This was our first Viking cruise, actually first river cruise ever. We would definitely consider taking another Viking cruise. We have repeatedly heard from passengers who have taken other Viking cruises that this ship, and particularly the food, is significantly lower quality than the other Viking cruises. If that's true, I would be delighted to take another tour with Viking because I found the Rurik to be comfortable and the food perfectly satisfactory. Not great mind you, but satisfactory. And the staff was excellent.

The Cabins: Decks 3 and 4 have new balconies, which are quite spacious with 2 chairs and a small table. We enjoyed ours, even though it was quite cold outside. It was nice to be able to take photos outside. We were in cabin 401. There is significant, constant noise that sounds like rushing air. Cabin 400 had the same noise, but others on the same deck didn't. After the first night, it was just white noise, but I can see how some people might have objected strenuously. The soundproofing between cabins is good. We never heard our neighbors. The cabin has 2 closets and 2 cabinets with shelves. It's not a lot of space until you consider the storage space under the bed. The refrigerator has 2 shelves but no freezer. Although there are lights on either side of the mirror, they are useless. And the bright lights in the ceiling light the room, not the mirror. As a result, it's really hard to see yourself in the mirror other than to comb your hair. Bring a lighted makeup mirror. The television is a modern flat screen with remote control. We didn't have time to turn ours on until the last day. The bathroom is small, but at least there is unlimited toilet paper and tissue, and the shower doesn't flood the rest of the room. Huge bottles of water are delivered daily in case you are worried about drinking the tap water. The bed is hard, no doubt about it. That should be improved. Each cabin has its own temperature control, which works effectively. There is a clothesline in the shower. A hair dryer is provided but it takes an eternity to dry thick hair. There isn't a clock in the room.

Public Areas: You just have to keep in mind that the Russian ships are, well, spartan. The decor is simple, not opulent. Think Danish modern. Everything is spotlessly clean. The stairs between decks are extremely steep, but by the end of the trip you have great quad muscles! And there is an elevator. Oddly, you have to push the 3 button to get to deck 4. And you push the "San Deck" button to get to the Sun Deck. The dining room is sufficient size to serve all passengers at once, however some tables are under vents that focus cold, blowing air on the diners. That makes some tables more desirable than others. The Sky Bar can get loud at night, and I heard that the noise on the dance floor resonates in the cabins directly below. Read more