viking european river cruises reviews

• Lignan-De-Bordeaux
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Viking River cruise is my best trip... - Viking Cruises France

• Europe    
• France    
• Nouvelle-Aquitaine    
• Gironde    
• Lignan-De-Bordeaux    
• Lignan-De-Bordeaux - Things to Do    
• Viking Cruises France

The Viking staff was always courteous and friendly. The food and dining room service were very... read more

We are posting this in tandem to the one about the French river cruise and are suggesting that if... read more

Viking River cruise is my best trip ever....

I have been on cruises, tours all over the world, with many different companies in different parts of the world and this 15 day Viking river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest was my best vacation ever......I just can't say enough good thinks about the Viking staff, the food and everything else.....I would recommend Viking 100% , from the Captain down to the maids........

First, I want to qualify this review. My first experience on Viking was a dream come true. I found a wonderful sale on the Paris to Paris trip. Despite the cold, the staff was wonderful, kind and so incredibly thoughtful. There were warm drinks waiting at the door when we came back from excursions, hot chocolate, warm brandy, heated blankets for chilled bodies. The guides were educated, full of wonderful stories. I felt myself often moved to tears by all the beauty. When I found another sale the next year, there was no question. Unfortunately, there should have been. As soon as we'd booked another wonderful sale for the Rhine popped up. It was a year ahead, so I asked if we could take advantage of that sale and told no, it was just too bad. A month before sailing our ship and rooms were changed. We no longer had a balcony room and were put on the third floor. The receptionist was rude to my husband, who just happens to be the nicest man in the world. They had an MC named Wolfgang who when I asked a question, told me that wasn't his job and to find someone else. There were no hot drinks after cold days. The food was awful and they actually didn't have enough. Now, I have cancer, so I don't eat huge amounts, but I do know you refill a buffet. The guides were third rate and often left us on our own to get lost. It was mostly sheer dumb luck we made it back. We lost an entire day because we didn't buy the Heidelberg excursion and weren't allowed off the boat to see it on our own. The room we'd been moved to actually smelled and no matter what we tried, it wouldn't change. We left the cruise and spent three days in London at The Tower Hotel that we booked by ourselves. It was the best three days of the trip. I don't think I'll ever book another Viking cruise, ever. It was simply so BAD, I can't find a way to redeem it.

