We wanted to go to places on this cruise. We were also intrigued by the smaller ship. We could not have been more pleased. This is my third river cruise and my favorite favorite. We were able to get too know more of the people. People did not seem to stay in the same group the entire cruise but mingled with others people. The crew was very visible and could not have been nicer. The program director was great! I would recommend this cruise to everyone. The places were delightful. We had a mix of larger and smaller cities. The cruise ship is decorated beautifully. When there was a task to be done such as taking our luggage off, the entire crew pitched in, including the captain and everyone. The golf hole on the top deck was a good distraction. We were scheduled for the Viking Beyla but it had been used on the other end of the river because the Astrid could not sail because of the depth of the water,. The entertainment was excellent and appropriate for the places we visited,.