We have friends who have taken Viking and they praised their experience. The Grand European Cruise fit the way we wanted to celebrate our 41st anniversary. The friends were correct in their praise. From the moment we stepped onboard until the day we departed, the service and experience was amazing. I consider myself very organized but I have never seen such a level of organization. Nothing was left to chance. The staff worked very long hours and yet they always had a smile and I was amazed they could remember not only our names but favorite items during the meals. This level of service and pride only comes when the company rewards what they want the customer to experience. To have every member of the staff we encountered also display that level is amazing. I have managed teams for two decades and I never had a team so uniformly deliver the results the company professed in their ads. The ship was immaculate, the room were spotless and we were always asked if we needed anything. I remember the comment that most guests gained ten pounds because of the excellent food. It was certainly excellent but I lost seven pounds because of all the opportunities to take the daily or twice daily shore excursions. The excursions had excellent guides and they really brought out the history and culture of the regions as we cruised. The Viking Cruise lne is not just an experience, it was an amazing trip from every aspect. We plan more trips with you in the future. We want to go where Viking goes.