Viking Danube cruise

My wife and I just returned home from doing the Viking Danube Waltz cruise - eight days from Budapest to Passau. We spent extra time in both Budapest and Prague, both great cities, but loved Prague more.

Pic of Budapest as we departed:



You are really pampered on board - great meals and shore excursions. Met many fine people - just see a couple by themselves at a table for four and join them.

Some friends who took the same cruise a week after us reported that water levels were so low around Budapest they had to be bussed about four hours to their ship.

Two days after returning home we booked a 2023 Viking Rhine River Cruise.

We've done 4 cruises with Viking (3 river / 1 ocean) including that one. Can't say enough good things. Posted several threads on the topic.

Recent Thread

Definitely build pre / post trips. Once you're there, it's fairly cheap. Prague in particular. We "added on" for our trip down the Elbe in December. Magical time. Some photos:

LINK

We're doing the Viking Seine River tour in November and Portugal in May next year.

Highly recommend obviously. Be aware that the "age demographic" might turn some off. It'll be generally a mid 50's / 60's crowd, with outliers on either side. Don't let that turn you off. These are people that have worked their whole lives for these kinds of trips and they're livin' life! Can be very fun to hang with!

In laws loved doing Viking river cruises.
Made friends with other passengers, too

My wife (no pics) are looking at Christmas Markets cruise in early December 2023.
Options are between Dunabe river and the Rhine.
Does anyone have any input on the Rhine cruise for Christmas versus Dunabe? Thanks

I know several couples who have done the Danube Christmas market cruise, and all say it was fabulous. I don't have any information about the Rhine cruise.

How was the water level? That’s always one of the wildcard with any river cruise.

Thanks for all the feedback.
Wife and I are looking at the Christmas Markets cruises offered in December 2023. Looks like Berlin to Prague is already full.
The other options are either on the Rhine or Dunabe. My guess is all offered options are really great.
Did everyone just book through Viking for both cruise and flights? TIA.

Thanks. Traveled for years, in the states. If Southwest doesn’t fly there I’m a little lost.