We had visited northern France before, but never southern France. Friends had told us great praises about the Avignon area and we had relatives living on the southern coast of France, so we wanted to combine the great experience of a river cruise ( we had a great previous two-week cruise experience with Viking) with a visit to a part of France that we had never previously experienced. This cruise exceeded our expectations in almost every regard.
River cruise boats have less than 200 passengers, so this is small by cruise standards, but this is just right for river cruising. The staff is very friendly and you get to know the cruise (program) director and many of the other staff personally.
The executive chef on this cruise was outstanding. His selection of local specialties was great and the preparations were outstanding. Every evening meal was outstanding. The breakfasts and lunches were also very good.
A French Balcony is not really a balcony. It is just a sliding glass door that opens to the outside. Great for viewing, but no balcony to sit on. It was adequate for us on this cruise. We would normally go on the upper deck while cruising, but with so many low bridges, the upper deck was often closed and the "French Balcony" was used for viewing the shoreline.
Cabins are nice and adequate, but there is not a lot of extra space. Perfect for the time you spend in them.