I chose Viking for the service, and that part was certainly not a disappointment. You are treated like royalty, and I like being a princess even if it is just for seven days. The service is even better than on Holland ocean cruises that I have taken, and that's saying something.

The wine flows and if you are not careful, your glass is never empty, which can make next morning's tour a challenge. The food is like first class airline food. It's good, but nothing to rave about. The desserts and breads, in particular, seem to have been refrigerated. Clearly, there is no baking on board. But the view is lovely and, as I said before, the service is amazing.

A hint: No matter who books your airline, allow at least two hours to change planes if you go through Charles DE Gaulle. (And I hear that Heathrow and the airport in Amsterdam are the same.) Added security slows down movement from one terminal to another SIGNIFICANTLY. People are flipping out as the lines are so long and move so slowly. An hour and 20 min just to get through the passport check line is typical. And the distance between gates and terminals is huge at CDG. (Think run down a terminal, stand in line for over an hour, run through another terminal, get on an elevator, get on a bus, run down another terminal. That's typical. If you cannot run, allow four hours or request a wheelchair.) The booking agents assure you that you will be fine with 90 min between gates. NO SO. Save yourself the anxiety and insist on more time to make the change at any major airport in Europe. Security is a good thing. Lying to people about how long it take is not good. Read more