This was our second river cruise with Viking and again it was all we expected and more! We love history and learning about new places in the world and this particular itinerary gave us a good overview of a great part of Europe. We arrived early morning in Amsterdam and took advantage of the Viking transfer to the dock. We had planned a day on our own with a private tour guide in Amsterdam and Haarlem. Viking took our bags and had them stored and later delivered to our cabin before we returned. The new Viking longships are beautiful with more areas around the ship for gathering, however, the lounge does not have enough seating for all guests to be seated at one time, such as during the daily briefing. The staterooms are designed to make the most of a small space and very comfortable for basic needs. We cruised on the Alsvin mid-July and were one of several ships that needed to swap due to low water levels. Even though it was inconvenient to have to pack and move half way through our trip, Viking took care of all the details smoothly and we unpacked in an identical cabin at the end of the day on the Ingvi. We did spend more time on motor coaches than we would have preferred but did manage to see all the ports. It was disappointing in some ports to double or triple dock the ships especially in Budapest where the view was then obstructed. Activities on board were designed to highlight the areas we were traveling through - the locks, making apple strudel or Rudesheim coffee and information about history of the countries. Each port had its unique points of interest. Our tour guides were all knowledgeable and made the tours interesting. Our preference would have been more time and options in Vienna and less time for free time or shopping in some ports. We took advantage of all included shore excursions and took the optional trip to Rothenburg which was very worthwhile. The dining experience was awesome. The cuisine included local specialties and was always served beautifully. Having wine, beer and soft drinks included with meals was a bonus. Evening entertainment included piano music in the lounge and occasional local musicians. The cruise director also planned a few group game nights and dance parties. Disembarkation is a breeze on a river cruise. We chose a 3-day extension in Prague and we transferred to a Viking motor coach next to the ship. I would recommend Viking River Cruises to anyone who enjoys travel, culture and history.