Castles, Windmills and Gouda Cheese

All the cities along the Rhine, except for Kinderdijk and Amsterdam were cities we had not visited. We were especially interested in seeing the castles and revisiting KinderdijK. When we were last there, it was drizzling and that put a damper on the visit.

However, the big selling point was that there was a pre-cruise extension to Lake Como. Lake Como did not disappoint. The excursions were well planned and we were always given the opportunity to extend our time or return with the program director. We were impressed by the boat ride to Bellagio.

All the excursions were interesting and, in three places, there were "gentler" walking tours for individuals who were a little physically slower and/or needed additional assistance.

The transfers were handle well. Even though our original flight from DeGaulle to Milan was cancelled, the Viking representative was waiting for us in Milan, when our rebooked flight landed three hours later.

Check in and check out were handled efficiently. In addition, I inquired about my $100 shipboard credit. The front desk said there was no record of it. I told then desk person who to contact. He did. The next day the $100 was in my account.

The food was very good and the dining room service was outstanding. We found almost all staff to be friendly and accommodating.