We had thought about a Viking Cruise for several years and when A brochure came in the mail and we decided it was time. Our cruise was from Basel Switzerland to Amsterdam. The crew of the Idi was absolutely wonderful. In a day, most staff had learned our names. The service was superb, as was the food. The included shore excursions were all very well run and interesting. The activities director as well as the hotel manager of the ship were exceedingly professional helpful welcoming and more than willing to help a first time traveler. The ship was absolutely modern and extremely clean. The wines and beer served with meals was excellent. We met several other couples with whom we have continued to correspond. This vacation ranks as one of the top two of our lives! We have booked for the Nuremberg to Budapest Danube Cruise this Fall and can’t wait. Read Less

My husband and I loved many things about our Viking river cruise. Having under 200 passengers onboard was so much better than 2000! We sat with different folks at meals, so we met many wonderful people. The food, service, cabins, and public areas were exceptional! The evening activities were fun and varied. We loved the cities we visited and the pace of activities was just right.... No being herded like cattle, plenty of free time, etc. My husband even liked standing on our balcony watching as the Idi passed through locks on the Rhine! The excursions at the ports were great. Our favorite was an all-day tour of Strasbourg, France with a guide named Audry. There were 18 of us and we shopped at bread stores, pastry shops, cheese stores, chocolate shops, and wine shops for items we later ate. We toured the Petite France section of Strasbourg which is beyond beautiful. We plan to travel the Danube next... Read Less

Chose cruise since destination, Ukraine, was of interest and itinerary looked interesting. Big mistake. The cruise tried to make a lot out of very little. Balance was wrong, started with 3 days in Odessa,very little to see and ended with only a day and a half in Kiev, a much more interesting city. Very poor and over exaggerated included tours. Day ! Panoramic Odessa. only two buildings of note, lots of statues to people never heard of. Afternoon Odessa Catacombs, interesting tour to site of W W 2 resistance fighters H Q Day 2 Akkerman Fortress Did not go since it entailed 4 hours driving for 40 minute visit. not worth effort, As it happened, rain caused 5 hour journey and only 20 mins at fort Day 3 odessa Art museum -hot stuffy and not very interesting Day 4 Kherson, Cradle of Black Sea Fleet Tour consisted of 3 statues, 1 church and a market of 4 stalls selling tourist tat Day 5 Zaporozhe Higlights Another dull town Drove over a Hydro Electric Dam Visit to Cossack fort, very Interesting. Afternoon Cossack horse show .typical tourist show but quite entertaining Day 6 Dnipro Highlights Museum and church Afternoon visit to art centre. Long drive for very little Day 7Kremenchug Prospectves and Home Hosted Visit .Obligatory statue stop, Drove via power station and oil refinery to visit village. Brochure promised " Ukranian Dumplings, Vaenkyk , home baked bread and local fruit and vegetables .Stood in garden for 40 minutes, given weak fruit juice and sugar pastry! Day 8 Panoramic Kiev and Monastery. Rushed through main cathedral, hardly time to see anything Visit to caves even less time after tiring walk Day 8 Most interesting day . Visit to Pirogovo Folk architecture museum If you want to see dull towns numerous statues and hear endless stories of Nazi/Russian/Roumanian atrocities this is th trip for you' On the plus side, the cabins are spacious and comfortable, the service is excellent. Food is average and below the standard of other cruises we have been on. Entertainment is very poor. A resident pianist and synthesiser. Outside entertainment was only shown on one night. We felt this cruise was not over enthusiasticlly described Read Less

We received a mailer sent to someone else at our address that we have lived at for 40 years and we have always said that we wanted to return to Europe for a river cruise so it was a God thing. The ship and staff were great. The food was also great and they catered to my wife's gluten free needs always. The Shore excursions were vary informative and well planned. We added two extra excursions ( Cheese Making and My personnel favorite the WWII outing). We are talking about taking a Alaska Cruise with my brothers and their wives for our next trip. The ship, staff, dining and entertainment were great with the staff wanting to take care of our needs and desires. We have told many friends about our trip and how much fun we had and some are looking into booking a similar trip. Thank you for a wonderful time. Read Less

