We just got back from a 2-week river cruise (Vienna to Amsterdam) on a Grand Circle ship. We had a fantastic time. It's hard to compare the different cruise companies since it seems as though everyone is so happy with the lines that they chose for their first cruise that they never attempt to experience a competitor to draw a comparison.
We had one couple who had cruised Viking before. Their comments were that they thought the number of shore excursions and their quality was better with Grand Circle than with Viking. They also found the food and staff to be better with Grand Circle. Their one comment that they liked better about Viking was that the Viking cabins had a double bed, whereas the Grand Circle had two twin-sized beds. This is an example how different people like different things since we would find having a double bed very uncomfortable for two people since we are used to a king.
One example of the customer-first approach from Grand Circle was when we were sailing to Bamberg, Germany. The night before we got there, the program directors found out that they were having a large Oktoberfest-like festival in town. The ship's agenda was to spend just the morning in Bamberg before sailing on. However, knowing that this was a unique experience, they got the captain and corporate HQ to change the itinerary (which included making new lock arrangements as well as additional expenses for busses). As a result, the extra time spent at the festival was a highlight for the trip. Other cruise ships that came in at the same time as ours left on their original schedule and their passengers did not get to experience the fun of the festival.
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