Paris and the Heart of Normandy aboard the Viking Rinda. April 20-27, 2016

OK, we’re not rookies at this… this is our fifth Viking cruise, and this was our least favorite of the batch. Not Viking’s fault, it’s just that this itinerary wasn’t the greatest – the river is tree-lined, not much traffic compared to other rivers. There was one castle (Richard the Lion Hearted), whereas the Danube and Rhine have one every couple of miles, it seems, with more open banks to see the sights. The crew was fine and professional, but former crews made me feel very “long-lost cousin” welcome (sneak you another pudding?) that had me reaching deep into my wallet at the end of the wonderful week. Two memorable visits to Giverny and the D-day beaches, some ordinary towns.

Changes we didn’t appreciate: bring back the bordello lavender soap, you cheapskates! Introduce the crew, for crying out loud! Those dishwashers deserve their moment in the sun, and so do the cooking staff- we’ve had standing ovations in the past for the soup chef and baker….. You’re in France, don’t you think you can get some better wine? I sure can, even if it’s not made by my cousin…. Have a wine tasting, then call ahead to get a few cases of the winners for dinner that night – how hard is that? What happened to the tour the kitchen and shop with the chef? Don’t use liability as an excuse…. There’s some pretty good shopping across the bridge in La Peq – isn’t anyone going to tell the passengers? Maybe a map? Read more