This was our first river cruise. We were on the Viking Idi sailing June 27, 2018 from Amsterdam to Basel. Since this was our first river cruise after many ocean cruises on other lines, we did not know what to expect as to the food. Breakfast was super....many choices and all were tasty and served quickly. As to lunch and dinner....another story. We are not "foodies" and not very particular, but the lack of selection was surprising. Only 2 daily menu selections for main course and several nights there was nothing we liked! Beef stew was one night....really? Another surprise was the lack of German dishes (except for one night at the end of the cruise). Then you had a myriad of yummy German dishes. Wish they would have spread them out and have at least one each evening. We were on the Rhine for goodness sake. One night shrimp curry was the feature! Bland at best. Wait staff attentive, pouring house wines and beer liberally. Apparently this ship was beef challenged...rib eye, sirloin and burgers were tough or over cooked. When a chef came to our table and asked about the meal one evening, I told him about the steak. Several people at out table agreed that it was barely edible. He turned on his heel and walked off! The included tours were good but when the cruise director had her briefing on the next port, it was hard for us ( having never been on a ship that had included tours) to know if what she was describing was "included" or "optional". I suggested making that clearer, but it never changed during the 8 days. Eventually we figured that every morning tour (but one) was "included". They never changed our bed linens the whole week. That was a surprise as well. We used Viking air and came in one day prior to the cruise and stayed in a hotel of our choosing so we did not get a transfer to the ship. We could stow our luggage as early as 8 am and we boarded easily at 9:30am. Then we walked on our own to a canal tour boat very close to the dock. Transfer from the ship to the airport in Basel was great. We had a private cab due to our flight departure time I guess and were met at the airport by a Viking rep who took us to the correct check in spot! That was a nice touch. The actual voyage was very interesting....sailing down the Rhine and viewing people at small beaches, cows and horses at other beach areas....houses, castles, locks and a variety of river traffic made for enjoyable sights. Returning from the daily tours, staff greeted us with a small glass of something refreshing. Another nice touch! We thoroughly enjoyed the trip, but agreed that a river cruise was just not for us. We are booked on a Viking ocean cruise in the Med in March of 2019 and hope that Viking has the same level of service on board, but better food selections! Read Less

This was our first Viking Cruise and my first trip abroad! As we began researching cruises, we always came back to Viking because of what they offered. Needless to say, Viking exceeded our expectations! From the minute we landed in Amsterdam until our departure in Lucerne, we were taken care of and all we did was enjoy EVERYTHING! The ship Idi was perfect! The size was perfect and not overwhelming. The staff, and I mean everyone onboard was friendly and made sure you were taken care of. The food was always wonderful and the selection of what and where to eat was great! Making new friends and enjoying good conversations was so enjoyable around meal time! Our favorite night was when we were going through the locks and eating outside. And of course the sunsets were absolutely beautiful! Our cabin was perfect and we loved the balcony outside our room. We would come back to the room and enjoy a glass of wine and talk about our day as we continued to watch the sunset which was well after 9pm! Our cabin was always stocked and prepared to our liking by our steward. The ports and shore excursions are why we chose this cruise. We loved every excursion we did. The guides are what made it special for us! They drew you in to their country and made you feel so welcome. The history they gave to us was amazing and their passion for what they did and where they live was incredible! We sure had a lot of laughs along the way with our fellow cruisers! Amsterdam and Basel we wonderful extensions and would recommend adding to this cruise! We have already booked another cruise for 2020!! Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the sampling of Europe for our first European trip and from the advertising and reviews we had researched. The marketing is outstanding.The service, detailed organization and over all quality was amazing.we were pleased with the excursions offered and especially with the knowledge, expertise and humor of the guides that were contracted. We learned a great deal of history and laughed a lot! We were extremely pleased with the staff and their attention to detail. They went above and beyond to see that we were well taken care of. The food was delicious and a variety of options were made available to us at each meal. We enjoyed the casual elegant style of this atmosphere. We were not required to dress formally yet all were on a casual but tasteful manner. We can’t wait until our next trip! We will always cruise with Viking after this fabulous experience. Read Less

