We chose Viking based on what others have said at work. Our other 7 cruises have been with Royal Caribbean and when our friends asked us to compare the two, we simply told them that there was no comparison. Viking was superior in every aspect of the cruise. The first night was especially memorable since the ship headed into Hurricane/Tropical Storm Phillipe off the East coast. The ocean was extremely rough and many many of the passengers and crew were sick. Difficult times like this bring out the true character of a ship and its crew and Viking was totally up to the challenge and task at hand. The next few days after the storm, we did not hear a single disparaging remark, only praise. We feel that the attitude and professionalism of the crew, the spacious staterooms with many small amenities not found on other cruise lines, excellent food, had contributed to a truly delightful experience. In the future, we will sail exclusively with Viking on both river and ocean cruises.