Ship was beautiful, cabins were huge very spacious the bathroom was a very generous size with a amazing shower. The dining on board is the best dinning experience i have ever had the waiting staff very polite and knowledgeable regarding wines and dishes being served. The port of call were fantastic great choice with very knowledgeable guides who were happy to answer any questions along the way. Seeing the Eiffel Tower illuminated and sparkling was a great start to our cruise. Service we received from every single staff,crew member was brilliant. The whole experience from start to finish was seamless Entertainment was very low key which was fine, nice music playing in the background each evening. I would 110% recommend a Scenic Cruise to friend and family i can guarantee you will be blown away. Looking forward to planning another one and i know Scenic will be my first choice every time. Read Less

We took advantage of a special offer via Imagine Cruising a company we use and trust for this river cruise.We arrived at Lyon and boarded quickly and were very pleased at our cabin which was spotless and very welcoming with nice decor etc.We enjoyed the pleasant public areas and especially the sun deck with good seating and a lovely shaded area with also small but well presented pool to cool off in everyday.All meals and most drinks are included and were of very good quality.We enjoy different cultures and the food offered and like to try different tastes and always found something tasty at meal times.Salads.meats,fish desserts.cheeses including the breads were good.Tea and coffee are available at all times. We visited the South of France area from Lyon through Avignon,Arles etc down to the Port st Louis area which was the only port to disappoint.We think this last stop should be excluded from the itinerary as it's too industrial in this part.We enjoyed two trips outside of the towns that we moored in the centres.the first was to the Camargue area ending up in the lovely little seaside town of St Marie de la mer which is beautiful.The second was to Marseille but was too rushed and a bit frustrating as we only had 25 minutes around the port area which was the most interesting part of the city. The clientele are largely German with a few other nationalities and about 25 percent British and there was little mixing ,probably due to the language barriers and it was difficult to communicate and people gathered in the evenings in their own language groups.I hoped for more mixing It was very pleasant to sit to enjoy sunsets and the passing countryside as we leisurely sailed the river.All the main cities including Lyon and Avignon are easily explored from the boat and we have lovely memories of these beautiful places. the evenings were simple with light music playing as we enjoyed the company of fellow cruisers with inclusive drinks and food at hand at all time. We will certainly river cruise again and we hope with Arosa in the future.104 Read Less

Recommendation of friends who were on their third SCenic cruise. This was my second SCenic river cruise so, obviously compared it with the Danube cruise I went on last year. It was a good experience (not quite as good as the DAnube cruise I did last year)? The entertainment was good but only for two nights, the rock group was excellent, a great night. the Pope's palace concert good as was the evening drinks visit to castle of Tournon. Although Pianist Richard did his best he was not quite 'in tune' with his audience. The shore excursions were very good except for the village of Oignt where we were promised crafts shops and coffee shops, none of which were open! We wondered why we were only give 45 minutes there, just enough to visit the disgusting toilets!!! Dining was very good but breakfast buffet could have been a bit more efficient, often scrambled egg, potatoes etc. All gone and not replenished very quickly. Wine with meals excellent and special requests fulfilled. Bar service during the day also very good, although not so go up on top deck in the afternoons, seemed to be only one attendant on duty and not to be seen regularly. Captains, senior staff etc.very 'visible' and approachable. All in all, despite minor criticisms I would recommend this cruise to my friends, I had a good time and appreciate everyone's efforts to make my time on board enjoyable. Read Less

