We chose this cruise because we had been on an ocean cruise and wanted to try something smaller, low key, more personalized with a renowned cruise line, which Viking is! We chose this specific cruise because of the itinerary and the locations we would be visiting. We met the nicest people on board and ended up spending the majority of our time with 4 different couples each from a different state. We all just clicked and it was a first time river cruise for all of us. On a larger ocean cruise with other cruise lines, there would be 4,000 people and more with not much chance of being able to get to know people like we did on this small cruise. The staff was outstanding!!! They all worked so hard to make our trip unforgettable! The waiters was fantastic! We usually sat at the same table for meals and we really got to know the waiters. We had some dietary restrictions and they were extremely accommodating, even coming to me each day to give me the menu and ask what I would like and they would make it gluten free!! They were so funny, charming and always remembered all of our names!! The shore excursions were perfect. We learned so much about the history of where we were. We loved sitting on the top deck locking out over the beautiful green countryside and hills, with all of the beautiful quaint homes, big churches and castles as we rode down the river. Another great experience were the many lock we went through! That was our first time experiencing those and it was fascinating to see how they worked. We highly recommend a river cruise with Viking! It was one of our top vacations ever! Looking forward to doing it again sometime in the near future!