Rhine water levels 2016 and similar topics

[DocDave69]

Fascinating story! Thanks.

 

 

DocDave

[doglover3]

Wonderful story-telling, notamermaid! We'll be sure to watch out on our trip in June. And thank you so much for all your other advice and insights. It's very helpful as our travel date approaches.

[notamermaid]

I hope you have a splendid weekend, whether at home or on travels.

 

The Rhine water level is perfect for sailing, not too high and not too low, that means for the foreseeable future, here: two weeks.

 

The weather has improved and it finally feels like Spring. Temperatures in the valleys have reached double digits with sunshine and rain and windy spells.

 

National and international river cruise ships are sailing and the season has started in earnest, even the first beer gardens are opening...

 

notamermaid

[cruisersMandW]

I hope you have a splendid weekend, whether at home or on travels.

 

The Rhine water level is perfect for sailing, not too high and not too low, that means for the foreseeable future, here: two weeks.

 

The weather has improved and it finally feels like Spring. Temperatures in the valleys have reached double digits with sunshine and rain and windy spells.

 

National and international river cruise ships are sailing and the season has started in earnest, even the first beer gardens are opening...

 

notamermaid

 

Notamermaid I just wanted to thank you for your posts. The information you provide is very helpful (and encouraging :). Hope you continue to feel better so you can enjoy the spring. We can't wait to see your neck of the woods!

[franski]

notamermaid - Thank you for starting this thread - and keeping those of us cruising the Rhine informed as to weather, water levels and "general interest" items (ie: steam engine hunters...). Thank you also for taking the time to do this while you were dealing with personal health issues. Hopefully the upcoming months will find your health issues resolved.

 

Hadn't really paid much attention as we aren't leaving until September - but now will keep checking back fairly regularly as there is "so much more" here than the title of the thread indicates.

 

We are doing Amsterdam to Basel with Emerald - and then driving through southern Germany for a week before heading home from Munich. We have cruised the Rhine before, but it was for the Christmas markets, and there was so much snow, the visibility was VERY limited!! Hoping to see more this time around....

 

Regards,

 

Fran

[notamermaid]

Hello cruisersMandW,

 

Thank you for your post. Some daffodils now adorn my living room and although the weather does not look promising today, the weathermen assure us that in the next few days the temperatures will scrape the 20 degrees Celsius mark. Not in my town but further up the Rhine.

 

I enjoy travelling but really do like my neck of the woods. The Rhine valley is so varied in its landscape and people. I am sure you will enjoy it whether travelling on land or river.

 

notamermaid

[notamermaid]

Hello franski,

 

Thank you for your wishes. I am slowly improving.

 

A week in southern Germany on a land trip. Great! I am not too familiar with the area, but can assure you there are some great places to visit. If you have got time go and see the Rhine fall at Schaffhausen and Lake Constance at Konstanz. Schloss Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart for Baroque splendour, Ulm Minster with its highest church spire in the world. Nördlingen with its splendid town wall, definitely a hidden gem. Nürnberg, of course, its railway museum is on my bucket list. Oberammergau. Dachau (if you can bear this on a holiday). München. Starnberger See. And ... and ... :)

 

You must sample at least one of those splendid local beers in Bavaria. :D

 

Have a great trip.

 

notamermaid

[cole]

Hello franski,

 

Thank you for your wishes. I am slowly improving.

 

A week in southern Germany on a land trip. Great! I am not too familiar with the area, but can assure you there are some great places to visit. If you have got time go and see the Rhine fall at Schaffhausen and Lake Constance at Konstanz. Schloss Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart for Baroque splendour, Ulm Minster with its highest church spire in the world. Nördlingen with its splendid town wall, definitely a hidden gem. Nürnberg, of course, its railway museum is on my bucket list. Oberammergau. Dachau (if you can bear this on a holiday). München. Starnberger See. And ... and ... :)

 

You must sample at least one of those splendid local beers in Bavaria. :D

 

Have a great trip.

 

notamermaid

 

We leave next week on our cruise from Basel to Amsterdam and, of course, checking the weather every day to try to find out what the temperatures are going to be - but we also see on weather.com that every day they are predicting rain. Is that what the Weather Gods of the Rhine are also predicting or is it just an easy way for that website to mention rain, just in case?

Thanks for all of your help.

Cole

[notamermaid]

Hello cole,

 

the weather forecast tends to be four days, beyond that it is somewhat more a "trend". So, currently, there is a trend towards higher temperatures next week and a little more settled weather than this week. There is likely to be some rain, a thunderstorm is possible, but that will be restricted to a clearly defined area, not all over the valley. Widespread rain is unlikely, but showers may be experienced in several areas. It just depends on where you will be at that time! It has happenend to me that I came from a shopping trip in grey skies to find out that it had been raining hard at home, i.e. two places only 20 kilometres apart from each other.

 

Please note that Amsterdam and Holland have their own weather pattern. It tends to be a little cooler and rainer than in the Rhine valley, but on occasion it can be the other way round.

 

Please remember, the mornings will still be very cool. Light frost is still possible in the higher hills at night, for example in Switzerland.

