We chose this cruise because we heard great things about Viking and because we wanted to travel with the current of the river (from Basel to Amsterdam). Viking lived up to its reputation, providing a quality cruise. The ship was very nice, and we liked on room on Deck #2. We heard from others than cabins on Deck #1 can be noisy (from operation of the ship's equipment). Entering and exiting the ship from shore was easy and hassle-free. The ship's staff bent over backwards to make sure that everyone was having a good time and had everything they needed. We enjoyed the shore excursions and did some of the included shore excursions and some of the optional trips. For optional trips, we especially liked the tour of the Mercedes factory and the visit to the Dutch cheese farm. We would travel on Viking again and recommend it to others.