Danube River Cruise with Viking

My wife and I are taking an 8 day Viking River Cruise on the Danube River departing from Budapest (1.5 days here before departure) and traveling on the Danube with a stop in the Slovak Republic, 3 stops in Austria (Vienna, Melk, and Linz) , and a final destination of Passua Germany. We travel in 2018 starting on May 29th flying out of Boston on Lufthansa. My wife and I are both retired and this will be our first trip to Europe and our first river cruise (actually our first aboard ship cruise). In the past, we have traveled frequently to Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Florida.

There are shore excursions at each stop and we have signed up for most of those available. We are wondering if others have taken this particular cruise and what your experience was like...both aboard ship (food, staff, accommodations, etc.), the land excursions (likes, dislikes and why), and reports of any issues with transfers. And certainly we would appreciate any other comments and suggestions about your experience with Viking and this particular cruise.

Thank you in advance to all who may respond.

we did Budapest to Nuremberg the same time period. We extended on both sides. We did 2 extra days in Budapest on arrival booking this thru Viking, but on the Nuremberg side we booked our own as we actually spent a bit of time: couple of days in Nur', then train to Hamburg then returned to the states via QM2. Some suggestions ....

- in each stop there is the 'included tour' and often some optional tours. I'd caution to not go overboard with the optional tours as this will probably cut into the 'explore on your own time' .... or can also mean you are off on an optional tour while the boat sails. Sometimes the optional tour picks up at one location and meets the boat later elsewhere. Dunno about you but we didn't want to miss the sailing time!

- we booked all our own air at considerable savings over the VIK' air prices. We flew over JFK to Budapest with a stop in Warsaw (3 hours in a NOT crowded airport) on LOT (Polish national airline) in premium economy (US business class) for way less than V's price (even with their 'specials'). Brand new deamliner ... excellent service. Big $ savings. Going on V Ocean from London soon and again booked own air at significant savings .... if you're willing to spend some time you can do it. We let our TA search too and the best deal was what WE found which TA confirmed.

- yes, we came back Hamburg to NYC on QM2 (one day stop in Southampton) ..... a balcony stateroom cost less than the airfare going over. Yes, it took 9 days but if you've got the time ..... (and the clothes ... Cunard is very dress code conscious)

- did the hop on hop off in Budapest and found it fun as well as a good way to get around the city, but note the 'included tour' will cover much of the same stuff but with fewer places to get off and walk. USUALLY the first nite the boat will do a sunset cruise for a couple of hours and return to the same berth .... so don't worry about purchasing this on your own b4 as it IS a popular thing to do. V' put us in the Hilton on the Buda side and it was a great location. Very close to a lot of stuff to see (right next to Fisherman's Bastion), several restaurants and a good breakfast included. Here's the view that greeted us as we entered our room the first time

- weather was shirt sleeves and shorts during the day when walking about and maybe a light sweater in the evening on the river (the water is cold!)

- Budapest is a great city

- remember that beer and wine is included with lunch and dinner (in the dining room only). if you enjoy the wine here's a hint: at the end of dinner there are half empty bottles all around that are gonna get dumped out! You'll see the staff collecting them .... Just ask for your glass to be topped off and carry it with you on deck or wherever .... no problem! Happy to do it! {each night there will be a featured red and a white ... different each night .... some folks complain about it not being good .... we had no complaints}

- it was our first river cruise and first trip with Viking ... we liked it so much we're doing Vik Ocean this year for 2 weeks.

We flew over JFK to Budapest with a stop in Warsaw (3 hours in a NOT crowded airport) on LOT (Polish national airline) in premium economy (US business class) for way less than V's price (even with their 'specials').

I may have misunderstood this bit, but it sounds like you are suggesting that LOT's Premium Economy can be compared business class?

LOT does have nice seats in Premium Economy but they are in no way comparable to any US airlines international business class offering, for that you'd have to move up to LOT's business class...

Our 1st cruise was a different variation on Viking starting at Nuremberg docking at Passau and ending in Budapest. We did a 2 night pre-cruise in Prague. Both Prague and Budapest are beautiful, friendly cities.

