Recommendation of friends who were on their third SCenic cruise. This was my second SCenic river cruise so, obviously compared it with the Danube cruise I went on last year. It was a good experience (not quite as good as the DAnube cruise I did last year)? The entertainment was good but only for two nights, the rock group was excellent, a great night. the Pope's palace concert good as was the evening drinks visit to castle of Tournon. Although Pianist Richard did his best he was not quite 'in tune' with his audience. The shore excursions were very good except for the village of Oignt where we were promised crafts shops and coffee shops, none of which were open! We wondered why we were only give 45 minutes there, just enough to visit the disgusting toilets!!! Dining was very good but breakfast buffet could have been a bit more efficient, often scrambled egg, potatoes etc. All gone and not replenished very quickly. Wine with meals excellent and special requests fulfilled. Bar service during the day also very good, although not so go up on top deck in the afternoons, seemed to be only one attendant on duty and not to be seen regularly. Captains, senior staff etc.very 'visible' and approachable. All in all, despite minor criticisms I would recommend this cruise to my friends, I had a good time and appreciate everyone's efforts to make my time on board enjoyable. Read Less

Pullmantur Horizon Marseille to Calais We just returned from 8 night cruise starting from Marseille (France) , Gibraltar (UK) , Cadiz (Spain) ,Lisbon, Porto (Portugal) , Ferrol (Spain) to Calais(France) Spanish Pullmantur does this cruise under the name of "Croisieres De France". So, on the ship most passengers were French. All the announcements and the shows were in French only. But most shows were song and dance type. So language was not much of a problem. People were friendly and kind. Horizon is an older ship. All Pullmantur ships are second hand. But Pullmantur company makes up this disadvantage with the lower price cabins and all inclusive deal. (all you can eat and drink for free). They have different shows everynight and they are as good as the more expensive cruise ship shows. They also have dance lessons , music, exercise lessons, many different activities, etc. like all the other cruises have. We stayed in balcony room on the 10th floor. Beds were quite big and comfortable and cabin was clean. All the brands included in the all inclusive deal were quite satisfactory. For example Grant and Ballantines was in the free package. But if you want Johnny Walker Red you pay 1 Euro. Wines and beer were pretty good. By paying little bit more (1, 2 or 3 euro more- depends on the drink- ) you can have any drink and any brand of your choice. Or by paying 10 euro pp.per day, you can have all the brands and drink all you want. They have James's piano bar just for the smokers. In that bar you pay for drinks. I do not recommend to take cruise tours. Because you make the same tours by yourself for much less amount. Gibraltar city center is just 10 minutes by walking. Cadiz city center is only 500 meters. With tourist city buses you can hop on- hop off anywhere for 16 euro for whole day. Lisbon 15 minute by taxi or Public Bus no: 728. Hop on hop off buses 17 euro for whole day, you can see most of the city sight seeing places this way (ALL the places you would see with the ship tour) and stops right by the port. Porto 10 km to downtown, ship has a bus service every half an hour to downtown for 10 euro round trip. Ferrol 10 minute walk to downtown. Ship has free shuttle to city center and back every half hour. In the past we sailed with Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, NCL and Costa. This was our 24th. cruise. Overall, we enjoyed the cruise. We got more value than we bargained for. We'll go next to Norwegian Fijords and Baltic with Pullmantur Monarch for a 14 days cruise in June 2016. We hope, we'll like that one also. Read Less

A friend chose this trip because it find into her working schedule. I had taken a Viking cruise before and knew that it would be well run, have interesting side trips. At the last minute my friend had to cancel because of illness and surgery, but another friend took her place. She is disabled and had an extremely difficult time walking. The crew could not have been more helpful to her and supportive of her disability and saw to it that she participated as much as any other traveller on the cruise. Kudos to Viking and their staff!! Cabin was lovely, dining was fine; service was wonderful [attentive and friendly but not hovering]. The best shore excursion was a tour of a vineyard and a sublime luncheon on the estate. Also was lots of fun was the trip to the cognac chateau and the crafting of our own blend. All in all, I never regret traveling on a Viking trip and will do it as often as possible. Read Less

