wlucas

HT, to follow up, if you stay in Budapest, we strongly recommend restaurant Menza .

HT, if I may reply. We just did that exact thing you suggest. We arrived 14:30 and stayed in the Vision Hotel, which is quite good indeed. Arranged for evening cruise but too bushed from the flight. You will likely be even more flagged. The rendezvous with the first bus was only 8 minute walk dragging our roll-ons. But you have to meet them at exactly the time they say. Bus cannot wait. Call Viking and get boat and program director's number and they will set up and text when they leave Komarom. I will say the trip has been remarkably rewarding. Shore tours are excellent, and the organizational coordination is top notch in every aspect. This river cruising is industrial tourism, with 5 or 6 30-person groups from each ship, some following the same overall path but spaced so we don't trip over each other. With some 10-15 ships at same location, so multiply the crowd at the popular spots accordingly. Weather has been chilly but pretty sunny. The cruising on the ship is an experience of perfect appointments and service. You will enjoy it. But by all means recover in Budapest. Even though you miss out on the excellent food and accommodations you would get on that last 1.5 bus ride.

Well... Viking said yesterday that we depart from airport to Komarom instead of Budapest. I didn't feature a 1.5-hour ride after 14 hours transit. And then another 1.5 hours to join the tours in Budapest next day where I should have been in the first place. So I got a room to spend the afternoon chilling, followed by dinner and an evening cruise. Then rendezvous with the group next morning. It's all good. Even better if we can actually go upriver after all like Barb suggests. Just have to cancel in time.

Hey MDT, I see you are on Viking as well. Our Viking ship is the Aegir. Two ships the same day?

Hi Castlecritic, we are on the next boat up from Budapest on October 17. Viking told me evening before your post that there was no report of having to start from Komarom, but looks like that is in the cards for sure, given trend just shown by notamermaid. Did you spend the departure evening in Budapest, and then bus to Komarom the day you jouneyed to Bratislava?

Hello Notamermaid, Thanks for the update. Can you share the link for this info? Thanks, Bill

It does not look good. Beautiful weather until the 17th, when we start upriver. That doesn't bode well for water levels. And of course, as soon as we arrive, its cloudy and cool the entire trip. Ugh. Basin, Danube, Serbia Daily Weather | AccuWeather

Hello MDT, we will be on same trip. Praying that levels stabilize or increase. From Nota' posts, it seems its fine for our trip now. Question is, what is the precip forecast for the basin?