Photos...

We loved our cruise and as first timers found it easy. Viking meets you just as you pick up your luggage and depart customs. No transfer issues. You will probably land elsewhere in Europe before Budapest. You will not need to do anything with your luggage at the initial airport but you will need to go through immigration with your passport. Allow a couple hours for any transit airport.

On Viking we love the Aquavit terrace for buffet lunch vs the restaurant. We also tried the Aquavit for dinner and loved the intimate setting. Restaurant breakfast & dinners are open seating, seat yourselves. No tables for 2 in the restaurant so you'll meet many other couples. Dinner has several choices for appetizers & entrees PLUS standard steak or salmon every night as a fallback.

Especially as newbies attend your Cruise Director's evening briefing for the next day in the Lounge. It's just before dinner. Dinner almost always at 7PM, with a stampede of geezers to the restaurant after the briefing ends. Always read and save your informative Viking Daily found in your room after dinner with info for the next day.

Cocktails are surprisingly inexpensive a la carte. You can also pay 8 or 9 euros on occasion for a specialty wine if you don't like the standard red or white served included. There will be a couple occasions of free champaign toasts in the Lounge pre dinner.

Be sure to charge up your quiet vox receivers every evening.

The front desk will give you euro coins for euro bills but will NOT exchange $. You need euro coins for toilets and tips like 1 euro each to the bus driver, 2 euros each to your tour guide. Just give the guide a 5 euro bill or more per couple.

Use the first night to decide and sign up for any optional tours still open that you want. They'll likely be full by day 2, or maybe not. Form is in your room. Bring to the desk.

Use the Viking concierge. He or she can make reservations for you if there's time for a museum, attraction or whatever at a stop you want to visit on your own. Or just give you a map of the local town you're docked at for your own explorations. We had tickets bought & printed onboard for Amsterdam museums for example. I love wandering off the ship on my own.

Don't be THAT GUY who forgets to hand back in their ship pass on returning while the entire cruise gets delayed looking for and waiting for the errant couple.

I'm from NH as well. Have fun at Logan!

I may have misunderstood this bit, but it sounds like you are suggesting that LOT's Premium Economy can be compared business class?

 

LOT does have nice seats in Premium Economy but they are in no way comparable to any US airlines international business class offering, for that you'd have to move up to LOT's business class...

I think a better way of saying it would be LOT's Premium Economy is like DOMESTIC US airlines First Class.

I second most everything the PPers have suggested. Here are a couple of other thoughts;

Look into booking your own hotel at either end - we saved significant dollars by doing so. We did the opposite direction from you so we spent a few days in Salzburg and then took the train to Passau. (We wanted to spend the time in Munich but there was a HUGE convention going on and hotels were crazy priced - like $500 a night for a bad hotel!). At the end of the cruise, we stayed in a beautiful hotel in Budapest for a few days again at a significant savings over what Viking offered with their extension. The difference at both ends was that we had to arrange our own transportation to and from the airport/boat. Finding the boat in Passau was easy....I might have some concerns doing so in Budapest as there are sooooo many boats there. But I am sure some others will come along that can advise you on that.

We enjoyed the cruise and my biggest complaint was Viking's refusal/inability to provide a better idea of times in ports or to even follow the general times they do provide before the cruise. We were traveling with another couple so the four of us each took two ports and researched options for our free time there. I had some town along the way where the Viking info said we would arrive after lunch, have our included city tour, then dinner on board with departure late that evening "allowing time to explore after dinner on board". So I researched and found TripAdvisor's best dessert, plotted a route from the dock to the dessertry taking us by a couple of historic places....well don't cha know, we arrived before breakfast, had our tour and left while we were having lunch! Viking says it is due to the uncertainties of the locks and such...but I don't buy it, not being half a day off! LOL For a planner like me, not being able to plan was a disappointment.

While in Vienna, the conceirge announced a previously unmentioned trip to the market with the chef - it was free, you just had to pay for the subway ticket, which she bought and added to our on board account - 3 euros as I recall. It was a great afternoon! LOTS of tastings and very enjoyable. At the end, you could ride back with her and the chef or do as we did and explore some more and take the subway back by yourself, which was very easy.

