We planned on spending several weeks touring Europe before taking the cruise. While we were still home and making final checks on paperwork and schedules, we found that our boarding papers would be mailed only three weeks prior to the cruise. That was a major problem for us since we would not be home. A call to the Viking office determined that we COULD NOT pick up our boarding documents at our point of embarkation and they didn't think they could have them ready for express mailing to us since our departure from the US was too early for them to prepare. After considerable pleading and an additional charge for express preparation and mailing, we were able to get the required paperwork prior to leaving the US.

Upon arrival at the ship, the crew was very friendly and helpful and basically treated us like royalty. The tour schedule was fantastic as were the guides. One of the most enjoyable tours was with the head chef to visit the local market for supplies. The arranged schedule is a very busy one, so be prepared!

Coffee in Europe is an art and it was a bitter disappointment to find that the coffee on board was really bad. That was general point of discussion at most of the tables we sat at. The other disappointed was that the menus did not showcase local cuisine except for a few nights. The evening programs were marvelous. Read more