We chose this cruise due to the wonderful reputation enjoyed by Viking. It was our first river cruise and it could not have been better. From the moment we boarded the Forseti, the crew made you feel right at home. The accommodations were wonderful. We really enjoyed the meals. Excellent quality and not so much food that you felt uncomfortable. Our excursions were great and we enjoyed them all. Especially the market tours, most interesting and informative. Our last dinner in the Chateau was spectacular. I don't know how they did it, but it was really great. We were so pleased with all the staff during the entire trip. Our Captain was very personable, but professional. We certainly have memories to last a life time. Certainly hoping to have the opportunity to take another Viking cruise in the near future. France is a beautiful country and we learned so much about the wine making process as well as the vineyards. Read Less

I have cruised with Vikings before and I therefore know that their standards of food and service are excellent. This cruise lived up to my expectations - nothing is too much trouble for the crew - they want to please everybody on board. Our suite was always kept clean and tidy. The food and wine were exceptionally good. I had hoped we had picked the correct time to see the Grape Harvest - and we had - we saw the grapes on the wine and then being picked both by hand and mechanically and then being taken in to be made into wine - we were then able to sample what the grapes ha produced - wonderful wines both sparkling and still. The entertainment team on the Foresti were excellent- they made sure that everyone was happy and that even those travelling on their own were included and happy. Vikings have a lot to be proud of Read Less

I did not like this cruise for one reason, the shortness to each destination and the water was not at all calming. Brown water and the tide rolls which causes the ship to pull away from dock. I liked the ship I liked the service, Viking has impeccable service. I just did not feel the calm which I felt on a previous cruise (longer transit between points) and beautiful river water. I have taken a Viking Ocean Cruise and you really cannot compare the River vs the Ocean although both have outstanding service. The buffet food does get boring and maybe another outlet for eating would be nice. The housekeeping staff and the bar staff are excellent. The bartenders are on top of the cocktails and never much of a wait. Loved the Hostess (not sure of her title). She had a great personality. She led game nights and how fun. Read Less

Our group consisted of eight friends traveling together, and we had a wonderful time. The crew knew our names, they were courteous and efficient; the food and service were beyond compare. In addition to a gourmet menu, the specials each night were so delicious!! Our group all loved wines, and the beverage package far exceeded our expectation for great wine during dinner and after. Not one of us had any complaints or criticism. The excursions were accurately described, especially the length of time involved and degree of rigor. After dinner entertainment was fun and we were kept informed of upcoming events and what was happening on board. Viking made our travel so much easier - from picking us up at the airport, the bus rides to and from port, and helping us maneuver ticketing and gates for our departure, Viking stayed with us. We are all thinking of future Viking trips together. Read Less

What a beautiful introduction to France We started in Bordeaux Stepped on to a beautiful luxurious ship , very comfortable cabins , Nice bathroom Week used space & USB ports & 110 plus European Outlets Yeah We purchased the silver plan What a smart idea ! We are very into wine & trying new things , I was able to try top shelf cognac & whiskey Read Less

We chose this cruise as the attraction of visiting Château’s & Vineyards was something we had always wanted to do & this river cruise did not disappoint, in fact it exceeded all expectations. The places visited were excellent and the included excursions were very informative of the area and wine making region. The surprise of having a wonderful dinner served in one of the Château’s and by the ships staff was the highlight of the river cruise. The friendliness of the staff on board the ship was very welcoming, the entertainment was diverse and engaging. The food was excellent and a great variety at lunch & dinner, giving options to suit all tastes and dietary requirements. Beer & Wine of a very high standard. The drinks menu is extensive catering to every need in choice of spirits, wines, cocktails and soft drinks. We would recommend this cruise without hesitation. If you like to travel & learn about places and enjoy wine this is the cruise for you!! Read Less

