Many years ago my mother did a river cruise with Viking Cruises through Austria. Ever since then we talked about maybe doing the same if we had the opportunity. A few years ago some friends also did the same journey and spoke highly of it. Finally, we were able to put the pieces together and do it too. If you have ever had any contact with Viking they send catalogs, what seems every week, with different offers. As we saw an offer for free airfare, we had only a few days to book our trip, and cabins were also getting scarce as it was already May. We first called Viking to get information but then decided to book through Town Place Travel, so we’d have an independent agent to make sure we got everything right.
There are a few versions of the same or similar cruises. We booked the “Romantic Danube” from Germany to Hungary, partially for the ports and partially to fit our schedule. We would have liked to have added a pre-excursion of a few days in Prauge, but it didn’t work out timing wise. We did meet some people on the ship who did that and really enjoyed it. We thought about a post excursion in Budapest, our final destination, but decided against it. The pre/post stays if booked through Viking are pricey due to the class of hotels they use. It could be done independently but then you lose the convenience and assurance of Viking that assists clients every step of the way, navigating airports and more. In the end I was glad we hadn’t decided on the extension, more on that later.
Before we left, we thought it would be good to be able to use our phones abroad to navigate foreign cities and have internet access while out and about. Definitely recommended. If your carrier wants to charge you an arm and a leg for international access, look into eSIMs for your phone. You can get plans that include plenty of data for a 15 day trip from $10-20. Our provider, Verizon, would have charged by the minute for text and phone, except for what seemed to be a loophole: They have an Unlimited Ultimate plan for about $15/month over our current plan. We were able to upgrade to it for the 8 days we were away, then go back to our usual plans, with them pro-rating what we didn’t use. In the end, it cost us about $5 apiece to keep our existing phone numbers and have enough data to deTour as we pleased (more on that later).
With free airfare you are a bit at the mercy of Viking with the flights they book. For instance we had to fly from Philadelphia to Chicago, the wrong direction to get a connecting flight to Munich. We had a longish layover in Chicago, allowing us some lunch but between getting to the first airport, the layover, the long flight and the time change it made for an extremely long day. We napped when we could on the planes, but not too much, which did help us get on a good sleep schedule that first night, so some benefit. I did decide if we ever go so far on a plane again it needs to be for more then an 8 day trip.
Arriving at the airport in Munich, Viking met us, and once a few others joined us, took us on a bus for the ride of a little over an hour to the ship. We got nice views of the German countryside, even saw a few Roe Deer, much smaller than our American deer. We closed our eyes on an off and were glad when we were finally done traveling for the day. Even though it was still the same day we had left home (on home time), it was about 11am the next day in Regensburg, Germany, “early” enough that we couldn’t check into our cabin. They said the rooms would probably be ready after lunch. We took a short walk through the town, which was right there, admiring some of the buildings we would learn more about on our tour the next day and stretching our legs.
We had been told the weather for the trip would be about the same as the end of October at home and it was a lovely week with most of the days ranging from the mid-fifties to the mid-sixties and plenty of sunshine, especially as the week went on.
Back at the ship we had our first meal. The maître d‘ started to explain how they dealt with special diets. As we had experienced on other cruises they like you to order lunch and dinner at the beginning of each day, so they can prepare the special or modified food. They were good with accommodating our needs for gluten free and dairy free (which they referred to as lactose free) and no meat, but there were a few slips and I wondered if we had serious allergies if I would have felt safe. As it was we didn’t mind bending things a bit, as the food is safer in Europe anyway and we wanted to experience as much as we could. The food was mostly great, though I ate a lot more fish than I would at home. I’m not sure how they would have done with straight vegan but they seem to have options for most things. The best part of the meals though was sitting with different people and making connections. This started from the first day, as there was always the opening of asking people about where they were from and what they did there. After a while we would sit with certain groups we met, but often they would include others they met so the circles expanded. On a ship with only 190 people it is easy to connect and stay connected to people you have things in common with.
