As we had river cruised with Viking previously, we expected a top-notch cruise experience. Overall, we had an enjoyable time, but there were several events that, in my opinion, were not up to Viking standards.

First, after a day of cruising, we wanted to relax in the lounge with a few drinks before dinner. Each night, the program director would get on the microphone and give a long, detailed sales pitch for future Viking cruises. This high pressure presentation completely ruined the mood we were trying to achieve - relaxation. Many of us felt like we needed to unplug the microphone. Clearly, not up to Viking standards.

Second, travel arrangements were difficult. We flew out of Budapest on a 6:00 AM flight, which meant we left the ship at 3:30 AM. And our bus was late, meaning we were late getting to the terminal, which meant long long lines to navigate, which meant we barely had enough time to get to our gate. Coupled with the fact that Viking did not prepare a 'box breakfast' for us, we were unable to eat breakfast on a travel day, and getting late to the terminal meant that we did not have time to get a snack at the airport. Clearly not up to Viking standards. Read more