We had friends who shared our interest in local wines. Both couples wanted to expand our knowledge of wines in France. This cruise was everything we dreamed of and more. When we booked our room we chose the french balcony - I just had to have an opening to the outside world. I was a bit concerned by the small square footage. We were advised that we would often been busy outside the room, and we were encouraged to book and spend the money has we felt would benefit us personally vs feeling pressured to upgrade. Well, the space was plenty - storage was ample, and as predicted, we just didn't spend a lot of time in our room. We often enjoyed the upper deck during time on the ship. We never felt that there wasn't someplace comfortable to enjoy on the ship. Many hours were spend off the ship enjoying our destination. Dinning was excellent. We did opt for the spirits package and liked the "chef's recommendations" of wine with dinner. We did see that the menu of local wines offered did vary a couple of times on the ship. What decided the spirits package for us, was the simple option of enjoying wine or drink anytime of day at the bar, not just at meals. We were not big drinkers - but I think the package price was fair, and we probably would have either spent more, or denied ourselves trying something great if we had not purchased it. The included tours were excellent. I would say there is no reason to feel you must upgrade to an optional tour. However, if the optional tour appeals to your interests - it will be worth every penny. We did two optional tours and they both exceeded expectations. I honestly was concerned, because one of them (The one where we saw the coopers make wine barrels and tasted at wineries in Medoc cost $250/person. - However, it was worth every penny. The tours, the tastings and the lunch were all outstanding and our tour guide, Sarah, was fantastic. So if the tour is of interest - take it! Just don't feel like the included tours are less than - because you are treated like a valued person and friend regardless of which route you take. Our pre port briefings were handled by Mimi and she was absolutely magical, She was moving to the Paris to Normandy cruise after our trip. I am tempted to take that cruise just be with her again! Some people find a dinning attendant and stick to the same tables to enjoy the connection they made. We were more flexible and sat in different areas of the dinning area - really at any meal - just making the choice ad lib. We felt confident doing so, because every attendant was outstanding. Every person even the young woman who joined our cruise on her first real day - was delightful, attentive, and made us feel valued. They take every care to attend to your needs. We are not yet retired, but we cannot wait to be - where we can perhaps take advantage of last minute deals. It was a fabulous vacation. Please pay for the Viking AIr package - where you can work with their travel agents - that money was well spent! Every moment, from start to finish was handled by viking and we had a true vacation, because we did not have a care in the world - all the details were managed meticulously by Viking. I notice I need to rate Fitness - you walk on your tours. But they do not have facilities - you won't need them. Nancy (A community college teacher of nursing) Read Less

We love river cruises and have been on five with Viking. The Chateaux, Rivers & Wine cruise did not disappoint. Lovely staff, ship and fantastic food. We took a pre extension to the Loire Valley and stayed at two lovely hotels along the way. The included tours on the cruise were very informative and we visited many delightful and informative sites. All of the included excursions are described on Viking’s website of each cruise as it is too difficult to list everything on this review. The embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly. We were in cabin 115 which was very comfortable and quiet. We didn’t get a veranda as it was just as nice going up to the lounge and sun deck to see both sides of the river when cruising. The entertainment was suitable for the river cruise and very much enjoyed after a lovely dinner in the dining room. It was a great time to interact with people we met on our cruise. All in all another wonderful Viking river cruise. We are looking forward to two more this year, along with two ocean cruises. Read Less

My parents are avid Viking cruisers and wantEd us to experience it too. Being in our mid forties we were a bit hesitant since the cruises seem geared to older crowds; however, we have a love of wine and had been wanting to go back to Bordeaux so this cruise hit the mark. The cruise was perfect! We had such a great wine tasting experience and the food was just as wonderful. It was so much fun to experience this with my parents too. I would highly recommend it for anyone that enjoys wine or wants to know more about wine. They do a great job of mixing the novice wine person experience with a more advanced wine drinker. It’s a great experience for any level wine person. 1st class service and dining experience for sure! The staff make every effort to make you feel like royalty. From knowing your name after one encounter to remembering your favorite drink, it’s an experience you won’t forget. Read Less