After the meal we did get into our room and got a little more sleep. We relaxed the rest of the day, looking around, meeting people and attending the orientation speeches. Every night there was a little preview of some of the things to expect the next day, which was helpful and should not be skipped. Though you can listen from your room, the lounge is nicer and there are snacks and often complimentary drinks. Again it’s a chance to connect with people. If you are a big drinker or you like certain types of drinks you can buy a package for the week or individual drinks at the bar, that get added to your tab, but at lunch and dinner they include two regional wines, red and white you can have each meal. We found the white wines at dinner quite good and drank some almost every night, something we never do at home.
The ship was not moving until the next night, so it was strange to be “on a cruise” but not going anywhere for 1.5 days. In the morning we had signed up for the included tour (Viking does one in each Port), the Regensburg walking tour. The option we chose also included extra information on the Jewish Heritage of the area. The tours use listening devices so the voice of the guide is in everyone’s ear as we strolled thought the town learning about the architecture, history, and culture of the area. In each town we learned how the Danube is not only a source of commerce but how it floods every number of years, most recently a few weeks ago. All of us agreed as we talked about the tour later that the Jewish Heritage part was a little lacking, but it seems the Jewish population of the town has always ranged between 500-1000 residents, except during the Holocaust.
There are Medieval ruins of a synagogue and other parts of the Jewish Quarter that are now buried. This monument now stands on the former site of the old synagogue. We found out that you can tour some of the underground in the area on a tour not by Viking and we were sorry we would not have time for that. I wish we had known the day before. If you want to see this, this is the best info. I could find.
Here are other pictures of the area, most that speak for themselves.
In the afternoon we had chosen an optional excursion, Weitenburg Abbey & the Danube Narrows. This tour included a bus ride and walk to the Abbey. After touring and learning about the cathedral and the amazing artists who designed it, the group voted on a film to see. Unfortunately the choice was for the one that focused on the beer the monks there are famous for brewing and not the life of the monks, as I would have preferred. I felt we didn’t get too much perspective on that but it was still interesting. The best part of the tour was a boat ride down the Danube Narrows, through a lovely preserved area. Before the boat even departed they served us traditional soft pretzels and the dark beer from the Abbey.
Back on the ship the evening commenced with setting sail finally, a life jacket safety drill, the evening activities and dinner.
We learned that the ship would go through numerous locks on our journey. Most in the dark but one in the light. Steve, the engineer at heart, was fascinated by each one and how they moved our large boat and sometimes another at the same time up and down to get to the proper level. We could see often what was happening from our window or on deck. We learned that night that our room was close to the engine, which sometimes got noisy or if we were in a lock, we’d hear noise like water going down the drain. That night included a lot of waking, probably more than any others where the noise was disturbing, or maybe we got more used to it and slept through more in our tired states. (The Locks of the Danube)
The next morning we docked in Passau, Germany. Here we also signed up for the morning walking tour, thankfully leaving the afternoon for ourselves to explore more in depth. Here we visited the first of several St. Stephen’s cathedrals. Stephen, my husband’s full name is very important in the region. I’ve known him a long time and think pretty highly of him, but a Saint, well, it must be someone else. Passau is the point where three rivers converge The Danube, The Inn (with a long I sound), the Iiz. Therefore there is a long history of not only the town but transfers of power, as in most of the ancient cities we visited. Passau was founded by the Celts 2000 years ago. The histories make our short time in America laughable. Of course the native people here go back a lot longer but their cities were very different from what evolved and often remain in Europe. In each place we visited we saw examples of the old built over by the new or merged together in different ways. The money that went into building castles and cathedrals to show wealth and power is overwhelming. The feeling with the churches makes one wonder, was it the awe factor that kept people believing, the wealth, the power? How did the poor and average people view the opulence in these cathedrals?
These first two pictures (above) from Passau require some explanation. The painted cobblestones in rainbow colors run through the arts district where there are various galleries and workshops. The second, Der Tour reminded me of De Tour, which for those who have read my blog in the past describes our travel style. That leads into the afternoon, when we were free to De Tour at our leisure. We wanted to visit the beautiful castle on the hill across the river, more for the views then to see it up close. After we figured out how to take the bus there, we decided against going into the museum but strolled the grounds and looked down on Passau and the three rivers.