In Budapest, I HIGHLY (can do so enough) recommend going to the Market. We arranged a market tour and cooking class which we really enjoyed. We also had a great meal in Budapest one evening at a TripAdvisor recommedation. The day we departed the ship, we went to the turkish baths and had a great soak.

Have a great time!

I've talked in the wheelhouse with river ship captains. This engineer does buy it that sometimes docking times can be quite unpredictable. Other times fine. Water levels, # ships at docks, ships late departing from docks, too many ships at locks. As river cruise fleets grow, this problem grows. It's a fact of river cruising.

One of our cruises was delayed by morons not checking in at the desk when back from their excursion. They were oblivious to almost an hour of PA paging for them to come to the main desk. I DO fault the ship for not departing after 20 minutes regardless.

Viking says it is due to the uncertainties of the locks and such...but I don't buy it, not being half a day off! LOL For a planner like me, not being able to plan was a disappointment.

This is one you are going to have to give up if you continue to do river cruises.

It isn't a Viking problem it is a river problem, they really do have to stay flexible to hit the overall schedule in spite of lock queues, water levels, traffic etc.

Looking at this cruise for Nov. weather ???!?

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Our 1st cruise was a different variation on Viking starting at Nuremberg docking at Passau and ending in Budapest. We did a 2 night pre-cruise in Prague. Both Prague and Budapest are beautiful, friendly cities.

Photos...

 

We loved our cruise and as first timers found it easy. Viking meets you just as you pick up your luggage and depart customs. No transfer issues. You will probably land elsewhere in Europe before Budapest. You will not need to do anything with your luggage at the initial airport but you will need to go through immigration with your passport. Allow a couple hours for any transit airport.

On Viking we love the Aquavit terrace for buffet lunch vs the restaurant. We also tried the Aquavit for dinner and loved the intimate setting. Restaurant breakfast & dinners are open seating, seat yourselves. No tables for 2 in the restaurant so you'll meet many other couples. Dinner has several choices for appetizers & entrees PLUS standard steak or salmon every night as a fallback.

Especially as newbies attend your Cruise Director's evening briefing for the next day in the Lounge. It's just before dinner. Dinner almost always at 7PM, with a stampede of geezers to the restaurant after the briefing ends. Always read and save your informative Viking Daily found in your room after dinner with info for the next day.

Cocktails are surprisingly inexpensive a la carte. You can also pay 8 or 9 euros on occasion for a specialty wine if you don't like the standard red or white served included. There will be a couple occasions of free champaign toasts in the Lounge pre dinner.

Be sure to charge up your quiet vox receivers every evening.

The front desk will give you euro coins for euro bills but will NOT exchange $. You need euro coins for toilets and tips like 1 euro each to the bus driver, 2 euros each to your tour guide. Just give the guide a 5 euro bill or more per couple.

Use the first night to decide and sign up for any optional tours still open that you want. They'll likely be full by day 2, or maybe not. Form is in your room. Bring to the desk.

Use the Viking concierge. He or she can make reservations for you if there's time for a museum, attraction or whatever at a stop you want to visit on your own. Or just give you a map of the local town you're docked at for your own explorations. We had tickets bought & printed onboard for Amsterdam museums for example. I love wandering off the ship on my own.

Don't be THAT GUY who forgets to hand back in their ship pass on returning while the entire cruise gets delayed looking for and waiting for the errant couple.

I'm from NH as well. Have fun at Logan!

Is there a dress code on Viking? Can you wear shorts at dinner

Is there a dress code on Viking? Can you wear shorts at dinner

Here is the official answer:

Dress during the day is casual including shorts (if the season is warm), trousers or jeans and comfortable shoes for walking tours. There are no “formal nights” and recommended evening dress is “elegant casual” such as a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse for ladies; for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. Ties and jackets are optional. We suggest you pack comfortable walking shoes, dressier shoes, a collapsible umbrella/lightweight rain gear; items you can layer like lightweight jackets/sweaters; sunglasses, a sun hat/visor, sunscreen; and toiletries including a travel-sized hand sanitizer. Depending on the season and destination, you may also want to add a warm coat, gloves and water-resistant footwear.