We are wine enthusiasts and going in a cruise to Bordeaux was a long held desire of ours. We had never done this and decided to take a river cruise because my wife has problems with motion sickness and we thought, as it turned out to be the case, that a river cruise would be trouble free in this regard. The flight from the US Midwest to Bordeaux was long and required 2 plane changes. As usual, airline travel is never ever free of some problem or the other. No change this time but they were solved effectively. Reaching Bordeaux we were met by the Viking people and we were always directed and escorted by them. One of the things we both really liked about this type of travel is that you do not have to pack and change hotels with an intermediate ride by bus, or train. Once you were in your cabin you did not have to move from it. Service was excellent, food in the boat was much much better than we expected. People, other passengers and the crew, were nice and friendly. We did some dancing at the boat and attended some lectures but the main things we did were outside the boat. This whole area of France is medioeval and wonderful to walk. Old churches, castles, walls, twisty narrow streets, and wonderful wine everywhere. We went to a number of wineries and I was amazed by variety of methods they used to produce their wine. We walked the vineyards, gardens and the Chateaux, all very nice. The most unique thing we did was in the town of Cognac, which produces Cognac of course. We went to Camus and after the visit got to this wonderful room that smelled of cognac and wood, and learned to blend our own cognac. Each one of us got his/her own bottle, something totally memorable to me. All considered, this was a wonderful experience for me and my wife. We just loved it. Read Less

We chose this cruise originally because of the itinerary. We were meeting our daughter in Bordeaux in order to tour the Dordogne and the Loire Valley. We came with no expectations. Our only prior river cruise was on AMA on the Danube which we loved. This one surpassed our expectations. The food, the service, the tour guides, the special dinner all were amazing. From the time we boarded the ship, we were welcomed as old friends. The decor is restful and serene. Every staff member went out of their way to be friendly and helpful. The food was outstanding and the dining room setting was inviting as it was so open- no partitions to block views and the ability to see everything including the views. There were different size tables- up to 10, so as we gathered new friends, there were tables to accommodate us. We found the tour guides to be exceptional. On our prior cruise, they were acceptable, but these were significantly better. Their knowledge, their friendliness, and handling of our groups. Truly an amazing river cruise. Read Less

We wanted to explore the Bordeaux region of France and its local wines. We saw new country, new customs, different people and had a wonderful time. There is always something to do with on shore excursions or simply stay on boat and relax. We found that we met different people with each meal and had choices of tables of people to join. The staff learned our names first day and even quickly learned our habits, needs, and drink preferences. That was one of the most amazing things to me given the numbers of people and weeks they work. We enjoyed ourselves so much we have planned another Viking trip in August 2020 to the Rhine. We plan on going ahead and staying behind to enjoy the countryside. I fully recommend a Viking cruise to anyone. You deserve the special treatment and benefits they have to offer. I will go as often as I can. Read Less

I chose this cruise because it promised a wine focus in the Bordeaux region, as well as visits to chateaux and mansions. Just what I wanted. The excursions and optional activities were first class. I especially liked the truffle hunting and cognac making, as well as the cruise director's special visit with a vintner at his shop and home. Wine was wonderful, as was the food, and I made several new friends. It was nice to be without children, and to have time to just relax if that's what I wanted to do. The ship is first rate - just the right size for a river cruise without too many distractions (or people!). I'll do other river cruises, for sure, but I do wish there were other itineraries that focused on wine. I learned so much more about French wine, and would love to take a wine tour in Provence or Italy. I'd recommend Viking anytime. Read Less

