AmaWaterways, Uniworld and Viking claimed the top three spots in U.S. News & World Report's inaugural 2026-2027 Best River Cruise Lines ranking, the publication announced this week.
The ranking evaluates 10 river cruise lines across seven criteria, with overall traveler ratings and averaged expert scores — assessed by U.S. News editors and industry panelists — carrying the most weight. Additional factors include industry accolades, all-inclusive pricing, shore excursion inclusions, onboard amenities and itinerary diversity.
AmaWaterways secured the top position. The line's twin-balcony stateroom design — which pairs a French balcony with a walk-out veranda — drew particular attention, as did onboard amenities including spas and pickleball courts.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises landed at No. 2, bolstered by a staff-to-guest ratio of one crew member for every 2.4 travelers and a policy of more than one complimentary shore excursion per port.
Viking River Cruises took the No. 3 spot after earning the highest average expert score among all lines evaluated and collecting six major industry awards in 2025 and 2026. The operator's fleet of more than 80 river ships offers broad itinerary flexibility — particularly in Europe — along with domestic sailings on the Mississippi River.
All three top-ranked lines were noted for being fully or nearly fully all-inclusive and for sailing to multiple regions worldwide.
The full list of 2026-2027 Best River Cruise Lines includes:
- AmaWaterways
- Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
- Viking River Cruises
- Avalon Waterways
- Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
- Riverside Luxury Cruises
- American Cruise Lines
- Tauck
- Emerald Cruises
- CroisiEurope
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