In a word, Viking River Cruises on the Amterdam-Budapest route is awesome. Opportunities for pre-sail stopover and post-sailing stopover, and spending extra days in the port of embarkation and debarkation. Staff was fabulous. The included tours were by and large 4.7 out of 5.0; a couple fell short of expectation, but perhaps that is because the others were so excellent. Optional tours were educational, plentiful and entertaining. Port-to-land tour coordination was smooth. The ship's dining between the restaurant and the alternative lighter fare was ideal... all items available were prepared well, were reflective of the areas in which the longship cruised, and were well presented. Evening entertainment was fine. The glimses into area history and into the ship operations (and lock operation) were insightful. Reception staff and cabin staff were first-rate. It was interesting that Viking placed crew members with some tour groups... this permitting not only their being better able to interact with passengers by gaining more knowledge of area history and culture, but by permitting a social discourse between passengers and staff on a more personal level than server and served. Well done.