At the time of our cruise, Paris and the Seine were experiencing some of the worst flooding in decades. We were apprehensive about what might happen. Viking and its wonderful staff went out of their way to make the experience fantastic! They had to juggle itineraries, arrange for transportation, and deal with Mother Nature all at once, yet it was seamless.

The food on board was excellent. While we had plenty of options (dinner, for example, had several nightly specials along with a fixed menu), the selection was easy -- every night I just told the waiter, "Bring me the Chef's recommendations!" I was never disappointed. Breakfast and lunch were also tremendous.

The excursions were well executed, with friendly and well-qualified guides everywhere we went. We booked a trip to the Palace at Versailles, at an additional charge, but arrived to find that the staff at the Palace had gone on strike (the Viking staff, ever alert to these things, warned us the night before that it might happen). I called Viking the first business day after we returned to ask about a refund, and the friendly customer service rep advised that the refund had already been completed -- days before I even called. Read more