So no, shorts at dinner are not within the recommendations, but it is only a recommendation...

Here is the official answer:

 

 

 

So no, shorts at dinner are not within the recommendations, but it is only a recommendation...[/quote

 

Thanks!

Looking at this cruise for Nov. weather ???!?

 

 

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We went on this cruise this past November and it ranged from comfortably cool (40s/50s in Budapest) to downright cold (20s/30s in Passau). We're from the Midwest, so it wasn't off-putting, but a few people on our cruise were poorly prepared, having packed only light windbreakers and no hat/gloves.

To me November is the worst of all worlds. The days are short. It could be quite cold, and you are really too early for the benefits of the pre-Christmas season such as lights, decorations and holiday markets.

There is a reason that November is usually the cheapest time to cruise.

I may have misunderstood this bit, but it sounds like you are suggesting that LOT's Premium Economy can be compared business class?

 

LOT does have nice seats in Premium Economy but they are in no way comparable to any US airlines international business class offering, for that you'd have to move up to LOT's business class...

when we flew, and a brand new dreamliner, LOT did not have a 'first class'

they had business, premium and regular/economy

business was the full lay flat bed

premium got a wider seat, reclined further with a leg rest, premium meal, free drinks, etc etc .....

so rather than 1st, business, economy

they had

business, premium, economy ....

semantics ......

my POINT was, LOT was not a 'budget' operation ...... as good as any other 'regular carrier' I've flown. But IME much cheaper!

Here is the official answer:

 

 

 

So no, shorts at dinner are not within the recommendations, but it is only a recommendation...

When we did Danube in early June it was warm during the day but the breeze off the water could be cool. A couple of days it was on the verge of hot ..... and one day the a/c in the dining room was on the fritz. I saw men wearing shorts to dinner - with a polo shirt - and no one blinked an eye. At breakfast and lunch, men in shorts was probably 50% or more ....

When we did Danube in early June it was warm during the day but the breeze off the water could be cool. A couple of days it was on the verge of hot ..... and one day the a/c in the dining room was on the fritz. I saw men wearing shorts to dinner - with a polo shirt - and no one blinked an eye. At breakfast and lunch, men in shorts was probably 50% or more ....

I think it is always going to be weather dependent whatever the words say, but like I said, the 'policy' is only 'recommended' not a requirement.

My wife and I are taking an 8 day Viking River Cruise on the Danube River departing from Budapest (1.5 days here before departure) and traveling on the Danube with a stop in the Slovak Republic, 3 stops in Austria (Vienna, Melk, and Linz) , and a final destination of Passua Germany. We travel in 2018 starting on May 29th flying out of Boston on Lufthansa. My wife and I are both retired and this will be our first trip to Europe and our first river cruise (actually our first aboard ship cruise). In the past, we have traveled frequently to Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Florida.

 

There are shore excursions at each stop and we have signed up for most of those available. We are wondering if others have taken this particular cruise and what your experience was like...both aboard ship (food, staff, accommodations, etc.), the land excursions (likes, dislikes and why), and reports of any issues with transfers. And certainly we would appreciate any other comments and suggestions about your experience with Viking and this particular cruise.

 

Thank you in advance to all who may respond.

Try posting on the 2017 Danube Waltz thread to ask those who cruused ladtvyear. Also join the 2018 thread to meet fellow cruisers planning their trips.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2540491

My wife and I are taking an 8 day Viking River Cruise on the Danube River departing from Budapest (1.5 days here before departure) and traveling on the Danube with a stop in the Slovak Republic, 3 stops in Austria (Vienna, Melk, and Linz) , and a final destination of Passua Germany. We travel in 2018 starting on May 29th flying out of Boston on Lufthansa. My wife and I are both retired and this will be our first trip to Europe and our first river cruise (actually our first aboard ship cruise). In the past, we have traveled frequently to Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Florida.

