Low Water Levels Still Causing Havoc for European River Cruises
by Dori Saltzman
The underside of the Margaret Bridge in Budapest during exceptionally low water levels on the Danube. Photo: csikiphoto / Shutterstock.com
Water levels on both the Rhine and Danube rivers continue to remain low, sometimes approaching record lows, causing havoc throughout the river cruise industry. In several locations in Germany and the Netherlands, the Rhine fell to record levels, while parts of the Danube are experiencing the same.
According to the BBC, in Lobith, Netherlands, where the Rhine crosses from Germany in the Netherlands, water levels were, for a short time, the lowest they’ve ever been in recorded history.
River cruise lines are responding as best they can.
“Sections of the Danube and Rhine Rivers are currently experiencing exceptionally low water levels,” Viking wrote on its “Updates on Current Sailings” page. “As a result, select Viking river itineraries may be modified… In various water-level situations, when disruptions occur, we can implement “ship swaps,” allowing guests and their luggage to transfer to their exact same stateroom on an identical sister ship on the other side of the affected section of river.”
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is doing the same, when it can. In a Facebook post, a Uniworld guest posted the change in their itinerary, which was originally Basel to Amsterdam on the S.S. Antoinette, departing Aug. 9. The itinerary now requires guests to switch to the S.S. Elisabeth about half-way through, with a significant change in ports visited.
While several cruise lines use the same ship-swap systems to deal with the water levels, not all have enough ships to do so. Bus rides and hotels stays, along with cancellations are piling up.
Even Uniworld, which is able to do some ship swaps, is having to resort to hotel stays for some itineraries. An Aug. 9 cruise on the S.E. Emilie from Belgrade to Vienna now requires guests to fly to Budapest for a two-night stay, then transfer to the Trafalgar Reverie.
Other cruise lines are canceling. In a Facebook post, an upset Riviera Travel guest complained about their Aug. 7 Rhine & Moselle River being canceled, just five days before it was set to depart. (According to UK travel trade publication TTG Media, Riviera has canceled eight sailings so far this summer.)
In a LinkedIn post, travel advisor Andrew Kelly, of Flying Anchor Voyages, reported that his Grand European cruise with Tauck has been canceled.
