Viking is a brand we have heard over here in the states as a luxury river and ocean cruise line that caters to adults as the minimum age on board is 18 years old. This adult only business appealed to us as empty nesters and having experienced crowded pool areas filled with happy kids, was something I really looked forward to. Many cruises are available on European rivers, but this 15 Day Grand European Viking Tour seemed to have everything we wanted.
The river cruise ships are smaller and accommodate approximately 180 guests. The food is very good and service was exceptional. The waitstaff know your name within a day or so and the cabins are cleaned twice a day. I definitely felt spoiled on this trip.
The small ship has pros and cons. Four of the days on our cruise, the top level called the sun deck was closed. The captain and crew warned us if the river was too low it could scrape the bottom and we would need to switch ships mid-cruise. Another scenario could be the water is too high and we can not get under the low bridges.
For those several days where the bridges were low, no one was allowed on the sundeck. The ship does not have a gym or pool. The sun deck has a small walking trail, putting greens, shuffleboard and chairs for lounging which is especially nice if your room does not have its’s own private balcony. The only other places to spend time on the ship outside of the state rooms are the lounge or a few chairs in the library and self-serve coffee station.
Tipping is taken from your account after you begin your trip at $20.00 per day per person. At the end of the trip, many of the guests gave an additional envelope to certain staff that made a positive impact on their vacation. One thing I was not prepared for was daily tipping the tour guides on each shore excursion. It is good to have small amounts of Euros handy to tip guides, who sometimes are volunteers, depending on the length and satisfaction of the tour.
Before the trip, Viking sends you information about the different shore excursions. Each day one guided tour is included but you do have the option to sign up for additional excursions for an additional cost.
Day -1 – Budapest
We arrived to the ship around 3:00 pm via bus from a 3 day extension in Prague. We were welcomed and given keys to our third floor balcony room where we spent the next hour unpacking. Plenty of dresser and night table storage as well a spacious closet and large space under the beds to store suitcases.
We explored the nearby streets and the big market which was closing just as we arrived at five o’clock. Back on the ship we enjoyed our first diner with appetizers, bread and butter, a main course and dessert. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are included with meals. The silver spirits package is available for unlimited wine and cocktails at an additional cost.
After dinner we chose to stay in and visit the Lounge for an after dinner drink and music from Robert the piano player. Some people took the Budapest by Night additional excursion.
Day – 2 – Budapest
We enjoyed a great breakfast with options for omelets, eggs benedict, pancakes and French toast, assorted fruits, pastries and more on a buffet. We took the four hour included Panoramic Budapest bus tour first through the modern flat side of the city Pest and then across the Danube River to the hilly side called Buda.
The bus stopped at the top of the Castle District so we could walk through Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion. We returned to the ship for lunch and then Pete and I took the excursion to Budapest Thermal Baths.