Cruising the rivers of Bordeaux Region (the Garonne, Gironde and Dordogne) in April was wine-soaked and wonderful. As expected, the Viking longships are among the best for river cruising, providing comfortable cabins at all levels. Being almost totally sold out well ahead of time, we were luckily able to get Category "E" staterooms for ourselves and our travel companions (my son and his husband). The rooms were very comfortable and sufficiently spacious, with many thoughtful touches: extra pillows, bathroom amenities, fully equipped closets, and both 120V and 240V plugs. Having said that, we were hardly ever in the rooms except for a good night's sleep. The attractive lounge areas (including a very nice library with lots of books on the local area) and friendly fellow cruise companions meant that we enjoyed as much time out of the room as possible. Both the included shore excursions and the optional trips were interesting, and a good mix for both wine lovers and history buffs alike. The wine tours were educational for both beginning wine lovers looking to learn a bit more and for oenophiles. There local wine choices provided with lunch and dinner, but also the option to purchase the Silver Spirits package for more select vintages. Viking as well allows guests the bring their own wines on board, which the wait staff will happily serve without a corkage fee. With one exception, the docking locations are all located within walking distance of the town or city being visited. One could easily leave for a local lunch or dinner, though the food served on board was consistently fresh, well-prepared and delicious. The highlight of the tour is a private dinner in the orangery of a local wine chateau. To ensure the consistently high quality expected on a Viking cruise, Viking brings their own chefs and waitstaff (by now you know the friendly waitstaff quite well) to provide you with amazing food and service in this enchanting, off-site location. This was our fourth Viking River Cruise, and we enjoyed it so much we would choose the same one again were there not so many other enticing choices. Read Less

Just returned from our first Viking river cruise on the Forseti. I can't say enough great things about our experience. The staff on this cruise was phenomenal. Suzi was our cruise director and she was fabulous. She runs a flawless operation and we so enjoyed talking with her about her experiences in France. The entire staff in the dining room (Georgia and Georgi especially) saw to it that all of our meals were exceptional. My buddies in the bar, Boris and Dragos, are the best customer service reps that Viking could ask for. They made our trip extra special. We miss them. It was amazing to watch the entire crew from the Captain down all chip in with excursions, luggage, provisions. Truly a team effort. All of our excursions were great, especially the oyster trip to Arcachon, If you are taking this trip in the future, don't miss this one. Also, the dinner at Chateau Kirwan was exceptional. We had a French balcony room which was small but adequate for the small amount of time spent in it. If you love wine and great food, take this trip! Already looking at our next journey with Viking. Read Less

I'm a solo traveler, and would definitely take this tour again. It's my favorite Viking cruise to date! The Bordeaux region is fabulous - I'd recommend it whether or not you love wine! I'd highly recommend the pre-cruise tour of the Loire Valley. All of the towns and villages throughout the cruise were so enjoyable - picking up a baguette from the local boulangerie and fresh cheeses at the fromagerie, picking out treats at the master chocolatiers, buying tulips for my room at the farmers market, and, of course, visiting wineries and top notch wine shops with a full range of France's finest beverage. That's not to diminish the cognac tour! Blending our own cognac was delightful. Also made some new friends who I've enjoyed connecting with since returning home. Also: * Embarking and disembarking was a breeze. * The ship's updated cabin was comfortable and efficient. * The crew was exceptionally energetic and fun! * The food did not disappoint - good variety and options, as usual! Read Less

Love of France Wine New area Try out Viking We were pleased by all aspects of our hopes for discovery and adventure. Loved this part of France with history, culture, and cuisine. Made new friends on the boat. We decided we wanted to go on more Viking cruises as a result. We liked the opportunity to choose from a variety of excursions each day...even creating some of our own...with the assistance of Viking staff. Food was great. Planning help for pre cruise was good All made for a fun and happy time for us. We traveled to Bordeaux several days prior to our cruise and explored on our own. When we arrived at the airport to drop off our car, Viking hosts greeted us and provided transportation to our ship. The daily excursions were informative, interesting, and often included wine and food. The cuisine on board the ship reflected the French culture. On departure day, the Viking staff was superb in guiding us through the airport and to our plane. Read Less

Loved the boat and got to experience Paris for 4 days post cruise. Visiting the different wineries was awesome. We came as a group of 3 couples. We were all celebrating anniversaries. The staff was not only great, but made us feel we had become friends by the end of our week. The drink package was a nice addition to our enjoyment. We liked the fact that our French balcony was just above river level. Slept with window open to here the water going by. We were alway offered water when going on shore. The excursions were always interesting and lead by professional and knowledgeable tour guides. We enjoyed all excursions and our time in Bordeaux on our own. The cruise director was a great addition to our already great time. Our dinner table was always perfect and we met another couple that made for great conversations. Keep up the high quality of Viking cruises. Read Less

