Summary
Recently we were invited to join Viking River Cruises on their Christmas Markets Cruise down the Danube. European River Cruises seem to be all the rage these days and we wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
I must admit, Dave and I are not expert cruisers. We’ve been on a cruise to Alaska, Antarctica and then the Arctic on an expedition, but not a proper sightseeing cruise.
Needless to say, we clearly didn’t understand how a cruise worked before our Viking River Cruise.
European River Cruises: Tips for Non-Cruisers
We made a lot of mistakes on our European River Cruise, but if we were smarter, we could have enjoyed it more.
For some reason, we decided to turn off our brain and follow the pack when we got on the ship. This is not required.
They don’t demand that you take the tours or follow along. In fact, these tours are a courtesy.
Tours are included in the price of the cruise and you don’t have to go on them at all. They are just something that Viking River Cruises offer to make the experience more enjoyable for their passengers.
You are free to explore at your leisure when you get to port. However, we felt that we were supposed to follow the group and do what we were told.
Instead of taking charge of our own itinerary, we allowed someone else to guide us, which led to increasing frustration throughout our journey.
As we learned from our mistakes, we came to the realization that we were the issue – not the cruise itself.
A river cruise down the Danube is an incredible way to experience many of Europe’s iconic cities such as Vienna, Salzburg, and Budapest. It’s a fantastic way to travel from point A to B while having all your food, transportation, lodging, and comfort taken care of.
You can enjoy a delightful dinner in the dining lounge, take part in nightly entertainment with all-inclusive drinks (if you purchase the unlimited package for €150), and drift off to sleep only to awaken at your next destination the following day.
Prime Locations in European Cities
The cruise allowed us to reach each city conveniently, and we had ample time in each port to see all the major sights. This travel style is ideal for those visiting Europe for the first time or for those who prefer all transportation arrangements handled for them.
With a river cruise, you don’t need to constantly pack and unpack, board trains, or search for hotels. Essentially, you’re on a floating hotel that takes you directly to some of the most stunning cities in Europe.
In Budapest, our ship docked right in front of the Four Seasons Hotel downtown. That’s prime real estate that we could never afford; however, on the Viking River Cruise, we enjoyed prime hotel space each night!
If you plan wisely, you can have an authentic experience in Europe while admiring the breathtaking views of the Danube from your riverboat.
Tips for Taking a European River Cruise
1. Plan Your Own Tours and Shore Excursions
When our cruise was booked, we should have thoroughly reviewed our itinerary and decided what we wanted to see.
Great day tour operators exist in Europe, such as Get Your Guide and Urban Adventures. By scheduling our tours with them upon arriving in a city, we could have bypassed the cruise crowds and explored off-the-beaten-path experiences.
Since we usually docked right in town, it would have been straightforward to connect with an external tour company to discover the locales.
Additionally, we could have easily hopped on a hop-on-hop-off bus, joined one of the many free city walking tours available throughout Europe, or simply explored independently. The options are limitless.
2. Hire Taxis or Use Public Transit
We made the mistake of getting on the tour bus with fellow passengers instead of finding our own transportation.
In Vienna, our ship was just a five-minute walk from the metro. We could have been downtown enjoying mulled wine in less than half an hour.
Instead, we endured an hour-long bus ride while the tour guide endlessly shared facts about the city that interested us very little.
Ironically, the guides on these tour buses felt the need to fill every second with chatter, leaving no moment of silence.
I would have preferred a quieter ride, only highlighting significant landmarks or architectural wonders.
3. Dine Out in the Cities
Often, we didn’t leave port until later in the night, which meant we could have dined in town.
While it’s easy to include that extra expense when food is provided during the cruise, experiencing a city through its cuisine is essential.
We could have dined out more frequently and enjoyed the experience more thoroughly. In retrospect, I wish we’d had lunch on land and visited more coffee shops.
Instead, we returned to the ship just in time for lunch or dinner after the bus tours.
4. Book the Vienna Orchestra Concert Independently
In Vienna, we made a significant mistake. One of the highlights we anticipated was attending a concert featuring compositions by Mozart and Strauss, performed by a Viennese Orchestra.
Numerous vendors sell tickets across the main square in Vienna; instead, we opted for the ship tour, which proved unwise.
We found ourselves herded with passengers from other ships into a massive empty hall, which did not provide the intimate experience we desired.
We had envisioned enjoying a concert in a historic venue, imagining the very setting where Mozart himself may have performed.
We understand the logistical challenges of accommodating hundreds of cruise passengers, but had we anticipated the experience, we would have opted to book independently and enjoy a performance in a more historic and intimate atmosphere.
Relax & Have Fun
If we had relaxed instead of stressing about our unsatisfactory experiences, we could have resolved these issues sooner.
From the first tour in Passau, we realized we did not enjoy the prearranged cruise tours. Had we taken a moment to reflect on how we could enhance our experience, we would have found a way to enjoy ourselves.
We needed to focus more on the positive aspects than the negatives. Unfortunately, it took until the final three days of our trip for us to finally appreciate our journey.
Many passengers enjoyed the Viking River complimentary tours immensely, expressing admiration for the knowledgeable guides and their informative commentary.
We recommend taking a ship tour upon arrival to assess whether they suit your preferences.
Since other tours can be booked a day or two in advance, if you find the prearranged tours unappealing, you can easily adapt your plans.
All Viking River Ships offer complimentary Wi-Fi, so you can organize your excursions while at sea in the evenings. Organization is crucial: decide what you wish to see in each city and how you prefer to experience it.
We would definitely consider another European River Cruise. Next time, we will plan more effectively, take charge of our itinerary, and determine what we wish to experience at each destination.
I believe it can be an incredible experience, as we saw many travelers enjoying themselves.
That’s what travel is about – learning something new with each journey. That’s why there are platforms like ours to help guide you in avoiding the mistakes we made.
For more information about European River Cruises, visit Viking River Cruises.
