We chose this tour because we could travel through Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Czech Republic. Viking Gefjon is a beautiful ship with an outstanding, attentive crew. Our cabin was always fresh and clean every day, dining was delightful with many delicious choices as well as meeting friendly travelers, entertainment was fun and engaging, and our ship director Terry was over the top in making sure everyone was having a wonderful experience. The shore excursions were informative and included time to explore and revisit sites on our own. The audio-devices were great because we could wander off (to take nearby pictures) and yet still hear what the guide was saying and describing. The historical information was given by local guides who are passionate about their town and greatly enhanced our experience in each town and country. The "pork knuckle" lunch recommendation in Cologne was fabulous. Passing through the many locks were incredible experiences. This was our first river cruise and we look forward to further travels with Viking. Viking representatives met us at the airport with easy to see signage, were available at the hotels (pre-Amsterdam/post-Prague), provided maps and tips on board Gefjon, and took us from the ship to the departing airport to make sure we had our boarding passes and were good to go. Viking's Grand European Cruise truly exceeded our expectations!