We chose this cruise because both my husband and I have German ancestors. My father actually left Germany when he was in his teens. We wanted to do something special for our 50th wedding anniversary, and we thought this cruise would be perfect! We thoroughly enjoyed our time aboard the ship with its laid-back atmosphere. Since it is much smaller than the cruise ships we had been on before, we got to meet many nice people. The food was exceptional, each day having a choice of local cuisine or more Americanized entrees, such as salmon and chicken. The crew was very pleasant and helpful. The program director went out of her way to make arrangements for us to meet up with my cousin and her husband who live in Augsburg, Germany. The only negative comment we have is that it was a lot of walking for older people. Most of the shore tours were walking tours of the different towns. We learned a great deal from our guides; but after the tour, all we wanted to do was get back to the ship and rest. This is a great tour for anyone who is in good shape and can walk long distances. Some of the tours required walking up very steep hills. Our 70+ year-old legs and feet were not prepared for such strenuous walking. We spent an extra day in Amsterdam prior to the cruise and two extra days in Lucerne at the end of the cruise. Both cities, although very different, offered us a variety of things to explore. Read Less

This was our second river cruise with Viking and it was a last minutes deal that our travel agent sent our way and we took it. Our flight arrangements were great. Los Angeles to Amsterdam round trip nonstop flights on KLM Airlines. We added a pre-cruise two nights trip to Lucerne. And it was a surprise that Viking had some one picked up the two of us from Zurich airport and drove us to our hotel in Lucerne in a black Mercedes E class sedan. The river cruise is nice with so many point of interests within walking distance from the docking locations. We explored Breisach, Kehl, and Rudesheim on our own. The crew member were courteous and helpful. The food and wine were delicious. That included Riesling was just great so we took an optional Moselle Wine Tasting trip to experience more. We made friends with two other couples. They were our dining mates and we had a great time. We booked Viking Mediterranean Odyssey for 2019 and looking forward to it. Read Less

We had never seen these countries before and this was our 2nd Viking cruise. Spent two days at beautiful Lake Lucerne before the cruise. A beautiful city, in which, we took many amazing photos. We enjoyed the relaxation of a river cruise and the extra special service of the staff. The cabin was extremely clean and the bed was very comfortable. The staff really went out of their way to keep us enjoying every minute of our trip. The chef also deserves credit for preparing exceptional dinners and buffets. It's very easy to put on more weight. This trip we traveled with 4 of our friends (first time they had gone on a river cruise), had great adventures and so much fun. We went on several shore excursions, even danced at the restaurant in Rudesheim am Rhein. We took many photos of the 20 castles we passed along the Rhine. We would love to take another Viking cruise. Read Less

We choose this tour because we wanted to get a introduction into Germany. This was a great way to do it. The Rhine river is wonderful to cruise and there are so many awesome sights to see and to experience. The crew welcomed us in Amsterdam and they very quickly made us feel like family. We looked forward to seeing them every day. The meals served on ship were very good with a great variety. The time went so fast. I was disappointed when, after I toured the wheelhouse, where the captain showed me how the ship operated, that he would not let me pilot the ship. The tours were great.Every stop, made me realize that I could go back and spend more time and that there was more to see. Even before the tour was over, we were thinking of going on another cruise next year. My special request to Viking is to let the crew of the Idi take me to where I go. Read Less

Choose cruise on a whim and reputation. We opted for a veranda suite and were very pleased we did; beautiful accommodations, view, cleaning service service, even laundry. Fridge was restocked daily with beer wine and soft drinks. Crew was excellent; friendly, fun and available for any assistance. Several crew members went out of their way to be helpful and responsive to our needs, Food was high quality and delicious with lots of variety. Met lots of new friends from all over the world. Dinners were really fun and 24/7 coffee/cookie station well used. The destinations and excursions were well planned, organized, interesting and very impressive. Guides were very skilled. Of note is just how clean the European places we visited are kept. The ship size was perfect with just about 200 guests allowing for plenty of space and no waiting in lines. We could easily enjoy a longer cruise we discovered, and are hopeful to soon (a year or two) go on another; perhaps the Danube for 15 days. Read Less

