Our fifth Viking Cruise and we were not disappointed. Embarkation in Lyon and disembarkation in Avignon went as smoothly as in the past. The Longship and our cabin were clean, comfortable, beautifully designed with no wasted space, excellent natural and artificial lighting and very functional (although you cannot connect your i-Pod into the cabin's sound system). The entertainment and cultural programs were very good (including the on-board piano player "Blondie") and were generally provided by local artisans and talent. The included daily excursions were interesting and informative with local guides that were impressive. We also took the optional chief's cooking class in Avignon that turned out to be more fun than I expected courtesy of my wife. As always the service was excellent and it was the opinion of my wife, myself and our fellow passengers that we spoke to that there has never been a bad meal served on a Viking River vessel. (This cruise being no exception - Chateaubriand, Escargot and Creme Brulee.) We have taken 3 ocean cruises (non-Viking) and 3 land cruises (each of the 6 were enjoyed) but the odds are that our next adventure will be another Viking cruise.