On whole, the trip met our expectations and we will most likely take a future river cruise with Viking, but there were some quirks that folks should understand if they are not familiar with Bordeaux or if they are new to river cruises (or Viking river cruises in particular). From prior posters' reports, we knew in advance that there would not be much cruising on this trip. If that had been a surprise, we would have been very disappointed. We spent 3 of 7 nights docked in the city of Bordeaux, and the other 4 nights in tiny ports with virtually nothing to distinguish themselves by other than their proximity to shore excursions and the opportunity to witness the crew docking the vessel. Bordeaux is a beautiful city with accessible public transportation, and the vessel's dock was adjacent to a tram stop, making it very easy to get around independently while in port. In hindsight, I'd have preferred that we just stayed in port in Bordeaux each night, and integrated the cruising element by some day cruising up and down the rivers. This was my husband's second Viking River Cruise, and my first. He oversold me on the culinary experience based on his first cruise on the Rhine. We were both underwhelmed by most of the food on the Bordeaux cruise (although there were some notable exceptions) and I disliked the rigidity of the dinner service. On several days we had private all-day winery tours that included lovely three course meals in local restaurants. The last thing we could handle was a full-on heavy dinner on board ship at 7pm sharp. It would have been nice to have the option of having a light meal served later in the evening. We were also somewhat disappointed by the Chateau Kirwin meal on Thursday. The venue was nice, but Chef thought it would be fun for the Americans to serve them turkey on Thanksgiving, not realizing that you can't replicate a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal for 120 people and that many of us traveled over Thanksgiving to get away from tradition. The Chateau Kirwin wine they served was disappointing and the wait staff refused to open the superior wine that we'd brought with us. I realize in hindsight that it would have been in poor taste to drink someone else's wine at the Chateau Kirwin but I resent having been forced into that situation in the first place. If we'd been docked in Bordeaux instead of Pauillac that night, we could have just gone into town and had a nice dinner on our own instead, but that wasn't an option. If you prefer the group travel experience to independent travel (and frankly, that is the demographic that Viking is reaching out to), you would certainly have enjoyed this trip and would find my disappointments a bit puzzling. For the group traveler, the choice of shore excursions was varied and comprehensive. I think that is one of the things that Viking really does well. The program director on this cruise, Lorin, is a gem and Viking should be commended for its employment of his many talents. He was entertaining, thought-provoking, hard working and genuinely engaged in the mission of bringing local culture to the Viking guests. The ship was very clean, our stateroom had plenty of storage capacity and the staff was hard-working and friendly. We chose this Viking cruise as a marital compromise (I dislike group travel of any sort, and especially boats, but my husband does not share my feelings. More than anything, he hates to pack and unpack and the pressure of selecting a restaurant to dine in each night, and he enjoys the socialization that is available on-board). The trip met or exceeded my low expectations, and it also met or exceeded my husband's higher expectations. Read Less

We chose this cruise specifically because it was advertised at Jukebox Saturday Night with Ken Sparks. The disappointing part of the trip was that we did not get to spend time with him as he was not well and stayed within a small group for the first week, then he had a heart attack and consequently died. The cruise itself was magnificent, the food, great, the entertainment that was provided by an on board entertainer,great, the tours each day were magnificent, the tour director, magnificent, the staff were fantastic. The tours were a lttle tiring for the people in their seventies, as I am in my fifties and definitely was worn out by the end. The cabin was excellent as we had a balcony and all the trimmings. Overall the cruise was magnificent and I would recommend anyone to go on a cruise with Scenic and I am sure when we can afford the next one we will be going again. Read Less

Cruise was faultless with staff being exceptional. We had a fantastic Cruise Director who ensured the trip went without any hassles. He was very friendly and went out of his way to meet people's needs. The cruise stopped at some ports for a couple of days to enable us to take tours to some areas further away. We went to the Somme area, for example, and also the D-Day landing sites. It meant some longish bus trips bit you got to see the countryside. Guides on all of our excursions whether they were the longer trips of just town/city visits were very good. Our guide to the Somme was exceptional and he helped bring the whole story to life. We dodn't do a lot of sailing during daylight hours but just enough to see some of the lovely houses on France along the Seine. Staff, as mentioned, were brilliant. Very friendly and they didn't know the meaning of the word 'no'. Top, top class. Food was also brilliant with lots of choice. Very difficult to fault. We've sailed with Scenic before and will go again in a couple of years. Read Less

It was recommended by 2 family members who travelled in april 2016.The all inclusive nature appealed to us.The various excursions that were included as part of the program gave us value for money.We were very pleased with the crew and the support and assistance they gave at each stop on the trip. The historical sites were lovely and the various wineries were interesting and gave us a greater appreciation of the Rhone valley.Both Avignon and Arles were great stops and were well worth the trip in themselves.We were provided with complimentary room upgrades on day 1 of our voyage which was a very pleasant surprise. I cannot say enough about the staff on board.From captain to first officer on down.Each always seemed to have time to give to passengers.The food was excellent and the chef made a point of dropping by every evening to ask us how we had enjoyed our meal. Once we had a brief critic of a meal and were thanked for bringing it to their attention. As a person who worked in customer service for most of my career I was most impressed from beginning to end. we will return and enjoy AMA again. Read Less

