All in all, this was a great trip. It makes me excited for my next Viking cruise (already booked) to Egypt in 2019.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We signed up for the Budapest extension prior to departure, and Viking arranged hotel in the Castle Hill district. A great opportunity to see the city. Unfortunately, the river levels were too low for the ship to dock in Budapest, so we were bussed to the ship and back to the city, about 1 1/2 hours.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The food was delicious - selections were representative of the areas we visited and were delicious. Unfortunately, I could not restrain myself and ate with abandon. For the less adventurous, there was a selection of "western" options. The beverage package is a must and a great value - the wine list on the ship was excellent as was the liquor choices. The executive chef, Roman, was an excellent chef. Our server was Neri and he was great! Always had a smile and was able to anticipate our needs. The wine steward, Voichek (SP?) was a great resource who was able to recommend great wines to pair with dinner. The bartender, Milan (SP?) was fantastic as well - he could tend bar at the finest hotels in the world.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The ship did not have many onboard activities, and that was fine, as the emphasis was on visiting the ports of call. Took advantage of the walking track. Cruise Director Boris was very knowledgeable and made sure that we had a great time. His port talks were informative and he kept us engaged.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
There was no real entertainment, other than the port talks, a few local performances, which were very entertaining and Lazlo on the piano. The real entertainment was Boris tying the day together with his port talks.
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Can't say enough about the staff. All were great. We were pampered and looked after the whole trip. The Viking desks at the hotels in Budapest and Prague were very helpful and made the transition from ship to shore effortless. As mentioned above, Neri, Voichek and Milan in the dining room and bar were top notch and Boris was an amazing cruise director. I know that there were many behind the scenes which made this an amazing experience.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
I have stayed at five star hotels around the world that were not as clean and orderly as the ship. Layout of the ship was excellent.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Stateroom was very nice. Enough room for everything and cozy. Because there was so much to do, we didn't spend much time in the room, and that was fine. Internet was spotty and when it worked, it was slow. This could be improved, but since we are on vacation, I did not mind that much.
Ship tip
Bring comfortable walking shoes. In order to make the most of the included tours, you will have to walk. Definitely purchase the beverage package as it is a bargain. If you want more room, the veranda suites may be for you as you have a small living room, but why stay in the room.
We did the add on extension and it was worth the price, as the hotel was great and it gave us a few additional days, which in a city like Budapest, is a must as there is so much to see, especially in our case as the ship could not dock in Budapest. Castle Hill was a great place to stay. We went to the thermal baths, and it was fun, but crowded. St. Stephan's is a must see, as is Dohany Synagogue.
Frankly, if I had a choice, I would skip Bratislava and spend an extra day in Vienna. Bratislava was nice, but after Budapest, it was nothing special. We went on the included tour.
Only regret is that we only had one day here. There is so much to see and so little time to see it. Boris' port talk was very helpful as it gave us a roadmap of where to go. We went on the included tour, and the Strauss/Mozart concert, which was great.
Cesky Krumlov was amazing. So much to see, so much history. We went on the included tour and spent the rest of the day wandering around. It was fantastic.
I refer to Passau as the city that Viking built. Again, an interesting stop, but after some of the other ports, nothing special. Went on the included tour and organ recital.
Very organized and comforatable. We then went to Prague for the extension of the tour and Prague was fantastic. Hotel and location did not disappoint and the Viking desk at the hotel was helpful. Departure from Prague was efficient and effortless.
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