Brinley Hineman
As if we needed any further proof that river cruising has gone mainstream, U.S. News & World Report released its first ranking of river cruise lines.
U.S. News said it based its rankings on several factors, including ratings from experts and travelers, cruise industry awards and what the lines offer. It also considered the pricing structure, itinerary and onboard amenities.
In the top three, it ranked AmaWaterways, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Viking.
AmaWaterways earned the top spot thanks to its wellness-focused amenities, such as pickleball courts on some ships, and for its Adventures by Disney charters. U.S. News listed its Magdalena River cruises in Colombia as a noteworthy itinerary.
Uniworld's staff-to-guest ratio netted it second place. (The line staffs one crew member for every 2.4 travelers.)
U.S. News was particularly fond of Uniworld's all-inclusive model, which is something I've also heard travel advisors praise.
And Viking, the biggest river cruise line in the world, ranked third. Its massive fleet -- 80 river ships and counting -- paired with its diversity of offerings, including U.S. cruises, clinched its spot. And the adults-only model doesn't hurt its status, either, U.S. News concluded.
Other lines that made the top 10 list were Avalon Waterways, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Riverside Luxury Cruises, American Cruise Lines, Tauck, Emerald Cruises and CroisiEurope Cruises.
Forbes Travel Guide also plans to begin evaluating river cruises.
And News' ranking, coupled with Forbes' forthcoming list, signals just how far the industry has come from niche to popular product. For advisors, lists such as these can serve as handy one-sheets for clients uncertain where to start their river cruise journeys -- alongside, of course, the advisor's expertise in the sector.