Danube Christmas Delights Cruise, Viking Ingvi, 4 – 18 Dec 2022, Budapest to Passau with 2 nights Budapest pre and 3 nights Prague post Background: I think most “reviews” do not provide much actionable information. They just relate whether the people liked it, or not. I, on the other hand, am always looking for detailed info that is not available from a top-level tour/cruise review site. I am looking for “behind the scenes info” and to benefit from the experience of somebody else like me who has done this already and found the “golden nugget” that will make our trip different or special. So, this is a detailed travelogue rather than a quick “review”. Viking cruises have been “reviewed” to death in the last 10 years. Fair warning, if you don’t want details, you can stop reading now, but if you want a real account -- warts and all – please continue. I’ve saved what I consider some nuggets and very good tips at the end that it took a while for us to learn. Airlines and air travel: I HIGHLY recommend outside premium economy seats. The seats are wider, they recline about 45 deg to sleep, really good food (like standard airline food was 50 years ago), free drinks, and a decent entertainment system (including internet for a fee). The weather was iffy (low ceilings/rain/ snow) but the flights were on time. When we arrived in Budapest, the Viking travel agent was waiting at the baggage claim. She made a dozen of us wait for “the last two people…”. After 45 minutes, she finally called the bus and we got out of there. It turns out the 2 people had some crazy idea the Viking transfer service was like a hotel shuttle you called when YOU were ready, and they went to eat breakfast after the flight. Many fellow travelers were NOT happy. Back: Austrian Vienna to Dulles (767 premium economy) but the airplane broke, and the flight was canceled. I’m not sure if being premium economy made a difference (i.e. – paying more) but rather than having to wait at the service center to get a new flight, we received texts and emails within 30 minutes with a new reservation the next day from Vienna to JFK on Austrian, then JFK to ORF on American. MAKE SURE YOU GIVE THE AIRLINE YOUR EMAIL/CELL # SO THEY CAN ALERT YOU AND CONTACT YOU. Conversely, in the USA Global Entry worked like a champ, they have added facial recognition and we didn’t even have to scan our passports. We bypassed the big customs lines and got through in literally 2 minutes. If you will travel out of the country a few times in the next few years, get Global Entry. It takes some effort to do the interviews/security checks and it costs $100 for 5 years, but you also get TSA pre-check with it. Our deboarding at JFK was delayed due to a medical emergency right off the jet bridge so our bags were waiting when we got there, but we still had to hustle them about 50 yards to a “connection” baggage desk. Why can’t the airline do that? Yes, a foreign airline can check your bags all the way through, even changing airlines, with today’s technology but you must drag them from carousel to counter (and no this was not due to customs). The contrast between clean, modern, and not crowded airports in Europe and the goat pen that is JFK is stark (not to mention the prices for crappy airline terminal food). Weather: I would not recommend this cruise in Nov/Dec if not for the Christmas Markets. The days are too short and the weather too cold/unpredictable/iffy UNLESS you are in it for the markets. There is just not enough daylight to really enjoy the "regular" excursions (it gets light about 7:30 and dark by 4:00). The ship and the Danube: The Viking Ingvi is identical to every other Viking Longship so refer to the commercial reviews for details if you are not familiar. The standard huge differences between big ocean ships and river cruise ships apply. There were 183 people, 90 were past Viking cruisers and many had been trying to do this cruise since 2020. Most were from throughout the USA, with a few from Canada, and at least one couple from the UK. We made multiple friends quickly. You should think about the timing and weather during your cruise while picking a cabin. We again had a Veranda with balcony but did not use the balcony this time because of the cold weather. We had a standard Viking experience (generally very good to outstanding service) however, it seems they are suffering server issues like everybody else. Dinner service (but not breakfast or lunch) was generally slow (two nights we missed dessert in order to make nighttime excursions). "On board enrichment" events were just so-so; mediocre local singers, etc, we missed most of them due to excursions and time at the boat, and the Danube history lecture came on the last day instead of at the front - who cares by then? The food was again very good to outstanding, the silver spirits drink package is worth the $150 per person. We are only social (not big) drinkers but when we drink, we like top shelf. Housekeeping, bartenders, servers (except dinner per above), cruise director, customer service desk were all A+ level. The ship's store even had stocked merchandise this time. We ate breakfast on the Aquavit Lounge every day on the previous cruise but this time it was only served in the restaurant - fine. It was so cold the "sun" deck was a waste this time and had been our hangout on the first cruise. Something Viking should have improved in 5 years, but has not, is the internet and TV service. They advertise this going in, but their IT connectivity sucks. The ship was generally on time but got in late at a couple stops - I assume due to delays at one of the 11 locks they had to navigate. However, the delay was in the middle of the night, so we didn’t really care, made for long nights for the ops crew though. Christmas Markets in general: We thought the Christmas Markets would be like the top scale juried craft shows in the USA. Not really, they are more like county fair craft and food stands. They are over 50% food (but GOOD food; great wurst, chimney cakes, langos, gluhwein, Christmas punch, roasted nuts, pastries, etc) but you have already paid for great food on the boat so are not that hungry. Woolen goods, wooden and crystal ornaments, wooden toys, some jewelry, Christmas pyramids and smokers, etc. The goods got higher quality (and slightly higher prices) as we moved west bound through Austria, to Germany, and the Czech Republic. DO NOT wait, however, to buy. If you like something, get it! You may not see it again and this is not a case of price shopping. The honey gluhwein, the fruit wine Christmas punch with a shot of vodka, and hot chocolate with Bailey’s were our favorites. I really liked the chimney cake pastries; in Prague they made them into cones filled with ice cream! The port calls and the excursions: General: We like to take the “tourist”/general survey type excursions first and then go back to see stuff more in depth as we get familiar and if we have the time. This cruise can trend to develop into an “ABC” cruise. ABC was a joke by Mihal (Michael from Serbia) the cruise director; “a beautiful castle, a beautiful church, another beautiful castle, another beautiful church…….oh damn! another bloody castle, another bloody church………..” YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF THAT VIA OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS. If you just stick to the provided excursions, you will get ABC’d to death. Security: At every stop we where told this part of Europe was very safe. However, every one of them said to guard your valuables, cell phones, cameras, tablets, cash, etc. by keeping wallets in front pockets and wear purses with straps in front of your body. They warned against pick pockets at the Christmas Markets as it can be like salmon swimming upstream as described elsewhere in this review. Budapest HU: The Corinthia Grand Hotel is the standard, versus upgraded, pre-cruise hotel, but it is still pretty grand. First class service, great cook-to-order breakfast/buffet, nice bars, good location mid-town on Pest (eastern side) of the river. “Moon” and Victor were great hosts. They gave us the intro tour, showed us how to use public transportation, advice on money, and gave restaurant and sightseeing recommendations. Two nights in the hotel, third night on the boat. Panoramic Budapest and Budapest by night were good intro tours. Not to be missed: Hungarian Parliament building, Castle Hill, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion on Buda (west side), Pest side is offices, restaurants, bars, nightclubs galore (we learned Budapest is the bachelor/bachelorette party capital of Europe) and Christmas Markets (2). Wish we had seen: More of Buda on the west but the Chain Bridge is still closed due to major renovation, more of life during the Soviet occupation (didn’t get to those museums). Did not make it to the huge “open farmers market” or the “ruin bars” in the Jewish quarter due to time. The main Christmas Market was the most “county fair like” and we got worried they would all be like that – no they are not, we just had to wait. Bratislava SV: Biggest disappointment of the cruise. It was about 35 deg with heavy rain and winds on arrival. Our biggest complaint of the Viking staff was they lined everybody up in maybe 6 groups (it was the only tour that day) with umbrellas in the crappy weather then walked to town. They could have formed up in the boat by group and avoided half of that. We did the ABC tour, and an “organ concert” in a small church. The concert was a guy singer and his wife playing the organ who did 4 Christmas songs and then hawked their CD’s to the group. We hustled back to the boat to dry out and warm up and had no desire to check out the Christmas Market in the weather. So much for Bratislava. I have friends who told us it was a well-kept secret and a highlight of their trip. NOT on this day, a total bust. Not to be missed: NO CLUE! Wish we had seen: EVERYTHING! Vienna AU: A short cruise to Vienna. Wish