I liked the itinerary as I had never been to the ports we docked at. The larger cities and smaller ones, especially in Norway, were great. The ship was spotless and every need was satisfied. The included excursions were well received. The optional excursion in St Petersburg was great as it included the Errmitage, which is amazing. We felt that the cost of an optional excursion in Berlin was excessive so we went on-line and made our own arrangements. The train to Berlin from the port was not air conditioned and it was a VERY hot day. No one was comfortable during the three hours back to the ship. We were also delayed in leaving the station because one of the buses was delayed arriving back at the station.

We ate at all of the food venues, including the upscale ones, and I was impressed with all of them. The entertainment was not the same as on larger cruise ships, but generally professional and entertaining. Our cabin attendant made sure that our cabin was always spotless. He was very cordial and professional. The bathroom was larger than I expected, including the shower. The embarkation and disembarkation process were handled perfectly.

The extra charge for flying early in order to have two extra days in Stockholm was unreasonable, as was the posted price for two extra days in a hotel in Stockholm. We went on-line and made our own arrangements for 35% less. The overall experience was great. It was my 7th cruise, but first with Viking. I would travel with Viking again.