We chose Viking for 2 reasons...firstly TV advertising..2ndly ...they offerred an exceptional package which included flights vs their competitors. Even though timing did not work for us and we changed carriers pricing was still less than offerred by comprtitors so booking through Viking was a real PLUS!
We spent 3 days prior to the cruise in Amsterdam. Vikings staff were great in providing tips when we were on our own and the city tour they provided was very enjoyable. We stayed at the Hilton on a canal close to public transportation and downtown. Hotel staff from all the concierges to management could not do enough to make our stay comfortable. There were several cafes/restaurants and shops in close proximity and while the Hilton restaureant was very good it was nice to have lots of choice.
Staff on HLIN are top notch! The ship manager (Jan) was wonderful with all the passengers; our Cruise Director held daily meetings to fill us in on the following days' activities; local information and other info she thought was beneficial. We were particularly impressed that she and her staff looked after the needs of those who may have been physically challenged...booking special transportation etc. The dining staff were wonderful....and genuinely interested in meetin your every need.
We booked a balcony and altho we did not use a lot we were glad we did.