we had two days there instead of one. Panoramic Vienna was a bus tour around the Ringstrasse and a walking tour of the old town. Some folks went to the Schoenbrunn summer Hapsburg palace, but we walked to the Hotel Sacher to get Sacher tortes, saw the Lipezzaner stables, and went to the other markets. There are 3 Christmas Markets increasing in size. The main market is HUGE in the park in front of the Rathouse (town hall). It was cold and we were there on a Sat afternoon/night. At 4:00 the place got overrun with families. Viking ran shuttle buses from the boat to the markets but there was so much traffic (and the cops closed down some roads due to a “demonstration” by ultra-left malcontents) the buses could not get to us. Viking did rescue us but we had to walk a ways to get to the transport. Oh well. Not to be missed: Vienna is one of the cruise highlights. An evening concert of Mozart, Vivaldi, and Strauss with a small orchestra, singers, and dancers. These musicians are members of the Vienna Philharmonic and opera and do this as a side gig. They are first class performers. Christmas markets (all 3) but go EARLY. Wish we had seen: Time to do interior tours of the Hapsburg Palace, etc. Inside tours of the other buildings and palaces. A mom and daughter on our boat had arranged to go to the opera, we would have liked time to go to other concerts and holiday performances. Wish we had one more day there instead of some of the following stuff. Krems AU: Arrived at 07:00. There was only time for a trip to the Gottwieg Abbey south of town. Really interesting working Abbey from the 12th century; vineyards, orchards, timber, schools, and local parish support. We were there on Sun AM and did not get to see the church due to mass. A very extensive and interesting, but long, tour left only 30 minutes for wine tasting, sightseeing, and shopping. Viking wanted to sail though the Wachau valley (kind of like the Middle Rhine) in the day light and left at 1:30. But with 35 deg and freezing rain – who cares? Nobody wanted to be outside talking pictures. It seems like they were sticking to the summer-time cruise plan, they need to be more flexible. Most of the Christmas Market was closed on Sun morning so not worth seeing. Not to be missed: Gottweig Abbey Wish we had seen: Christmas Market and the town instead of ABC castles and churches in the Wachau valley in the rain and snow. Linz AU: One of the highlights of the cruise. Linz is a combination of the very old with the very modern as it is the steel/industrial capital of Upper Austria. Think Pittsburgh but only 60 years old vice 125 years old as the Marshall plan rebuilt the steel mills after WWII. We did the old town tour and took the tram up to the little church north of town at Postlingberg. Second best Christmas Market where we discovered “the Linzer Angel” and great little cafe’s, we discovered Linzer torte and cappuccino at the bakery from where Maria Theresa had pastries delivered all over the Austro-Hungarian empire. Not to be missed: Take the #50 tram (ticket office in the town hall) up the hill to the little church, called the Linz Basilica, or more formally “Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows” church for an incredible view of the entire city. There is also a zoo and a kid’s fairly-tale amusement park called the Grottobahn full of families on that hill. The Christmas market had handmade ornaments and school groups performing as well as honey gluhwein, and the Linzer Angel. Passau GE: Last stop on the cruise just inside Germany. Did the old city ABC tour (are you starting to see a trend here)? Good Christmas market with nicer and more expensive stuff. We attended a gingerbread making lecture, discovered another neat café, and bought a bunch of goodies at Confiserie & Cafe Simon which is world famous for all kinds of candy, cookies, pastries, and baked goods. Those who did not book a post cruise trip had an early get up and a long bus ride (3 hrs + 2 hrs prior to departure show time) to the Munich airport. Maybe 20 went to the Salzburg/Munich post tour, then flew out of Munich. About 20 of us boarded a bus at 07:30 for the 4 hr trip to Prague on mostly two-lane roads over hill and dale in the snow that reminded me of the hills in western New York State. Prague CZ: Probably the highlight of the trip, better than Budapest and even Vienna. Marcus, the Viking host, and crew met us at the Prague Marriott which is a new and modern downtown full-service hotel. In fact, the complaints about this place were it was “too modern” and there were too many cruise lines staying there. There were 3 Viking boats, 2 AmaWaterways, and at least 1 Avalon. Some were on a pre-cruise stay and some were post like us. The hotel Artisan restaurant and bar was very good, and they had a pastry/coffee shop in the lobby (think the best Au Bon Pain or Panera Bread you have ever been to). We went to the main Christmas market in the old town square and did the Prague By Night tour with outstanding views of the city and a quick beer at the St Norbert monastery brewery. They had an early snow in Prague, and it was beautiful at night. Most people went on to the Lobkowicz tour and concert and we were the ONLY couple signed up for the Prague Food Tour. We had a personal guide (Charley who had lived in San Francisco for 7 years) and driver (George). Normally he has 6 -12 but we were not the first solo couple. We went to one place for appetizers, a second for roast leg of duck, potatoes, and cabbage, and to a third famous place for dessert. We discussed not only food, but history, culture, and politics one-on-one with somebody who had lived in the USA and also under Soviet communism in the former Czechoslovakia. JUST AWESOME! Prague has multiple Christmas markets but the main one is in the Old Town square. It was big with quality merchandise, a big stage with live entertainment, the BEST honey gluhwein, and the BEST gourmet hot chocolate with fanciest marshmallows I have ever seen (about $3). Not to be missed: Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Astronomical clock, St Norbert’s brewery restaurant (at least for me), and the Old Square Christmas Market. Wish we had seen: Inside of the Prague Castle buildings, more of the museums, there are art museums and Smithsonian style museums there was just no time for, more restaurants just no time to do it. Nuggets of wisdom that may help you save time, money, or aggravation, and make your trip more enjoyable: Travel insurance: It may seem “expensive” but it is relatively “cheap” peace of mind and we will take it every time. Also, we have Medicare for health care, and it is NOT in force outside the USA. Tipping: Servers in Europe, unlike the USA, get paid for serving and don’t depend on tips to make a living. So, a tip is really for exceptional service. Plan on 10% if service is exceptional. Ask them if you can give a tip if you want to. I’ve even had them present me with a bill for various amounts and they asked me to “pick an amount” I was comfortable with. If you liked the tour tip your local guide AND driver about 2 euros or $2 per person. This is their job, and they are not doing it for free. Money: I recommend you keep about $50 in USA dollars, $50 worth in Euros, and $50 worth in the local currency. You will be able to pay 85% of the time with a credit or debit card. Keep a little of ALL kinds of cash in your pocket. People will take at least one or maybe all of them. Use the ATMs for cash but NOT all ATMs. There are privateer ATMs all over the cities and towns, but they will charge a horrendous exchange fee (like 25%). USE ATMs ONLY AT BANKS. Always carry a few coins to use for the public restrooms. In Europe, the public restrooms are clean and there is usually an attendant. That is because they charge the equivalent of 25 to 50 cents to use them. The cafes and restaurants all have clean restrooms for customers. Credit/debit cards: As stated above most places will take cards (for sure all restaurants and bars, hotels, stores, even taxis). However, check your cards BEFORE you go and make sure they 1) have no foreign transaction fees and 2) know you are traveling and there will be charges from weird locations. Cell phones: 99% of all cell phones work internationally now. You can buy international plans by month or by the day for calls, texts, and data. Add one to your plan BEFORE you travel for yourself AND your partner. Google Maps works great overseas. Learn to user the “walking directions” feature, we NEVER use that in the USA as we always drive but it is very powerful. It will tell you exactly what public transportation to use (bus XX, to tram XY, walk 5 minutes to X street, and then take tram XZ to your destination, etc, etc). You can also use your phone to translate signs and such on the spot. Computers: As stated above the cruise boats have internet (although spotty and small bandwidth) and will not be as useful as if you are sitting on your home network. Local transportation: In the cities get a tram/bus/subway metro map and learn to use it. Ask the local Viking rep how to pay for fares (if needed) and how to use the system. In Europe everybody uses public transport, and in the USA (except in the very big cities) nobody does, we all drive our own cars. It was a pleasant surprise that in most locations public transport is FREE for those 65 and over. They may or may not have an Uber or Lyft where you travel (they had something called “Bolt” in Budapest and Prague that was a combination Uber and Door Dash) but they will have taxis. Be careful they do not say “independent contractor” on the door and are part of a big taxi company. The privateers can set their own rates and we were warned they prey on “rich” tourists. You should stick to public transportation anyway as it is plentiful, always runs, and is cheap or even free. That’s enough for now. Happy traveling and hope you enjoy yourselves, we certainly did (again) and are planning our next cruise.

