The Top 10 River Cruise Lines in 2018 By Jacqui Gifford Jacqui Gifford Instagram Twitter As the editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure, Jacqui Gifford is always on the next plane. She constantly scouts for new hotels, shops, restaurants, you name it, to give readers the latest news and trends, and frequently appears as an expert guest on television networks, including NBC, CBS, ABC, CNBC, and MSNBC. A graduate of Princeton University with a bachelor's degree in English, Jacqui was born in Japan and raised in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has traveled the world extensively and lives in New York City with her husband and son. Her passions include sustainability, luxury, wellness, multigenerational travel, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on July 10, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Imagine sailing the Seine on an intimate ship that pays homage to France in all the right ways: think champagne, decadent cheeses from Normandy, and tasteful aquatints that depict 19th-century Paris. Uniworld’s Boutique River Cruise Collection’s Joie de Vivre reflects France in all those ways — and more. It’s one of the many reasons T+L readers love this river cruise line, which took the No. 1 spot this year. Uniworld emphasizes the destination in the décor and programming of its 18 unique vessels. “The Joie de Vivre really carries the flavor of France with its fine artwork, décor, and alternative bistro dining,” said one fan. “The greatest part was arriving back in Paris our last night to watch the lights of the Eiffel Tower come alive. It was truly magical.” Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated individual cruise ships on their cabins/facilities, food, service, itineraries/destinations, excursions/activities, and value. Those assessments were combined to generate results for the cruise lines in five categories, including river cruising. Related: The 2018 World's Best Awards Not far behind at No. 2 was Viking Cruises, which has an astounding 64 ships in its fleet worldwide. One fan who sailed the Danube with Viking last year loved the experience enough to quickly book a two-week cruise to Russia for 2018. Said that traveler, “I have friends who have sailed as many as ten times with Viking, and they all say it is the absolute best!” Smaller lines also proved to be popular with our readers. Aqua Expeditions (No. 4) has only two ships in its fleet. One sails the Mekong between Vietnam and Cambodia, the other, remote stretches of the Amazon in Peru. “Not the usual cruise line or boat,” said one reader. “Very small, wonderful food and service.” Crystal River Cruises (No. 6), which launched its river cruise brand in 2016, now has five ships, all in Europe. The sleek vessels feel modern, the cabins extra spacious (what traveling couple doesn’t love a double vanity in the bathroom?). “Crystal has taken luxury to a whole new level,” said one fan. “The best of the best,” added another. Read on to see how these lines stacked up this year in the rankings. 01 of 10 10. AmaWaterways Courtesy of Amawaterways Score: 86.00 02 of 10 9. Avalon Waterways Courtesy of Avalon Waterways Score: 86.72 03 of 10 8. Vantage Deluxe World Travel Courtesy of Vantage Deluxe World Travel Score: 88.33 04 of 10 7. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours Courtesy of Scenic Cruises Score: 88.83 05 of 10 6. Crystal River Cruises Courtesy of Crystal Cruises Score: 90.04 06 of 10 5. Grand Circle Cruise Line Courtesy of Grand Circle Cruise Line Score: 92.52 07 of 10 4. Aqua Expeditions Courtesy of Aqua Expeditions Score: 94.17 08 of 10 3. Tauck Courtesy of Tauck Score: 94.48 09 of 10 2. Viking Courtesy of Viking Cruises Score: 94.99 10 of 10 1. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection Courtesy of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection Score: 96.70 With ships that sail the Danube, the Rhine, the Ganges, and more, this all-inclusive river cruise line delivers a luxurious experience with a sense of place. “It is like being on a floating five-star hotel, with the added benefit of visiting multiple amazing locations,” wrote one fan. And the excursions — be they wine-tasting outings in Austria’s Wachau Valley or visits to Normandy’s D-Day beaches — are carefully planned and executed. Said one reader, “They have a wide variety of activities to satisfy all personalities.” See all of our readers' favorite hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2018. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit