Viking's Passage to Eastern Europe - Just Returned

[CDNPolar]

Viking's Passage to Eastern Europe is a must do river cruise for anyone.

 

The countries on the itinerary are amazing:  Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Hungary.

 

All the ship's crew were from these countries, and of course also the same for our local guides.  We were encouraged to ask any of the crew about their experience with communism during and post, and many did.  The information and learning that we got on this cruise was amazing.

 

Not sure if I am allowed to name names on a review like this so I will do this instead:

 

Our Program Director was outstandingly good.  She never read from notes at a port talk, she knows every country, port, and excursion by heart.  Her enthusiasm and passion in her job was undeniable.

 

The serving crew - restaurant and bar - were outstanding as well.

 

The food was to Viking standard, and we loved everything served.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Host Jazzbeau
removed incorrect statement and following posts

[notamermaid]

Thank you for your review. Good to read you had such a great time. I found Budapest fascinating, apart from it being a fabulous city I welcomed being able to learn something of the country in the Soviet era. Bratislava interesting as well. It must be even more striking going further East. So much to learn.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Thank you Jazz 🥵

[CDNPolar]

11 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Thank you for your review. Good to read you had such a great time. I found Budapest fascinating, apart from it being a fabulous city I welcomed being able to learn something of the country in the Soviet era. Bratislava interesting as well. It must be even more striking going further East. So much to learn.

 

notamermaid

 

 

We also found Budapest fascinating.  I have a personal friend whose heritage is Hungarian and although he was born and raised in Canada, has visited Hungary with his family often and was just there recently having cousins there.

 

We found the city to be modern, and clean but still holding all the charm of a city that has been through much in its past.

 

I have always known about Buda and Pest, but having guides that really brought some light to the two sides of the river Danube and how they came together as one city was fantastic.

 

The one missed opportunity was that we did not return in person to the Shoe Memorial.  We only drove past on the bus and although the bus slowed, in a future trip (next year) to Budapest, we will go there as I want to experience the Shoe Memorial in-person.  I am one that experiences emotions when I am present on a site like this and I sense the souls of the people lost.  I do want to experience this at this site.

 

We loved every city and country on this cruise, but Budapest was an unexpected highlight for us.

 

We sailed from Bucharest to Budapest so our docking in Budapest was also our disembarkation.  We got up early to be on the sun deck and experience all the bridges as we arrived into Budapest.  The bridges are fabulous.

 

We also did a night cruise through an online tour provider that is a must do.  The Parliament Building at night is definitely the highlight, but so were the bridges.

 

The one thing that we would suggest NOT to bother with in Budapest is the New York Cafe.  So many, including ourselves, line up for this, and although the room(s) are spectacular, the food and the service is not worth the wait or the price.   

[CDNPolar]

For the foodies, the one thing that we experienced in Budapest that we will look for again next year when we return is a Langos.

 

This Langos is very simple...  it is a fired dough similar to a pizza dough, but when I say fried, it was not deep fried, ours was turned fresh onto a hot griddle or flat top, but with lots of oil.  It raised quickly with lots of bubbles in the dough.  This was only a couple of minutes and then it was removed and spread with sour cream and then grated cheese.  (I did not get the name of the cheese, but it is a Hungarian simple cheese that is quite mild.)

 

We then were offered to drizzle some garlic and/or chilli oil over it and then you eat like a slice of pizza.

 

There are other toppings that you can add, but we went on the advice of our guide and went simple.

 

I have to say, this was such a simple thing, but one of the food highlights for me.

[CDNPolar]

10 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Thank you Jazz 🥵

 

Thank you also...

 

[Canal archive]

Wow that last photo of the parliament building is a cracker, green is not a good complexion colour. Now your going to tell me you took it with your phone!

[island lady]

Looks interesting!  And thanks for the pictures!

 

We are doing this route on Viking next month, but it is actually a part of the European Sojourn.  

Looking forward to it.  🙂 

[CDNPolar]

3 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Wow that last photo of the parliament building is a cracker, green is not a good complexion colour. Now your going to tell me you took it with your phone!

 

We have a YouTube channel with all our cruise movies and people are amazed that we do all our video and still photography with the iPhone.

[CDNPolar]

33 minutes ago, island lady said:

Looks interesting!  And thanks for the pictures!

 

We are doing this route on Viking next month, but it is actually a part of the European Sojourn.  

Looking forward to it.  🙂 

 

You are going to love it.

