This trip was amazing from the start. We were met by Viking representatives that had a desk at the airport. We were driven from the airport to the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel. We had no idea that it would be so far from the airport. We had initially considered finding a cheaper hotel and seeing Paris on our own. We so glad that we decided to book the 3-day pre-cruise in Paris. It gave us the opportunity to rest after the long flight from the west coast. We also had the opportunity to visit top visitor attractions in Paris that other cruisers saw only on a bus tour. The hotel was close to the Opera House and many visitor attractions. But the best part of the trip is that we got to meet other Viking cruisers at the hotel and quickly became friends. We visited Notre Dame, the Louve, Musee D'Orsay, the Eifel Tower, and had the opportunity to use the Paris Metro transportation system with our new friends.

Viking had a desk in the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel and the pre-tour excursions and neighbor walk was well done. The hotel's buffet breakfast was great.

We found Paris' attractions to be very crowded, although we were traveled during an off season. We especially enjoyed Viking's itinerary and being able to see places off of the beaten track: Giverney and Monet's Garden, Roeun and it's spired cathedrals, Normandy, and La Roche-Guyon with its amazing castle built next to a cliff and 300 spiraling steps that lead UP to the dungeons at the top. I could have stayed at Monet's Garden all day! The history of D-Day and Normandy lead us to do a lot of reading about WWII when we returned and gave us a greater appreciation of the ingenuity to build artificial harbors in England for the 5 Normandy beaches and the courage of our US and allied soldiers. Read more