Viking won our interest with a great itinerary including Paris, Giverny and Rouen along the Seine. After boarding the Viking Kadlin longship and settling in, we visited several of the highlights of Paris on the first day: Notre Dame of Paris, Champs Elysees, and the Eiffel Tower. We loved the leisurely pace of cruising down the Seine. Our visit to Monet’s home, beautiful gardens and water lily pond was definitely a highlight of the week. The Seine meanders through France toward the English Channel. Charming homes, orchards and farms, and white limestone cliffs line the river’s edge. Not to be missed, our experience at the Normandy beaches and the American cemetery was impressive and moving. Our return trip to Paris included a stop in Les Andelys to visit a castle ruin built in the 12th century by Richard the Lionheart. Versailles and its awe-inspiring, extravagant rooms and gardens left us with a lifetime of memories. We topped off our final night at the Eiffel Tower which glowed in the Paris night.

Our meals and entertainment onboard the Kadlin were fabulous! Such a good cruise!