RIVER cruising is the perfect cruise for landlubbers. And cruising on a Viking Longship is as gentle as it comes.
Thanks to the energy efficient hybrid engines, the vessel travels with barely a hum, and from the top sundeck the only sound is the clinking of glasses and laughter below, and murmurs from passing boats.
We are cruising the Danube, considered the most European of rivers, as it flows through more European countries than any other. Our passage on the Romantic Danube eight-day cruise from Budapest to Nuremburg will take us into the grand cities of Budapest and Vienna as well as quaint towns and villages with half-timbered houses, baroque abbeys, picturesque squares, soaring towers and enchanting cobbled laneways.
At each stop each day, a local guide provides an orientation tour for an hour or so and then you are free to explore and follow your own interests until it’s time to reboard. The guides will always point you in the right direction.
“Right is right, left is lost,” I hear our guide tell one passenger.
Viking is the world’s largest river cruise line with 64 vessels offering a choice of staterooms and suites, with either verandahs, French balconies or picture windows. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the lounge at the front of the ship roll back, transforming the area into an expansive terrace.
There is no better place to sit in the early morning light, or late in the evening, to drink in the views. Another popular place to lounge, with book or drink in hand, is the top sundeck where captain Fedir Topal sits in his wheelhouse navigating our passage.
The wheelhouse lowers as we pass under some of the low bridges. The captain is the strong silent type, with only a limited command of English. Almost at the end of the cruise we learn that, thanks to his skill, we have kept ahead of changing water levels that could have impeded our passage.
And, it’s been done without missing a thing on our itinerary. Meal-times are convivial affairs with large round tables ensuring you will quickly learn the names of most of your fellow passengers. The food is delicious – and there is plenty of it.
But it should not stop you sampling delicious fare while ashore like local delicacies such as the sausages at the Old Sausage Kitchen in Regensburg set up 900 years ago to feed construction workers labouring on the nearby Stone Bridge.
Every day 6000 sausages are devoured in this UESCO World Heritage city by tourists and locals alike.
The vessel’s cruise director Georg and the rest of the staff keep things humming, ensuring everyone has everything they need at any given moment. Georg’s personality and wit, and his musical ability, keeps everyone in good humour.
To help people make the most of every moment, Viking has a concierge on board. Want to reserve a table at the best restaurant, theatre or ballet tickets or a private guide? Like every good concierge, he knows what’s happening by way of special events, performances, festivals and seasonal exhibitions in every city or town the ship passes through.
* Sue Preston was a guest of Viking River Cruises.
If you go:
THE Romantic Danube eight-day cruise from Budapest to Nuremburg or vice-versa passes through four countries and offers six included guided tours.
There are optional tours you can take at each stop, which may include behind-the-scenes tours, home visits and musical performances.
Budapest and Nuremburg are perfect for an extended stay, at the start or finish of your cruise.
Nuremburg is particularly good if you are interested in World War II history.
Viking has a range of itineraries on Europe’s rivers such as the Rhine, Main, Danube, Elbe, Douro, Saone, Rhone, Seine and Volga, while in Asia you can cruise the Yangtze and the Mekong. This year seven new ships will be added to the fleet.
Travel agents, 1800-131-744, www.vikingcruises.com.au
