We were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary with the Grand European tour. This is 15 nights. We went from Amsterdam to Budapest, but you can also book going the other direction. The Magni and it’s staff managed to be efficient and friendly while being both elegant and relaxed. The longships are well designed and comfortable. We were concerned that it would be difficult to make friends, however, the majority of people were open and friendly middle aged or better couples. There were a couple of honeymooners and multi-generational families with older teens, but everyone was mixing by the second week. We got to know lovely people from Australia, England, and parts of the U.S that we have not visited. The tables in the dining room are for 6, and the lounge areas are also, so it was not difficult to mix naturally. We also got to know people in our excursion group pretty well.

We booked the air and a pre-cruise stay in Amsterdam, along with an optional tour. So glad we did! Viking staff took good care of us from the moment we arrived to claim our luggage at the Amsterdam airport. Our airline had lost my bag, and the Viking guide helped me talk with the mostly Dutch-speaking airline employee. It was delivered to our hotel that afternoon. When it was time to go home, an airline strike affected our plans, but the desk staff handled it for us, so we could enjoy our last day without worry.

This was a wonderful, stress-free way to see many places and get a taste of the culture on a first-class floating hotel. Highly recommend. My only wish would be more outside dining space. The ports of call and included excursions ranged from enjoyable to amazing. Not all will suit everyone’s fancy, but we learned many new things each place we went. Lots of freedom to explore on your own as well.