This was our second Viking River cruise and we chose France because we wanted to see more of France. We did the pre-cruise in Paris for 3 nights and the post cruise in Nice for 3 nights. The ports were wonderful. The pace was perfect. We especially like the fact that the shore excursions are a half day and are included in the cruise cost. Also drinks are included. There was plenty of time to relax in the afternoon or go on optional tours if we were interested. Oftentimes, we preferred to relax on the boat and read and rest so we didn't feel like we needed another vacation when we arrived home! The service was the best and the staff made the cruise so memorable. We're thinking about doing our next cruise on a Viking Ocean cruise to the Baltic. Otherwise, we'll look forward to another Viking Cruise - maybe Portugal and Italy.