River Cruise Reviews and Surveys, With Sources
What river cruisers value, rate and ask — only from findings we can trace.
Tell Us What You Want in a River CruiseRiver Cruise Reviews, Ratings and Surveys — With Sources
River cruise reviews are everywhere, and so are confident numbers about who river cruises and why. Most of them are never sourced. River Cruise Surveys does the opposite: we report only findings we can trace to a named survey, with the year, who was asked and how many, and we link to the source so you can read it yourself. Where no good survey exists, we say so and stick to verifiable facts.
Why does this matter to a traveler? Because the right survey can tell you what experienced river cruisers value most — and therefore what to look for in your own trip. And knowing how ratings and reader awards are produced helps you read them for what they are.
Three findings worth knowing
- Itinerary comes first. In the Travel Market Report River Cruise Outlook 2024, 82% of the 703 advisors surveyed named the itinerary as a factor determining a client’s satisfaction, ahead of food and wine (69%).
- Small ships and central docking draw people in. In the same survey, 80% of advisors cited the smaller number of guests and 80% the easy access to city centers as key reasons clients choose a river cruise.
- Interest outruns experience. A 2016 AAA telephone survey of 1,012 U.S. adults found 14% had taken a river cruise, while about four in ten would consider one, according to Travel Agent Central’s report on the 2016 AAA survey.
Explore the Findings
River cruise facts from surveys
Destinations, seasons, motivations and satisfaction factors from the 2024 advisor survey, with the method spelled out.
Who does river cruises?
What advisors and the public say about the travelers who choose rivers, and what that means if you are new to it.
Reader awards explained
How magazine reader polls like the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards work, and how to use them.
Reading ratings and reviews
A practical method for weighing star ratings and guest reviews of river cruise companies.
Tell us what you want
Share your own priorities and get suggestions matched to them.
Surveys Measure Different Things
| Type of source | Who is asked | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advisor surveys | Travel advisors who sell river cruises | What clients ask for and complain about | Second-hand view of travelers |
| Public opinion polls | A sample of adults | Interest and awareness | Can date quickly |
| Magazine reader polls | Readers who choose to vote | Which brands people love | Self-selected voters; not a measure of fit for you |
| Online reviews | Individual guests | Recent, specific detail | Single experiences; mixed ships and dates |
One more note: the widely quoted cruise passenger totals in the industry association CLIA’s State of the Cruise Industry report are for ocean-going cruising, so they are not a guide to river cruising. When you see a river statistic without a source, treat it with caution.
Who Is Behind This Site
River Cruise Surveys is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
Surveys tell us what most travelers value. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise ask what you value, then match the ship, river and itinerary to it. Meet Mister Cruise →
For deeper reviews of lines and ships, see our sister site River Cruise Critic; for live offers, Wave Season and Cruising for Less. Join the free Mister Cruise newsletter, explore Be a Travel Agent if you would like to sell travel, and browse the Official Travel Directory, Best of the USA and the Official River Cruise Directory.
About River Cruise Surveys
Where do river cruise survey numbers come from?
Mostly from three kinds of source: surveys of travel advisors (such as Travel Market Report’s annual River Cruise Outlook), surveys of the public (such as AAA’s 2016 telephone poll), and reader polls run by travel magazines. Each measures something different, so always check who was asked.
Are river cruise reviews reliable?
Individual reviews are one person’s week on one ship. They are useful in bulk and when recent, and less useful when they describe a different ship, season or cabin from the one you are considering.
Do you publish your own survey results?
Not yet. We invite readers to tell us their preferences through our quote form, and we will only ever publish results with the method and sample size stated.
Tell Us What Matters to You
Itinerary, food, cabin, pace, price? Share your priorities and our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will send free quotes that match them.
Share Your Priorities