The best way to improve the viking experience is stay home and watch television. My friend and I just returned from a cruise down the Danube. from Passua to Budapest. We bought the Munich, satzburg extension and the Budapest extension. When I got to Budapest I was taken to the hospital and admitted for 4 days with pneumonia. Iwas not allowed to stay on the viking sightseeing bus although I ask, I was forced to walk at least one half a mile in the snowy mist and on frozen ground. The trip went downhill from there. Viking made no attempt to help me although I purchased their trip insurance. Viking is after money only and gives no regard to the wellbeing of their customers.

We took a river cruise back in June 30 only we never left till July 1st The Vikings travel agent changed our flight so we missed a whole day in Budapest and they never refunded our $499 excursion trip I am still waiting They keep giving me the run around after i submitted all the qualification documents stating that the flight was changed

My husband and I recently travelled on the Viking Orion from Bali to Sydney. It was our first experience on Viking and we accepted the VERY high cost because of the rave reviews of a Viking cruise. We were greatly disappointed but that is for another review. As I have read through many social media posts one glaring problem was the inability of Viking to competently restock their liquor. Several premium brands were not available on our cruise and they ran out of dark beer and several other major categories of liquor completely. I understand this is a 1st world problem, but the ongoing complaints from other passengers makes me question the cruise line in general. Is Viking having problems restocking for a more systemic problem rather than the canned “supply problems” excuse.

• Expeditions
• Complimentary Brochures
• Berlin to Prague
• Prague to Berlin

Elegant Elbe

• From $3,499
• 7 Guided Tours
• 2 Countries
• Dates & Pricing
• 2024 2025 2026
• Berlin to Prague Prague to Berlin

Cruise Reviews

Find out more about the Viking experience from our guests.

Irving & Karen

Staff was wonderful.

This was a special trip for Karen and I as we celebrated our anniversary. The cruise was amazing and we were kept busy with informative tours. Our staff was wonderful. Our Cruise Director provided sparkling wine in our stateroom and on the day of our anniversary made a special trip to a florist while in port at my request and had roses delivered to our stateroom. Thanks Viking!  

I was greatly impressed.

Everything was wonderful... I was greatly impressed from the time we boarded until we left the ship. All staff friendly and accommodating... The tour guides were all knowledgeable, obviously chosen with care. I have nothing but positive thoughts about the whole experience.  

Friendly and professional.

The history and cultural background provided by Viking staff and local guides was excellent. Plus very good food and friendly and professional ship staff. We commend our stateroom steward.  

We know why Viking is # 1

We loved this cruise. The staff was exceptional. They were so friendly and interacted with guests exceptionally. The food was really delicious. The Captain was great and there were no problems. The guides were very organized and they were so informative. This was our third cruise and we are planning our next. It's so fun meeting all the guests from so many places. We know why Viking is #1! Thanks for a wonderful trip!  

