than my usual, but it is the kind of review for which I was searching during the consideration process.

My motivation is simple. The hidden jewel of Durnstein where Richard the Lionhearted was detained or the surprise fascination with Melk or the young, brilliant, and personable PhD tour guide we encountered at Bratislava where Jews were ‘punished more humanely’ by the Soviets after the Holocaust (and not to mention the more notable high points of Vienna, Salzburg, or Budapest) are testaments but merely components to Viking’s excellent experience. Read more