To begin with there was so much to take on board, barring our suitcases, which had already been whisked away to the cabin. There were the all-important mealtimes, an apparent “lucky dip” for coach excursion numbers, swapping cabin keys for shore “passes”, deciding how fast we wanted to walk and remembering to take – and later re-charge – the headsets that enabled us to listen to our guide without huddling around within earshot, to name but a few.

Come in the crew of Viking Odin, who did everything from making sure we were back on board when our time was up and generally turning a group of landlubbers into accomplished river cruisers by the end of the week.

Last year, the number of Brits taking European river cruises reached 80,000 – a 7% increase on 2010. A much more intimate affair than its ocean-going counterpart, it’s a great way to explore the waterways and cities of mainland Europe. In most cases Odin moored right in the heart of towns and otherwise the centres were only a coach ride or, in the case of the Austrian capital Vienna, four stops on the underground for passengers who decided to go it alone. You only unpack once, there are no days spent all at sea, excursions and meals are included and, of course, there are no waves to rock the boat and cause seasickness.

We boarded Odin for her inaugural eight-day Romantic Danube cruise from the Hungarian capital Budapest along the legendary river to Germany. Odin is one of a quartet of new 190 passenger “longships”

simultaneously christened by Viking River Cruises earlier this year, and with more to follow. Actress Joanna Lumley is Odin’s “godmother” – every ship has one – and cracked the obligatory bottle of Champagne across her bow when she first took to the water.

Our first task was to settle in to our comfy cabin which, like the rest of the ship, is decorated in cool muted tones and exudes understated Scandinavian style. From heated bathroom floors to mood lighting, the cabin was equipped with all the facilities you’d expect from a good hotel, including a big flat-screen TV, hairdryer, fridge, bottled water, robe and slippers.

Most ingenious of all was the cleverly designed storage space and, with the help of our charming maid Kremena, everything was kept spotless and shipshape. We were on the lowest deck, with a half-sized window that didn’t open, but for those who want a larger window on the scenic passing world, three-quarters of Odin’s cabins have verandas or French balconies with floor-to-ceiling sliding windows, where you can sit or lean out respectively. Not that we felt we were missing out as we switched on the onboard webcam if we wanted a clearer view of where we were going.

That said, most time on board was spent on the Aquavit Terrace, one of many innovative design elements on the new longships and, in my view, the stand-out feature. It is part of an indoor-outdoor lounge and dining area at the bow where you can sit and watch the passing Danube scenery and everyday workings of the river drift by.

By day two we had it all sussed. Each evening the enthusiastic and perennially helpful programme director Marek gave a full briefing, with fine details such as an amusing demonstration of the walking paces of the different tours (on some days there were three speeds to choose from!). Any amnesia caused by the cocktails we invariably enjoyed during the briefing was remedied by the Viking Daily newsletter, left on the bed each night, and a “bing bong” of announcements during the day.

The excursions – where it turned out you picked your coach number from clearly labelled baskets rather than dipping in randomly – were informative and entertaining. Highlights included the pretty German town of Passau, where we listened to a stirring recital in the cathedral that’s home to Europe’s largest pipe organ, and Nuremberg with its delightful medieval walled city and sombre reminders of wartime history.

One day we used the free on-board concierge service to get tickets to visit the stables of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, home to the beautiful white Lipizzaner dressage horses. Other times we relaxed on the sun deck while others set off at their chosen pace.

While river cruising is not a bargain break, you undoubtedly get what you pay for and everything on Odin was top notch from the standard of the food to the service and onboard entertainment. The latter is not elaborate compared with cruise ships but the resident pianist, quizzes, talks, cookery demonstrations and visits by local singers and musicians kept us all amused.

With excursions, wine, beer and soft drinks included with meals, and tea and coffee on tap the main extras are the bar, whatever you spend on shore and tips, which are part and parcel of cruising. The generosity of wine with meals meant we weren’t tempted by the drinks package costing €150 for all the premium wine and bar drinks you could sink.

After a week of being thoroughly spoilt it was a struggle to get used to life back on dry land. In short our longship voyage was absolutely fabulous.

* Viking River Cruises offers an eight-day Romantic Danube cruise on Viking Odin and its sister longships from £1,395pp including full-board, drinks with meals, six excursions and scheduled flights. Check the website for special savings.

* Call 020 87807995 or visit www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk