We had previously cruised up the Danube from Budapest to Germany. We were intrigued by the idea of going in the other direction. We were not disappointed. Starting from Budapest, where we spent a couple of nights on land with both significant free time and guided touring, we ventured further into Hungary then on to Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. The tour ended with a land stay in Bucharest. The history and culture of the area were the highpoints of this journey and Viking did an excellent job of providing the experience.

Everything about the cruise was first rate - the ship, the cabin, the on board activities, and the service. The highpoint had to be the on shore excursions, where we got to learn quite a lot about this not well known part of Europe. Another highpoint was the food. We really like to try the local cuisine when we travel and that was an option at every meal. The dining experience was truly excellent. We already knew that Budapest was a great city but were very pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed Bucharest - a beautiful city striving to overcome the ravage of many years under the rule of the communist dictator.