Esther & Dorsey Resler

Loved all the excursions..

Wonderful cruise up the Elegant Elbe. The cruise director was just superb! We loved all the excursions and the friendly people we met on board.  

Steve and Alice

Easy to see why viking is no. 1.

Viking really did an outstanding job. The Elbe River is beautiful . . . lots of interesting sights along the way; all of the stops were top-notch. With only 70 passengers and a crew of 24—a wonderful Program Director, Captain, Maître D’—we were pampered every day. The other passengers were very nice and easy to converse with. Loved this trip! We have already signed up for our third cruise with Viking. Easy to see why they were voted No. 1!  

We felt really well looked after

Great places to visit and best staff ever. We felt really well looked after. Nothing was too much trouble and the guided tours were excellent. The organization was tremendous.  

John & Georgi Walsh

A wonderful time..

We have just returned from Elegant Elbe, Berlin to Prague. We traveled with two close friends of ours and had a wonderful time. The food was excellent; the staff was friendly and went out of their way to make our trip enjoyable. The many extras made the whole experience memorable (wine with dinner, planned excursions with buses at every stop at no extra charge, clean and comfortable rooms, a large bottle of water in our room every day, entertainment almost nightly). We spent several days in Berlin before the cruise and several days in Prague after the cruise; we highly recommend this extra time. We plan to do another cruise next year.  

William & Barbara Faber

The tours were outstanding..

The Elbe has no locks, so the cruising and even the engines were silent. Wittenberg, home of Martin Luther, was extremely interesting. The tours were outstanding. Dresden is a jewel, as is Prague. Our mistake was we did not extend in Berlin. We have been on more than 20 cruises including five river cruises, and Viking is the best value, all things considered.  

George & Yvonne Schexnayder

We will recommend this trip to others..

My wife and I recently returned from our Elegant Elbe cruise and truly enjoyed this trip. We met interesting people, saw new sights, ate great food and relaxed on the sun deck while cruising. Nothing is wrong with that! And that means we will recommend this trip to others.  

Don & Jo Ann Schmits

The right travel choice for us..

We returned from our Elegant Elbe Viking Cruise exhausted, happy and extremely proud of Viking. This was our eighth cruise with Viking and it reaffirmed our belief that Viking was the right travel choice for us. The guests were very experienced travelers and that helped make the timing of the events work well with the Program Director’s superb organization.  

Norman & Dale Hoadley

What a marvelous experience..

We’ve been back from our trip for about a month and still can’t believe what a marvelous experience we had. Viking’s Elegant Elbe exceeded all our expectations. We are looking forward to our next Viking cruise, hopefully in 2010!  

Debbie Dillon

A delightful trip..

I sailed on Viking Schumann between Berlin and Prague, your Elegant Elbe itinerary. It was a delightful trip due in large part to our Program Director. He was knowledgeable, patient and engaging. Viking is fortunate to have such a stellar employee on a staff of that caliber!

Charles Spizzirri

Superior quality of service..

I enjoyed the cruise and would like to comment on the service provided by the staff members. I would like to commend them on the superior quality of service they provided. It will influence my decision when I choose my next vacation.  

Martin & Ruth Mets

An excellent value..

We found the river cruise experience to be an excellent value. The vessel was clean, comfortable and professionally managed. Your tour guides in each port were wonderful.  

Sign up to receive updates from Viking

Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content.

Company Information

• Order a Brochure
• Special Offers
• Sweepstakes
• Travel Advisors
• Media Center
• Investor Relations
• Health & Safety Program
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Manage Cookies

Viking River Cruises

• Mississippi

Viking Ocean Cruises

• Scandinavia
• British Isles & Ireland
• North America
• Caribbean & Central America
• South America
• Mediterranean
• Quiet Season Mediterranean
• Australia & New Zealand
• World Cruises
• Grand Journeys

Viking Expeditions

• Great Lakes
• Longitudinal World Cruises

5-Day River Sale

• Free Silver Spirits Beverage Package on select 2025 & 2026 river voyages
• Use offer code SW4

• Work with Us
• Destinations

Viking Grand European Tour 15-Day River Cruise Review

I was more than ready for this Viking Grand European Tour 15-day river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. Lee Oliver, our Viking Lif river ship Program Director, greeted us at the gangway with a warm “Welcome Aboard!” 

Those two words were like music to my ears. Maybe not Bartok or Liszt but music nonetheless.

Budapest , Hungary, on the beautiful and sometimes-blue Danube , has so much to experience.

A mid-afternoon boarding gave guests plenty of time before dinner to explore this spirited yet somewhat austere city, either on their own or with a Viking tour excursion.

Viking River Grand European River Cruise Review

In This Post...

In the course of two-weeks, we would cruise on three rivers; the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers. Along the way, Viking Lif  had 12 scheduled cruise ports to visit before docking in Amsterdam. A couple of port tour excursions offered day trips to other nearby ancient towns, and I highly recommend those options. Here’s our itinerary.

Grand European Tour Itinerary

• Day 1:    Budapest, Hungary
• Day 2:    Budapest and Bratislava, Slovakia
• Day 3:    Vienna, Austria
• Day 4:    Melk, Austria
• Day 5:    Linz, Austria and Passau, Germany
• Day 6:    Regensburg, Germany
• Day 7:    Nuremberg, Germany
• Day 8:    Bamberg, Germany
• Day 9:    Wurzburg, Germany and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
• Day 10:  Wertheim, Germany
• Day 11:  Koblenz, Germany
• Day 12:  Cologne, Germany
• Day 13:  Kinderdijk, The Netherlands
• Day 14:  Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Getting to Budapest by Train

As a solo traveler and someone who doesn’t fly, it was a challenge to figure out how to get to Budapest. After one night in Munich, Germany, it was an eight hour train ride to Budapest.