We chose this cruise as we enjoy food and wine and that is what Bordeaux is all about, aside from all the beautiful scenery. As we had traveled with Viking before, we knew that we could expect the best service along with the beauty of the countryside. The Viking ships are perfect, with all the amenities that you would expect from a luxury accommodation but what really sets the cruise apart is the absolutely above and beyond service from the crew and the fresh, local cuisine that is served at every meal. You really feel at the end of the week that the crew have become your friends and family. Not a single member of the staff is ever unfriendly, in an unpleasant mood and always treats you as if they were happy to be waiting on you hand and foot! The cabins are excellent. We have stayed both times with an outside balcony, this year in a one bedroom suite. Here too the service is exquisite, the cabin being cleaned twice a day, morning and night. We have booked another trip in the Spring! Can't wait! Read Less

This was my first Viking Cruise, as well as my first river cruise. Prior to this cruise, I have only been on 2 other cruises. I was traveling with 3 others, that have been on previous Viking river cruises. I will say, if I had been choosing the itinerary, this particular itinerary probably wouldn't have been something I would have chosen. However, I thoroughly enjoy it. We also did the pre-cruise Loire Valley tour. Once we got through the horrific mob of people trying to get through customs at CDG (it took over 2 hours to clear customs, not Viking's fault), and found our Viking rep, we were escorted to our vehicle right away. The driver was just about to exit the airport grounds, when he was called by dispatch to swing back around and pick up to more people. Much to our dismay, after being in a mob of people so long. We just wanted to get to our hotel. Unfortunately, the driver had an issue finding the 2 other passengers, so that was an added 15-20 minutes. Once he found them, we were on our way to the hotel. Thankfully. Check in at the hotel was smooth. Our Viking rep told us everything we needed to know for the next day. We went to our rooms, freshened up and headed out on the streets of Paris. The hotel was in a good location. There was a subway station nearby and plenty of options for lunch. The next morning, we hopped on the bus with our tour guide Carmen and off we went to the Loire Valley. Carmen was an excellent tour guide and the places we visited were wonderful. As was the hotel for our 2nd and 3rd night. On Saturday, we arrived in Bordeaux around 4:00 pm and were greeted by many of the staff, when coming aboard. Including the captain. I can't say enough good things about the staff on the Viking Forseti. Everyone was friendly, helpful, funny, kind, hard working, etc, etc. I was in room 208, with a French Balcony (basically a sliding glass door, so you can stick your head out). The room was super clean, but it is small. Very little room to walk around. Granted, your not in your room much, but tripping over each other, while getting ready in the morning is no fun. However, despite it's small size, we felt there was plenty of storage and closet space for our things. The food was wonderful, except one meal, I felt like the veal was overcooked, but that might just be me. I tend to like my beef med-rare. The wine was free flowing at lunch and dinner. It is a wine cruise, after all. The tours were great and very informative. I learned a lot about French history and French wine making during our trip. No complaints with any of the tour guides. The water level was low, so we did have to take a bus to Cadillac. Viking can't control water levels, so they do the next best thing, by busing us there. It's truly some of the little added things, that are really appreciated. Like water. I drink a lot of water and it was nice not to have to continually buy bottled water. They hand out water each day, when you're headed out on a tour. They provide bottled water in your room. There's water available at the coffee station. And you can also get it from your waiter or bartender. Thank you Viking for keeping me supplied in water. Oh, and then there was the day we came back from a morning tour and the chef was at the door greeting us with little pastries. OMG, the best pastry I had all week. I asked our lunch waiter if he could see if there were any left over (I had just seen the chef headed back to the kitchen) and our waiter came back with a plate full for me. He was my new best friend. Viking truly takes care of everything from the time you get off the plane, until the time you have to get back on the plane. At the Bordeaux airport, they had 2 reps helping us get our boarding passes. My only other minor complaint, is that on some of the tours, I wish we had a little more free time. But, I guess if we were given more free time, then we would be learning less. So, it's a trade off. I can't recommend this cruise enough. Especially, if you're a wine lover. Oh, and initially at looking at the itinerary, I thought that there was going to be too much time spent in Bordeaux. I was wrong. I could have easily spent more time there. It's a beautiful city. I actually like Bordeaux more then Paris. Read Less

