This was my first trip to the Mediterranean, but I had several excellent previous river tours with Viking Cruises. We went directly to the ship when we arrived in Barcelona, transported by Viking. Checking in was not efficient, because it was all done by paper, as opposed to electronically.

The ship is small enough to feel intimate. We had a Veranda room with a balcony. The cabin was spacious. The food was excellent at both the included buffet and restaurant. The specialty restaurants were very good. Onboard activities were limited, but we had only one sea day.

We took a mixture of included excursions and specialty excursions. All were excellent except one. For that one, we received a refund. It is clear that Viking has only just started at these ports, as many of the local guides did not know much about Viking, but they were all excellent guides, and accommodated all guests needs. Excursions I would recommend are the evening of Flamenco dancing, Italy's Art and Architecture in Florence, the tour of the Amalfi Coast in Naples and the Dalmation Coast tour in Dubrovnik. Read more