After 35 cruises, this was the most disappointing ever, mostly a bus trip and Viking cruises are not cheap! We have been on a Viking Ocean cruise and loved it and decided to give their river cruises a try. Viking emailed us just before the cruise about the Danube river problems and we would now spend the1st night on a boat docked in Budapest, then pack up and take a bus 150 miles, thus losing half of the river cruise. They did offer a discount for the situation, but not for this cruise. We have to book a future cruise to get any compensation.
We had a French balcony cabin, floor to ceiling sliding glass, how great that should have been for a view. Only for the first 4 days we did not move and had another Viking boat tied up next to us so we looked right at another ship's cabin. I could open the glass door and touch the other ship's cabin rail.....what a view! Even if the boat did not move we at least should have been able to enjoy looking at the river. Finally one day the boat moved for around 3 hours so we had a day time cruise to enjoy the shoreline. The next few nights we only moved during the pitch black night, no view. So out of our "7 day cruise" we had only 3 hours of day light cruising to see the river. Bummer. Sure not like the TV ads you see. The last few days we were at a dock with a view of the bank, still unable to enjoy a river view from our cabin.
The dining was OK, but we expected more. Only a choice of the same 4 entrees that did not change, or 2 entrees of the day. Real hassel was there was not a single table for two in the dining room. Only tables for 6 or 8. Sometime after a busy day you just feel like eating dinner and calling it a day, or maybe you and your wife would like a nice dinner alone. Can't happen here. It is nice to eat with strangers sometimes, but not every meal all week long. An hour plus of chitt chat is hard every meal. The Viking Ocean cruise we took did have tables for 2 in the dining room.
Response from VikingS, Community Team
Cabin small but very nicely done. Room attendent was outstanding. Cabin always perfect and spotless.
Since the boat is docked most of the time, don't waste money on a balcony cabin.
Very interesting and easy to walk around the town center. Have a guide to make it interesting.
Wow, who know this was such a good tourist town. Would love to go back.
Went to the Budapest History Museum (sort of hare to find, behind the art museum.The history of the city is something else.
Walked around the island old town. See St. Stephen's for sure.