We chose this cruise because we love big boat cruising, but had heard so many good things about river cruises that we wanted to try one ourselves. We were not disappointed! We were greeted by a Viking representative at the airport who took charge of everything - and their reps continued to manage our every need through the entire trip. . . wonderful personal attention! We stayed in Berlin for 3 days and were assisted by the same staff member who traveled on the cruise with us and then accompanied us to Prague post-cruise. With 90 people on board, in one day, the staff knew our names, our drink preferences, our medical issues, etc., etc. And, most importantly, made any accomodations necessary to meet our needs. The trip was glorious - beautiful places, lovely food and easy travel arrangements. We still enjoy the big boats - the two experiences are impossible to compare - very different experiences. We will definitely travel with Viking again!