We traveled to Bordeaux not knowing anyone on the trip, and just so happened to meet a couple and their friend waiting for the connecting flight from Amsterdam to Bordeaux. As it turned out, we sat with the same people the first night on the ship, and we continued to share the rest of the trip with these great people! All of our new group love wine and fell in love with the Bordeaux blends from the area as well as what was available on board ship. To this day we have remained friends!

The highlights of the trip were the excursions to the towns of Saint- Emilion and Pauillac. The town of Saint Emilion with the hilly streets, old stone architecture and caves was a hidden treasure while the town of Pauillac the home of the Médoc wine region was fabulous to drive through and view the various chateaus. The wonderful dinner put on by the staff of the Forcetti at the Chateau Kirwan was a surprise to behold! No one knew the dinner was going to be that elaborate! Well Done Viking! Of course the city and history Bordeaux was incredible to experience as well.

We enjoyed the roominess of Veranda Suite and the weather was decent for the time of the year we traveled which was March. Several afternoons while sailing the Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde Rivers we enjoyed some of the local fare including wine purchased at the chateaus and stores we visited! We had a fabulous waitress, from I believe Spain or Portugal who catered to all our individual dining needs. She was marvelous! Staying with the same waitress / waiter the entire week we found is the best approach to dining! Although there was some entertainment aboard ship, by the time dinner was over and we talked about what we did that day, everyone in our group was eager for sleep to be ready for the next day's adventure!