Just back from a Grand European Tour our fourth cruise with Viking. Our first was in 2004 (France) and most recent 2010 (Christmas markets). They have come a very long way. The Skadi (one of their "longships") was magnificent. The crew was outstanding--friendly, helpful and eager to please. Dan--the program manager--did a great job in making changes on the fly to accommodate passengers on tours. The chef was outstanding. Explained the menu each evening and frequently offered special treats. Food was wonderful with lots of local specials. Good itinerary with some excellent tours. Especially enjoyed the beer culture/brauhouse crawl in Cologne.

But---some negatives. Viking is a victim of its own success and as a result of so many ships competed for dock space we spent a lot of time moored to another ship. That meant we could not enjoy our veranda and had to keep the curtains closed. Made the dining room gloomy.

Some suggestions--one, Viking needs to upgrade its loyalty program to better reward its repeat customers. A brief cocktail party and a couple of free shot glasses doesn't do it. Read more