Record-Low Water Levels on Rhine and Danube Continue to Disrupt River Cruises

The light at the end of the low water issues on Europe’s rivers continues to be far, far away with new record lows being reached on both the Danube and Rhine rivers. To compound the issue, weather forecasts show no significant rainfall in affected areas through the middle of October. Low waters have plagued the river cruise industry all summer.

According to dpa (Deutsche Presse-Agentur) international, the Rhine reached a record low in Cologne, with the water gauge revealing the water levels had sunk to 40 centimeters (15.75 inches) today (Sept. 28, 2026).

Additionally, the gauge at a key point in Kaub near Main has fallen to 2 to 5 centimeters, sinking below the previous record low set on Aug. 17.

(Gauge readings do not measure the actual depth of the water. In Kaub, where the gauge is showing 2 centimeters, there is still about 1.1 meters [3.6 feet] of water in the channel. Putting this in context, most river cruise ships need 5 to 6 feet in this area to pass comfortably.)

According to Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences, which provides daily water levels online, the Rhine is too shallow to sail at four of five key points: Kaub and Cologne, as mentioned above, and Maxau and Lobith.

“According to the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), no lasting easing of the low-water situation is in sight,” the dpa international article said.

On the Danube, water levels are too shallow at four of six key points: Wildungsmauer, Budapest, Mohács and Giurgiu.

River cruise lines continue to cope with the low water levels by canceling or adjusting sailings.

Riviera Travel, for instance, is offering guests booked on affected Rhine River sailings an alternative itinerary, cruising north from Dusseldorf into the Netherlands and Belgium. Guests can alternatively cancel for a full refund. On the Danube, guests scheduled to depart from Budapest spend one night in the city before traveling by train to join their ship in Vienna.

Uniworld has also had to make similar changes on the Danube, with guests scheduled to depart Budapest on the S.S. Maria Theresa spending a night at a Budapest hotel and then transferred to their ship at a point where it can begin its sailing.

On the Rhine, ship swaps have been necessary; the embarkation of its Castles Along the Rhine sailing that was scheduled to take place on the S.S. Elisabeth in Basel is now taking place onboard the S.S. Antoinette. Similarly, a Rhine River cruise scheduled to take place on the S.S. Emilie, departing from Vienna, was switched to the S.S. Beatrice.

Scenic Group shared with TMR that a very limited number of cruises were canceled, with the majority of affected sailings successfully rerouted.