Viking River Cruise - The Romantic Danube

Essentials to Bring: Comfortable shoes, bathing suit, camera and sunscreen (especially in the summer months).

The ship

If you are a frequent cruiser, it is good to know that Viking River Cruises are much smaller ships with more intimate layouts. You get to know almost every person on the ship, including the crew. Upon entry of the ship, you are greeted in the foyer on the middle deck. The foyer, including the small gift shop and guest services, separates the main restaurant on one side and cabins on the other. There are stairs as well as an elevator to the other levels. The upper deck is the home of the library, which separates the aquavit terrace, lounge and bar from even more cabins. The Lounge is the main entertainment space on this ship, and the bar is right in the middle of it. Then, towards the front of the ship is the aquavit terrace, the place where I spent most of my time on the ship. It is an outdoor dining and buffet space suited for the sun lovers. Here, you can experience the breeze gliding through your hair as you sail down the Danube, having one of the best meals you have ever had. Can you tell I enjoyed the terrace? Lastly, you have the sun deck. This is a beautiful space to sit, lay, lounge or mingle on the top deck of the ship. There are lawn chairs, cabanas, tables, a walking track, some lawn games and a fresh herb garden that the chef and bartenders grow and use.

Now, onto the room! I stayed in the Veranda Suite (AA). This was an incredibly beautiful room that also had its own lounge area. In the lounge area of the suite, there was a couch, a loveseat, a mini fridge, a safe, desk, table and plenty of counter space for snacks and water. It is incredibly spacious and does not feel cluttered.

Entertainment and activities

At the end of a long day of city exploration, there is always some fun on the ship to end the night. During my cruise, we had trivia games, dancing and more. I was never bored. Even if you crave a night of relaxation, the TV in your room is filled with popular movies and TV shows — many of which relate to your destinations in some way. How can you not watch The Sound of Music as you sail into Austria? And don’t forget about the library, where you can grab a good book to spend your time reading in your room or while you admire the scenery and good weather on the sun deck.

Port calls and excursions

Regensburg:

• Historic Regensburg and Jewish Hheritage: This tour gives you insight into some hidden treasures around the city as well as the historical, political and cultural context of the city from multiple perspectives. The tour guide was very insightful and had access to many behind-the-scenes exclusives, such as pictures of historical events that really made things come to life. There is a similar tour that is included, but it does not go into detail with the Jewish Heritage of the city.

• Historische Wurstkuchl: This establishment has been up for 500 years. Their sausage and sauerkraut is a must-try. It is a euro-only restaurant, so make sure to be carrying some before you order.

Passau:

• Passau walking tour (included): One thing to know about the Danube River, is that it rises, and Passau makes note of it. This tour will take you to the highlights of this city, and everywhere you look, you will see measurements of all the years of flooding. It is quite otherworldly when you see the highest the water has reached here, yet you will be incredibly impressed at the infrastructure put in place to have the city survive and thrive.

• Your tour will likely not take you here, but I highly recommend walking to the tip of this city to where the rivers meet, the Dreiflüsseeck, and then back to the city center on the other side. This will get you acquainted with the city and all it has to offer.

Krems:

• Gottweig Abbey with apricot dumpling demonstration: This monastery tour is great. You are taken around the grounds to see the beauty of the architecture, the chapel and the art. The Gottweig Abbey is known for the apricots they grow, so you are welcomed on this tour with some juice and wine. Though the dumpling demonstration is not included in the tour, I recommend the small price to experience it. You learn a lot about the growing and preserving process of their apricots as well as how to make the dumplings, with a bonus of getting to try them all at the end.

Vienna:

• Mozart and Strauss concert: This was our introduction to Vienna. Shortly after we docked, we were bused through the city and arrived at our concert hall location. It was a smaller venue room, but beautiful nonetheless. It was a full house, and the energy and excitement was high. This would be my first time experiencing an honorary concert of this sort, and it did not disappoint. I imagined I would be sitting in this room listening to the instruments for two hours straight, but it was a show from start to finish. They provided an entertaining medley of music, opera, dances, comedy and more. It was something I will seek to experience again and again. I left this excursion excited to see what other great things Vienna had to offer.

• Panoramic Vienna (included): Since the city is so big, this excursion started with a bus ride from the doc to inner city Vienna. We were then guided through the most influential and beautiful parts of the city, starting at the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum), which is right across from the Museum of Natural History (which I highly recommend). Then, we made our way walking through the city until we reached St. Stephen's Cathedral. Here we had time to roam on our own and shop, eat and see the sights. We returned to the ship and enjoyed a delicious lunch.

• Make sure to stop at the giant ferris wheel or the amusement park attached to it. The ferris wheel is overpriced in my opinion, but it is a Vienna staple. If you have the money, you can also book a three-course candlelight dinner on the ferris wheel for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Budapest:

• Panoramic Budapest (included): This tour was primarily on a tour bus. Budapest in a ginormous city, with two halves separated by the Danube. We drove around the portion of the city on the east side of the river (Pest), and then crossed the bridge to the west side (Buda). We then got off the bus and walked up Castle Hill to explore Fisherman's Bastion. You can see all the beauty Budapest has to offer from this view, and it is simply breathtaking.

• Budapest thermal bath: This was by far my favorite excursion. Though it was very hot outside and I was skeptical about going to thermal baths given the weather, I would have gravely regretted it if I did not go. These thermal baths include warm and cool, indoor and outdoor pools. Not only is it refreshing, but it is incredibly relaxing. The baths are located in the beautiful Szechenyi Palace, which has a rich Roman history associated with it. This is an excursion you cannot miss out on.

• More time is necessary in Budapest than what you are given on this cruise (especially if this is your last destination). I highly encourage you to make arrangements to stay here for a minimum of two days and more if you have the means. It is a beautiful city filled with history, and I wish I had more time to explore and learn.

Additional costs

The great thing about Viking is that it is an all-inclusive fare. You have additional bonuses depending on the room you choose, so you may have to (if you want) pay additional for pre-paid gratuities and unlimited spirit packages. There is one excursion included at all destinations, and additional excursions you can pay for.

1. It is hot in July and many European cities don’t have air conditioning in many buildings, so that is something to keep in mind if you plan on running around the city all day long - you may want to budget some additional cash for nice cold treats throughout the day, or book for a cooler time.
   2. Vienna and Budapest are huge cities. You will need to take public transport to get from one end to another of each. I highly recommend booking an additional day in Budapest if you can.
   3. If you are a first-time cruiser, Viking River Cruises is a great place to start!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on cruise travel. In need of further inspiration? Check out Katie Anderson’s guide, Things to do in 4 Days in Budapest.