2025 - Viking River Cruise

We went on our first Viking River Cruise “Capitals Of Eastern Europe” from August 28 to September 14, 2025. This was Fei’s 2nd river cruise and Tony’s first river cruise. It was a new experience to us.  Eastern Europe has been on our travel list for quite some time, finally we decided to do it and trying river cruise at the same time.

A few days prior to our departure of this trip, we got a notice from Viking saying the water level of Danube River between Constanta and Pleven was too low, so they changed the itinerary for us to stay in Bucharest for 3 days and embarking Viking Kadlin at Turnu Măgurele, Romania.  After embarkation, Kadlin just sailed across the Danube to Bleven, Bulgaria to start the river cruise.  They did provide a bus tour to Constanta, Romania for touring Constanta and visiting the Black Sea.  However, it did disappointed us with no sailing through the Black Sea.

The Viking River Cruise itinerary is as the following:

Aug 28, 2025 - Departed Houston TX

Aug 29, 2025 - Arrived Bucharest, Romania, Checked into JW Marriott in Bucharest

Aug 30, 2025 - Touring Bucharest, Romania; Panoramic Bucharest (Viking); Self booked tour to visit the Palace of Parliament

Aug 31, 2025 - Touring Constanta, Romaina; Constanta on Foot (Viking)

Sep 1, 2025 - Embarked Viking Kadlin at Turnu Magurele, Romania then sailed to Nikopol, Bulgaria

Sep 2 2025 - Pleven, Bularia; Panoramic Pleven (Viking)

Sep 3, 2025 - Vidin, Bulgaria; Vidin on Foot (Viking); Belogradchik Rocks Hike & Fortress (Viking optional tour)

Sep 4, 2025 - Scenic Saling : The Iron Gates; Donji Milanovac, Serbia; Charming Donji Milanovac (Viking)

Sep 5, 2025 - Belgrade, Serbia; Panoramic Belgrade (Viking)

Sep 6, 2025 - Novi Sad, Serbia; The Town of Novi Sad (Viking)

Sep 7, 2025 - Ilok, Croatia; Self touring Ilok

Sep 8, 2025 - Mohacs, Hungary; Historic Pécs (Viking)

Sep 9, 2025 - Budapest, Hungary; Panoramic Budapest (Viking); Self tour Budapest

Sep 10, 2025 - Budapest, Hungary; Self touring Parliament and Budapest

Sep 11, 2025 - Bratislava, Slovak Republic; Bratislava Walking Tour (Viking); Self touring Bratislava Castle

Sep 12, 2025 - Vienna, Austria; Panoramic Vienna (Viking); Self touring St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna; Mozart & Strauss Concert (Viking optional tour)

Sep 13, 2025 - Vienna, Austria; Self touring Schoenbrunn Palace & Gardens

Sep 14, 2025 - Disembark in Vienna; Flight to Venice

The original cruise map is as the following: