Third and last Viking cruise. Scheduled for the Var, boarded the Kara instead and then after a couple days packed and boarded the Tor. High water was again the reason given although the competitor Thomas Hardy made it just fine. Viking must be cutting back as staff on both vessels seemed tired, overworked and not chipper. Christmas markets seemed redundant and that is why Viking is no longer offering their Christmas in Germany. Our fellow passengers were not thrilled as well. One day we arrived in Koblenz, the shops were closed and we had to leave before the market opened. Very strange planning. We spent a couple of days in Frankfurt in lieu of Miltenberg and Wurzburg, two charming sounding towns. Because of the route change, we spent an inordinate amount of time in buses. The weather was unpleasant, no fault of Viking, but we were only able to spend a couple of dreary hours on the top of the ship, that area that looks so charming on Viking commercials. What else....it would be so nice if the food served was reflective of the area in which we were traveling. While a half-hearted attempt was made, it was just that, half-hearted. The wine served with meals was very cheap and with Vikings buying power they could do better. Now the positives, the tour guides were collectively outstanding, well selected, charming and knowledgeable. That is obviously a major component of a cruise and this exceeded our expectations. Finally, Germany is so steeped in history, it exudes charm, locals are congenial and it is a wonderful destination.