This was my second cruise on Viking. We wanted to see Scandinavia, and having two days in St. Petersburg was a big plus. I absolutely love the sophisticated, simple elegance of the Viking ship’s interiors. The smaller size (900 guests) means you can walk to town from many of the ports. We also never felt crowded and could always find a place onboard to curl up with a book in peace and quiet.

The spa and specialty restaurants are beyond great. You can use the spa facilities at no extra charge, and we took advantage of the hot pool, sauna and unique ice cave.

The food is very good and creative at the casual buffet restaurant (World Cafe) and first rate at the two specialty restaurants, Manfredi’s and The Chef’s Table. The main restaurant with table service serves more bland “meat and potatoes” type meals — not our thing. Read more