Back up plan for Christmas Markets if low water continues

[Host Jazzbeau]

Camelback -- welcome to Cruise Critic. Please check the Guidelines section -- you are not allowed to mention TAs by name.

[papa B me]

Anyone know where the Maria Theresa is now? We're on her in Dec. BUD-Passau

 

The best I can tell is she is sitting idle near Linz. Unworld has cancelled the Amsterdam to Budapest that was scheduled to leave Amsterdam today and arrive in Budapest the 29th. The good news is that MT is on the best side of Passau for our departure from Budapest. The key will be whether she can sail to Budapest to pick us up. It has been raining some today in Passau, Vienna and Budapest with more forecasted over the next 10 days. So I'm hoping our cruise will still be a go come Dec 1. My best guess is without significant rain it will still be a go but with the first night being a hotel stay in Budapest then the provided tours the next day and a bus ride up stream to meet the ship. But I'm just guessing based on what they did during the summer. Even now it seems the only significant problem with Budapest to Passau is at Budspest. Only 2 weeks to go and I will no for sure. Planning for all possibilities at this point but excited about going to Europe and the Christmas markets no matter what.

[camelback]

Hello Host Jazzbeau - I don't think I mentioned my TAs name at all on my post. The compensation was offered by Uniworld. Do you mean I am not supposed to mention the amount I am receiving and therefore you took down my post?

 

Notamermaid - Thanks for your reply. I did not have any backup plans. Two weeks of activities is a lot to plan in two days. My agent said there was a France Bordeaux cruise near the time of my sailing but my mind was set on A-B cruise. Maybe is a good thing that I declined it; Otherwise, I will be in Paris now.

[pacmom]

Bubbulz, We were on a Christmas market trip in 2011 when there was also a severe low water problem--so bad that the port of Budapest was closed to all traffic. We were sailing with AMA from Budapest-Nurnberg and than on to Prague. We were taken from Budapest to the boat--a 45 min bus ride. The rest of the trip was all on the boat. In Regensburg, it was eerie to see so many boats docked with no pax--all on bus tours. Many of the newer boats have a much deeper draft than the AMA boats. Pat

[caviargal]

We were on a Rhine/Moselle cruise with AMA years ago on the AmaDante. Low water conditions turned many other lines into bus tours and there were many passenger-less boats docked along our route. They looked eerie.

 

The only change to our itinerary was that AMA could not make the trip down the Rhine Gorge. They chartered a brand new day boat for us, stocked it with food and wine and made sure passengers had that experience. They met us further down the river and we resumed our cruise. It was flawless.

[CPT Trips]

We were on a Rhine/Moselle cruise with AMA years ago on the AmaDante. Low water conditions turned many other lines into bus tours and there were many passenger-less boats docked along our route. They looked eerie.

 

The only change to our itinerary was that AMA could not make the trip down the Rhine Gorge. They chartered a brand new day boat for us, stocked it with food and wine and made sure passengers had that experience. They met us further down the river and we resumed our cruise. It was flawless.

 

I'm confused. Did you go through the Rhein Gorge in the day boat while the Amadante cruised through the gorge without pax, or did you do a ship swap?

[caviargal]

I'm confused. Did you go through the Rhein Gorge in the day boat while the Amadante cruised through the gorge without pax, or did you do a ship swap?

 

The day boat did the Gorge portion only and then AMA had a bus meet us at the end and take us to the location to rejoin the ship. No ship swap. The boat cruised sans pax.

[bubbulz]

Bubbulz, We were on a Christmas market trip in 2011 when there was also a severe low water problem--so bad that the port of Budapest was closed to all traffic. We were sailing with AMA from Budapest-Nurnberg and than on to Prague. We were taken from Budapest to the boat--a 45 min bus ride. The rest of the trip was all on the boat. In Regensburg, it was eerie to see so many boats docked with no pax--all on bus tours. Many of the newer boats have a much deeper draft than the AMA boats. Pat

 

Thanks for the feedback. So from what I can tell it sounds like Vienna - Nuremberg is not generally among the most highly affected areas?

[CPT Trips]

The day boat did the Gorge portion only and then AMA had a bus meet us at the end and take us to the location to rejoin the ship. No ship swap. The boat cruised sans pax.

 

Thanks for clarifying.

[Roz]

Brian,

 

Just got home last night. I don't recall seeing the Marie Theresa, but then again I wasn't looking for it. No discussion among passengers or crew of Beatrice about any Uniworld boats have problems. One or two of the optional evening tours were cancelled on our itinerary due to the slow river. It was taking us longer than normal to sail between towns.

 

Roz