This was not our first cruise, but we were still very excited to be on this ship for one of the maiden voyages. We are a retired couple and were looking for comfort, luxury, good food, and interesting places to visit. Knowing it was your first ocean going cruise, we expected a few minor issues as you worked through the transition from River Cruising to oceans. Overall, the Viking Star and crew lived up to expectations (and our expectations were very high!)

Points to Consider - on embarkation, consider the positioning of guides on board ship to help you find your stateroom (or point out the stairs/elevators) for the first time. And organize the embarkation sign-in table by alphabetical groupings, rather than the free-for-all system that you used in Bergen - it was chaos at the tables! Let passengers know on arrival to expect a cabin briefing from their valet - we stumbled about for 20 mins trying to turn on lights until our man showed up! Consider putting clocks in all staterooms. For Berlin excursion - far too rushed in one day - consider an "overnighter" in Berlin. The Disembarkation letter for those of us leaving the ship before 7 am was VERY confusing about where and when to meet. Although the quality of food was very good, there did not seem to be any difference in breakfast offerings for the entire trip. There were many choices, but they were all the same every day - maybe mix it up a bit in the World Café in the mornings.

Points for Praise - port transfers, individualized cruise brochure, ship decor, ambiance, ALL crew, food, facilities, public spaces, on-board programs and excursions - all excellent. Your "included" excursion guides (except for one) were very good - knowledgeable, easy to understand and very informative! The Iceland extension was also very good - from airport transfer to accommodations, tours and guide.