Everyone has a "bucket list"; for some that list is very refined, but for us that list was simply "see Paris and the Beaches of D-Day". Viking has made that simple ambition very easy with the "Paris and the Heart of Normandy" cruise. The fact that you also see and learn way more than you expected is the "kernel" that makes Viking so special. It really doesn't matter whether your accommodation is a French Balcony cabin or the Owner's Suite--you have access to everything that Viking has to offer--from the dining room to the depth of knowledge graciously offered by Viking's hand-picked tour guides. We saved our pennies to make this trip--and we have continued to save to make another. One attribute of the cruise that is rarely extolled is the joy of meeting new friends on board--people with the same interests but with diverse backgrounds--people with whom you compare "notes" about your experience.