This was the year of the great French roast, Paris at 35ºC and similar to that all the cruise long. The payback was clear blue skies, no rain and great photos.The ship was 100% full, hence the service levels in the public areas were stretched. This cruise is a mixture of great French wines and cheeses (approx 450 different cheeses to be tasted), as far as scenery goes the highlights are the cities. The visit to an old hospital and nearby wine tasting at Marche aux Vin was very interesting, as was our first tasting of French nougat which is based on egg white and honey, as was the truffle farm (with charming hosts & dog). The Sundowners excursion (a walk to a nearby fortress tower) for wine/beer/nibbles with live musicians in a cool afternoon breeze was very hard to take. The itinerary was exactly as published. Compliments have to be given to all the bus drivers - they were very professional, safe drivers who helped some of our fellow passengers with their walkers. Driving through the French countryside was most enjoyable. Read Less

This was our second Viking cruise and we've already scheduled a third. As always we were met by a Viking representative to guide us to our motor coach. Paris no longer allows River Cruise boats to dock in the city so we had to travel to Le Pecq by motor coach to board, which was almost an hour away. However, Viking made sure that we spent plenty of time in Paris. Our favorite stops were Monet's Gardens, the American Cemetery at Normandy and of course Paris. You will also stop at other small French cities such as where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake and Richard the Lion Hearted's Castle. If you have any difficulty walking you may want to take a cane or walking stick as some of the streets are cobble stones or very uneven. The scenery is more sedate along the Seine River, mostly French homes currently occupied. The food was gourmet all the way and the service outstanding. At the end of the cruise Viking makes sure you get to the airport of time and problem free. There is a Viking rep waiting for your motor coach to arrive and guides you all the way. Read Less

Definitely a top-notch cruise ship and cruise line. The pros included friendliness of all staff, ports and scenery (the light presentation at Rouen cathedral at night is a must-see!). Aquavit Terrace for dining in the evening is apparently a well-kept secret. We actually dined there almost as many nights as in the formal dining room....a fabulous experience to enjoy gourmet food al fresco on the bow of the ship while cruising at dusk.....however less than a dozen fellow passengers partook in this option on the nights we dined outside. The cons included having a few tour guides that almost ruined our experience: one on Giverny excursion who liked to hear himself talk, dragged the group along and whose French-accented English was very difficult to understand (and I even speak French). We finally broke away from group and toured garden and house on our own. The second guide on the Normandy excursion was completely offensive as she opted to use the long bus ride to get on her soapbox and offer political opinions that were clearly inappropriate. It takes a lot to offend my husband and he was livid. As much as I would like to say that I would recommend a Viking Cruise to adults over 50 I really feel that if we ever have the opportunity to experience Viking again (and we hope to), it'll be at least ten years before we do so. We're both 56 and were often frustrated by older passengers for whom we had to wait, and slowed down our excursions. I love and enjoy senior travelers but we wanted to pack as much as we could in this once-in-a-lifetime trip, and felt we could have easily done more if we hadn't felt pulled back. Read Less

We selected this cruise because we wanted to see the south of France and this seemed like a nice way to accomplish that. Prior to this, we had not taken a river cruise and thought that this would be a memorable experience. It was! It was great to have Viking take care of the travel arrangements and transfers, making that part of our trip worry free. After arriving in Marseille, we were promptly met and delivered to the Buri in Avignon. In a very short time we were able to access our cabin. We selected a standard cabin and while it was small, it was nicely appointed with enough space to store our belongings. Having the in-room safe was a great feature and something that we used each day. The bathroom was adequate also and featured nice toiletries that were replenished as needed. Housekeeping did a very good job in the cabin each day. The cruise director on the Buri was quite personable and informative. She was able to answer any questions and always made herself available to help. She set an upbeat tone to the cruise and made the experience fun. In the ports of call, we found the tour guides to be excellent. They were most informative and entertaining. There was always plenty to eat onboard the vessel and the food was tasty. It was nice to have the option to order from the menu for lunch or to access the buffet. The wait staff was attentive and helpful if we had questions about the entrees etc. It is nice to be able to enjoy complimentary wine or soft drinks at lunch or dinner while onboard the Viking vessels. The included wi-fi service on-board was also a welcome addition to have. Overall, the cruise was memorable for all of the right reasons! Read Less

