This is my second Viking cruise. The first cruise was a disaster for me as I am a vegetarian and was not accommodated at all well on the first cruise. This cruise could not have have more different. The vegetarian meals were excellent and creative. As to the cruise itself Viking did an excellent job (as was true with my first cruise, even though the food feel short). Our cruise included using Viking Air and all transfer were handled smoothly too and from our hotel in Prague and Paris. Before we left Lufthansa went on strike and Viking didn't miss in a beat to get us a new flight. The included hotels (this was part of the cruise and not additions to it) in both Prague and Paris were first class and well situated for sightseeing. The hotel in Prague (Hilton) while not in the Old Town was a short bus ride away. The hotel in Paris (Pullman) was next to the Eiffel Tower and on a Metro line. Viking provides tours for each port as part of the cruise (there are also extended tours for extra cost). Since my hobby is photography, I do not like tours since I need to move at my own pace and explore what interests me photographically. I would often use the tour buses just for transportation and leave the tour immediately after getting off the bus. The tour guides and the concierge were helpful in directing me to what I wanted to see and to when and meet the bus to get back to the boat. As to the boat, we were originally scheduled to sail on the Idun. Due to low water, the Idun could not sail on the Rhine so we boarded its identical sister ship the Odin. The Odin, as well, could not sail the Rhine for the same reason. Therefore half way through the cruise we had to pack our bags to switch boats. To insure that we would not miss the some twenty castles on the Rhine Viking arranged for a day boat that could navigate the Rhine to take us to the Idun. The transfer was handled very smoothly. In fact some of the staff (waiters) from the Idun came aboard the day boat to insure that we would have good service. Thus we sailed the Rhine and got to see all of the castles. On the Idun our baggage was waiting for us in our rooms. The rest of the river trip went smoothly with one quaint German town after another. Our transfer by bus from Trier to Luxembourg and Paris by bus was handled well and the ride comfortable.