In First Class on trains in Europe, you’ll find many English-speaking passengers from North America. It was easy to strike up conversations with fellow travelers and the eight hours quickly passed.

With the help of Viking reservations, I pre-reserved a driver to meet me at Budapest’s historic Keleti station.

Within 30 minutes of pulling into the station and getting into the taxi, I was on board Viking Lif , met our program director and settled into my cozy cabin. Our Viking Grand European Tour was about to begin.

RELATED:   How to Take the Train to Budapest for a River Cruise

Day 1:  Viking Lif Embarkation

By the time I arrived at the ship in the late afternoon, other passengers had already unpacked and were mingling about the vessel. They had enough time for a short city tour and were enjoying cocktails in the lounge. 

I had about an hour to get acquainted with my cabin and Viking Lif river ship before the first pre-dinner meeting.

At 6:30pm, it was time to head to the lounge, meet the other guests and attend the informative yet brief review of our river cruise itinerary. Though the meeting was necessary and very informative, I really looked forward to tonight’s dinner. 

All I ate on the eight-hour train ride from Munich to Budapest was a bowl of Hungarian Goulash. No complaints…the goulash was very good and of course, very appropriate!

READ NEXT:  Getting to Budapest for Viking Grand European Tour Embarkation

It was a balmy autumn night that beckoned tourists and locals alike to stroll along the banks of the Danube late into the evening. I was tired but excited to finally have a chance to walk across Budapest’s historic Chain Bridge. 

Camera in hand, I must have crossed the Danube four or six times, snapping photos of the warm yellow bridge lights, couples strolling arm in arm, and the magnificently illuminated state buildings that line the riverfront.

Finally, it was time to call it a night. Tomorrow, our Grand European Tour river cruise would begin with a full day of sightseeing before we even got underway.

READ MORE:  In-Depth Review of Embarkation Day in Budapest

Day 2:  Touring and Tasting Budapest

If being chatty at breakfast isn’t your thing, there’s the option for a very relaxing breakfast buffet at Aquavit Terrace every morning. It’s also a good way to plan your morning time if you have a 9:00am or even earlier tour departure. This was usually how my day started; quiet, comfortable, and a cappuccino in hand.

By 8:15am on our second day in Budapest, passengers heard the first warning announcement for our city tour departure.

Know Your Tour Departure Time

Here’s how it’s done on river cruises. You know your tour departure time, say 9 A.M. At 8:45 A.M. over the PA system, you’re given a 15-minute heads-up for the tour to leave. 

Then you hear a 5-minute warning for your motor coach departure. The tour departure time that’s posted is not when you should walk out of your stateroom. It’s actually when the bus departs. I’ve had to run to catch the bus on more than one occasion.

Today’s complimentary morning tour was your basic European city overview; historic places, medieval churches, political hotspots of yore. In the scope of four hours, we would either drive by, stop to view or exit the motor coach to stretch and take photos. 

Highlights of Our Budapest Tours

Morning tour of budapest.

Our motor coach drove across the Chain Bridge to Buda side of the Danube. This is the hilly side of the city where many of the most beautiful building are located.

Views from the Buda side of the river…

Fishermen’s Bastion, built between 1895 and 1902, the beautiful towers and covered terrace weren’t built to defend the territory but to provide unparalleled views of the city. We had ample time to wander along the terrace and up to the Neo-Romanesque designed towers. This is the prime photo op location for sweeping vistas of Budapest.

Back aboard Viking Lif in time for lunch. As there would be on every day of the cruise, you can choose from two lunch venues; The Restaurant with table service and a buffet or in Aquavit for a café lunch, buffet-style. Most days, I chose Aquavit Lounge.

Afternoon Tour on the Pest Side

Budapest jewish and hungarian history.

I signed up for the optional 2:00PM Dohány Street Synagogue and Hungarian Jewish Museum tour. The motor coach let us off just a short walk to the synagogue. Part of the intrigue was seeing the small shops, bars and cafés in what was once the Jewish Quarter, or Ghetto.

Built in the Moorish Revival style between 1854-1859, it is the largest synagogue in Europe. In addition to the main synagogue (Great Synagogue), inside you’ll find the Hungarian Jewish Museum, the Graveyard and the Memorial.

The Weeping Willow memorial is in the courtyard behind the synagogue. On its leaves are inscribed the names of 30,000 Holocaust victims. The father of actor Tony Curtis, Emanuel Schwartz, funded the weeping willow memorial. 

The courtyard was named Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who managed to save thousands of Jews from going to concentration camps.

Stopping for a Slice of Budapest’s Finest

After a stop at a small shop for a Hungarian pastry called, “Flódni”, we boarded the bus to head back to the ship. We returned just in time for Cocktail Hour.

Tonight was the official “Welcome Aboard” toast by Captain Marcin and Hotel Manager Eve. One sparkling wine down and just before dinner, we had our next day’s briefing. Next port going north on the Danube would be Bratislava, Slovakia.

READ MORE:  Top 10 Things to See in Budapest

Day 3:  Bratislava, Slovakia and Funny Little Men

I woke up to see that we were underway, gently cruising along the Danube towards our next port, Bratislava , Slovakia.

