When you have traveled a lot you think you have experienced it all but that's not true until you take a Viking river cruise. We did the 14 day Grand European on the Jarl. From the minute we left O'Hare Airport until we returned 15 days later we really never had to think, only experience. Viking truly thought of everything before we even knew we needed it.

The cabins appear terribly small until you put everything away and there really is a place for everything. They are fine, the bed is wonderful and the showers are plenty large. The food was great for every meal with many choices and amazing soups for lunch every day. At every port the guides were there and ready for us, we never felt like they were herding cattle. The vox boxes were a real plus because you did not have to worry about being close enough to the guide to hear. It is hard to pick one place that was our favorite, I thought it was Cologne until we arrived in Budapest at night to all the lights. That experience itself made the trip worthwhile. Everyone is very casual and friendly and we made friends that we keep in touch with since our return. We are not big fans of the giant cruise ships but this is a totally different experience, you get to go sightseeing and relax all at the same time. Hopefully this is not our last Viking Cruise because we are both anxious to go again. The crew of the Jarl were truly wonderful and fun and by the end of the two weeks with only 180 passengers and 50 crew you know everyone. I especially loved the night when the introduced the entire crew, every single crew member not just the ones that interacted with passengers. The value for the money is extraordinary.