We chose this cruise for two reasons. The first motivation was the list of destinations which were unusual (eg Tunis, Algiers). The second motivation was to taste the Viking "ocean", experience, particularly as they have received such great reviews in their first two years at sea. As frequent ocean cruisers we could see some obvious upgrades in the VIking experience - the ship is brand new and beautifully appointed. The service and onboard experience was quite good. We never felt crowded, never had to hunt a place to sit and enjoy the environment, and never were bothered by a pesky photographer - as there is none! That said, as much attention as there is to the "ship experience", there was less attention to the "shore experience", with tours being very typical of any cruise line offering. I had hoped for smaller groups and a little less chaos from the big bus offerings. All in all, a great trip and worth considering, especially for anyone interested in the unique destinations offered.