[Canal archive]

Mine is out of the arc so almost due for a new one but with Christmas approaching will it be an iPhone or a new SLR, hmmmmmmmmmm

[island lady]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

You are going to love it.

 

Thanks!  Definitely looking forward to it!  🙂 

[sharkster77]

 I have a Canon DSLR with an assortment of lenses that I use for car trips where we are in control of the schedule and itinerary.  But for tours and river cruises, I have a Canon point-and-shoot that takes almost as good a picture as my DSLR, but fits in my pocket.  It has 20.3 megapixels and a 40x optical zoom, that will go out to 160x albeit digitally beyond the 40x.  Oh, and it shoots 1080p HD video.

 

This way I don't have to worry about keeping track of my bag of camera and lenses while traveling overseas, and always have my excellent little camera either in my coat pocket or hanging off a beltloop via a carabiner attached to a nylon case.

I just love that little camera for both the convenience and quality of image.

[franski]

We have been to Budapest 4 times - and would love to go back again...  So much to see & do --> visit Central Market, the Church in the Cave, the Hospital in the Rock, tour the Opera House & the Synagogue. Walk across the Chain Bridge and go up the Funicular. Visit Matthias and St. Stephens church(es).  Eat Chimney Cakes and Strudel (great stall at the market!!) - and then  have a traditional dinner at Cafe Kor.  Visit the Shoes on the Danube - and the House of Terror.  Go out to Statue Park (we were picked up in a Trabant - and then my husband got to drive... He was SO happy!).  We had tickets booked to tour the Parliament, but Covid hit - and then we couldn't get tickets on our last visit.  So - guess we will have to go back!!

 

Fran

[CDNPolar]

5 hours ago, franski said:

We have been to Budapest 4 times - and would love to go back again...  So much to see & do --> visit Central Market, the Church in the Cave, the Hospital in the Rock, tour the Opera House & the Synagogue. Walk across the Chain Bridge and go up the Funicular. Visit Matthias and St. Stephens church(es).  Eat Chimney Cakes and Strudel (great stall at the market!!) - and then  have a traditional dinner at Cafe Kor.  Visit the Shoes on the Danube - and the House of Terror.  Go out to Statue Park (we were picked up in a Trabant - and then my husband got to drive... He was SO happy!).  We had tickets booked to tour the Parliament, but Covid hit - and then we couldn't get tickets on our last visit.  So - guess we will have to go back!!

 

Fran

 

Wow - Fran - thank you!  What a great list.

We had only the two days at the end of the river cruise and did not get to much of your list, but some.  We will be back next year when doing the Grand European Tour and will save this list to plan from!

 

Thank you!

[franski]

On 8/29/2023 at 9:22 AM, CDNPolar said:

 

We have a YouTube channel with all our cruise movies and people are amazed that we do all our video and still photography with the iPhone.

Amazement isn't the response I got when I pulled out my Blackberry in Macchu Picchu and when sailing the Nile 🤣  The youngsters hadn't seen one - and didn't know how to work it.  Took great pictures, though!  

 

Fran

[Canal archive]

Must admit I do miss my BlackBerry but dear DH insists on IPhones so I follow as long as he’s forking out for it! 😂

[deec]

We leave for out pre-extension in Transylvania soon!

[CDNPolar]

12 hours ago, deec said:

We leave for out pre-extension in Transylvania soon!

 

Jealous... have always wanted to go to Transylvania but as a duo that are still working - unfortunately - we often struggle with taking the additional time for pre or post extensions.

 

Enjoy!

[Mitina]

16 hours ago, deec said:

We leave for out pre-extension in Transylvania soon!

We've got Passage To Eastern Europe booked for next year also in September, including the Transylvania pre.  Sadly, our trip ends in Budapest.  Looking forward to your comments regarding weather and excursions.

[Sleep7]

👋Hi CDNPolar!

We are going on this cruise next month and I'm super excited!!

I am so happy you had a great time.

All new ports for us except Budapest which we have been to a few times in the past.

Welcome back!!😊

Question.. is dinner included the first two nights in Budapest and/or the last night in Bucharest?

Thanks for letting me know.

 

[CDNPolar]

14 hours ago, Sleep7 said:

👋Hi CDNPolar!

We are going on this cruise next month and I'm super excited!!

I am so happy you had a great time.

All new ports for us except Budapest which we have been to a few times in the past.

Welcome back!!😊

Question.. is dinner included the first two nights in Budapest and/or the last night in Bucharest?

Thanks for letting me know.

