We were looking for a smaller ship that visited different ports than the larger cruise lines. We really enjoyed the smaller cruise ship. It was easy to get on/off at our ports, the optional and included shore excursions were very nice. No children made for a nice experience onboard. The only negative was the entertainment was not nearly as good as the bigger ships, but I didn't go on the cruise for the entertainment. The food is excellent, even having high end food like foie gras and lobster. The optional dining experiences (all included) were terrific - very much like eating at a very nice restaurant. Our cabin steward was excellent and made sure we had everything we needed. We booked the silver spirits package and enjoyed diet cokes throughout the day and a couple of cocktails at night. We booked a river cruise with Viking and hope they are as nice as this cruise ship experience.