 

Have a great trip.

 

notamermaid

[Floridiana]

I remember the daily AFN weather forecast in Southern Germany: "Cloudy to sunny skies, rain showers possible."

[cole]

Hello cole,

 

the weather forecast tends to be four days, beyond that it is somewhat more a "trend". So, currently, there is a trend towards higher temperatures next week and a little more settled weather than this week. There is likely to be some rain, a thunderstorm is possible, but that will be restricted to a clearly defined area, not all over the valley. Widespread rain is unlikely, but showers may be experienced in several areas. It just depends on where you will be at that time! It has happenend to me that I came from a shopping trip in grey skies to find out that it had been raining hard at home, i.e. two places only 20 kilometres apart from each other.

 

Please note that Amsterdam and Holland have their own weather pattern. It tends to be a little cooler and rainer than in the Rhine valley, but on occasion it can be the other way round.

 

Please remember, the mornings will still be very cool. Light frost is still possible in the higher hills at night, for example in Switzerland.

 

Have a great trip.

 

notamermaid

 

Sounds like our weather in Arkansas. If you don't like it, just wait a little bit because it probably will change.

Cole

[ural guy]

I remember the daily AFN weather forecast in Southern Germany: "Cloudy to sunny skies, rain showers possible."

 

"And if you're in Grafenwoehr, sorry." If it ain't raining, you ain't training.

 

Fun times. Thank God everyone behaved and kept to their own side of the wall, for the most part.

[franski]

notamermaid -

 

We have our hotels booked already. Who knew (certainly not us...) that Oktoberfest is in September!! So, booked early.

 

We are traveling with friends --> the wife grew up in Germany, so didn't want to cruise with us this time (we have cruised in Russia and southern France together) but they are picking us up in Basel at the end of the cruise.

 

We leave Basel - and drive towards Lake Constance --> doing the Zeppelin Museum. Overnight outside Ravensburg. The next 2 nights will be in Fussen - so we can see Ludwig's castles. I want to go through Oberammergau on our way to Munich. We have 4 nights booked in Vaterstetten - close to the S-Bahn, and the highway. Dachau is on my list --> the men aren't interested, so my friend has found an automotive museum for them to see while we do Dachau. We plan to do a "road trip" one day.... Head to Regensburg for sausages, and then to Nuremberg for Elisen Liebkuchen (and dinner) before returning to our hotel. We have been to both Regensburg and Nuremberg before - but on the river so am looking forward to seeing the scenery.

 

I will look up some of the other places you have mentioned to see if we can include them.

 

Fran

Edited April 1, 2016 by franski

[notamermaid]

Hello franski,

 

a very interesting, varied, itinerary. Enjoy the food in Regensburg and Nuremberg. Will the men be going to the BMW Museum or the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum (the first is for the company's cars only, the latter is mixed cars)?

 

Digressing here a bit, I know, but everything is calm and quiet on the Rhine. :)

 

I am currently waiting to see if the christening of the Avalon Imagery II on the Rhine will go ahead as planned.

 

And the weather is forecast to be really nice this weekend.

 

notamermaid

[jpalbny]

It is a great itinerary, Franski. Over the past 3 years, we've done 4 weeks of independent traveling in this area, and we haven't finished our original list yet. There is too much to do and see here. Your itinerary is manageable but don't try to add too much more or it may be rushed.

 

The one part of your plan that could seem too ambitious is the round trip through Regensburg and Nuremberg all in one day. But since you've already visited, and have specific plans in each, that should work...would not suggest trying that if it were your first visit to these cities.

 

Other than Oberammergau and Dachau, we've visited everything on your itinerary, plus the spots that notamermaid suggested. They are all great places to see so it's hard to narrow it down.

 

Great that you're staying in Füssen. The castles are easy to visit on your own. Linderhof is also worth visiting if you have time, and it's easy by car.

 

One other thing. In Friedrichshafn, there is a viewing tower on the lakeshore (Moleturm) which is worth the climb if it's a nice day. Beautiful view of the lake. The Zeppelin museum was way cool, and we really liked that stop.

 

Have a great trip! We'll be in Munich 2 weeks from Monday, enjoying ourselves at the Fruhlingsfest. :)

[cole]

Hello franski,

 

a very interesting, varied, itinerary. Enjoy the food in Regensburg and Nuremberg. Will the men be going to the BMW Museum or the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum (the first is for the company's cars only, the latter is mixed cars)?

 

Digressing here a bit, I know, but everything is calm and quiet on the Rhine. :)

 

I am currently waiting to see if the christening of the Avalon Imagery II on the Rhine will go ahead as planned.

 

And the weather is forecast to be really nice this weekend.

 

notamermaid

 

Hopefully the christening of the Imagery II goes as planned since we are scheduled to board on April 9th! ;)

 

Cole

[notamermaid]

Hello cole,

 

I had not realized that! Or forgotten, if you have mentioned it before...

 

Do not worry, the Imagery II is running and currently docking in Cologne. So, you will be on the inaugural cruise or first cruise on the "baby". :D

 

Have a great time.

