Rhine/Danube River Levels

[buffetking]

Has anyone been on either the Rhine or Danube River and the boat not been able to navigate the river? We are trying to decide which is a better month to go, May or September?

[kuldalai]

The snows generally melt in April into early May. Also regularly locks are closed for maintenance generally in April. Go for late May to early June and you should be pretty safe, and lovely weather then too.

 

We went early June and even then sudden downpours can bring river levels up abruptly . In Budapest we disembarked mid June on the lower river roadway, but after sudden rains a few days later the lower river roadways were 3 feet under water .

 

A traditional river cruise (Amsterdam - Budapest) involves travel over 5 linked waterways (i) Firstly on the Amsterdam Canal (completed in 1950's ) (ii) then on the Rhine River (iii) then the Main River (iv) then the Main - Danube Canal (Completed 1993) (v) and finally on the mighty Danube. In all you will pass through some 69 locks varying in height from 18 feet to 81 feet at the summit of the European Divide on the Main - Danube Canal.

 

Seasonal variations in river heights they manage by 1. Lowering the bridge and flattening the top sun deck (closed to pax access). 2. If rivers get higher still then they bus you round a short segment and wait 12 hours or so for water levels to recede. No great dramas, part of the fun .

 

Generally the Main River can give problems with clearance heights as many bridges along that stretch are rather low . It is on this Main River section that the upper sun deck is often closed to pax access account low bridge clearances.

[steamboats]

Usually you should be fine between Mid May and September. But we had severe flooding in August too. So you never know in advance. BTW it´s the Main-Danube Canal which has low bridges but the canal is not affected by high or low water and has a constant level as an artificial waterway.

 

steamboats

[newlondon]

Actually Steamboats it was after we exited the canal, near Passau, going south that we had our closest clearance!

[steamboats]

newlondon,

 

Near Passau you´re way down the Danube river and there are a couple of pretty low bridges on the Danube river like one in Passau and some around Vienna. In case of high water you´re getting into "troubles".

 

Low bridges are always a problem with high water. But the part where the sun deck is permanently closed is the Canal (despite the water level as the Canal has a constant level).

 

steamboats

[letsgo39]

Hi Steamboats,

 

Do you know why they close the sundeck while in the canal if the waterlevels are not the problem? We did the Budapest to Amsterdam cruise on Avalon and I hated that the sundeck was closed for so many days.

 

Also do you know if the sundecks are closed on the Antwerp to Basel cruises?

Thanks

letsgo

[Pugwash123]

Has anyone been on either the Rhine or Danube River and the boat not been able to navigate the river? We are trying to decide which is a better month to go, May or September?

We have just returned from the Scenic Budapest to Amsterdam cruise (7 - 11 Sept) and had to switch from Scenic Emerald to Scenic Ruby halfway through as did the cruise before us. The Rhine is extremely low and it is touch and go whether the cruise starting today will even make half way.

[kiawahdon]

We have just returned from the Scenic Budapest to Amsterdam cruise (7 - 11 Sept) and had to switch from Scenic Emerald to Scenic Ruby halfway through as did the cruise before us. The Rhine is extremely low and it is touch and go whether the cruise starting today will even make half way.

 

Pugwash123-

We are booked on this cruise the end of May '10. I would be interested in your comments on the ship, crew, tours etc. To not get off thread, please email me at:kiawahdon@hotmail.com

[buffetking]

Thanks for all the info! With Europe having such low bridges, the river levels seem extremely important! Thanks for mentioning all the different rivers that one passes through going from Amsterdam to Budapest. Low water levels on the Rhine are really surprising as I thought that was the part of the river that we would get to see. Any opinions on which cruise companies have smaller boats with a shorter draft, thus maybe being able to stay on the river while other companies couldn't?

[TSS Olympia]

No idea which cruise line has the shallowest draft, but it is pretty neat watching the ships lower their captains bridges to slip under low bridges :) I assume all lines have the ability to lower their captains bridges. We sailed on GCT

[newlondon]

For all who may be upset by the sundeck being closed, I repeat, some boats including all Tauck have a forward--ship's bridge level-- sundeck that does not close. Be sure to check it out as it makes a big difference.

[letsgo39]

Tauck is very expensive. Way more than I want to pay although I am sure it would be lovely. Avalon has a small section in the front of the ship that is an open deck and available all the time but it only has room for about 12 people. We have already done the Budapest to Amsterdam cruise and I believe that is the cruise that has the most days that the sundeck is closed.Steamboats said the closings are mostly in the canal.

[steamboats]

Hi Steamboats,

 

Do you know why they close the sundeck while in the canal if the waterlevels are not the problem? We did the Budapest to Amsterdam cruise on Avalon and I hated that the sundeck was closed for so many days.

 

Also do you know if the sundecks are closed on the Antwerp to Basel cruises?

Thanks

letsgo

 

letsgo,

 

It´s simply because the bridges are very low on the Canal. There´s one bridge close to Kehlheim (the South end of the Canal) where even the local excursion boats are advising their passengers not to stand up on the upper deck.

 

The Canal locks are limiting the width of a river cruise ship. And the Canal bridges are limiting the height of a river cruise ship (unless the ship stays on either side of the canal which some ships are doing).