This cruise was a wonderful opportunity to visit some special, smaller areas of Germany and France in a relaxed, easy and comfortable manner. We thoroughly enjoyed Colmar and Strasbourg with the colorful buildings and winding streets. It was so nice to be able to get off the boat and just walk around the river port areas and towns, and we always felt very safe. The boat itself was extremely compact, clean and comfortable with everything we needed and the staff were friendly and very accommodating. The dining room menu had a good variety of options at all meals, with plenty of simple and quick items also available on the small buffet at breakfast and lunch. Having just one dining seating time and not the huge overabundance of food (as on the large ocean ships) was perfect. It was nice to get everyone together in the lounge for our nightly overviews, hear about everyone's day and then proceed to dinner. The musical entertainment was mellow and not overpowering and the game nights were fun. This is our style, as was the casual attire and general atmosphere, although the dining room was top notch as far as service, tableware, etc. The included wine and beer was very, very nice and made things so easy. We could have a single glass of wine and not feel like we were wasting the rest of the bottle. There was always a nice view while dining. We enjoyed time on deck when sailing to see the scenery -- the cute little towns, the locks and bridges, houses and churches, churches everywhere! The day we were viewing the Rhine castles, it POURED rain!!! The nice, large canopy on the top deck gave us brave souls a place to view and photograph and still stay relatively dry. Others enjoyed the view from the lounge or their balconies. The dining staff even came up on deck and braved the storm with welcome cups of hot cocoa!!! On another warmer day they appeared with glasses of iced water. The bottles of water as we went off on tours each day were a nice touch, as were the little treats we'd get as we were welcomed back on board each day. The coffee stations with the pastry and cookie items were way too tempting. We enjoyed all our excursions, but did feel just a bit rushed at the Black Forest and in Heidelberg. We would definitely have liked more time in Heidelberg. Rudesheim was simply adorable, and it would have been nice to arrive there earlier in the day to be able to take the ferry across the river and the gondola up to the monument. On the other hand, we felt we had too much time in Cologne. The walking tour was brief and we had things we were able to see and do on our own, but as we were not interested in beer hall hopping, the day turned out to be more "relaxing" than we planned. Of course, I guess we were there in Cologne on some sort of holiday, so a lot of museums and things were closed down. Overall it was a spectacular trip. Our Lake Como precruise extension was fantastic, and we had a wonderful tour director there and enjoyed our excursions and free time. It was a great way to get acclimated and in to the whole vacation mindset, plus become acquainted with the smaller group of people before boarding the ship a few days later. Our stop in Lucerne on the drive to Basel was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. I would have liked to have known about it when we booked the Como extension, but Viking could only tell me that we'd stop "somewhere" for lunch between Como and Basel. We stayed on in Amsterdam on our own for several days, and then flew on to Munich for a few days before heading home. Viking made those flight arrangements for us. Although we had to manage getting to hotels and the airports and other transportation on our own, it was a lot of fun, too. It might have been nice to be able to add on the walking tour in Amsterdam the day we disembarked there, but we were told that was not possible. We had planned to do this Rhine cruise last year, and we're so happy we followed through and went on it this year. We'd definitely consider doing another Viking cruise itinerary, and the Egypt tour sounds very, very tempting! Read Less

We picked this cruise because it gave us a chance to experience Europe with the convenience of not having to change hotel rooms every day. Wow, were we ever pleased! We spent a few days in Amsterdam, giving us a chance to explore the city. The seven days aboard the ship were fantastic. The ship and crew were top notch. The cabins clean and well maintained. The food was very good on board and it was delightful to enjoy local establishments on some of our evening excursions. The daily excursions were great with wonderful local guides providing history and giving us some local insight. We also extended our trip through Switzerland (via the Glacier Express) to Zermatt and the Matterhorn before ending in Geneva. A great addition, if you have a chance to experience this adventure. Above all, I must say that Viking pays close attention to detail and the needs of their customers. We will book again with Viking. Read Less

