River Cruise Vacation a la Viking: Waltzing Down the Danube
Earlier this year, as we approached the four-year mark of life in our Retirement Era, my husband Dan and I were looking to take the sort of “big trip” we’d imagined as a bookmark for this time of life. We’d saved the money; now we finally had the time.
But we had plenty of questions. Where to go? How to get there? When would be the right time to go? How much effort did we want to expend, both on the planning and during the actual trip? Having mapped out the details of numerous fun family vacations over the years, I desired to get ahead of logistics pains and put the planning for this particular trip into a professional’s capable hands.
Dan and I agreed we wanted a combination of activity and relaxation. I had received tempting mailings from Viking (perhaps a retirement rite of passage): beautiful printed catalogs replete with mature adults toasting each other on a deck, exploring medieval city centers, full of descriptions of the ease and comfort of a European river cruise. I was most intrigued by this option, having greatly enjoyed a Nile River cruise in February 2025. Dan and I talked over a few Viking’s European river options and chose the Danube Waltz itinerary with a June 30 embarkation date.
I should note here that we had cruised once before, more than 30 years ago, with friends Jodi and her husband Dan. We enjoyed a Royal Caribbean cruise around the Eastern Caribbean, with stops that included Jamaica and Mexico. It was a week of sunny weather, pool time on an expansive deck, unlimited buffets, entertaining shows with classic acts like Three Dog Night, onboard shopping opportunities, and dining with fun people from different parts of the U.S. That was the carefree kind of vacation we enjoyed before children. Once our two boys arrived, our family vacations revolved around theme parks, baseball stadiums, national parks and the occasional Presidential museum…all of which we loved.
A river cruise on a small vessel, however, is a different experience from a cruise aboard a giant sea-going liner. Here, I’ll share reflections of our Viking trip, plus a few tips we learned, either from other river cruisers ahead of time or after our journey.
Getting the Trip on the Books
I booked directly with Viking in February via its 800 number (and worked with an excellent Florida-based agent named Isaac). Tip #1 is a lesson learned: though Isaac provided great service, I could have received some onboard credit booking via AAA or through a travel agent. If you have either avenue available to you, take advantage!
Regarding flights to your destination: one can book flights and transfers to the ship directly through Viking or book flights independently and purchase airport transfers from Viking. In the spirit of “letting go” of logistics for this trip, we had Viking book our flights and transfers. This decision made for a seamless plane-to-bus-to-ship experience. While we were assigned seats on our flight, we could ask for different seats closer to departure, which we did. Once you’re booked, you're given a number which you can use to log in to Viking’s individualized traveler portal, My Viking Journey.
Preparing for the Journey
Viking is clear on its website and in its brochures that their style of river cruising is a lower-key experience than what people might think of when they think about cruises. The passengers are all adults (and chiefly adults over 50, though we met a few younger couples and a few adult children traveling with parents). There’s a beautiful deck for watching the scenery pass by, but no swimming pool. There’s no photography to purchase (or not), no gambling, and if you want themed merch, the small onboard boutique is unobtrusive. No need to pack clothing for formal nights because they aren’t a Viking thing. If you want to imbibe, you can purchase a drinks package (both passengers in a shared room must purchase), but we were satisfied with the complimentary wine and beer choices on offer for lunch and dinner. The dining aboard the ship focuses on local specialties but also offers classic choices. While the food and Scandinavian ambiance of the ship were wonderful, the focus of any Viking cruise is on learning about different cultures via the destinations on your itineraries: walking the cities, experiencing the food, atmosphere and people in each.
Tip #2: YouTube videos can tell all you want to know (or not know) about European river cruising. The algorithm figures out pretty quickly what sort of travel video “style” you like. I noticed plenty of alarming headlines: “RIVER CRUISING IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE” or “DANUBE RIVER CRUISE: SHOULD YOU STILL GO?” and “WHAT VIKING WON’T TELL YOU.” Maybe these types of headlines generate views, but I personally don’t enjoy YELLING headlines and won’t click on them. I did look at Danube River videos on Viking’s own channel, which are beautifully photographed and produced, but also viewed “experience journal” videos by YouTubers Luxury Travel Docs and Eat Sleep Cruise. I also checked out cruise packing videos by Travel Tips by Laurie; as the wife of a pilot, she had a no-nonsense style that helped me whittle down our packing list to the needs.
