We planned two days in advance of the cruise for Budapest and well worth it. Embarkation and disembarkation all went smoothly as the ship only holds 160 passengers.

On an overall basis the food quality whether al la cart or buffet was exceptional. The wine selection was less exceptional as they seemed to focus on wines of the immediate region which except for certain Hungarian wines were mediocre at best. They advertise open seating for dining but in realty with dining hours starting at 7 pm and most of the passengers from North America, there was a rush on the dining room which affected service. The Head Chef indicated in a galley tour that they serve over 140 meals between 7:15 - 8:15 which effectively makes it a one seating cruise. In room dining was available but the cabin configuration was not conducive to dining other than on your lap.

The ship is new 2016 and everything was well planned both ship as a whole and the cabins. For river cruises versus ocean, passengers need to know that the ship may be moored right beside another ship thereby your stateroom view may be directly into another ship. This ship should consider installing a pull down blind to add some additional privacy while using the inside balcony. The common areas are adequate but if you are on a cruise where the climate is unpleasant or you are in an area that has low bridges then the upstairs outdoor area is not usable which forces people into the one common area resulting in crowding. Read more