We took the bus back to town and had our first meal that was not on the ship. Allergens are well marked in many EU restaurants, once we figured out the system. We chose a place, Wilma Wunder, part of a European Chain, where I could get a delicious salad of pumpkin and other veggies and Steve wanted to cheat and try the schnitzel to sample the local cuisine. I think mine was the better choice, he wasn’t that impressed. I was also able to get an amazing dairy free hot chocolate. Then we set off to find a geocache. We don’t cache much these days but we knew we needed at least one for every country, which we succeeded at.
The next morning we were finally sailing in daylight. After we passed through one of the aforementioned locks, our cruise director gave a narrated tour of the castles, vineyards and other historic spots we were passing. We arrived at Krems, Austria. The included excursion was a trip to another famous abbey, but we had opted for a different type of adventure. We chose to do the Wachau Valley by e-bike. It was a great 
excursion and a perfect day for scenic biking.
The area is known for vine, with it’s vineyard covered hills and also anything they can make out of apricots, which is a lot. We biked, stopping several times for picture ops, until we reached the town of Dürnstein. We had about a half an hour to explore the shops in the town and buy apricot products if we wanted to … which we did. Then we biked back through another lovely town and back along the 
Danube. The tour was well organized and the biking was easy. Having the power assist was a plus, though it wasn’t needed in too many spots. A bus took us back to the ship which had moved a bit down the river as we needed to arrive in Vienna before some people were going to a concert, another optional excursion.
Back on the ship they did a demo on strudel making, using two volunteers. Of course, like any good cooking show at the end they served generous pieces to the entire audience. I shared mine with Steve, between all the butter and cinnamon (which I can’t really eat) but I had to taste the deliciousness.
After that two professional dancers did a demonstration of courtly dancing through the years and four couples got to learn the waltz. We were one of the couples and Steve and I learned the waltz. If anyone has seen me dance, it’s not pretty, but it was a lot of fun. Another dinner after where our group was one of the last to leave the dining room, as we were enjoying the conversation and the free flowing wine.
In the morning we did the included tour of Vienna, seeing part on the bus and part walking around the part of the city with the most attractions, including of course the large cathedral. Some of the other sites included the apartment where Oskar Schindler lived for a very short time. The large tower below which was basically a show piece to prove how wealthy the family was and was empty except a staircase. The small plaque in the sidewalk are called stumble stones, dedicated to those who lived in the adjoining buildings who perished in the Holocaust. They are not meant to make one stumble but to stop and remember. We saw some of the famous Lipizzaner horses in their stalls or being walked. There was an optional show sometime during our stay, we skipped it and those who went said it wasn’t that impressive. The guide did tell an interesting story about the horses, who are used to be shown and admired. When the city went into lockdown during the Pandemic and they were only seen by their caretakers the horses became confused and depressed and only seemed themselves again once the fans were back. We also saw the courtyard of the government palace where Adolf Hitler addressed his Party when Austria was annexed. I couldn’t get out of there quick enough, it was too creepy.
Since we had an excursion in the afternoon and plenty of time to explore Vienna the next day, we opted to use our free time at the end of the tour to start sampling the coffee and pastries Vienna is known for. We sat at a café and were able to choose pastries that were dairy free. Mine was a poppy seed cake with yummy apricot filling. Steve noted in general that the European treats we had were delicious, but subtle, in other words not too sweet or gooey, just the right amount.
Having just had pastry we made some room for lunch on the ship and then departed for the Schönbrunn Palace It is known to be one of the two most visited attractions in the World. We toured a small number of the 1441 rooms, hearing about the rulers who had lived there and the art on the walls. Young Beethoven, just six years old, played his first public concert in the Palace. That is commemorated in a painting of a family wedding. The odd thing about the painting is the wedding was two years before Beethoven’s visit. 