This was our first cruise (of any kind), and our expectations were mixed. We utilized Viking air service on both ends of the trip and the embarkation and disembarkation were flawless. We arrived at the ship just in time to get settled and ready for dinner. The ship was marvelous. Our stateroom with balcony was well appointed and contained all of the necessities. It was not overly spacious -- but then we didn't spend a lot to time there. The lounge was comfortable and the staff friendly and welcoming. We particularly liked the open seating at meals, as that gave us the opportunity to meet and get to know a number of other couples. Some we enjoyed several meals with, others only one -- but all were enjoyable. We learned a lot form these experiences. Shipboard entertainment was limited, and that suited us just fine. The piano bar in the lounge was fun and entertaining. The service on board ship was excellent. From the Captain, to the Program Director, Concierge, to the wait staff and the housekeepers -- all were friendly and extremely helpful. One evening, in celebration of Viking's Travel and Leisure #1 ranking we had an opportunity to celebrate with the "whole" crew, including kitchen staff that we seldom saw. That was a particularly memorable evening. The ports of call, Arles, Avignon, Viviers, Tournon, Vienne, and Lyon were delightful. Having the opportunity to "drop out" and explore on our own was great. Several cities we visited were in the midst of festivals that added excitement -- but also crowds. Local shopping opportunities were a fun past time. My wife and I look forward to traveling with Viking again! Read Less

Great time. Ship and Staff was first class. Lorin, the Program Director does a great job. All of the excursions were very well done. All of our tour guides were excellent and spoke very good English. Getting on and off the ship was a breeze. This is a cruise that is definitely wine-centric, but there were some cruisers just along for the ride. Food and beverage offerings were nice. We were a group of 6 and there was always something on the menu that we liked. Bordeaux, the city, is a nice place to visit and would recommend spending a day pre or post cruise. St. Emilion, one of the ports, is a city that is worth spending more time. The ship is kept very clean and the staff goes out of their way to make sure you are having a good time. We will definitely look at another Viking cruise in the future. Read Less

Had not spent a lot of time in provence wanted to see provencal life. Food on board was always fabulous. The tours for the most part were great. Viver was a bore as was the guide. Loved the no pressure on board. When you river cruise you must be prepared for the locks, high water, and climbing over other boats something we learned but Viking made everything happen smoothly. We obviously enjoyed the cruise because was are taking another one in 2017 this time in Portugal. We have been on several ocean cruises but really liked the small ship cruise much better. If we ever take another ocean cruise it will be on a small ship with only a few hundred passengers. Viking is always there to serve the customer as it should be since the cost of a river cruise is not low end, We are really looking forward to the next river cruise. Read Less

Friends had recommended Viking River Cruises. Everything exceeded expectations. Food, cabin, tours were uniformly excellent. All crew members were attentive. Whenever the slightest inconvenience arose our crew chief, Susie, miraculously appeared on the scene to fix things. On our final departure we had a problem with the airline, but Viking representatives never left our side until everything was resolved. Could never have handled it ourselves, as all negotiations were in French. We took the three day extension in Nice and Viking people were excellent. Nice is a wonderful place. So sad to hear of their recent tragedy. Highly recommend the evening tour to Monaco. We took the optional tour of the abbey at Cluny and, once again, our guide was terrific. The most surprising place was Lyon. Never dreamed it was such a wonderful place. We hope to return some day when we can spend more time there. Viking is a little pricey, but I believe the money was well spent! Read Less

The trip was great. The crew was great. Could not say enough about the food. Very well prepared and service was great. The tour that came with the cruise where set up well, and took you to interesting places. The extra tours where also well done. The tour guides did know a lot about what they where taking you and answered all the questions that they where asked, if they didn't know off the top of there head they found the answers. The crew that took care af the cabins took there job to heart and keeper the cabin clean and well stocked with towels and soap when needed. The tour director keeped you informed on what was going to happen the next day and made sure you enjoyed what happened that day.. The rest of the crew was helpful when you ask a question or had a problem. The experience was great. Read Less