Always wanted to visit France's wine country and felt there was no better way to do it than on Viking. Every part of visiting the vineyards was planned by Viking and all we had to do was sit back and enjoy. The tasting were wonderful and varied from vineyard to vineyard. The ships staff was always there to assist you in any manor. The crew took great care of everyone and the dining service was tops; not to mention the food being fantastic. Highly recommend this cruise if you want a nice experience and enjoy wine. There was a minimal amount of cruising; mostly bus transfers to the vineyards. A little taken back by that, but it didn't take much away from the trip. We were docked a majority of the time in Bordeaux , but it was an enjoyable city to wonder around inane had plenty to see and do. Read Less

This cruise was taken with the intent of visiting wineries. If someone is interested in "cruising", then this is not their cruise. There was a little too much emphasis on the city of Bordeaux, a total of 2 1/2 days were spent there, partially because of low river flow and the ship could not travel to one of the destinations. The dining was great: lots of fabulous choices at breakfasts and dinners. Servers were charming and accomodating. Food portions were large and plentiful. The singer & pianist in the lounge who performed before & after dinner were really good--the singer had a fabulous voice. The tour guides varied from excellent to poor' We were lucky that we had the excellent one for three of our tours and the poor one for only one tour. I expected a guide to be able to answer basic questions and the poor guide could not, and she was a French native. The excellent guide had booklets with pictures and sketches showing how people dressed during the times she was talking about. Read Less

Overall the ship and cruise was wonderful, especially the dinner at the chateu that the crew set up. Places that we visited were very nice. The guides that took on the shore trips really know what they were talking about. If possible get into the smallest groups you can, we found that the smaller the group the more interaction there was with the guide and locals and this made the trip more personal and interesting. The wait staff on the ship was great. We really enjoyed the staff to passenger ratio--it was like we had our very own waiter for the entire cruise. Some of the dinner choices were not what was expected--the scallop dinner consisted of what was one scallop cut into thrids. Very small portion and when asked about additional portions we were told that the kitchen was out--poor planning to run out of food. The room cleaning crew left a little to be disired--the rugs in the room looked like they were not vacuumed and the bed side tables were not wiped down for 3 days. When we arrive at the airport to depart France we were told someone from Viking would meet us there--stood in line for 1/2 hour to get boarding pass and never saw anyone from Viking. We were at the airport at 6 AM so maybe they don't get up that early. Read Less

This was our 30 year anniversary celebration so we decided to take the cruise. My wife had never been to France and I really wanted to have a memorable celebration. This cruise provided an intimate setting, great food, great wine, great crew, and so relaxing. The food was wonderful every meal. We got to know several of the staff and actually sat at the same table every evening for dinner. We received the best treatment from everyone. The staff knew us by name and even remembered some of our favorite wines. The food was divine. Perfectly cooked every time and the presentation was fabulous. The chef told us every night what he was preparing and it made the wait delicious and difficult. The planned excursions were very entertaining and exciting. They were well planned and informative. The tour staff were so knowledgeable and helpful. We had plenty of free time to explore on our own. Our cabin was perfect. Always cleaned and well kept. The staff again knew us by name and were very accommodating to our needs. My wife and I would definitely go on this same cruise again. Read Less

This was our 4th Viking cruise. Bordeaux looked interesting. Weather was outstanding if a little warm. Looked forward to wine tasting - was disappointed, although enjoyed the wines on the ship. My wife considers it the best Viking cruise we have taken - probably #3 for me. But greatly enjoyed the trip. Was worth the money. Highly recommend. We came in a day early, choosing our own hotel (a bed and breakfast). Gave us a day to adjust to time change and roam town. Did a bicycle tour of the town. All the included tours were good. We did one optional - tour to St Emilion and wineries. Always liked the free time as always. Good combination from our perspective. Highlight of the tour - boat crew did a dinner evening at a local Bordeaux winery. Good was great, wine was good, just a real treat. Highly recommend this Viking cruise. Read Less