I know from experience a color scheme serves me well when I pack. For this cruise, navy/light blue/white with a pop of fuschia felt right. We knew the weather would be warm, so it was summer clothes all the way for eight days (casual and comfortable for exploring, spiffier-not-fancy for dinner), with light jackets for cooler evenings. We each packed a carry-on suitcase and shared one checked bag.
This brings me to Tip #3, which is my list of the “little things” that made our air travel and cruising more comfortable: compression socks (I liked these flowery pairs from Amazon), a sunhat for me and a Cardinals cap for Dan, a silk pillowcase, magnetic hooks for our cabin walls (perfect for scarves and lightweight bags), Tide pen, Liquid IV packets, a few laundry soap sheets, and a remote page turner for my tablet. We used credit cards for the most part, but took 85 in euros for small purchases and tips on board. (The only country we visited that did not use euros was Hungary; its currency is the forint, but we used cards for purchases and dollars for tips.)
Danube River Cruise Highlights
Photo 1: On our first evening in the university town of Passau, we took a quick stroll around the riverfront and noticed St. Stephen’s Cathedral tucked behind the yellow New Bishop’s Residence that we later learned houses the Cathedral Treasury Museum. / Photo 2: A picturesque view of rainbow-colored cobblestones that stood out during our rainy walking tour in Passau.
Passau, Germany: This quaint university town served as our introduction to life on the Danube River. With winding cobblestone paths and the gleaming white baroque St. Stephan’s Cathedral as a landmark and the home of what was once the largest church organ in the world.
Scenes from an afternoon in Salzburg: Photo 1: The gardens at Schloss Mirabell. / Photo 2: Street strolling. / Photo 3: Mozart’s birthplace. / Photo 4: My husband Dan posing after a traditional Austrian dinner and musical show at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, considered to be Europe’s oldest restaurant (est. 803).
Salzburg, Austria: A tourist destination in its own right due to its status as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birthplace and the setting of the 1965 movie The Sound of Music. Our guide noted with good humor that Austrians for years didn’t understand why The Sound of Music was such a big deal, as they instead preferred dramas about the life of Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa.
Photo 1: The Postlingberg bus at its terminus in the Linz city center. / Photo 2: “I” am in Linz! / Photo 3: Posing with the proprietor (and our Linzer tortes) at the k.u.k. Bakerei.
Linz, Austria: This charming city is walkable, full of history, has a lively shopping district and Europe’s steepest mountain railway, the Postlingbergbahn. What a treat to climb the mountain from the middle of town right to the top in about 12 minutes! The Postlingbergkirche, dating to 1898, has grounds worth strolling and a mountaintop view worth taking in.
Later that day, I joined a few of my fellow passengers for Linzer torte baking at k.u.k Hofbackerei (bakery name), which began entrancing customers with delicious baked goods in 1570. My fellow bakers and I enjoyed a cup of strong “kaffee” before adjourning to the kitchen to pull together this traditional, rich, jam-filled tart. (Our finished products were delivered to the ship in the shop’s distinctive burgundy tins later that evening.) After my baking experience, I stopped in a yarn shop to admire the vivid yarns spun from the soft wool of Austrian sheep. But the experience that really added to our Linz stop was the festive outdoor area set up for that night’s viewing of the Austria v. Spain World Cup game. Hundreds of cheering Austria fans of all ages filled the grassy area right across from our docked ship; how fun it was for us to watch them watching the game as the sun set on a glorious summer evening.
Highlights from the Austrian riverside town of Krems. Photo 1: Gottweig Abbey is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1083; it has a noteworthy library, the Imperial Staircase with a jaw-dropping fresco painted in 1739 and rolling hills studded with vineyards and apricot trees. / Photo 2: The beautiful fresco ceiling in the monastery. / Photo 3: We enjoyed trying apricot schnapps at Bailoni. / Photo 4: We found signs of apricots on our walk around town.
Krems, Austria: The stately Gottweig Abbey is the star here, with rolling vineyards and apricot tree-studded hills. We marveled at its fresco and wide-ranging collections. Later, we attended a food and schnapps tasting, bringing home a few sweet marille (Austrian for apricot) products.
