Viking Delling Review
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In my mind the south of France sounded like a good choice for our first river cruise. Both embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly; and during the course of the cruise we appreciated easy and continual accessibility to the staff. The architectural beauty of the region, the food, the pace of life all contributed to our choice. To be able to drive by castles and the stone homes so beautifully landscaped and full of colorful flowers and then take a tour of same - exquisite. The food of the region is delicious, and we enjoyed eating (and looking at the beautiful presentations) of what Viking served on the ships (we were on 2 due to the swollen rivers). The dining room, by the way, was filled with light, so our breakfast before departing for the morning tour was so comfortable. The tours offered to us each morning well defined each village and destination, and the tour guides were quite knowledgeable and personable, and they didn't rattle off too many unnecessary "facts".
The ships were both clean and attractive with plenty of light; the public areas were comfortable and encouraged us to mingle with other passengers. Our cabin was adequate for our needs; the bed linen was lovely, really lovely. We enjoyed the choice of ports especially Arles, Vivier, Avignon, and Lyon were our favorites. Since we were berthed across the street from the old city in Avignon we were able to enjoy extra time there. We enjoyed the musicians each evening, but our favorite was the group of 4 singers/musicians who treated us to French opera and the most beautiful chansons.
I have never heard a male tenor sing "La vie En Rose" , and this tenor did justice to the song.
Cabin Review
While the cabin was on the small side it was well appointed and constructed to maximize comfort. It was kept clean and was attractive in color and style.
Port Reviews
Avignon
We were berthed across the street from the old part of Avignon, so in addition to spending a morning on tour with Nina, a very knowledgeable and easy to be with guide, we were able to explore there on our own on 2 other afternoons. We especially enjoyed the market. The array of foods and sundries as well as the ease with which we communicated with the sellers lured us back more than once. The window shopping and actual shopping as we navigated the streets was a dream come true for me. There was a knitting store with a beautiful array of yarns and such where I purchased 2 hand knit accessory pieces that were quite well done and unusual. I won't mind winter this year!
Arles
We walked about Arles with our guide who pointed out, among many other things, the Roman amphitheater which the town still uses. The charm of so much history and buildings that were part of this other era - and it's all part of the life of the village. Loved it!