We had wanted to cruise the Rhine River for years and decided not to put it off any longer. Wise decision. The cruise, the staff and the sites were wonderful. Once we boarded, the Idi lived up to our expectations. The staff and cruise director were wonderful. Someone was always at your fingertips if you needed something. The talks on board were extremely informative and the game nights were fun. We especially enjoyed the shore excursions. I have problems with my knees (two knee replacements) and on almost every excursion, there was a tour for those of us who had trouble keeping up with the other groups. We were able to walk at a slower pace, enjoying the views along the way, and if we needed a break, all we had to do was ask! Extremely appreciated! I cannot say enough about the food onboard. It was beautifully and tastefully prepared and we ate way too much food! Our post-cruise stay in Lucerne, Switzerland was beautiful. I will definitely go back to Switzerland and include Lucerne in my itinerary! We absolutely loved this cruise and wouldn't mind taking it again. My only negative aspect about this cruise was that we were booked into the Radisson Blu in Amsterdam. They have a 2-3 inch high marble lip going into the bathroom with no warning signs or anything to highlight this tripping hazard. It is the same color as the bathroom floor and is not easily seen. I, like many of my fellow travelers, stumped their toes on this lip with resulting bruises, broken nails, etc. My fall resulted in a split forehead just above the eye and a trip to the emergency room. Either the Radisson should fix this problem or Viking should change hotels in Amsterdam. Read Less

My husband and I periodically travel with a group of British car enthusiasts. This year we boarded the Viking Idi for a cruise up the Rhine River. There were excursions to Strasbourg, France, Germany (Cologne, Heidelberg, Koblenz, and Breisach) and the Netherlands. The rooms were clean and updated; service was good; and the food very tasty. I have 2 issues. My husband and I are traveling with 42 other people from the States. We arrived at Zurich Airport at different times. We were to be met by Viking reps and escorted to the hotel in Lucerne, Switzerland. When my husband and I approached the shuttle bus driver, he rudely reproached us; advised us that it was not his problem we didn't have a ride to the hotel; and told us to catch a cab! He closed the door and would not let us board the shuttle. The second issue is the poor wi-fi service. Viking has made a business decision not to make a capital investment in high speed internet to the detriment of its guests. Here are my comments on that: The wifi is so slow dial-up called and wanted to know what was keeping it. The wifi is so slow, a google search for Viking cruise returned no results because the term Viking doesn’t yet exist. The wi fi is so bad it should be called why bother. I complained about the service and was offered 2 vouchers toward a future cruise. The vouchers were sent as an attachment to an email. When I advised the Viking rep that I could not open the attachment, his response was that Viking could not re-send the vouchers in another format. If you want to be connected during your cruise, don't sail the Viking Idi. Read Less

First class all the way. Fair priced. Cabin clean and comfortable. Food was excellent. Off ship tours exciting and informative. Service was excellent. Ship was clean comfortable well-laid laid out and had all the appointments you could ask for. Great views from cabin and lounge. staff was outstanding and sociable and paid attention to the smallest detail and very helpful. Well there was no workout room the upper deck did allow for walking. Enjoyed the visit to the bridge with the caption explaining how the ship operated. Maybe a pool or jacuzzi would be a good addition. like the fact that the ship moved at night so we had maximum time in ports four places we wanted to see. The in Port tours we're very well laid out and the tour guides were very knowledgeable. Like the fact that some days we were able to walk to the tour and other days we took a first class bus. Read Less

This was my first Viking and river cruise! It was amazing! We loved so many things about this cruise, the service, dining, cabin and the shore excursions were all fantastic! The staff - super friendly from the minute we arrived, they treated us like Queens! From day one they knew the cocktails we liked... The pace of the activities were just right... Shore Excursions were top class, the guides were great and you could tell they knew what they were talking about. We had free time to explore on our own. Getting on and off the ship was easy and fast... No long waits, they held our luggage at the ship when arriving and departing with no issues. The great thing about this cruise was everything was included in the price (except the gratuity of course) ... Even though it was a year ago we went on this cruise I am still thinking about it and can't wait for our next Viking cruise! Read Less

