It was indeed "Grand". The ship is beautiful, the staff very helpful and with a smile, and our captain outstanding! The waters in the Danube/Rhine Rivers were quite low but thanks to the skill of our captain and his team, we were off-loaded at a spot along the river, picked up by buses and re-joined our ship further down the river where the water was deeper. The result: we did not need to dis-embark to change ships mid-way through our cruise as the group before us needed to do. It just goes to show that the Viking staff will give 200% to ensure a leisurely and enjoyable trip.

The meals were great and our Chef charming. He enjoyed surprising the guests with a menu item or dessert, all of which was a true delight! We could count on seeing his smiling face when going into dinner each evening.

The waiters/waitresses were outstanding. They went out of their way to assist in finding something or if you didn't see something a guest would like, they went out of their way to make it possible. A member of our group was ill for a few days, and our favorite Hungarian waitress made a type of soup possible (it was not on the menu). Our friend was most grateful. In fact we enjoyed our Hungarian waitress so much, we sought out her table so we could enjoy her wonderful sense of humor. All of the waiters (Stefan and several others) were all great, smiling and charming. Read more