Based on a wonderful Rhine cruise on Viking last year, we booked the Portraits of Southern France river cruise for this year. What a mistake. We arrived in France at the tail end of the European heat wave. The temperature was in the upper 90s. The air conditioning on the ship was not functioning properly and the cabins/restaurant areas were very warm to the point of being uncomfortable. We were never addressed by the Captain to explain the problem. Various crew members gave different reasons. It was obvious that there had been some instruction not to comment to guests. I felt so sorry for the restaurant servers who had to work so hard in the heat. The problem was finally fixed on Day 5 of the trip. Thank goodness the weather broke and became cooler. On the evening before the problem was fixed, however, our cabin was 81 degrees. We could not open our doors because there was an invasion of spiders. The ship had to call for pest extermination. The we could not use the veranda since it had been sprayed with pesticide. The other not so great part was dinner in the restaurant. Again, some offerings were hit and miss. The serving portions were also very small. There was nothing available for snacks for that 9PM hunger attack. We were fortunate that we had a suite that was supplied with fruit. The ports of call were mostly great. Lyon was fantastic. The small French villages and cities were beautiful. We especially enjoyed our excursion to Beaune. Read Less

From when we started the booking process until we were helped to check in at the airport for the return flight, everything was excellent. We were met at the airport by a Viking representative and led to a Mercedes taxi to meet the boat at Avignon. We had previously been bused on other cruises, but as we were the only couple on this flight and they didn't want us to have to wait, we were on our way immediately. We were met at the ship by the Program Director which made us feel very special. Our room was immediately available which was so nice after the long journey. We chose this cruise because we had been on two others and thoroughly enjoyed the "Viking Experience". It was nice this time because we could look forward to the elements that we enjoy about Viking. Everything is so well organized and efficient. Nothing is too much trouble. The boat itself is spotlessly clean and the rooms are tidied and checked twice a day. The food is delicious and plentiful and the wines have been carefully selected and flow freely at lunch and dinner. We like the fact that the cruises are smaller and are really only catered to adults. We enjoyed the onboard talks and games. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and we enjoyed all the excursions. We would be very happy to enjoy another river cruise and are hoping to do one of the ocean cruises in the not too distant future. Viking is definitely the way to go! Thanks very much. Read Less

Since our only visit to France had been on an ocean cruise stop in Cannes, we wanted to get a better feel for the country, the culture, and the history (oh yes, and the wines!). The cruise traveled from the Mediterranean to the Normandy Coast, with Paris in between. What more can you ask for? Along the Rhône, Saône, and Seine rivers we stopped at numerous towns and cities for (included) excursions of towns such as Avignon, Perouges, Dijon, Giverny, and Honfleur. Most notable were excursions to wineries in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Beaune, and the Pont du Gard and the Normandy D-Day landmarks and American Cemetery. The entire journey required two different riverboats, but the connection was something special as well. The included connection was from Dijon to Paris aboard the TGV, or Train à Gran Vitesse, France's high-speed train. What a pleasure to sit in power reclining seats and travel over 200 mph in smooth, quiet comfort. The real beauty for us is the way Vantage takes care of everything, from handling our luggage at the airport to escorting us through the Paris train station. There are no worries about catching a ride, how to get to a sightseeing attraction, or even "where are the restrooms?" QuietVox headsets are provided for all excursions, so you can comfortably hear your English-speaking guide even if you're half a block away. all excursions are divided into groups of 20-30 guests, so crowding is not an issue. Dining is superb, and the chefs go out of their way to provide local delights as well as traditional American fare. An example: "Rack of lamb with Dijon mustard crust, rosemary potato gratin, and ratatouille Provencale". Make no mistake, this is NOT a cruise for children (there were none on our voyage), but adults will find it very relaxing and most interesting. Read Less

We just returned from our long-anticipated Viking river cruise in France and came away wishing we had paid closer attention to the itinerary (Portraits of France) as our expectations were not met. We made assumptions (based on Viking's marketing and other friends cruise experiences in other countries and on other cruise lines) about what a river cruise would entail and felt if we had known what to pay attention to, we would have chosen a different itinerary and possibly a different cruise line. Our main disappointments were as follows: 1) there was minimal to no time to spend on either our balcony or topside due to touring schedule and/or time of day we were sailing.We expected to see scenic vistas while sailing, but instead saw miles of flat farmland...AND much of the sailing took place at night and we saw nothing 2) we also anticipated time to leisurely stroll through quaint towns where we docked, but instead oftentimes were docked in industrial settings where our stateroom view was an abandoned,graffiti-laden warehouses. On only two occasions were we close enough to walk into the town for a very short period of time. 3) the 7 day agenda was very structured and very fast-paced....not conducive to relaxation and independent exploration. 4) dinners got tedious as there was only one dining time (7pm) and we quickly saw that passengers would line up 15-20 minutes early outside the dining rom in order to secure specific seating. The 'Captain's Dinner' was quite humorous because the Captain did not attend it nor did the Captain speak English (all passengers were from U.S., Canada and Australia). 5) do NOT pay extra for the elite beverage package...definitely not worth the cost. My advice to anyone looking to take a river cruise: pay attention to the # of passengers, the sailing timeline, the scenery that you can expect to see, the amount of free time and proximity to towns, the ability to dine off the ship at least once. AND...read reviews from passengers who have been on the cruise ( ship and itinerary) you are considering! Read Less