Photo 1: Our Vienna bus tour began with a visit to the statue of Maria Theresia, empress of the Habsburg Dynasty from 1740-1780 and mother of 16 children, including Marie Antoinette. / Photo 2: The Palm House greenhouse at Schonbrunn Palace. This striking structure, built in 1881-82, features three separate climate zones: cold, temperate, and tropical.
Vienna, Austria: Here we ran into our perfect example of too much amazing city and not enough time. A coach wound us around from the dock to the city center for our walking tour. So much art and history…we were agog at all of it and decided that we’d have to come back another time and stay longer. Schonbrunn Palace, the summer headquarters of the Habsburgs, is a popular attraction, but so over the top in beauty and worth the time. In the evening, we attended a Vienna-themed concert that was stunningly beautiful. A septet treated us to selections from Mozart, Strauss, and Haydn, concluding with Summer from Vivadi’s Four Seasons.
Photo 1: Michael’s Tower in Bratislava. / Photo 2: Street art.
Bratislava, Slovakia: This intriguing city retains physical reminders from its hundreds of years of existence. Winding cobblestone paths reveal a music hall built in the 1920s, a statue commemorating the Soviet liberation of the country after World War II, the square dating from medieval times, blue Michael’s Tower, the last remaining gate of the city’s fortification system dating back to the 13th century. Our native guide said Slovakia continues to evolve after its “velvet divorce” from the Czech Republic in 1993. That afternoon, we embarked upon a Viking excursion to Red Stone Castle, a 13th century fortress and residence that belonged for centuries to the Hungarian noble family of Palffy, followed by a visit to Dubrovsky and Grancic winery for a tasting and tour. The winery is located in the Small Carpathians, the oldest wine region in the country.
Budapest, Hungary: Our journey from Bratislava to Budapest was scenic, with views of villages and farmland and a trip through the Danube River locks. We awoke docked in the center of this old city, marveling at its numerous bridges. Our tour took us to the Citadel, with its panoramic views and its distinctive Statue of Liberty. Later that day, we met our guide Laszlo for a tour of the City market, built in 1896. The variety of offerings was overwhelming, but under Laszlo’s guidance, we sampled sausages, schnapps, selections of vegetables and cheeses, and learned from his friend Agnesz about the different heat levels of paprika. We concluded the final evening of our cruise with a toast from the top deck with views of the majestic Franz Josef bridge.
“I’m With the Group”
How much you enjoy a Viking-type cruise depends greatly on your preferred style of travel. If you don’t enjoy seeing the sights clustered with a group and prefer to explore on your own, then you can easily decline signing up for any of the Viking tour experiences. We ran into people on our cruise who preferred to go it alone and they probably did acquire a more comprehensive overview of our destination cities. We chose to sign up for all the free excursions, which are city tours led by a Viking-selected city resident. All of our “free tour” guides had excellent knowledge of their cities and showed the kind of enthusiasm that belied the fact that they had probably presented this very tour earlier that week. Our tour guide in Linz was originally from Beijing, but had fallen in love with a Linz native at university. They married and settled in Linz, and her love for and familiarity with the city left such a positive impression on me.
However, our choices of the arranged excursions precluded a deeper exploration of the bigger cities on our itinerary. In Vienna and Budapest, we felt like we got a taste of each city and definitely wanted more. As much as we loved the food onboard our ship, we could have made time for a leisurely coffee in Vienna and for museums in Vienna and Budapest. No regrets, just the observation that while we would likely choose a river cruise again based on our experience, we also will not exclude “at your own pace” modes of travel.
One note: The Danube (like several other European rivers) is currently at critically low levels, with shipping companies and cruise lines making adjustments to regular routes. If a European river cruise is on your wish list this next year, check with your cruise line about contingency plans and refund options.
Laurie White Bergman, a retired public relations professional and recent empty-nester, finds her latest act full of places to visit, activities to explore, skills to learn (or rediscover), and friends to make it all fun and worthwhile. She lives in St. Louis County, Missouri. Connect with her on Threads: @laurie_bergman
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Thanks for letting me travel vicariously with you on your cruise. You've whetted my appetite for river travel!