This was the 1st cruise I've been on in which the ship wasn't painted haze gray. There were some hiccups from Viking before we got on-board that were related to my not choosing to involve myself in the 2-day event before departure. Once on-board the Tir, the scheduled boat, the Vali, was not available due to river height, everything was exceptional. The staff called me by name before I could even remember their names. They remembered my beverage of choice very quickly. The meals were superb, and the choices were epic. They were even able to accommodate the dietary restrictions of my girlfriend, which were substantial. The room was always prepped while we were at breakfast. Don't ask me how they knew we were at breakfast, but the room had been cleaned and everything made up tidily by the time we returned. The boat rode extremely smoothly and we were seldom aware of us even being underway. The shore excursions were top rate, and the local guides did know the towns and area very well, and their English was very clear and easy to understand. The program director, Steven was on top of his game the entire cruise. He kept us informed of what was upcoming for the next day in an extremely informative way yet didn't let his responsibilities overshadow the fun and enjoyment of the cruise while interacting with the guests. Every stop on the cruise seemed to be his favorite stop. Overall, this river cruise exceeded my expectations in every way.