 

There are shore excursions at each stop and we have signed up for most of those available. We are wondering if others have taken this particular cruise and what your experience was like...both aboard ship (food, staff, accommodations, etc.), the land excursions (likes, dislikes and why), and reports of any issues with transfers. And certainly we would appreciate any other comments and suggestions about your experience with Viking and this particular cruise.

 

Thank you in advance to all who may respond.

This will be my fourth Viking river cruise, and find them outstanding in service and attention to detail. There are many options for food, and special diet needs/restrictions are accommodated; just make yourself known. There is no room service, but takeout containers are available if not feeling well for you to dine in your room.

Breakfast-

24hr self-serve Coffee bar with juice, fruit & pastries put out before 6

Early bird continental breakfast in the lounge

Full service breakfast in the dining room served until 9 offering a choice of a full service buffet or a set menu

Lunch-

Sit down dining room

Casual buffet in the lounge

Coffee bar- Fresh cookies avail at "tea time"

Dinner-

Single seating at 7pm where you place your complete order with the rest of the table. Feel free to order what you want i.e. an extra appitizer or soup as you wish.

Complimentary beer and wine available at lunch and dinner. Champagne at breakfast. You are welcome to bring wine onboard and there are no corking charges in the dining room. Unlike large cruises, you nay also bring spirits onboard for use in your room.

There is no food available outside of these times except what you may still find at the coffee bar. You are also free to bring food on board for snacking in your room.

I cruised the Romantic Danube so am familiar with many of the cities we will stop and enjoyed each. I always deviate and arrive days early precruise to time adjust and avoid flight issues, so I have no experience with transfers, however, all say they run seamlessly.

Have you booked your flights from BOS? My one strong suggestion is if using Viking flights, that you use the Air Plus Dept for $50 pp to avoid a tight connection and also avoid an early transfer off the ship, as there are many afternoon flights from Munich that allow you a relaxed last morning. I know there is a 4pm nonstop bec my fellow traveler's airport is BOS as well.

I think a better way of saying it would be LOT's Premium Economy is like DOMESTIC US airlines First Class.

Yes, I flew Premium economy twice and it is equal to US Domestic business without the flatbeds. Somewhat nicer than Eco Plus

You will love this cruise......I am glad you are coming in early to do Budapest...it is a wonderful city...if you have time at the end, and can change flights, you might want to spend some time in and around Munich...less than 2 hours from Passau...We spent 8 days prior to our Danube, and did Prague and Munich, there is so much to see, and this is your first trip to Europe!! We thought the staff, the food, the rooms were all fabulous...we did most of the tours from the ship, and they are well done, and had time on our own...ENJOY!!

Looking at this cruise for Nov. weather ???!?

 

 

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Mid to high 40s during the day. Chance of light rain; I was happy to have my North face jacket w hood. I pack a lighter jacket or raincoat as well.

You will love this cruise......I am glad you are coming in early to do Budapest...it is a wonderful city...if you have time at the end, and can change flights, you might want to spend some time in and around Munich...less than 2 hours from Passau...We spent 8 days prior to our Danube, and did Prague and Munich, there is so much to see, and this is your first trip to Europe!! We thought the staff, the food, the rooms were all fabulous...we did most of the tours from the ship, and they are well done, and had time on our own...ENJOY!!

I am taking my 4th Viking river cruise and can't say enough good things. Ran into low water 2 years ago on the Thine but was handled so well, wasn't an issue.

Im using Viking Air since it's free with cost of $150pp to deviate cities/dates per cruise. Just about any itinerary pre/post is possible if you do a deviation (or stopover). I'm returning to Budapest for 3 nights precruise, and 3 night in Prague post on our own. I've been to both cities and can't wait to return! After Prague, I'm going to Berlin and staying in Mitte. Exciting since I've never been there!

Looking at this cruise for Nov. weather ???!?

 

 

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2018 Danube Waltz roll call at

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2540491

Hi we are from also, we are doing the Romantic Danube cruise leaving from Budapest, would you be on the same boat?:):):)