Following breakfast and before we’d arrive, a mandatory safety drill was held. Warm autumn weather quickly drew everyone to the top deck and the drill took all of 15-20 minutes.

Afterwards, many of us stayed and either walked laps or settled into a lounge chair. With a mid-afternoon arrival into Bratislava, the day would be relaxing and informative. 

Program Director Lee led an enrichment talk about Vienna coffeehouses (where to go and what to eat) and a background about Austrian-born composer Wolfgang Mozart.

Locals have a great sense of humor as can be sensed when you try to find all the bronze statues. When I was in Bratislava, I counted eight almost human-size funny little men bronze statues. How many will you find?

Day 4:  Vienna, Austria

This wasn’t my first visit to this medieval city. From the beautifully baroque Schönbrunn Palace to a peek at the Spanish Lipizzaner Horses, Vienna has something surprising or magnificent around every corner.

I decided to pass on the complimentary morning motor coach tour of the city and get some writing done. One thing to note about Vienna, river cruise ship dockage is usually too far to walk to the city center. It is walkable but most people opt for a bus into the city and some will then walk back to the river ship.

Too good to pass up, I signed up for the Chef’s Tour to the Farmer’s Market (Naschtmarkt). A bit of walking, two subway trains and we were smack in the middle of a working-class neighborhood and a several-blocks-long farmer’s Market.

After a couple of hours, we were back on the subway, walked two blocks through Mexikoplatz and past St. Francis of Assisi Church and we were back on Viking Lif …in time for cocktails, of course. But not much time to spare. 

Not-to-Miss Evening in Vienna

I had signed up for the optional ($) Viking excursion tour to a concert hall for a Mozart and Strauss concert. Every river cruise line offers this but I had never done it. There would be an early dinner on board and then leave on the motor coaches before 7pm for the concert hall.

The concert hall was beautifully Baroque. We were all packed in on folding chairs like sardines in a tin though not as smelly. The performances were excellent with most of the music and singing were familiar classical pieces. 

If you have a chance to book a shore excursion that includes a concert in Vienna, I highly recommend it.

Afterwards, everyone was really quiet on the motor coach back to the ship. It had been a busy, long day from one end of the city to another.

When we arrived back to the ship, we were greeted with a special Viking Grand European bedtime treat: goulash soup in Aquavit Restaurant. The gorgeous bowl of soup and a fresh-baked crunchy roll accompanied me back to my cabin. Within an hour, I was asleep. One more port in Austria tomorrow.

Day 5:  Melk, Austria

All that glitters is mostly gold.

Melk is a curiously monastic community with the resplendent gold Melk Abbey high on a hill overlooking the Danube. Cobblestone street wind through town, leading to the Abbey’s grand entrance. Monks from the Abbey stroll through town and work in the Abbey as they have for more than 900 years.

Plan to spend about an hour inside the Abbey. You can walk up to the entrance or take a motor coach to the top of the hill.

The baroque interior is dazzling, the library has over 80,000 medieval manuscripts and several hidden doors. Leave time to step outside for a sweeping view of the city and Danube below. 

It’s a pleasant stroll over a little bridge back to the river ship, or take the motor coach again. The town is lovely with cafés and small boutique shops.

With a “Be back on board” at 3:45pm, we were welcomed with an Austrian apple strudel-making demonstration. Then the habitual cocktail hour, daily port briefing and the slow walk into the dining room. Another satisfying multi-course dinner and off to bed.

Every night on the river cruise there’s entertainment in the lounge. So far, we’ve had the onboard musician at the keyboard and dancing, Slovakian folk dancing show and the goulash event. With days so busy, evening entertainment has been kept to a minimum. I think Viking knows that we’d be exhausted.

READ NEXT:  Viking Adds New Pre- and Post-River Cruise Options

Day 6:  Passau, Engine Issues and a Slight Detour

Surprise! We were informed last night that Viking Lif was having engine trouble and we’d not make it to dock in Passau. Instead, Viking Lif would tie up in Linz. So at 8:15am, (it was a really early wake-up!) passengers boarded Viking’s motor coach for a full-day nine-hour tour.

Sadly, one man had to see a doctor in the nearest town so he and his wife had to stay in Linz. I was working under deadline to file a story, so a 9-hour day in motion put me into panic. 

Viking’s Program Director, Lee, made similar arrangements for me so that I could spend the day writing instead of touring. I was so incredibly happy when I found out I would have a hotel room for the day in Linz and would get a full day’s writing done.

Even the light drizzle didn’t stop anyone from walking in the city center. After my friend’s doctor appointment, the three of us met for lunch and a walk through town. Linz is one of the most non-touristic larger cities I’ve visited in Europe. It’s very charming. And I’ll bet it’s even lovelier during the holiday/Christmas market season.

At 5:00PM, a white minivan arrived and the three of us were off to meet Viking Lif , fully repaired at the shipyard in Linz. All the other passengers were on their way back from Passau. And we all arrived in time for cocktail hour, daily briefing and another very nice dinner in the dining room.

Onward to Straubing, Germany! Almost halfway through our Viking Grand European Tour. Tempus Fugit.

Day 7:  Regensburg, Bavaria – Germany

This was one of those years in central Europe when the rain seems to never stop. Germany and France had seen flooding at the end of summer and rivers were swollen and overflowing their banks. 

As we made our way up the Danube, I started to watch the water’s edge. I knew from past river cruises, if I saw tree trunks submerged and debris quickly flowing past us, it meant trouble.