This was my second Uniworld cruise and it was as perfect as the last. The ship was beautiful, the food was great and the staff was professional and attentive. The excursions were well planned and all of the guides were both knowledgeable and professional. After I climbed the many steep and winding stairs to the top of the castle of the Duke of Anjou in Tarascon and then down again my knee was officially wrecked. But Uniworld has a program called "gentile walking" tours and for that I was grateful. In essence they are slower and avoids steep stair cases. When some attraction has to be eliminated, due to its strenuous nature (steep stairs) another is added to complete the experience. I rather preferred it, the groups were smaller and the guides very attentive to our needs. We opted for the extension to Paris at the end of our cruise. An Uniworld agent escorted us to the train station and remained with us until we arrived and were situated at the hotel in Paris where another Uniworld rep/guide took over. Now she was amazing. One of the most adorable, conscientious, attentive person's I have ever met. Whatever you asked she tired to make it happen. In all a wonderful trip. I am already planning another Uniworld cruise for next year. I also liked that there was no "nickel and diming" everything was included even all tips, water bottles and liquor on the ship.   Read Less

We really enjoyed the cruise from beginning to end! There are a few areas which could use some minor changes to attract a younger crowd. Most of the guests on our cruise seemed to be in their 60s-70's and older. We are in our 50's, so some things weren't quite as suited to us. The piped in music, individual cabin music , and the piano player played music more suited to an older crowd. The shore excursions were historically educational and offered walking opportunities. We took all the excursions possible and did enjoy them. This walking tour opportunity allowed a close up look at the cities we visited and gave an opportunity to shop and enjoy the historical sites. I was concerned that many of the guests in their 70's and older, who had canes, would have trouble with these walks, but all seemed okay with mobility, although sometimes they lagged behind. We attended the educational talks on the ship but knew much of the material already, having prepared before the trip. The servers were excellent and helpful, their English skills were very good, without heavy accents. The servers worked hard to bring whatever was asked of them and took special care of my husbands food allergies, which was greatly appreciated. The food portions were smaller than on a typical American cruise, but much more healthy and less bulking than an American buffet. Read Less

Arriving on our sparkling new boat, Heimdal in March of this year, we grabbed one of Viking's trademark red umbrellas for a walking tour of Avignon in the rain. Others hadn't arrived from their pre-cruise visit to Paris, so we took full advantage of the glistening cobblestones leading through the Roman Ruins and mighty ramparts of the ancient city. Returning to linen tablecloths and fresh flowers greeting us for dinner, we enjoyed a typical gourmet meal and quiet evening in port. The exterior glass walls of our room continually offered the grandest views throughout our week in Southern France. Imagine laying on your comfortable bed in your own home while the French countryside passed slowly by along the banks of Arles, Avignon, Tournon and Lyon. The views were made even more spectacular from the rooftop deck wrapped snugly in the warm blankets brought to you by the courteous crew, sipping a steamy mug of cocoa. Our days were filled with fascinating tours hosted by the most talented and informed guides imaginable, thankfully transmitted to my ear as I wandered about the city snapping photos without losing neither my group nor my wife. Walking in Van Gogh's footsteps, capturing images later discovered to mimic paintings of the master, impacted my life in ways unimaginable. Sadly, I cannot show you these beautiful photos which we will forever treasure. One surreal moment of our voyage included our late-night stroll through sleepy Vivier, along the sycamore lined streets that wound upward between closely grouped homes, rewarding travelers with a panorama from atop this lovely medieval city. Our visit to Tain L'Hermitage became very special as the daughter of noted French painter Pierre Palué invited us into her home to view many of his works, including those of his friends. What visit to Southern France would be complete without wineries and chocolatiers? Viking did not disappoint. Tasty tours highlighted the traditions of their craft. When asked if his vineyards were irrigated, a vintner replied, "Non. The vines must suffer." We never suffered for lack of luxury. As we boarded ship following our many adventures, friendly faces greeted us with refreshments fitting weather and occasion. We cherish our week on the Rhone and hungrily anticipate all that Viking has to offer, sometimes revisiting during differing seasons. The Christmas Markets throughout Europe are not to be missed. Can I rank one Viking Cruise above another? The answer is an affirmative, "No." One cannot rank the Mona Lisa above Starry Night. Read Less