This trip was our sixth river cruise with Viking and, with the exception of a Christmas Market experience, was the best cruise by far. The ship stayed in Amsterdam the first day so we had the opportunity to explore a bit on our own. Being adventurous, several from the ship walked to the center of town and even walked through the Red Light District. The following day was spent touring through the canals and more of the City Center. The next day we went to Hoorn where we had the opportunity to have afternoon tea with a local family. This was definitely an experience worth taking. The family was so open and friendly and was as interested in us as we were in them.

During the following days we traveled to Arnhem, Kinderdijk, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges and Rotterdam. At each stop Viking had a planned tour highlighting either the historical nature of the area and their medieval beginnings, demonstrations showing working windmills or flood control measures, and special works of art. The final day was spent in Amsterdam and a visit to the Keukenhof Gardens. The entire vacation was worth the trip to the gardens. On the way we passed fields of multi-colored tulips. However, the display of over 7 million tulips and other bulbs in their glory was breathtaking.