We had cruised with Viking on a Rhine River cruise. Because that was such a positive experience, we were very excited when they launched their ocean cruises. We were NOT disappointed!! We have to admit that we were somewhat skeptical going on an ocean cruise, because the "mega ships" carry SO many people. But Viking ships only carry 930 passengers (small in the world of ocean cruising), with a crew of over 400, and we NEVER felt like we were on a ship with that many people. Everything was amazing! The ship was beautiful and spotless with nothing overlooked or forgotten. Literally "smooth sailing" all the way! The crew was exceptional, as with all Viking cruises! The excursions were wonderful, well organized, offered a terrific variety, beautifully executed and VERY interesting and educational. The food on board was excellent, in all of the different venues, from the buffet to the specialty dining. The entertainment was GREAT!!! Everything from booking to disembarkation went smoothly and without a hitch! When Viking found out they wouldn't be able to dock in Barcelona (our embarkation city), they made arrangements to get EVERYONE, whether we had booked transfers through them or not, to our port of embarkation, and they let us know well in advance so we could plan accordingly! We will go again in a heartbeat!! We're looking forward to Viking's expansion into the Alaska market.
What a beautiful cabin! Very spacious with a seating area, king sized bed with luxury linens, lovely veranda! There was a LOT of storage space. We never felt cramped. The heated floor in the bathroom was a nice "perk". Our mini-bar was restocked daily with our personal preferences. Our cabin stewards took VERY good care of us. Definitely worth the extra $$ for the extra space and amenities.
We chose to go to Marseilles "on our own", which probably wasn't the best decision for us. We didn't do our "homework" so really didn't put our time to the best use. Marseilles is a lovely city, but we tend to do better with guided tours.