American Cruise Lines vs Viking: which river cruise is better?

No score and no verdict of ours: what American Cruise Lines and Viking each publish on their own websites, read 10 November 2026, topic by topic, each line linked to the page it came from.

American Cruise Lines vs Viking: which river cruise is better?

Neither is better for everyone. American Cruise Lines sells US river cruises on ships of 90 to 180 guests, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and at least one Featured shore excursion in each port included; Viking includes one shore excursion in every port and sails Viking Mississippi with 386 guests in 193 staterooms.

What is each line?

American Cruise Lines is an all-American family company that sells US river cruises; it says it operates the only 100% U.S. flagged fleet of riverboats and small ships in the world, built and flagged in the USA and crewed by Americans; it traces its roots to 1972, when Charles A. Robertson started it with his wife, Carol. Source

Viking runs river voyages on ships it operates under its own name, with Viking Longships in Europe and ships on the Nile, the Mississippi, the Mekong and the Brahmaputra. Source

Which ships does each line sail?

American Cruise Lines runs a fleet of riverboats and small ships that it puts at over 25, all operating solely in the U.S., including four classic paddlewheelers fully renovated in 2022; its affiliate Chesapeake Shipbuilding designs and builds the ships in its fleet. It gives no separate count of its river ships. Source

Viking sails Viking Longships in Europe, six Douro ships (Viking Gyda, Helgrim, Hemming, Osfrid, Sol and Torgil), Viking Astrild and Beyla on the Elbe, six Seine ships, the Nile ships Viking Amun, Aton and Hathor (with Anubis and Geb due 2027), Viking Mississippi, plus Viking Saigon and Viking Tonle on the Mekong. Source

How many guests are on board?

American Cruise Lines says its ships carry between 90 and 180 guests and that it is committed to keeping all ships under 200 passengers. Source

Viking's Viking Longships carry 80 to 200 passengers; its Nile ships host 82 guests each, its Asia ships 80 guests and Viking Mississippi 386 guests in 193 staterooms. Source

Which rivers does each line sail?

American Cruise Lines sells US river cruises, among them the Lower Mississippi River Cruise; it says it offers more U.S. river cruises than any other line and calls the Mississippi the first river most people think of for cruising in the United States. Source

Viking sails named itineraries on the Seine (Paris & the Heart of Normandy, Christmastime in Paris & Normandy), the Rhône (Lyon & Provence) and the Nile (Pharaohs & Pyramids, Grand Nile Journey I and II); it also sails purpose-built ships on the Douro, the Elbe, the Mississippi, the Mekong and the Brahmaputra. The pages read name no Danube or Rhine itinerary. Source

How large are the cabins?

Viking's cabin sizes are given for its Nile ships (a Standard Stateroom of 232 sq ft with a half-height picture window to an Explorer Suite of 677 sq ft including a 195 sq ft veranda) and for Viking Mississippi (336 sq ft Penthouse Veranda to Explorer Suites of 657 to 1,024 sq ft, all with a private veranda); no Longship cabin size is given. Source

American Cruise Lines does not publish this on the pages read.

What does the fare include?

American Cruise Lines' fares include all meals and snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks from soft drinks and water to coffee and tea, complimentary wine and beer at lunch and dinner and at least one complimentary Featured shore excursion in each port; Premium excursions cost extra, typically $10 to $99 per person. Source

Viking's Viking Inclusive Value fare includes one shore excursion in every port and beer, wine and soft drinks with onboard lunch and dinner; pre-paid charges, optional facilities and personal charges are not in the fare. Source

Are shore excursions included?

American Cruise Lines offers at least one complimentary Featured shore excursion in each port on all its itineraries, from over 600 excursions with typically two to four options per port; Premium excursions typically cost $10 to $99 per person and Signature excursions are for very small groups. Source

Viking includes one guided shore excursion in every port, led by an English-speaking guide; optional excursions such as Local Life, Working World and Privileged Access cost extra, with every excursion rated easy, moderate or demanding. Source

What do solo travellers pay?

American Cruise Lines has a select number of single occupancy staterooms on its ships; one person in a double stateroom pays 150% of the double occupancy rate, depending on the stateroom type. Source

Viking advertises Special Solo Traveler Fares and says single supplement savings are off applicable rates. Source

How much is the deposit?

Viking offers a $25 deposit as a current offer (US dollars, US residents) on itineraries of 35 days or less departing April 2027 onward, or June 2027 onward for itineraries over 35 days, World Cruise excluded; it states no standard deposit. 2027 departures pay in full by 17 December 2026 or 120 days before departure, whichever comes first. Source

American Cruise Lines does not publish this on the pages read.

What happens if you cancel?

Viking publishes no cancellation charge scale in the pages read; its optional Travel Protection Plan includes a Cancel for Any Reason waiver, under which the nonrefundable part of the trip cost comes back in Viking travel vouchers, claimed within 30 days of cancellation and redeemed within 12 months. Source

American Cruise Lines does not publish this on the pages read.

What if your mobility is limited?

American Cruise Lines says most ships have an elevator between passenger decks; American Independence, American Star and American Spirit have limited elevator access and it asks guests to call for details. Source

Viking has lifts throughout Viking Mississippi and a wheelchair-accessible Explorer Suite (#300); on its Nile ships the lift runs from Main Deck to Pool Deck only, with none to the Sun Deck; excursions are rated easy, moderate or demanding. Source

Can children come?

Viking says there are no children on board its river ships. Source

American Cruise Lines does not publish this on the pages read.

When is each not the fit?

The limits below are published by each line on their own websites.

• American Cruise Lines: not the fit if you want to sail outside the US: it says its over 25 ships operate solely in the U.S. Source
• Viking: not the fit if you live outside the US and want its published fares: it says all prices are in US dollars and for US residents only. Source

How do their reviews compare?

Their figures per platform, read 10 November 2026, each from a listing under the line's own name; a whole-company profile is marked. Figures are never added together.

• Viking: Trustpilot (whole company): 1.7 out of 5 from 384 reviews, newest 10 November 2026. Read 10 November 2026.
• American Cruise Lines: no Google or Trustpilot listing under American Cruise Lines's own name was found.

The lines at a glance

One card each, as on every Uncompromised Travel river cruise page: what each sells, why to choose each, what to ask for and the limits each publishes.

Which other lines sail the same rivers?

The lines that sell sailings on the same rivers are compared on What are the best alternatives to Viking River Cruises?

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 10 November 2026 · updated 10 November 2026