 

And send us a short report, please.

 

notamermaid

 

P.S.: If I happen to see the Imagery II I will give it a wave.

[cole]

Hello cole,

 

I had not realized that! Or forgotten, if you have mentioned it before...

 

Do not worry, the Imagery II is running and currently docking in Cologne. So, you will be on the inaugural cruise or first cruise on the "baby". :D

 

Have a great time.

 

And send us a short report, please.

 

notamermaid

 

P.S.: If I happen to see the Imagery II I will give it a wave.

 

And we will wave back. Looking forward to cruising on this new beauty!

Cole

[notamermaid]

Hello Cole,

 

I was checking the position of the Imagery II and lo and behold, she was moving upstream and I managed to get a glimpse of her! She is on her way to Wiesbaden (according to marinetraffic). She is to be christened on 5 April.

 

The Rhine water level has risen quite a bit due to the rain we had on Wednesday and Thursday. But there is still plenty of room for melting snow. It is beautifully sunny outside of my kitchen window. There are rowing boats on the Rhine close to the embankments and I am sure it will not be long before I see the first small yacht, the type that accommodates only two people.

 

I am getting excited for all you Rhine cruisers now. :)

 

notamermaid

[cole]

Hello Cole,

 

I was checking the position of the Imagery II and lo and behold, she was moving upstream and I managed to get a glimpse of her! She is on her way to Wiesbaden (according to marinetraffic). She is to be christened on 5 April.

 

The Rhine water level has risen quite a bit due to the rain we had on Wednesday and Thursday. But there is still plenty of room for melting snow. It is beautifully sunny outside of my kitchen window. There are rowing boats on the Rhine close to the embankments and I am sure it will not be long before I see the first small yacht, the type that accommodates only two people.

 

I am getting excited for all you Rhine cruisers now. :)

 

notamermaid

 

As I probably have stated previously, our first river cruise was the Rhine. We started in Nuremberg and ended in Amsterdam, so the Basel to Amsterdam will be a little different, but Germany is definitely our favorite country. You can't beat the beer, food, wine (the people) and especially the history. Now, if I can just squeeze all of the different outfits I have laid out into two suitcases I will be ready.

Cole

[notamermaid]

Spring is hear, many early flowers are in bloom, the trees are getting greener and I have seen the first hummingbird.

 

The Imagery II was christened on Tuesday and is on its inaugural cruise on her way to Basel to pick up cole and some hundred other passengers on her first complete trip. :)

 

She is joining the "big fleet" of dozens of ships and thousands of passengers this season.

 

The river Rhine was the most popular river for a cruise in 2015 in Europe! The Danube followed closely in popularity rank, though.

 

And if you cannt get enough of the Romantic Rhine you can explore it further in Koblenz at an exhibition about the British and their love of the Rhine and Moselle. At the Mittelrhein-Museum until 12 June.

 

It is windy today but the sun is shining.

 

The water is at comfortable sailing level.

 

notamermaid

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Thanks for the update on Imagery II. I'm heading out tonight for Vienna to attend the christening of Avalon's other new ship this season, Passion. The actual ceremony is April 13, but I'll probably be posting info before that.

[notamermaid]

Hello Chris,

 

my pleasure. :)

 

One of the marinetraffic photo contributors has posted a photo of the Imagery II adorned with her festive garland. It must have been the day of her christening as I recognised Urmitz bridge in the background. The small town of Engers has formerly (in the last few decades I mean) only been used as a port for the day excursion boats. It looks as if it there is now a brand new long landing stage, a must for being able to allow large cruise ships to dock in the changing water level situations.

 

As it is close to Koblenz I expect it will be used in the future when all docking places at Koblenz are taken.

 

Have fun on the Danube and a big Thank You to all those people of CC - editors and all - who give us laymen on the rivers such great information.

 

notamermaid

[franski]

Hello franski,

 

a very interesting, varied, itinerary. Enjoy the food in Regensburg and Nuremberg. Will the men be going to the BMW Museum or the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum (the first is for the company's cars only, the latter is mixed cars)?

 

notamermaid

 

Most likely the Deutches Museum - they like all things with wheels....

 

When we travel with friends, my "prime directive" is that everyone needs to identify the most important thing for them to see, plus a secondary stop that we will try to incorporate if we have time. We try very hard to ensure that everyone gets to see what is important to them so that people don't come home thinking that the trip was about everyone else.

 

For me - it is the stop in Fussen - with Oberammergau being #2.

 

Fran

[franski]

jpalbany -

 

Thanks for the recommendation in Friedrichshafn - will look for that.

 

I do agree with the Regensburg/Nuremburg day being busy - but figure we will have breakfast at the hotel, and then head to Regensburg. It should take about 90 minutes. Some time to look around - and lunch at the Wurstkuchl - and then off to Nuremburg. We have been there twice - and my friend is really just wanting Liebkuchen (and perhaps meeting a cousin for dinner) so the afternoon and a meal will be enough before heading back to our hotel.

 

It will give us a chance to see some of the countryside away from the river.

 

Fran