My husband and I took our first Viking Cruise and was impressed right from the beginning....we were met at the airport by very professional staff, escorted to a waiting bus and drove directly to the Mimir where we were met and made to feel welcome....that welcoming feeling lasted for the entire cruise......The ship was immaculate - every part of it....staff was friendly, professional and could not do enough for the passengers. Our cabin was small but decorated nicely and constantly refreshed.....The chef was both friendly and excellent - food was delicious and presented beautifully.....actually I loved everything but my favorite were the eggs every morning....I never had such fresh delicious eggs in my life!

The staff strove to make everything special-when you left in the morning for your tours they were at the gangplank with bottled water and good wishes and when you arrived back they were there to greet you, often with a yummy snack! On board entertainment is simple yet more than enough......they brought in entertainment pertinent to where you were visiting....the night going into Budapest David, the activity director, made it so special...everyone on top deck awed by the scenery....followed by a Hungarian wine! He was perfect for his job.....friendly and made everyone welcome......it seemed he was everywhere all the time, always with a smile......the coincerge was excellent - he went out of his way to help us find something we were seeking.....Andrea and Jasmine were absolutely fabulous....the shore excursions were perfect.

One evening after dinner they conducted visits to the kitchen (this was after dinner and it was immaculate!) One afternoon they invited everyone to visit the captains portion....My only caveat is that a lot of the tours are somewhat strenuous and you should be aware of that.....I also would have liked a bedside clock of some sort and last would have appreciated something on tv news in addition to CNN! We met some lovely people on board and everyone you chatted with felt the same way.......excellent way to travel....much much better than the big huge ships that are so common now......this way of travel is more geared to a slightly older passenger and that too if you ask me is a plus......so, if you are thinking about booking a trip...go for it! you won't be sorry.....OH! this time of year all the Christmas Markets are in full swing and each and every one was great......