A friend chose this trip because it find into her working schedule. I had taken a Viking cruise before and knew that it would be well run, have interesting side trips. At the last minute my friend had to cancel because of illness and surgery, but another friend took her place. She is disabled and had an extremely difficult time walking. The crew could not have been more helpful to her and supportive of her disability and saw to it that she participated as much as any other traveller on the cruise. Kudos to Viking and their staff!! Cabin was lovely, dining was fine; service was wonderful [attentive and friendly but not hovering]. The best shore excursion was a tour of a vineyard and a sublime luncheon on the estate. Also was lots of fun was the trip to the cognac chateau and the crafting of our own blend. All in all, I never regret traveling on a Viking trip and will do it as often as possible. Read Less

River cruise: Avignon to Lyon. Mostly elderly couples. As a single, felt unwelcome by crew and passengers. At dining times, told empty places at table "saved" for others. On shore excursions, many passengers unable to walk without assistance. Need plenty of change for tips on shore excursions. Optional shore excursions (many) were expensive. Most time spent on tour bus; very little time spent cruising river. Gangways to ship can be slippery. Cannot sit in the Aquavit Lounge without being asked if you want to purchase a drink. Extremely dark and treacherous stone steps with rope "handrail" in winery to sample Beaujolais. Optional painting class in Arles a waste of time except for the lunch at a local restaurant; superb chocolate shop in St.-Rémy-de-Provence recommended by tour guide at stop there. Excellent optional cooking class in Lyon attended by only three passengers; made cream puffs (for an army) in a very detailed French way with fresh pear mixed into the whipped cream. Read Less

This Chateaux and Wine Country cruise on the Viking Forseti during the week of Christmas was one of the best gifts we've ever received. We traveled with our family group of 8. A "Viking" met us at the Bordeaux airport, helped us fill out lost luggage forms, and then whisked us off to the modern, sleek Viking Forseti in one of the fleet of clean & swift buses that are part of the Viking fleet. Our cabin had a French Balcony. The cabin had plenty of room for everything we brought with a large closet. We LOVED the heated tile floors in the surprising large bathroom. ,Although the cabin was smaller than what we were used to on ocean cruises it was more than adequate for our week's stay. The public spaces on the Forseti are lovely. The Aquavit Terrace is a perfect place to have casual meals. Speaking of casual, we loved the casual, cozy feel of this river cruise. No formal clothes required. (and speaking of clothes, our lost luggage was retrieved by the Viking staff and brought to our cabin before dinner that evening!) The first night we went on a Night Walking Tour of Bordeaux. The buildings in Bordeaux are beautifully lit and make it magical. The Opera House, Grand Hotel are perfect for lovely photos...they are a prelude to the spectacular Place de la Bourse (old stock exchange). This stunning square has the world's largest water mirror which reflects the beautiful trio of lit buildings. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. She spoke perfect English, making it very easy to understand all of the interesting facts and stories about the area. We enjoyed the walking tours. Seeing the markets, the housing gave us a small taste of each town we visited. Since the Forseti was able to dock close to the town centers we were immediately immersed in the French towns! The Christmas markets with their street food, crafts, and wares were particularly lovely. One highlight of many was optional tour and lunch at Chateaux Siaurac. This stunning 19th century classic style mansion is set among a lovely vineyard and park. We learned about the 'terroir' which makes each wine unique. This cruise is centered around the 'terroir' and wine. We learned more about wine, vineyards, wine tasting and making in 7 days than we had in our lifetime. Given the chance to travel this way was truly an eye opening experience. We'd cruised on over 12 large cruise ships prior to this and found the river cruise to be very different, in a good way. No crowds, no loud music blaring in all of the public places...just a relaxed atmosphere. WE loved this experience and have already booked our next adventure with Viking. They are a first class operation. The staff goes out of its way to meet every need. The food was superb and fresh. We liked that they included any wine or beer at meal time, too. I believe a river cruise is one of the best and most economical ways to see Europe! Viking has won our loyalty with their excellent service, friendliness, and hospitality. Each of our tour guides was exceptional. Viking does an great job providing these excellent ambassadors to guide us. Read Less

