Budapest beautiful city. Would recommend staying here for 1-2 nights before starting cruise. Book hotel close to Christmas markets and shopping street if travelling in December. Heaps of designer shopping than elsewhere in Europe. Extremely cold, sometimes below freezing so bring suitable clothing or buy great bear when you arrive. Wondrous city, Christmas
...read more lights and markets and excellent range of goods and Hungarian food in stalls. Danube rather drab at this time of year food, crew and entertainment onboard was excellent. No complaints about ship but would have liked more attention paid to the Christmas markets and shuttle buses provided to these venues. I would not do this cruise in winter if I wasn't interested in seeing the Christmas markets and decorations. Vienna, Linz and Passau lovely, interesting cities, would give Melk Abbey a miss if I went on this tour again and also possibly Bratislava. Not a lot to offer and too cold at Christmas.