We extended the cruise by staying 3 days in Paris before boarding our ship in Lyon. We had a wonderful time revisiting sites and dining at wonderful restaurants. Viking arranged for a high speed train to take us to Lyon where boarding the ship was a breeze. The staff was very accommodating and the food was excellently prepared and delicious. We sailed that night and each day was at a different city/ town along the river. The guides were very knowledgeable and it was so easy to follow along with the head sets provided each person. The ship had entertainment at night that enhanced the experience. One night we took a tour of a town we were stopped at and went to the top of a hill to see the view by night. It was magical. Overall it was a wonderful and charming excursion that we would recommend to other cruisers.