Recommendation from friends. The ship was clean and efficient. The staff were truly great - responsive and polite. The food was excellent at Manfreds but could only get a reservation one night - very disappointing. Some meals at The Restaurant were good and others not so - for example, Sword Fish over cooked. The public places on board were very comfortable. The optional excursions were great. The optional Silver Beverage Package was well worth it. The cabin Stewart, Josephine, was so good. So was Jean Paul at The Restaurant. We used the Explorers’ Lounge a lot and found it so comfortable and the service excellent. We particularly enjoyed the guitarist. When we book another cruise we will use Viking again - smaller ship, no children, no casino, etc. we are considering a river cruise, particularly the Danube. Thanks to the crew of the Viking Star for such a pleasant experience.