Having been a veteran of Caribbean cruises on the large and mega ships, we had the opportunity to travel with a group of about 45 cabins on the Rhine River Cruise with Viking. It was an entirely different experience from what we were used to. It is much more intimate with approx 90 cabins. The check-in process was so quick, I didn't realize that it was complete. The interior was very sleek and clean. Light wood furniture and trim. Small areas to sit and relax. Lots of sunlight throughout the boat since there are no inside cabins. There was a nice bright dining room and an inside/outside dining area that was more casual. There was a partially covered sundeck on the entire top of the boat. The staff all got to know us on this voyage since there were so few people. No lines to wait in. No trouble finding seating for entertainment. The staff was 99% excellent or very good. Just one or two waiters that seemed a bit less experienced. They accommodated our large group with private receptions/parties very nicely. Having the wine and beer included with lunch and dinner was very nice! No big bar bills at the end of the cruise. The food was very nice. Varied choices, prepared well and served well. Included were excursions on every stop that were included in the prices of the cruise. They were generally more historical and educational overall. So if you just wanted to party 24/7, this is not the cruise for you. However, we did party quite a bit but in a more "mature" way! lol The scenery while cruising was gorgeous. The ports were all really fun and enjoyable. We were escorted to all tours. Overall, I would say most all the tours involved a moderate amount of walking on uneven surfaces. Not for the frail or physically limited. However, there were a couple of tours listed specifically for those that were mobility restriced in some way. The whole atmosphere was generally informal. Nicer casual outfits for dinner but no formal nights. Some of the entertainment on board was very fun, the pianist wasn't very versatile. We had a day and a half in Amerstam before sailing. That easily could have been longer and this was a wonderful city. Everyone bikes or walks. Bikes do have the right away so be very alert! We went to the Keukenhof Gardens which were amazing!!!!! Post cruise we went to Lucerne, Switzerland for 3 days. I fell in love with this city. Everyone walks. It's very old and historic. The river runs right thru the middle of town with covered bridges and restaurants lining each side of the water. Just outside the city is the rural farms and mountains with snow tops and beautiful waterfalls. We were there in late April and we have fantastic weather! People were friendly everywhere we went. Most everywhere was very clean and no overweight people. Everyone walks for bikes everywhere. What a great way to live.! Read Less

This was bucket list item we had talked about for years. It was the most wonderful cruise imaginable. We were treated very well by the staff and crew. There is nothing I can think of that wasn't readily available. The shore excursions were great, well thought out and well orchestrated. Buses were clean and very comfortable. Each port was better than advertised in the brochure. The ship showed no wear from over use and was also incredibly clean.The meals were fit for a gourmet. Breakfast offerings were too numerous to mention. Lunches were very good and usually of a lighter variety. Suppers were outstanding, a great deal of local food is offered. I actually loved some of the local cuisine. The bar met every drink requirement. We spent two days in Amsterdam before the cruise. It also was better than billed. The Hotel Okura, a five star rated hotel was convenient to all Amsterdam had to offer. We will definitely be back on another Viking Cruise. Read Less

I chose this trip because I had not cruised on the Rhine River. The countries we visited such as Switzerland, Germany, France, and The Netherlands were breath-taking. Some of the excursions included visiting castles, cathedrals, a cheese factory, and Windmills - all of which was the first time to experience these landmarks. The food on the river boat was rated a #10 by me - never ever a bad meal. The food was so fresh. The breads and pastries where simply delicious. Wine and beer were served at lunch and dinner, without any additional charge. We flew into Basel, Switzerland a couple of days before our departure so we could take in the sites of the area. We made a day trip to Lucerne, Switzerland. The golden Round Trip with Lake Cruise to Mount Pilatus. While there we rode a cogwheel train, which is the world's steepest cog railway between Alpnachstad and the summit of the Pilatus. We also rode a gondola which gave us panoramic view of the mountains. While in Lucerne we took a self-guided tour of the Musegg Wall which its nine towers which forms part of the Lucerne's historic fortifications. Once our cruise was completed in Amsterdam, we stayed an extra couple of days to visit some of the well known areas. Cruising through the canals on a canal cruise dinner boat was very refreshing and romantic. The Flower Market was quite enjoyable to walk through. Seeing the Ann Frank house is a must. The entire personnel on the river boat was there to meet every need for me. This is the second river cruise and both cruises were fantastic. I plan to go on another river cruise, maybe to Russia, in the near future. I love Viking Cruise Lines. Read Less

