I chose the cruise for the reputation of the cruise line an was pleasantly surprised to have it exceed my expectations. The crew from the captain to the sailors were marvelous and very personable and generous with their time and attention. you never felt like a question or request was an imposition or a bother for them. Travelling with an elderly parent I was concerned about her ability to get around the ship and even more so her ability to participate in the excursions. These fears were unfounded since the ship had an elevator and the tour bus drivers and guides were very accommodating to the less mobile passengers ( we al became very tight helping one another. After just a few days the passengers felt like family; I hoped that this would be the case since the ship only had 190 passengers. I am excited to take my next cruise with Viking!