Our first river cruise was on the Mississippi River -- the Mississippi Queen paddle wheel. Our Viking Grand European Tour was the first European River trip we've been on, and I hope there will be more in our future. We flew into Amsterdam 3 days before sail date and used the time to see and do wonderful things in that city and in Brussels where we went by train for a day and night. We stayed at a wonderful hotel, Bilderberg Gardens, a couple of miles away from the city center.

Our ship, the Skadi, was wonderful and all staff were attentive and friendly. They work very hard to make everything look effortless. Our waiters and maitre' felt it was important to learn our names and greeted us by name thereafter. Our concierge went out of his way to make special accommodations for a rickshaw tour of Cologne when walking the city was too difficult for my sister. The tour director Valentin, was charming and knowledgeable. Having a choice between eating in the dining room or up on the Aquavit Terrace was great. Speakers, a glassblowing exhibition, theatre performance-- all were wonderful. Favorite tours are Nuremberg rally grounds and the famous trials room in the Justice building. Another was the Mozart evening in Vienna. After leaving our last port, Budapest, we extended our European tour independently for 3 days each in London and Paris.

I'm not in a financial position to do another Viking River cruise in the foreseeable future, but I wish I could do the Baltic capitals one sometime.