I've been reading about Viking river cruises for years in the brochures that arrive in my mailbox. Two years ago my sister and her husband took this trip. My sister (who is an avid complainer) not only had absolutely nothing to complain about, but raved about everything connected with their trip. That sold me. When my husband and I decided to give Viking a try, we chose the Rhine trip.

Viking has an exceptional way of letting you research the ports you will visit, and details of excursions through their My Viking Journey portal on their web site. Since anticipation is a fun part of any trip, the portal really whets your appetite for the upcoming trip.

Embarkation is beyond smooth. Our bags were whisked away to our cabin even before we climbed out of the cab that Viking had sent to pick us up at the airport. The ship, small by ocean cruse ships, was beautifully appointed and more than large enough to comfortably accommodate our 181 fellow passengers. Our cabin was very comfortable (loved the heated floor in the bathroom), pristinely clean, and taken care of by a steward who moved in and out quite unobtrusively with fresh flowers, fruit, and linens. Read more