We had heard good things about Viking Cruises from friends who had enjoyed them in the past and decided on the French wine country cruise through Bordeaux. We were amazed at the high level of service from the get-go as Viking representatives met us upon our arrival at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. They took care of our ground transportation and even helped with our luggage. Since we'd added the pre-trip through the Loire Valley we were driven to a nice hotel in Paris where we were met by the Viking concierge who went over all of the details regarding these first three days in France. We took advantage of our free time to do some sight-seeing including visiting Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower and strolling along the banks of the Seine River and enjoying some wonderful French cuisine. The following morning, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast and then made our way to our tour bus, which was quite comfortable. Our tour guide, Vincent, was wonderful. His knowledge of the area, its history, geography, its people, the culture, etc. was astounding. He also had a quick wit which added to the entertainment. The excursions to Château de Chambord & Château Chenonceau along with the cities of Orléans, Tours & Poitiers were well worth it. Upon arriving in Bordeaux to begin our cruise we were met by the cruise director and staff. The boarding process and cabin check-in was simple and fast. We can't say enough good things about the service level of the entire staff of the Forseti, truly first class! Regarding the dining experience, we typically enjoyed a sit-down breakfast and dinner. Since we booked several excursions we didn't partake in many lunch time meals. Again, the wait-staff was wonderful, the food selection had something for everyone and the quality was superb. As for excursions, if you can handle a lot of walking, do as many as you can as we did. The guides were knowledgeable and fun to be with. And then there's the wine! From private tours of wineries to driving past world-renowned wineries like Château Margaux and Château Lafite Rothschild, every minute was extraordinary! We especially enjoyed visiting and meeting wine makers from smaller, lesser known wineries. With all that said, we absolutely enjoyed our first Viking experience and recommend this trip highly. As a side note, we've already booked another Viking Cruise for 2019, this time it will be the Romantic Danube, can't wait!!