 

steamboats

[steamboats]

Thanks for all the info! With Europe having such low bridges, the river levels seem extremely important! Thanks for mentioning all the different rivers that one passes through going from Amsterdam to Budapest. Low water levels on the Rhine are really surprising as I thought that was the part of the river that we would get to see. Any opinions on which cruise companies have smaller boats with a shorter draft, thus maybe being able to stay on the river while other companies couldn't?

 

As in the US there is a guaranteed depth of the navigation channel and therefore all ships are having a draft between 1 and 1.20 m (3-4ft). A low river will cause problems with any kind of commercial vessel. Problems can be a landing which can´t be reached anymore, shallows which aren´t easy to navigate up to a river closure.

 

River conditions are always depending on the weather conditions. There is no guarantee that a river cruise will be going on as scheduled. Anyway most of them are. River conditions can also change pretty fast. Rivers can rise and drop within an hour. When booking a river cruise you simply have to be aware that a problem can arouse. I had a lot of cruises which went totally well, others I had problems due to the river levels. And as most of my river cruises have been in the US you can see that those problems are not a specialty of the European rivers. Even on an ocean cruise a port can be cancelled due to weather conditions. You can also be rerouted because of a hurricane.

 

steamboats

[pacmom]

No sundeck closure going frm Antwerp to Basel. By the way it is a great trip. Pat

[letsgo39]

No sundeck closure going frm Antwerp to Basel. By the way it is a great trip. Pat

 

 

Yeah! Thanks,Pat! Which company did you do that cruise with?

Letsgo

[letsgo39]

We know all about low river/lake levels here in Kentucky. Last year in October we somehow managed to get slightly out of the channel on Lake Barkley/Cumberland River and ran our pontoon boat aground!:eek::mad: We were able to get it free ourselves but many were not so lucky.

 

They lower the lake levels starting in September to assist navigation on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers.When the lakes are at winter pool many home owners on Lake Barkley and Kentucky lake do not have water to their docks.

 

Thanks for your information.

[steamboats]

letsgo,

 

I love that area too and I´m still waiting for a chance to cruise into Nashville. We tried it twice and each time were stopped by high water (the Dover bridge).

 

steamboats

[Rivermike]

We have just returned from the Scenic Budapest to Amsterdam cruise (7 - 11 Sept) and had to switch from Scenic Emerald to Scenic Ruby halfway through as did the cruise before us. The Rhine is extremely low and it is touch and go whether the cruise starting today will even make half way.

 

I would appreciate your comments regarding the quality of food and service on board the scenic ship. If you had a balcony if you feel it was large enough and worth the extra cost.

 

If you do not wish your comments to be viewed by the opublic please send to Mike@riverdiscounts.com Thanks

[pacmom]

Let'sgo39,

 

We went with Vantage last year because they were the only ones stopping at both Nurnberg and Bamberg--2 musts for me. The cruise was just wonderful--cabin very nice. We upgraded to an A because we didn't want daybeds. Fodd was excellent--never got past the Maitre'd without sanitizing hands. There were 4 tour directors, splitting us into 4 groups. Ours was Annelise from the Netherlands--fantastic. She went on all our tours and many times we also had a local guise. We even had a nite at the races one evening--they used the chess pieces from the sun deck and dressed them up. My only complaint is that Vantage only sells to US citizens--so no international mix.

 

Just realized you are asking about Amsterdam-Basel. We went with Viking and I have discussed this quite a bit on the board--on the legend threads and the recent thread Uniworld or Viking. After you read those threads and have more questions Send an e-mail to momcooneyatwohdotrrdot com. Pat

[cebone]

We just were informed today that our Tauck river cruise was cancelled due to low river levels. We were due to depart in 5 days. Tauck said that the current cruise had to stop somewhere in Bavaria and the passengers were flown home out of Munich. Very disappointing for everyone! Tauck was very generous to us with full refunds and credits for future trips, etc. but it is still hard to believe after getting all prepared for our first river cruise. Will probably take them up on their offer for next May. Just hope levels aren't too HIGH then!

[letsgo39]

We just were informed today that our Tauck river cruise was cancelled due to low river levels. We were due to depart in 5 days. Tauck said that the current cruise had to stop somewhere in Bavaria and the passengers were flown home out of Munich. Very disappointing for everyone! Tauck was very generous to us with full refunds and credits for future trips, etc. but it is still hard to believe after getting all prepared for our first river cruise. Will probably take them up on their offer for next May. Just hope levels aren't too HIGH then!

 

Oh no,what a shame. I know you must be very disappointed.It could have been worse in that they could have run the cruise and bussed you most of the way like Scenic did to somone this year.

[Jesterscourt]

Can anyone comment on the water level of the Elbe River as we have a trip in a few weeks?

[franski]

cebone - How horrible for you... But, as letsgo39 has said, at least your river cruise didn't turn out to be a bus tour...

 

Do you know exactly where the problem was?? I am gathering that the issue was at the "top end" of the cruise (ie: before Nuremburg).

 

We leave in 3 days for Budapest - due to get on the boat on the 5th - sailing up to Nuremburg, so this type of news really worries me...:eek:

[letsgo39]

If I understand what Steamboats has said correctly water levels are not a problem in the Main/Danube canal. Steamboats lives in Munich so is usually on here at night. I am sure she will have some insight into the problem.They must have had very low rainfall this year to cause such a major problem.