Our trip down the Danube was perfect in every way. Food and accommodations were first class each day, as was the service. My favorite parts of the river cruise were the daily guided tours at each port. Tour guides were local to the areas, well-informed with history and culture as well as current affairs. I learned so much, returning to the United States with a greater appreciation of the variety of people, their governments, and their pasts from places I would never have visited.
Viking provided wonderful menus for each meal, some were local cuisines but each day was a new dining experience with standard favorites presented as well as dishes that were a delight to sample. We opted to sit at the same table each day in order to get to know our servers, and when disembarking for the return home, had sad farewells. The experience was genuinely heartwarming.
One of the best experiences of a Viking Tour is the quality of the Viking employees who so kindly serviced us each day. Every person, from the kitchen aides, room stewards, to the captain and his staff, were friendly, helpful, and exemplary in each of their jobs.