Two chairs on a dock facing autumn-coloured hills across the Upper Mississippi

All Inclusive River Cruises in the USA

How inclusive are American river cruises? The honest line-by-line answer.

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What “All-Inclusive” Means on U.S. Rivers

All inclusive river cruises in the USA include far more than a typical big-ship ocean cruise, but the word “all” needs reading carefully. Here is what the two main upscale lines say their fares cover, based on their own material and published reviews in 2026.

Item	American Cruise Lines	Viking Mississippi
Meals	All meals on board	All meals on board
Shore excursions	At least one guided excursion in every port; some premium options cost extra	One included excursion in each port; optional tours extra
Drinks with meals	Wine and beer with lunch and dinner	Beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
Cocktails	Complimentary evening cocktail hour	Premium wines and spirits extra unless you add the Silver Spirits package
Wi-Fi	Included, per the line	Ask when booking
Port charges	Taxes and fees may be extra	Port charges and government taxes included in the fare
Gratuities	Generally not included	Ask when booking

Inclusions change from season to season. Our cruise advisors confirm the current list for your sailing before you pay a deposit.

The Extras Worth Budgeting For

Flights to the embarkation city and any hotel night before the cruise.
Gratuities for the crew, where not included.
Premium or optional excursions, such as private tours.
Premium drinks outside the included package.
Travel insurance — Cruise & Travel Insurance explains what it covers.

For a fair comparison, add the extras to each fare and compare the totals, not the headline numbers.

Beale Street, Memphis — Evenings ashore in Memphis are on your own tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all inclusive river cruises in the USA truly all-inclusive?

Not entirely. Both main lines include a lot — meals, at least one excursion in each port, wine and beer with lunch and dinner — but taxes and fees, optional premium excursions, premium spirits on some lines, travel insurance and gratuities may be extra. Read the inclusions for your exact sailing.

Do U.S. river cruises include a pre-cruise hotel?

Some itineraries include a hotel night or a package before embarkation; others do not. It varies by line and route, so ask.

Is Wi-Fi included?

American Cruise Lines states that Wi-Fi is included in its fares. Connectivity on any river can be patchy in remote stretches.

Comparing with Europe’s all-inclusive lines? See USA vs Europe and Luxury Europe River Cruises.

Comparing Fares Fairly

When two all inclusive river cruises in the USA look far apart on price, check four things: whether port charges and taxes are inside the fare, whether gratuities are, how many excursions are included per port, and what drinks you get outside mealtimes. Those four items explain most of the gap. Our cruise advisors lay them out in one table for you.

Compare Inclusive U.S. River Cruise Fares

We will price both lines side by side, with every inclusion and extra spelled out.

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