We spent four days in Stockholm before embarking on the cruise. This meant we were over our jetlag and were ready to enjoy the cruise. Both embarkation and disembarkation were very smooth. Since our flight from Bergen wasn't until late Sunday night we were allowed to remain on the ship until 3 p.m. and were able to enjoy both breakfast and lunch on board. The Viking Star is an amazing ship. There are lots of amenities and while more than 900 passengers were on board it never seemed crowded. We were surprised at the spaciousness of the cabin. It was great to have a veranda. The cabin was cleaned every day and the folks who did that were very friendly and accommodating. The food was wonderful. We especially enjoyed eating in the Restaurant. While we knew no one before the cruise, it was great to sit next to other couples and visit with them while we enjoyed our meal. The choices on the menu were varied and there was always something that appealed to our taste. We enjoyed having wine with our meals. The variety of entertainment and activities was great. Again there was always something that appealed to us. The service was great in all aspects. We enjoyed exploring the various ports and participated in many of the excursions. They were all well run and the guides were very informative and helpful. We probably wouldn't have taken the Berlin excursion if we had known how little time there was for our own exploration in that city. We definitely would love to be able to go again and would highly recommend this trip to anyone who is thinking about it.