It was our 44th Wedding Anniversary on the 18th December so my husband and I thought that the River Seine itinerary would be perfect for such a romantic occasion. As we had travelled with Viking on previous occasions, we knew that we would not be disappointed in any way. This turned out to be an accurate assumption. On arrival we were given an immediate stateroom upgrade, which was a lovely surprise. We also knew some of the staff from an earlier river cruise, so it was great to get reacquainted and hear of career successes and promotions. As expected the whole vacation went along beautifully, we were lucky to have some super weather for the month of December and our trips out to the Normandy Beaches and on another occasion to learn about Van Gogh's last days in Chalon sur Ouse was very moving. Making friends with like minded people is always easy on Viking cruises so we soon were able to find good company each evening. Our meals were scrumptious as usual with chef's suggestions always a hit so too the choices for accompanying wines. Finally, the staff, they have to be congratulated on their care and attention to every detail. They also were great fun and their attention to each individual holiymaker was something to behold. In short their contributions to our holiday made it very special. As for our anniversary evening on board, a cake was presented to our table with lots of singing and good cheer. It was really heartwarming. Thank you to Carlos and his team on Viking Rinda. Read Less

This was our third cruise with Viking, and once again we had a great time. We were met by a Viking representative and literally whisked through the Paris airport, We were met at the ship with smiles from the staff, offered drinks and given warm towels for our hands. The food was excellent and there was always a variety at breakfast and lunch. Dinners were wonderful with always an alternative to whatever was planned. Paris and the Eiffel Tower was spectacular at night! We were also there at the time of the Christmas markets in Paris where we found beautiful hand blown glass made by a local artist. The highlight of our trip was Normandy. It was the most emotional experience we've ever encountered. Seeing firsthand the remains of the German pillboxes above Omaha Beach and the guns gave us a glimpse of how they were able to kill so many of our servicemen. The American cemetery which is beautifully kept seemed to go on forever. It was hard to comprehend that so many of our military are buried there. A special service honoring our servicemen took place at the cemetery where relatives were acknowledged and every person was given a rose to place on a grave. We chose a Pennsylvania soldier since we live in that state. The museum was also very interesting and educational. Although it was December, we were fortunate that the weather was actually warm for the season. Our cabin's accommodations with the veranda was comfortable and very attractive. It was beautiful scenery as we glided down the river. Although it was a little too cool to totally take advantage of sitting out on the veranda most of the time, we still enjoyed the view. We couldn't ask for more in both quality and service throughout our trip. As in our other cruises,we have found that the staff has always been very helpful with any questions and courteous at all times. The evenings have always been very enjoyable - no matter what the entertainment might be. In every cruise, we met other couples who we could converse with about so many different travels we all have taken. Read Less

My husband booked this river cruise from Lyon to Arles in honor of my birthday, so I was expecting the best and was not disappointed! The S.S.Catherine is an elegant ship with Venetian glass fixtures, original artwork on all of the walls, good-sized staterooms and L'Occitane amenities. The food was always prepared to perfection for ALL meals and finished by delicious desserts prepared by two pastry chefs! Each evening before dinner, everyone would meet for cocktails and information regarding the next day's activities. The tours and activities are geared for the sedentary up to "Go Active." We did two "Go Active" tours: a bike ride of Lyon and a hike up into the vineyards of Burgundy. We also did one special excision for an additional charge to the castle of a French Count who saved us wine and lunch. Well worth the extra money! UniWorld's guides were excellent in both their presentation and knowledge. UniWorld has their own fleet of tour buses, too. Our cabin was the perfect size with a little sitting area off to the side so we could watch the countryside or the many locks we went through. We did enjoy the entertainment in the bar area after dinner. Embarkation and disembarkation were a non-event - they were so easy. We decided that the staff must be trained to never use the word "No" as everything was wonderful. We would recommend UniWorld in a heartbeat and hope to enjoy one of their other ships in the future! Read Less