 

 

You will love your cruise.  I can only hope that you have Hana as the Program Director on your cruise, and if you can have Alan and Vladimir as your servers in the dining room, you will laugh your way through the cruise...

 

We were the other way around - we had one night in Bucharest and two nights in Budapest at the end of the cruise, but no, no dinners included.  Only breakfast.

 

Typically Viking does not include meals other than breakfast in the hotel pre and post that are part of the base level cruise package.

 

For dinners at both hotels - the JW and Corenthia, we ate our dinners in the hotel and did not go out.

[Sleep7]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

You will love your cruise.  I can only hope that you have Hana as the Program Director on your cruise, and if you can have Alan and Vladimir as your servers in the dining room, you will laugh your way through the cruise...

 

We were the other way around - we had one night in Bucharest and two nights in Budapest at the end of the cruise, but no, no dinners included.  Only breakfast.

 

Typically Viking does not include meals other than breakfast in the hotel pre and post that are part of the base level cruise package.

 

For dinners at both hotels - the JW and Corenthia, we ate our dinners in the hotel and did not go out.

👋Good morning!

Thanks for letting me know about the dinner situations at each end.  We have never taken a cruise where you arrive 2 days before and leave a day after.. always have buzzed in the day of  sailing and buzz out when it's over. I think we will try one or two of the kosher restaurants in Budapest for those 2 dinners.  We don't keep kosher but we always like to try a kosher restaurant when we are away.

Interesting that you stayed at the Corenthia in Budapest.  I thought the hotel was The Intercontinental. I'm sure the Cornethia will be just as lovely.😃 

If we meet Hana, Alan and Vladimir on the cruise we shall tell them how wonderful you thought they were.

When we get home I'm going to post a day by day blog with lots of pix.. you can relive the fun!

Anyways.. your post made me extra excited about our upcoming cruise!

Thanks.😊

 

[CDNPolar]

36 minutes ago, Sleep7 said:

👋Good morning!

Thanks for letting me know about the dinner situations at each end.  We have never taken a cruise where you arrive 2 days before and leave a day after.. always have buzzed in the day of  sailing and buzz out when it's over. I think we will try one or two of the kosher restaurants in Budapest for those 2 dinners.  We don't keep kosher but we always like to try a kosher restaurant when we are away.

Interesting that you stayed at the Corenthia in Budapest.  I thought the hotel was The Intercontinental. I'm sure the Cornethia will be just as lovely.😃 

If we meet Hana, Alan and Vladimir on the cruise we shall tell them how wonderful you thought they were.

When we get home I'm going to post a day by day blog with lots of pix.. you can relive the fun!

Anyways.. your post made me extra excited about our upcoming cruise!

Thanks.😊

 

 

Well, if you do meet that trio on the ship, please don't hesitate to say that Ken and Long say hello.  I am sure they will remember us by name.

 

Also look for Jiggs who is the chef behind the morning breakfast omelette bar.  He is amazing.

 

I think that the Corinthia was the hotel listed on the invoice for Budapest.  It was a good enough hotel, but the check in experience was less than desirable.  This was reported to Viking by many I am sure.

 

At the JW Marriott, we arrived, were met by very smiley Viking reps that asked our name and they handed us an envelope and the room keys were there and we went directly to our room - no checkin desk at all.

 

At the Corinthia hotel, all five busses arrived at basically the same time, so the entire ship at once and we were in line for over an hour to get to the front desk to get our room.  Viking normally handle these things very well, but this was a fail. 

 

If you are Intercontinental then perhaps you will have a better experience.

[loriva]

On 8/28/2023 at 11:50 AM, CDNPolar said:

Viking's Passage to Eastern Europe is a must do river cruise for anyone.

 

The countries on the itinerary are amazing:  Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Hungary.

 

All the ship's crew were from these countries, and of course also the same for our local guides.  We were encouraged to ask any of the crew about their experience with communism during and post, and many did.  The information and learning that we got on this cruise was amazing.

 

Not sure if I am allowed to name names on a review like this so I will do this instead:

 

Our Program Director was outstandingly good.  She never read from notes at a port talk, she knows every country, port, and excursion by heart.  Her enthusiasm and passion in her job was undeniable.

 

The serving crew - restaurant and bar - were outstanding as well.

 

The food was to Viking standard, and we loved everything served.

 

@CDNPolar Which ship were you on, please?  We are booked on the Ullur next May on the reverse itinerary to yours.  Would welcome any comments on your excursions--included as well as any optional ones you chose.

 

Many thanks,