With high water, river ships cannot fit under the dozens of ancient bridges. Locks get stuck. But Viking Lif made its way to Straubing and by 2:00pm, we boarded the motor coach for the short ride to beautiful medieval Regensburg.

I was so glad Regensburg was included on this Viking Grand European Tour. It’s among my favorite places in Europe. This is the oldest city on the Danube and dates back to the year 179.

While the Dom St. Peter Gothic Cathedral is one of the grandest in all Bavaria and worth a visit, I always head to the Alte Würstküche, meaning, “Old Sausage Kitchen”, it’s the oldest restaurant in Germany.

The restaurant is usually packed with tourists throughout the summer but this rainy October day, I had no problem getting my own indoor table. Once you’ve finished your beer and extras, take a walk across the Old Stone Bridge. Built between 1135 and 1146, it was the bridge used by the knights on the second and third Crusades to the Holy Land.

Danube Begins to Look a Little Ominous

What I saw from Regensburg Old Bridge didn’t look too good. I’d been on enough floods on the rivers in Europe to recognize the inevitable.

The Danube was rushing past us downstream heading towards the Black Sea, its terminus. Trees were submerged. The water was creeping up to the lower levels of the medieval buildings.

While we were in Regensburg, Viking Lif sailed from Straubing to Regensburg to meet us. This was a chance for passengers who simply yearned for a quiet day onboard to just cruise.

Back onboard with time to freshen up before the daily briefing. But tonight, the meeting took a sudden twist. The Program Director proceeded with an (un)expected announcement.

To paraphrase, Lee said, “Pack your bags, we’re changing river ships in the morning”. It was a very busy evening for everyone. 

We would disembark with our carry-on luggage the next morning at 8:30 AM in Deggendorf, then board a bus to meet sister ship, Viking Skadi, in Nuremberg. Our Viking Grand European Tour was about to take a twist.

Day 8:  Changing Ships and a Detour

A visit to an extraordinarily bizarre monument.

With our luggage taken off the ship and loaded onto buses, we only had to bring along our carry-on bags. 

I had been through this river ship shuffle three times in the last few years so I knew what to expect. River cruisers seem to roll with the punches. There’s nothing you can do when there’s a flood or a drought except board a bus and change ships.

Viking had a really good plan on the way to Nuremberg. Driving through Bavaria en route to Nuremberg, we stopped at Walhalla, Germany’s monument to its native Germanic language politicians, scientists, artists and other distinguished people over the centuries. 

Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Danube river, Walhalla looms on the horizon bearing a striking resemblance to the Parthenon in Greece.

By 11 AM we were back on the bus leaving Walhalla, heading to our next ship. 

How River Cruise Ships Deal With Floods

To explain how this ship shuffle works, our original river ship, Viking Lif, couldn’t go any further upriver – the water was too high to let Viking Lif go under the next bridge. Viking Skad i, on its way south from Amsterdam, couldn’t get past Nuremberg for the same reason. 

Thus, each ship would swap passengers and bus everyone to the other ship. Then the ships do a U-turn and continue on the route of the original river ship. Everyone would end up at their scheduled port. Viking had this ship exchange experience down to a science.

We had reached the half-way point of our Grand European Tour. Where did that first week go?

READ MORE ABOUT:  What exactly happened on this ship-shuffle day

I divided my Viking Grand European Tour river cruise into two parts. 

This is part one; Budapest to Nuremberg. Click the link below to continue onto our  second week; Nuremberg to Amsterdam.

CONTINUE READING : WEEK 2 ABOARD VIKING SKADI – NUREMBERG TO AMSTERDAM

Thank you for reading the first half of my Viking Grand European Tour. Spoiler alert:  Seven more days of cruising, castles, culture and cuisine.

You’ll Also Love

Kids go free with croisieurope family club cruises.

Friday Photo “Popped Up,” from Budapest, Hungary

AmaWaterways AmaMagna – Double-Wide European River Ship for Danube

Avalon Waterways Review

AmaWaterways Chef’s Table Gets a New, Enhanced Menu

Lower Danube River Cruise with Uniworld

Hi Gary, Thank you for your comment and for reading my article. I think I did this cruise in 2018. The last two years were a wash for sure. Nothing has changed with the itinerary, unless it is a last minute decision. Viking still advertises for their Grand European Tour so I think my article is very reliable to help readers decide to try this amazing trip. Viking did a great job, especially when you consider the unexpected ship change. Thank you again for taking the time to write. I hope you have the opportunity to try this cruise.

Hi Ruth, Thank you for writing and taking the time to read my post. As you saw, this river cruise was with Viking and it was wonderful. I also recommend AmaWaterways, Avalon and Uniworld for these longer cruises – they also carry fewer passengers.

While a suite isn’t necessary, it does give you more space. But similar to ocean cruising, in my opinion, as long as I can open a door for fresh air, a balcony or french balcony on a river cruise is fine…and less expensive. Whichever line you choose, have a wonderful river cruise. Thanks again for your comment.

When did you take this cruise? It looks like a great cruise.

This is the River cruise I’ve been wanting to do..I’m just undecided which company to go with. This seems very busy to get everything in. I also wanted a suite room but maybe that’s not necessary. Your article is very informative especially about the changing of boats due to water issues..I’ve always wondered how that would work.

Hi Terry, Thank you, too, for reading my article and your comment. Much appreciated!

Most interesting thank you

Comments are closed.

What are you looking for?

Updated on August 17, 2022 by Sherry Laskin