Chef Johann Lafer to Ship-Hop Three Nicko Cruises Danube Vessels in May 2027
If you're booking a Nicko Cruises Danube sailing in May 2027, check whether you're on the Viktoria, Bolero or Celina, since only those three ships carry Chef Johann Lafer's barbecue menu, talks and autograph sessions. Celina's cruise runs May 17-31; Viktoria and Bolero both sail May 24-31. Confirm your itinerary includes stops like Budapest, Vienna, Bratislava or Mohács if those destinations matter to your trip planning.
Nicko Cruises is leaning on a named culinary ambassador rather than a generic "chef's table" gimmick, and the ship-hopping structure across Viktoria, Bolero and Celina in the same May 2027 window looks designed to spread one celebrity across multiple bookings without paying for a full season on each vessel. The Celina's 15-day, eight-country routing via Belgrade, Vidin and the Cataract Route is the deeper itinerary and the one I'd pick if variety matters more than a shorter trip. Bolero's overnight Budapest mooring is a nice detail worth comparing against Viktoria's Mohács/Pécs detour if you want more day-trip options. Guests chasing Lafer specifically should note he's not fleet-wide — miss these three ships and these dates, and you miss him. My take: book based on the itinerary you want, and treat the chef appearance as a bonus, not the reason to change ships.