Viking River Cruises came highly recommended by friends we trust, so we were confident in booking with Viking. The opportunity to add on three nights in Paris post-cruise was appealing to Angela, who had never been to France, and the cruise through Bordeaux appealed to Tom, a wine enthusiast. All-in-all, this experience ticked all the boxes for us. The bonus was all the wonderful and interesting people we met on the cruise, many, if not most, who had cruised with Viking multiple times before. As first-timers, we were definitely in the minority! That's a testament to Viking, without a doubt. The crew on the Forseti was outstanding, and extremely helpful with a minor medical issue we encountered midway through the cruise. We couldn't have had a better crew! The shore excursions were excellent as we explored wine country and learned not only about wine, but the important history of the Bordeaux region. Informative and enjoyable.