Seeing the Northern Lights have been top of my bucket list for a while, so when a friend suggested we take this Viking cruise to Norway up above the Arctic Circle, I went for it.

Well, my friend lost her passport of the final flight of three to Bergen and it could not be found. She was devastated to find that she would need to travel to Oslo to obtain a new passport, but I have to tell you, the staff of the Venus could not have been kinder or more helpful. The Hotel Manager offered his personal converter when my friend was not sure if she had one packed so that she would have no trouble charging off the ship. The customer service staff helped her book hotels in Bergen and in Oslo, kept in close contact with her for the next three days as she travelled and welcomed her onboard in Alta with open arms and a bottle of champagne to celebrate! They checked in with me several times as well to make sure I was doing well as a "solo traveler."

The rest of the crew were equally helpful and friendlier than I have ever witnessed. They all went out of their way--the wine steward ran from the 2nd floor to the 9th floor to get a beer for my friend that was not in stock. The sushi chefs greeted me back regularly with smiles and greetings. The guitarist asked ME for song suggestions! The waiters were all exceptional and attentive. When I mentioned the soup was a little spicy I was offered a cleansing sorbet! It was hands down the sweetest assembly of hard workers I have ever met. Read more