We travel quite extensively and are use to making our own travel plans. It was really nice to let someone else organize and plan things for a change. We still got to pick what we wanted to do and when, but ALL the details are taking care of for you. The staff on the ship were also quite personable and learned your likes and dislikes by the 2nd day. We really felt there attentive service but it was how special they made you feel that really made the difference. The views along the Rhine could not be beat. Definitely one of the most scenic! It was so spectacular and to be able to sit up on the observation deck with a glass of the famous German wine in hand and watch the world go by was beyond words. Viking River Cruises provided one of the most relaxing and enjoyable vacations that we have ever been on! Read Less

We were looking for a trip that allowed the maximum amount of experience and time to spend together. Four couples in our late 50's to early 60's (pre-retirement). We were celebrating 30 plus years of friendship and the duration of our friendships and relationships. This experience brought out the best in all of us, and that was certainly the goal of Viking Cruises. I can't think of a better cruise experience, ever up to this point. I look forward to the next! We especially liked sailing out of Amsterdam, and are extremely glad that we came in two days early to experience that European jewel. Great people, and tremendous time in preparation for our cruise. We spent one day extra in Basel on the backend, which was also fantastic. The precision and pace of each daily tour experience was exceptional. The variety of choices and the locations were superior. Finally, I can't say enough about the service. We had an exceptional wait staff at dinner that made the week really fun! I can't think of a better way for small groups like ours to vacation together. Viking spoiled us all, and we loved it. Read Less

We selected this cruise, our third Viking Cruise, because of the great experiences we had on our iking Mekong River and Seine River cruises. From the moment we stepped aboard the Idi, a beautifully decorated boat as well as well laid out/designed we felt we were on a "special boat". Our treatment expectations from the crew were quickly exceeded. Every crew member we encountered always gave us the impression they were enjoying their job, which made us enjoy our cruise even more (no negative vibes). Within 24 hours of being aboard the wait staff were calling us by our names and remembering our drink preferences. Such treatment made us quickly "fell at home among friends". They listened when we told them about ourselves and would bring up bits of that information when they conversed with us. For example, I am a retired Navy Captain. So, every time a staff member greeted me they would greet me as "Captain", which for me was greatly appreciated. The excursions are quite entertaining, well planned, and focus on highlights of each place we were berthed. For excursions all we had to do was queue on time and bring our listening device. Easy! Food aboard the Idi was superb. Whether we dined in the main dining room or chose the more casual environment forward of the lounge the meals were always enjoyable. Evenings were relaxing in the lounge. Some evenings the Idi provided local entertainment, others we sat and listened to the piano player. The game nights were very entertaining. The Rhine River cruise excceded our expectations. We've already booked ocean cruises with Viking in 2018 and 2019. Read Less

My sister and I chose a Viking Cruise because it seemed relaxing. I was not at all imterested in a big “party” cruise. We upgraded to a Veranda Suite and found it very comfortable, The dining was lovely, with a variety of food options which made it easier for my sister with food allergies to find something she could eat. The ship was clean and well maintained. The shore excursion were delightful. I most enjoyed the Kinderdijk day and th Eherenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz. My only complaint is that we arrived in Amsterdam too tired to really enjoy the city. We also left Basel very early in the morning and never got to see it. If Amsterdam is a priority then I would suggest arriving a day or two early. likewise, if you want to see Basel you should stay an extra day or two. I enjoyed my first Viking Cruise so much that I’ve already book another cruise for 2018 for the Danube Waltz cruise. I hope also to take one of the Russian cruises in 2019. I’ve never had such a delightful and relaxing vacation. Read Less