Which river cruise lines have won awards?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 10 November 2026
These 12 river cruise lines name an award they won, with the year and the body that gave it on their own websites, read 10 November 2026. Each card gives what the line says about it, with the ship, sailing, length, price or number where it names one, then why to choose it, what to ask for and the limits it publishes.
Which river cruise lines have won awards?
12 river cruise lines in the Uncompromised Travel table say on their own websites that they won the awards named; Travelmarvel, DouroAzul and CroisiEurope have the most Google reviews under the line's own name.
Aqua Expeditions
- Best for
- Small-ship Mekong and Amazon expeditions
- Awards
- Says its fleet was named the World's Best River Cruise Line by Travel + Leisure in 2023 and 2024.
- Why choose them
- Founded in 2007 by Francesco Galli Zugaro, it runs excursions in groups of no more than 12. Google: 4.8 out of 5 from 11 reviews. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a high-water departure, mid-August to November, when Aqua Mekong sails between Ho Chi Minh and Siem Reap.
- Not the fit if
- you want to sail to Siem Reap from December to mid-August: low water keeps the ship between Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh, with a complimentary flight to Siem Reap instead.
- Website
- aquaexpeditions.com
CroisiEurope
- Best for
- French family line on European rivers
- Awards
- Says it was elected 'Meilleure Enseigne 2027' in the cruise line category, published in Capital magazine.
- Why choose them
- Runs a fleet of 50 ships and barges. Google: 3.6 out of 5 from 134 reviews; Trustpilot: 3.8 out of 5 from 448 reviews, newest 9 November 2026. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a CroisiFamille river cruise, where up to 2 children up to 16 sail free in a paying cabin.
- Not the fit if
- you may cancel late: from 90 days before a river cruise you lose 20% of the price, rising to 100% from 8 days.
- Website
- croisieurope.com
DouroAzul
- Best for
- Douro cruises from Porto to Barca D'Alva
- Awards
- Says it was named World's Best River Cruise Company at the 2024 World Cruise Awards for the second consecutive year; its 2026 World Cruise Awards distinction for river cruising in Europe follows wins in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
- Why choose them
- Says the World Cruise Awards recognised it again in 2026, after wins in 2021, 2023 and 2024. Google: 4.1 out of 5 from 335 reviews. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the 30-passenger Spirit of Chartwell, which it operates itself.
- Not the fit if
- you may need medical care on board: its ships have no medical staff or clinical facilities.
- Website
- douroazul.com
Iberostar Grand Amazon
- Best for
- All-inclusive Amazon cruises from Manaus
- Awards
- Lists Booking.com Traveller Review Awards for 2025 and 2024 for the ship.
- Why choose them
- Sails one ship from the Port of Manaus on 3 itineraries of 3, 4 and 7 nights.
- Ask for
- Ask for the 4-night Negro River trip, with all daytime and night expeditions included.
- Not the fit if
- you want rivers beyond the Brazilian Amazon: it sails one ship from Manaus on the Solimões and Negro rivers.
- Website
- iberostar.com
Mekong Kingdoms
- Best for
- Small-boat Mekong voyages in Laos
- Awards
- Says it was named #2 Best River Cruise in Asia-Pacific at the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2026.
- Why choose them
- Its 50-metre boat Bohème has 13 cabins.
- Ask for
- Ask for The Bohème Journey, a 7-day cruise package with a stay at Avani+ Lanexang Vientiane or Avani+ Luang Prabang.
- Not the fit if
- you may need to cancel, as overnight cruises carry a 50% non-refundable deposit and cancelling less than 31 days before departure costs 100%.
- Published price
- from USD 3,750 per person, twin cabin, Bohème Vientiane to Luang Prabang upstream, 5 nights, 3 January 2027 sailing. Read 10 November 2026.
Riverside Luxury Cruises
- Best for
- All-suite European river cruises with butlers
- Awards
- Says Riverside Debussy won the Kreuzfahrt Guide Award 2026 in the Fluvial category.
- Why choose them
- Its suites range from 20 to 82 m² with a crew-to-guest ratio of 1:4.
- Ask for
- Ask for the Harmony Suite on Riverside Mozart or the Melody Suite on Debussy, Ravel or Mahler, where solo travellers pay no suite surcharge, subject to availability.
- Not the fit if
- you use a motorised scooter or need full wheelchair access: scooters are not allowed and wheelchair accessibility is limited.
- Website
- riverside-cruises.com
Scenic
- Best for
- All-inclusive Europe and Mekong river cruises
- Awards
- Says Scenic Eclipse was named Best Cruise Ship for Dining, Asia's Best River Cruise Ship and Europe's Best River Cruise Line at the inaugural World Cruise Awards in 2022.
- Why choose them
- Its river fleet is growing from 13 to 16 ships, with new additions planned for 2027 and 2028.
- Ask for
- Ask for a Solo Program Preferred Fare, which gives 50% single supplement savings, with a free single supplement on select dates.
- Not the fit if
- you live outside the United States: these fares and offers apply to legal residents of the United States.
- Published price
- from US$4,528 per person, double occupancy, Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle, 8 days, 2027 season. Read 10 November 2026.
The Oberoi
- Best for
- Nile cruises from a hotel group
- Awards
- Lists The Oberoi Philae as ranked 1st for Best River Cruisers in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2026.
- Why choose them
- Says The Oberoi Philae was ranked 1st for Best River Cruisers in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for embarkation at Luxor or Aswan on The Oberoi Zahra or The Oberoi Philae.
- Not the fit if
- you need another start day: all its itineraries run on Tuesday and Saturday.