There were also some dead family members included in this and other paintings. The paintings took years to finish, so these type of liberties were taken, or as we call it in current day “photoshopping”. We didn’t really have time to explore all the extensive gardens and out buildings, as we had to get the bus back. Another interesting fact is that rooms in the top floor are let as apartments. They are the form servants quarters so they are not particularly luxurious or heated, you have no place to park, but your address is prestigious when you share it.
Going back on the bus, we passed places we would want to visit the next day. One was a big market where, unfortunately, many of the shops would be closed for All Saints Day. The other was a large ferris wheel, more on that later.
The next day was totally unplanned other then returning to the ship by 5. We did take the subway twice but walked SO much. Our first goal was to see the old synagogue, but when we got there it was closed. It seems things close and open rather randomly in 
Europe. We went to one of the two parts of the Jewish museum instead. The other part we didn’t see was the history of Jews from Medieval times in Vienna. The part we did see was the history of expulsions, re-entry over and over of the Jews of Vienna. There was a really interesting exhibit discussing how 3rd generation holocaust survivors are finding ways to deal with generational trauma, often without the benefit of sharing with their parents or grandparents who mostly did not want to talk about their experiences. The museum was also hyper focused only on the city of Vienna. I had been hoping for some information on Jews in other parts of Austria, including those parts which are no longer in Austria. I learned before my trip that my maternal grandparents came from the town of Nowojowha, which is now part of Poland.
One of the most famous pastries Vienna is known for is the sachertorte cake, a very rich dark chocolate cake. I looked up places that served a vegan version of the cake, which brought us to a small vegan cafe not far from where we were in the city. What can I say, it was amazing. After that we roamed the city, just browsing in the tourist shops that were open and eventually a flea market. We got back on the subway to head to the giant ferris wheel, which is actually part of a whole amusement park, but you can pay just for the rides you want. We did the giant wheel which was a bit less than what we expected. Because of all the tall buildings, the view was pretty limited. It moved slowly, so not an exciting ride, but another thing we could say we did. We got lunch at one of the restaurants at the amusement area. I had a yummy vegan goulash. Then we made our way on foot back to the boat. By the time dinner was done that night, we collapsed after our long day of exploring.
The boat departed that night for Budapest, where we arrived after some more scenic sailing in the morning. On the Budapest overview tour, partially on bus and partially on foot, we learned that Budapest used to be two cities, Buda and Pest. The two cities were literally merged by the construction of the Chain Bridge to form Budapest. Our bus tour took us mostly on the Pest side of the river. The guide spouted lots of information as we drove past different parts of the city, but it was overwhelming and hard to follow. I admit to knowing very little about Hungry. We had seen the beautiful Parliament and other government buildings from the ship, but she never mentioned current politics and I never had the nerve to ask about the authoritarian government.
In the afternoon we walked the streets on the Buda side on our own. The shops were a mix of the old and the modern, with many American names thrown in. Our first goal was the Central Market, a large building with three main rows of shops. The one side had really gorgeous looking fresh produce, that if I had been at home I would have loved. The others were more souvenir, especially spice shops and some cooked food but nothing that really interested us. We headed back down one of the main streets and found a café that had an interesting menu. Steve wanted to try the traditional goulash, while I got a vegetarian soup version of it, that was good, but not as good as what I had gotten the day before. I wanted to save room anyway for dessert, which I got a bit later. Chimney cakes are the local delicacy and I found a shop where theirs were all vegan. They are made fresh and can be filled or not. Mine was not but rolled in a mixture of chocolate and sugar. In between lunch and dessert we strolled the streets and the shops just taking in the atmosphere. It was the biggest city we had visited on our journey and my least favorite, probably because of not being a city person.
We spent some time in the lounge and then at dinner, saying goodbye of the numerous people we had met since we needed to leave for the airport the next morning at 3:30am. The day home was very long. We had a flight from Budapest to Frankfort and then a long layover there before a long flight to Philly. Despite masking for our flights, we both came home and got COVID one after the other. But we’re fine. When our next adventure will be is hard to say. The world was rocked right after our return by the results of the 2024 election and what the future will bring remains to be seen. I’m sure we will continue to adventure, maybe not just in the extensive way we planned for the next few years.
