We chose the Rhine Gateway with Viking because we believed in the Viking brand and wanted Amsterdam to be part of our trip. Also, since this was our first river cruise, we thought eight days would be a good amount of time. From start to finish we felt well taken care of, pampered really! We were met within seconds of picking up our luggage in Amsterdam and that quality of detail continued throughout the entire trip. We hated to leave the ship at the end of the cruise. Its been a while since we really didn't want to go home after a trip! The ship was beautifully appointed - right down to the heated bathroom floors. The staff were all so helpful and friendly. We enjoyed all our excursions and were so happy to find out that you could stay in town longer than the excursion, with Viking providing transportation back to the ship at a later point. We look forward to travelling with Viking again in the future!