Best cruise I have been on so far. The new ship Viking Star is beautiful and very comfortable- I loved every room with a balcony and the heated bathroom floor. The crew goes out of their way to do anything to make your cruise more enjoyable. Ex. my wife has celiac and the chef made a batch of gluten free cookies and had them delivered to our room. The guest speakers are top notch, including the former us ambassador to Iraq. There is no crowding, 900 passengers on a 50,000 ton ship, it seemed deserted at times - no waiting ,no lines, no noise. The food was great and custom made if you wanted. We had great shore excursions with knowledgable guides. We went in Feb and were the only cruise ship in every port- no crowds. The weather was pleasant 50 to 70 degrees. This is a cruise for mature travelers who want quality, comfort, and an unhurried vacation. Viking is easily the best cruise value out there. I was surprised about the economic situation in both Italy and Spain. Rampant unemployment , crumbling infrastructure and an overall look of decay. Naples to be honest seemed like a dirty slum - I would never go back there. As we traveled west through the Med the port cities gradually got nicer with Valencia Spain the best. This is not a knock on Viking, they did everything they could but can not control the countries condition. We saw interesting sites and had the best cruise experience and are looking to book a river cruise soon.