Viking Baldur

Sailing the Danube on Viking Baldur

The Danube is Europe’s second-longest river, threading through ten countries and past a string of capitals that no ocean itinerary can match. Viking Baldur makes the most of it: at 135 metres she is sized for the river’s lock system, slipping into city-centre moorings in Budapest and Belgrade where a larger ship simply cannot go. With 95 cabins and 190 guests aboard, the atmosphere is unhurried — the same faces at dinner each evening, guides who know you by name, a ship that feels like a hotel you can walk around in an afternoon.

All six sailings currently on sale are one-way journeys along the Danube, ranging from 7 to 14 nights, with departures from Budapest, Passau, Amsterdam and Bucharest. The core programme runs seven-night one-way voyages out of Budapest, calling at ports including Kalocsa, Osijek, Belgrade, the Iron Gates, Golubac, Vidin, Rousse and Bratislava — a sweep through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Slovakia that covers more countries than most two-week ocean cruises. These departures run from March 2027 through to December 2028, so there is both a spring and a winter Danube on offer, each with a different character. Longer itineraries of up to 14 nights extend the journey further, connecting the Danube to the wider European waterway network via Amsterdam and Bucharest at either end.

Because every Viking Baldur sailing departs from Central or Eastern Europe — Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands or Romania — the cruise is the middle of a longer trip: Cruise1st books the flights, the hotel either side and the transfers as one holiday, so nothing is left to arrange separately.

On board Viking Baldur

Viking’s longship design keeps the focus on the river: floor-to-ceiling windows in the Lounge frame the passing landscape while you settle in with a drink at the bar — beverages are charged individually unless you have booked a package. The Aquavit Terrace® takes that idea further, putting breakfast and lunch al fresco on the open-air deck that wraps around the bow, with the riverbank close enough to hear the birds. It is included in your cruise, and on a warm Danube morning there is nowhere better to be.

The Sun Deck at the top of the ship gives 360-degree views and doubles as the home of the Walking Track — a simple way to stay active without losing sight of the river. Access to the Sun Deck is restricted during canal passages and under low bridges for safety reasons, which is a good reminder that you are aboard a working river ship navigating a living waterway. The Herb Garden is a small but thoughtful touch: fresh herbs grown on board feed directly into the galley, where the culinary team prepares regional dishes at every meal. A quiet Library rounds out the public spaces — a curated collection of books where you can read away from the main flow of guests.

Cabins on Viking Baldur

Across 95 cabins, Viking Baldur offers eight grades in three families. Outside staterooms come in two grades, each with a half-height picture window that lets natural light and river views in without obstruction. Two balcony grades step things up, and four suite grades offer either a French balcony with opening glass doors or a private veranda with direct access to the river air — a meaningful upgrade on a waterway where the view is the whole point. The Viking Baldur cabins and deck plans page has every grade in full, with measurements and deck positions to help you choose.

The Viking River Fare

Viking Baldur sails under a single fare structure — the Viking River Fare — and it is worth understanding what it covers, because it is more generous than most river cruise fares. A complimentary shore excursion is included at every port, as is all onboard dining with regional specialities, beer, wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, and round-the-clock coffees, teas and bottled water. Wi-Fi and UNESCO site visits are also bundled in. What you are paying for over and above the fare is personal spending, additional excursions and any beverages outside of meals — the basics are already taken care of.

Viking River Cruises’ Danube fleet

Viking Baldur sails alongside seven other ships on the Danube River, Europe — part of Viking River Cruises’ wider European programme. The Danube ships currently on sale with Cruise1st are:

• Viking Eldir
• Viking Vali
• Viking Lif
• Viking Vidar
• Viking Aegir
• Viking Gullveig
• Viking Embla
• Viking Baldur (this ship)

Viking also runs ships on the Rhine — including Viking Hervor and Viking Sigrun among fourteen ships on that river — as well as vessels on the Moselle, the Maas and the Mississippi. The full Viking fleet page covers all 30 ships currently on sale.

Why book Viking Baldur with Cruise1st

Cruise1st backs every booking with its Best Price Guarantee and has Australian cruise experts available seven days a week to talk through cabin grades, fare inclusions and routing. Because a Danube cruise means flying to Europe, most guests find it easiest to let us build the whole thing: our Cruise1st Packages combine the cruise with return flights from Australia, hotels in Budapest, Passau or wherever you start and finish, and all transfers — priced as one holiday so there is nothing to coordinate separately.

Questions about Viking Baldur

How many guests does Viking Baldur carry, and does it feel crowded?

Viking Baldur carries 190 guests, served by a crew of 53 — a ratio that keeps service attentive and the ship relaxed. With 95 cabins across the vessel, the public spaces never feel overcrowded, and the single-dining-room format means everyone tends to mix naturally over the course of a week.

Is Wi-Fi included on Viking Baldur?

Yes. The Viking River Fare includes Wi-Fi for all guests — there is no package to add or daily charge to watch. Signal quality varies by location on the river, as it does on any European waterway, but connectivity is part of the base fare.

What shore excursions are included?

The Viking River Fare covers one complimentary guided shore excursion at each port of call, and UNESCO site visits are bundled in where the itinerary passes them. Additional excursions are available at an extra charge if you want to do more in any given port.

Can Cruise1st book my flights and hotels alongside the cruise?

Yes — that is the point of a Cruise1st Package. Because Viking Baldur sails from Budapest, Passau, Amsterdam and Bucharest, every guest flies to Europe to join her. We put the return flights from Australia, any pre- or post-cruise hotel nights and all transfers on the same booking as the cruise, so you have one itinerary, one contact and one price to manage.

When does Viking Baldur sail, and are there seasonal differences?

Current sailings run from March 2027 through to December 2028. A spring Danube — when the riverbanks are green and the weather mild — is a different experience from a winter sailing, when Christmas markets fill the riverside squares in cities like Vienna and Budapest. Both are well represented in the current programme; the Budapest departures page and the Passau departures page show what is available by port and date.