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip along the Seine up to Normandy--at least until the Norovirus started hitting the passengers. I estimate that 10-25% of the passengers got sick at some point and their was NOTHING on board to alleviate any symptoms. It was like we're all on our own. Infection rate could have been higher or lower because virtually nothing was said by the staff publicly and I would expect them to understate the problem. Do all river cruises experience Norovirus outbreaks? Other than that, I loved the cruise, particularly the casualness, friendliness of staff and passengers alike, and the food. I have no complaints about the cruise itself. The staff admitted that the Neptune was built in 2001 and this was the next to last cruise before it was sold to another company. I found it to be a worn but very comfortable ship Read Less

The cruise lived up to the description in the literature we received. Service on board was excellent as was the food. The excursions were quite good and two of the excursions were excellent. In particular we enjoyed motoring across the Gulf of Arcachon, seeing and learning about oyster farming and harvesting, sampling local oysters, and finally having an excellent lunch at a local restaurant. The restroom equated bus transportation was always first class. Our guides were friendly, knowledgeable and very informative. The Viking Forseti is a lovely ship and our cabin was well appointed. Our cabin was always clean and we were quite comfortable. The staff were helpful, polite, and able to provide us with whatever we needed, From the moment we arrived at Bordeaux airport until we were guided through the airport for the flight home we were well taken care of. we were sad when we had to leave and vowed to take another Viking cruise next year. Read Less

We chose the Bordeaux cruise because most of the other European River Cruises were sold out by the time we decided to go (rather last minute, I'm afraid). We liked the idea of Bordeaux because we enjoy fine wines and we had never seen that part of France. We arrived in Bordeaux by high speed train from Paris, after spending 3 nights there on our own. We boarded the Forseti almost immediately, which was fine because this particular itinerary returns to the City of Bordeaux several times during the week. That is because three rivers meet there, and we took trips down each of them on different days. For this reason, we had a chance to explore the City of Bordeaux in mid cruise and again the night before we disembarked. This area is full of chateaux, but not royal castles as in some other parts of Europe. The Chateaux are mainly related to vineyards. There is a lot of World War II history to learn, and some very old and charming villages. We went to one fort that was first used in the Middle Ages and updated several times, through WW II. We found this itinerary very relaxing - we went to a different village or historical site each day, taking shore excursions on foot. The local guides were very knowledgeable and interesting, and we learned a great deal about the history and culture of this lovely area. The only bus rides were short ones to wineries for tours and tastings, and one to a Chateau for dinner. There were some optional bus trips to farther spots, but we didn't take them. Viking has an amazing organizational plan. For instance, we never saw our room maid, yet our room was always cleaned when we returned from breakfast. It was also refreshed every afternoon or evening, yet again, we never saw a maid. The luggage and transfers were effortless on our part. All the daily disembarkations were easy - the staff handed us water bottles as we left, and once, umbrellas. There was never a delay or congestion. After disembarking, we flew from Bordeaux to London for 3 days. Viking arranged our taxi and the luggage transfer, an effortless process for us. We had not signed up for their airport bus, because we had had disembarkation delays from other big cruise ships and I was afraid we would miss our flight. We needn't have worried - there were others on our London flight who had taken the Viking transfer bus instead of a private taxi. The Cruise Director was amazing, both in his charming personality and in his knowledge of all we would be seeing and doing. He gave us daily briefings before dinner, and he was very entertaining. The pianist in the lounge was excellent also. The food was exceptional. The dining and bar staff were perfect - attentive, yet never in one's face at the wrong time. We loved the big tables, because we felt comfortable saying "may we join you?" to different groups each night - so we got to know a lot of very nice people. All meals involve ordering from menus - fine dining on your own schedule. There is a lunch buffet option, which we tried once when we were in a hurry. Excellent soups, salads and sandwiches there. There are coffee and tea stations at several spots on the vessel, and there are usually cookies and other fresh baked goods there also. There were no extra charges for anything, which we liked. Wine was included with meals and with extra events, such as cheese tastings. Fresh water bottles appeared in our cabin daily. As for children, I did not see any young ones on our vessel. There were a few multi-generational groups where the youngest members might have been in late high school or college. We would take another Viking Cruise immediately, if we could! Read Less