My husband and I decided to take our first river cruise in celebration of our 45th wedding anniversary. Several different friends had tried Viking's river cruises and loved them. When we were growing up, most of the countries visited on this cruise were ruled first by the Nazis and then the Communists, so we were really interested in visiting these places that had been closed to the West for so long. (Also, I had visited Holland and East Berlin 50 years ago, just before the Wall, so wanted to see how they had changed.)

We arrive in Bucharest 2 days early to recover from jet lag. The Viking representatives in our hotel were very friendly and answered our questions about getting to the ship and boarding. The Elba is a beautiful ship. Everything looked new, and the managers and crew couldn't have been more competent and helpful. We enjoyed seeing the beautiful views of villages, landscapes, and even some wildlife from our veranda stateroom.

The dining room was comfortable, and seats were not assigned, so we were free get acquainted with many of our shipmates and re-join those we found compatible. Food was plentiful and delicious, with many options, on or off the menus. Room service also was offered. Read more