Viking is probably the most well-known cruise line offering river cruises to Americans—yet AmaWaterways is often an attractive alternative option for travelers shopping around for the river cruise experience that best fits them.
Both river cruise lines have staunch supporters: often, Viking guests become repeat cruisers, and once a traveler takes an AmaWaterways cruise, they’re usually hooked.
Yet what defines both these brands for guests? Why do they garner so much loyalty? And how can you—either as a traveler or as a travel planner—discover which brand is a better fit for you or your clients? Or are they so similar that it really doesn’t matter which one you choose at all?
I have had the opportunity to sail with both river cruise lines: a Paris & Normandy Seine River cruise with Viking in 2024 and, more recently, a Danube River cruise with AmaWaterways in October. Let’s get into it!
Destinations & Offerings
The Eiffel Tower above the River Seine in Paris, France. (Photo Credit: Lacey Pfalz)
The first thing you need to know about Viking and AmaWaterways is that, for the most part, their river cruise segments are very similar, with a few significant differences. If you’re interested in sailing the major rivers of Europe, either option is an excellent choice in terms of destinations.
What Viking adds to their experiences are more boats (and likely some extra added flexibility for dates), along with the opportunity to combine Viking ocean cruises with river cruises, which can be an attractive option for travelers looking to sail Europe for longer.
AmaWaterways does offer combined cruise options, though, so it’s really all about what the traveler prefers to experience.
The brands also offer different river cruise experiences: Viking sails the Brahmaputra in India and the Mississippi in the United States, while AmaWaterways sails the Rio Magdalena in Colombia, the Main and Saône in Europe, and the Chobe River in Southern Africa.
They both sail the Nile in Egypt and the Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia.
Key Brand Differences
AmaWaterways' new Celebration of Wellness River Cruises offer more active excursions and onboard experiences. (Photo Credit: AmaWaterways)
One of the most significant differences between the brands is their approach to guests: Viking is adults-only and markets itself as an opportunity to “explore the world in comfort,” making it a popular choice for well-to-do retirees and travelers with more limitations than they had in the past, but with the same desires to travel as they always have.
AmaWaterways, by comparison, markets itself as a “journey that moves you,” offering more active adventurers a luxurious and convenient stay in a floating hotel.
It’s also kid-friendly and doesn’t have an age limit, making it a good choice for multi-generational families and big life celebrations, like a high school graduation trip or a family reunion, without having to say goodbye to the littlest members of the family.
During my experience with both trips, I noticed that AmaWaterways lends itself well to the still working and the more active, recently retired, while Viking’s most loyal guests tend to be a bit older. This isn’t always the case, of course, but I noticed it during my two trips.
The two brands also offer pre- and post-cruise offerings, though AmaWaterways does garner some extra points for sometimes offering complimentary land packages during select promotion periods throughout the year (check out my experience taking a land package with the cruise line).
Both also offer tours and excursions every day, but their approaches are entirely different.
AmaWaterways’ excursions are entirely free, except for maybe one or two memorable experiences per cruise, like a classical music concert in Vienna. This allows travelers to pick whichever they’d like without worrying about paying extra for something they really want to experience.
With Viking, guests will have one or two free options a day, then will have to pay for any extra tours that they want to take, like a trip to Versailles or the Louvre, which can cost a few hundred dollars per person. This can get pricey, as a couple might easily spend another thousand dollars on the experiences they really want during their trip.
There are some inspiring experiences that Viking can offer guests, however, like a helicopter ride above a significant historic site, or something similar that guests with AmaWaterways might have to organize outside the cruise line to experience.
The Ships: Design and Function
The AmaMora in Vilshofen, Germany. (Photo Credit: Lacey Pfalz)
Viking’s fleet of river cruise ships is larger than AmaWaterways’ fleet, but it’s not as important a distinction as you’d think. What’s more different is the design and function of the ships themselves.
Viking’s fleet of ships definitely leans into the brand’s Scandinavian heritage, with crisp, neutral wood tones and not too much color. River cruise ships often offer one restaurant, a large lounge/living room area, and an upper deck with a walking track.
AmaWaterways’ ships provide a more artistic style, often offering warmer wood tones and more pops of color. Every ship comes with a small heated pool on deck, a walking track, a large lounge area and two restaurants: the everyday restaurant and the Chef’s Table experience. The AmaMagna also features a bit more, including a pickleball court on the upper deck.
A note about the food: both river cruise brands provide excellent food. Both offer several-course, all-you-can-eat-style dinners, often inspired by local culture.
For me personally, the winner was AmaWaterways, and for a few reasons.
The first: while Viking offered a buffet-style breakfast only, AmaWaterways offered both breakfast and lunch in a buffet-style format, plus menus for those who’d like to order a hot meal.
I’m also used to eating smaller portions, so I enjoyed AmaWaterways’ smaller dinner plates compared to Viking’s larger, heavier dinners. I also enjoyed the brand’s larger selection of healthier buffet options (my colleagues have told me the French fries are also excellent on AmaWaterways cruises, though I did not try them on board, so I cannot attest to this).
The Approach: Service and Style
Main restaurant onboard the AmaMagna (Photo Credit: AmaWaterways)
Service is excellent with both cruise lines, but with markedly different approaches. While on Viking, I was constantly offered drinks and checked in during meals, and there was a more apparent distinction between guests and crew. Attentive and friendly, the crew of both cruises I’ve been on were excellent—and deserved all the tips they received from happy guests.
With AmaWaterways, the crew felt less formal and were more relaxed as a result. It was easier to see their personalities, and while they were still just as friendly, I didn’t feel as pressured sometimes to remain as formal as I did with Viking.
Both experiences were good—but they were different.
AmaWaterways also has one key difference when it comes to crew: every ship has a wellness host. Wellness hosts are part personal trainer, part tour guide, leading health and wellness classes and activities onboard as well as leading more active tours, like bike rides, in port.
That’s where AmaWaterways has a whole step above Viking. Wellness activities, active tours and experiences are definitely a big focus of the brand, so those who have a more active lifestyle will likely prefer this river cruise line.
The Bottom Line
In the end, both of these river cruise lines offer incredible travel opportunities, just with two very different approaches. Both offer ample options for different types of travelers at various life stages or with differing lifestyles.
And isn’t it amazing that we, as travelers and travel planners, have some incredible options to consider when we decide to take a river cruise?
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