Travelmarvel
- Best for
- Rhine, Danube and Douro cruises plus Asia
- Awards
- Says Cruise Critic awarded it Best Value River Cruise Line in 2019.
- Why choose them
- It added the Contemporary River Ships Polaris, Capella and Vega to its European fleet in 2022. Google: 4.5 out of 5 from 926 reviews. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the 2027 Book Early Package on Europe river cruises and the deposit it holds the booking with.
- Not the fit if
- you may need to change plans late: its one free amendment applies only when you are more than 100 days from departure.
- Money protection
- ABTA and ATOL (UK packages).
- Website
- travelmarvel.com
Victoria Cruises
- Best for
- Yangtze cruises through the Three Gorges
- Awards
- Won the 2011 TravelAge West WAVE Award Editor's Pick for Best River Cruise Line.
- Why choose them
- Established in New York City in 1993, it celebrated the 25th anniversary of its inaugural sailing in 2019.
- Ask for
- Ask for a cabin in the Luxury Amenities Program, which adds complimentary Wi-Fi, house wine and beer at dinner and a la carte dining.
- Not the fit if
- you travel alone: the single supplement adds 75% of the fare in a superior cabin and 100% in a suite.
Viking
- Best for
- Europe, Nile and Mekong river voyages
- Awards
- Says it was voted #1 for Rivers in Condé Nast Traveler's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards and that Viking Hathor was named Best New River Ship by Travel Weekly in 2025.
- Why choose them
- Says it was voted #1 for Rivers in Condé Nast Traveler's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, the sixth consecutive year. Trustpilot (whole company): 1.7 out of 5 from 384 reviews, newest 10 November 2026. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the Viking Inclusive Value fare, with one shore excursion in every port, or the current Special Solo Traveler Fares.
- Not the fit if
- you are travelling with children: Viking says its river ships have no children on board.
- Website
- vikingrivercruises.com
When did each line last win an award it names?
12 of the 12 lines name an award with its year; the list runs from the most recent year. Each card names the award and the body that gave it.
- CroisiEurope: 2027
- DouroAzul: 2026
- Mekong Kingdoms: 2026
- Riverside Luxury Cruises: 2026
- The Oberoi: 2026
- Viking: 2026
- Iberostar Grand Amazon: 2025
- Aqua Expeditions: 2024
- Scenic: 2022
- Travelmarvel: 2019
- Victoria Cruises: 2011
- Assam Bengal Navigation: 2004
Which of these show a dated price on this page?
2 of the 12 cards show a price for a sailing, with its currency and a date or season. Assam Bengal Navigation, CroisiEurope, Victoria Cruises and Viking publish fares on their own websites without a sailing date, a per-person basis or a currency on the pages read, so no figure is shown for them. Ask every line for a written quote with the departure date and what it includes.
Who to contact first
Start with the 2 lines on this page that publish both a sailing price and their cancellation terms on their own websites, then add any other card that fits your dates and the sailing you want.
What to ask each one to set out in writing:
- What the fare includes, line by line: excursions, drinks, gratuities, wifi, flights, transfers and hotel nights before and after.
- The ship: how many guests it carries, the cabin size and whether it has a French balcony, a full balcony or a window.
- The deposit, when the balance is due, what you lose if you cancel and what the line does if low or high water changes the route.
- Which scheme or licence protects your money and what you need to walk on the excursions if mobility matters to you.
River cruise line awards: the questions people ask
What should I ask a river cruise line before booking?
What the fare includes, line by line; how many guests the ship carries and the size of the cabin; the deposit and what you lose if you cancel; what happens if low or high water changes the route; and which scheme protects your money.
Can I book with these lines directly?
Yes. Each card links the line's own website or enquiry page; ask for a written quote that lists what the fare includes and the cancellation scale.
Do these lines all sell the same kind of river cruise?
No. Each card names the sailing, ship or offer the line's own website gives; ship sizes, lengths, rivers and prices differ, so compare the cards before you ask for quotes.
What happens if the river is too low or too high to sail?
5 of the 12 lines set out on their own websites what they do when water levels change a sailing, such as a ship swap, a coach transfer or a refund. Ask each line in writing before you book.
Which of these have the most Google reviews?
Travelmarvel, DouroAzul and CroisiEurope, in that order. A count says how many people reviewed a line, not whether it fits your sailing; each card gives the rating and count, read 10 November 2026.
Which of these have Trustpilot profiles?
2 of the 12: CroisiEurope and Viking. Each card gives the TrustScore, the review count and the newest review date, read 10 November 2026.
Which of these publish their cancellation terms?
9 of the 12: Aqua Expeditions, Assam Bengal Navigation, CroisiEurope, DouroAzul, Mekong Kingdoms, Riverside Luxury Cruises, Scenic, Travelmarvel and Victoria Cruises. Ask each for the full scale in writing before you pay a deposit.
Where can I check these facts myself?
Each card links the pages of the line's own website its lines were read from, with the date they were read.
How were these lines chosen?
Each one is in the Uncompromised Travel river cruise lines table, built from the river cruise lines ChatGPT names most often. On its own website it names an award it won, with the year and the body that gave it. A line is on the page because its published facts fit the question, never because it paid.
Is any company on this page paying to be here?
No. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel; none paid to be on it.
Read next
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: what each line published on its own website, read on 10 November 2026, with links to the pages read, with its Google and Trustpilot figures where the listing carries the line's own name, from the Uncompromised Travel river cruise lines table. Cards are in alphabetical order. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. How this site earns · How we work.