We chose this tour because of the itinerary. It was exactly what we were looking for, and it turned out to been even better than we could have imagined. First the ship and Viking - nothing was left to chance. The excursions were especially impressive. Every one was timed perfectly, with excellent guides. We learned so much in every port. On board ship, the Port Talks were an excellent resource to prepare us for our visits. Getting off and back on the ship always went smoothly, and finding our tours was always easy due to the numerous support personnel organized to guide us.

Our cabin was well designed, and the crew provided great care. The variety of restaurants, all of which were wonderful, made sure meals would never be dull. The afternoon tea was icing on the cake.

Back to the itinerary; we took the "Viking Homelands" cruise. I had researched the ports of call before we went, and I had high expectations for 75% of our stops. As it turned out, I was amazed that each and every port was interesting, exciting and a pure delight. Additionally, as I mentioned, the guides were tops. They were knowledgeable and very open, answering all questions completely, adding personal experiences were helpful.