Danube River Cruise
(100 Reviews)
99% Recommended
CJ Larson
Eau Claire, WI
Travel Consultant
Every year since I can remember my family and I have taken our Annual Larson Vacation. We have done everything from road trips to Yellowstone to cruises around the Caribbean. I credit these vacations as the primary reason I became a travel consul...
Every year since I can remember my family and I have taken our Annual Larson Vacation. We have done everything from road trips to Yellowstone to cruises around the Caribbean. I credit these vacations as the primary reason I became a travel consultant. They are my yearly highlight and hold some of my all-time favorite memories. I’m living my dream career because I get to make these memories happen for you.
As an avid football, basketball, and baseball fan I specialize in sporting events around the world. Visiting every professional stadium and arena is a bucket list goal of mine. I have a passion for the outdoors and have visited many National Parks. I have toured the swampy Everglades, historical monuments in Washington D.C., and the towering skyscrapers of New York City. I also love to bring out the inner child in me by visiting the magical world of Disney and experience everything that Disney has to offer.
Whether you are looking for a relaxing, peaceful getaway, outdoor adventure, or an action-packed sporting event, I’m your guy. Even if you are just trying to get information or advice about a particular destination I would be happy to share my expertise. I love to hear feedback from clients about their trips, and especially love to see pictures! Contact me today to start planning your next dream vacation and make memories that will last forever.
Can Be Reached At
1-715-834-2686 ext:1008
Romantic Danube Itinerary - Viking River Cruise
I was fortunate enough to travel on the Danube River in the summer of 2022. The voyage was the Romantic Danube with Viking River Cruises. This opportunity came up on short notice, and it was an experience I couldn’t pass up. However, my wife and I were expecting, and she had just crossed the threshold where she was unable to travel with me because of how far along in the pregnancy she was. My good friend, David, who is a childhood friend of mine and the best man at my wedding joined me instead on our Romantic Danube River cruise. It may sound a little silly going on a cruise like this with your friend, but we had such a great time!
We utilized the included, discounted air the Viking offered, which had us on a layover in Amsterdam to begin the trip. Our flight was delayed in Minneapolis because of a pilot shortage, and it caused us to miss our connecting flight in Amsterdam. However, the airline helped us get on the next flight, which was only an hour wait, and we arrived in Budapest (the capital of Hungary) shortly after our originally scheduled flight. Viking did a great job tracking our flights and had a representative waiting for us when we arrived.
The city of Budapest is divided into two distinct areas split by the Danube River: Buda and Pest. The included Viking tour took us to both sides, via motorcoach, of the city, explaining the differences, characteristics, and history between the two sides. The guides are always local and will give you all the useful information you need about the cities you visit. During this was my first time using the public restroom in Europe, which you needed to pay for. I was prepared with my Euro and was pleased to find one of the cleanest public bathrooms I’ve ever been in. We saw monuments, went up into the hills to see the Liberty Statue, went across the Chain Bridge and saw the gorgeous House of Parliament. The tour concluded with a stop at the Great Market Hall where we tried some authentic Hungarian food and bought some spices to try when we made it back home.
We spent most of the next day sailing the Danube as we went around Danube Bend. We ate like royalty on the ship, where our servers got to know us by name and became quite good at recognizing our preferences. We spent time on the deck watching the beautiful scenery pass by, with a voice that came over the loudspeakers periodically, narrating the sights as we went sailing passed. At night, we grabbed ourselves a cocktail and listened to the music of the pianist in the lounge.
Our next stop was Vienna, Austria where we made our way to the city center via the train system, which Viking made effortless. We got to see up close and personal the Gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral and got to walk the cobblestone paths. We walked to the Hofburg Palace where we got to see the Lipizzaner horses as they made their way through the training grounds. During the afternoon, which was at our own leisure, we had lunch and coffee at one of the local coffee shops where we listened to the classical music of Mozart and other composers.
The next day was a stop in Krems, Austria which is best known for some of the best Riesling and Veltliner wines in the world. We traveled to Göttweig Abbey, which is located on a hilltop where you can see for miles in every direction. You can see the vineyards for miles along the hills, all the way down to the city center. We were lucky enough to visit during a clear day, which made for a gorgeous landscape, while we sipped the wine from the vineyards we were overlooking.
Our first German stop on the itinerary was in Passau. This city felt a bit like home for us here in Eau Claire because it’s known for its location where three rivers meet (Inn, Ilz, and Danube), so most of the city’s downtown area is located on the riverside. It is a university town as well, so being a UW-Eau Claire alum, I truly did feel at home here.
Our last stop on the itinerary was Regensburg, Germany, however, our ship didn’t make it all the way to the city because of low water levels. We docked the ship about an hour away, via motorcoach, and drove into the city, which was a pleasant drive through the wooded hills. When we reached the city, we started by crossing the Old Stone Bridge, which was originally built in the 12th century. On the other side of this bridge was the famous Alte Wurstküche where we had brats and beer while we listened to fans of a local soccer club sing pub style songs in anticipation of an important match that was going on later that day.
Overall, the trip was incredible, unless my wife who couldn’t go with me asks, then it was “terrible and she definitely didn’t miss out on anything”! I am happy to share advice from my firsthand experience with you if you’re interested in doing a river cruise. The ships are small, and space fills up quickly, so make sure to plan your trip with plenty of time in advance!