This was the first time we ever went on any type of cruise. We decided to try Viking because everyone we spoke with who had used one of their cruises raved about their experiences. Well, all those folks were correct. Viking exceeded our expectations in every regard. The service was excellent from the time we landed in Bucharest until we caught our plane home from Budapest. We were really impressed with how well the staff was trained and how well they tended to our every need. The cabin was great and our steward, Marina, was outstanding. The ship was the perfect size and traveled quietly up the Danube. We had a great day in snowy Bucharest and then arrived at our ship for a smooth embarkation. The entertainment was great. Our Program Director, Leonard, was excellent. He made our on board experiences enjoyable. He, alone, was more than enough reason to go on one of Vikings trips. There were 180 on board and it seemed like only 40 because of how ell Leonard had everything organized. Hats off to Viking and everyone who made our first experience so very enjoyable,