Rhine water levels 2018 and similar topics

[notamermaid]

Today has been a not so eventful day yet, but everybody is kind of getting excited about the rain. Those that have river and nature in mind, anyway.

 

nstarrenburg has kindly posted the weather maps for seven days including today and I have hinted at the prospect of rain in relatively good amounts. The river levels tonight: Maxau 320cm, Kaub 34cm, Koblenz 30cm. The forecast for Maxau shows a good rise on Monday which will continue into Tuesday. The level at Kaub could react with a rise on Monday evening but it is not certain yet if we will get to 40cm by then. It is still tentative with the hope of more happening on Tuesday.

 

Here is an article in German that shows the problems the excursion boats are facing, not just in the Rhine gorge. Problematic apart from the draft - a few ships actually need quite a bit of water under the hull - is the fact that their landing stages require them to dock out of the navigation channel and some of those are just too dangerous to try and reach in low water. Bonn and Cologne have several excursion boat companies. The company KD for example has had to amend or cancel the evening cruises that they offer in Advent: http://www.general-anzeiger-bonn.de/bonn/stadt-bonn/So-eingeschränkt-sind-Ausflugsschiffe-auf-dem-Rhein-article3990867.html

 

Like river cruisers, those local companies are hoping for rain. Lots of it as they are already looking towards the season of 2019. Yes, they have uttered fears of next year being as bad or worse. But nobody has any clue as to what it really will be like. Statistics show that after drought can follow a really wet year.

 

But first, let us see what next week will bring. Hopefully better levels and a visit from Sankt Nikolaus with some goodies and no coal.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Okay, I do admit this might annoy some people and I was in two minds about giving you this link. Making lemons out of lemonade, or veiling a bad experience in a good marketing story? For the couple mentioned it was a nice experience but how do others see it? I am not sure about this article, I feel a slight annoyance rising up inside me. Over to you, judges, past, present and future cruisers: https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/bright-side-low-water?ct=river

 

One note: closure of the port at Cologne? I did not read anything about this. I did see ships on marinetraffic docked in Cologne (large ones as well as small ones) and the harbour in Niehl would be a weird thing to close. Do they mean access to docks I wonder? Or what has happened? .confused.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[xmaser]

Obviously Pollyanna is now working for travel weekly. Have those people thought about anything other than selling product? I'm offended by what I consider obvious huckstering. If you've done 40+ you probably don't really care where you go as long as you are going. For the sentient world, destination counts. I know the cruise companies can't control the weather, but let's not glorify second best. I've sailed repeatedly in the Low Countries in the Spring and love it, but it's not German Christmas Markets.

[G.M.T.]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

Okay, I do admit this might annoy some people and I was in two minds about giving you this link. Making lemons out of lemonade, or veiling a bad experience in a good marketing story? For the couple mentioned it was a nice experience but how do others see it? I am not sure about this article, I feel a slight annoyance rising up inside me. Over to you, judges, past, present and future cruisers: https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/bright-side-low-water?ct=river

 

One note: closure of the port at Cologne? I did not read anything about this. I did see ships on marinetraffic docked in Cologne (large ones as well as small ones) and the harbour in Niehl would be a weird thing to close. Do they mean access to docks I wonder? Or what has happened? .confused.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

 

Purely proaganda.

 

The couple's mother should have delved deeper in to their ancestory, I think they got the couples name wrong, I believe it is Craig and Lorna Allen-Goebbels.

[notamermaid]

4 minutes ago, G.M.T. said:

 

Purely proaganda.

 

The couple's mother should have delved deeper in to their ancestory, I think they got the couples name wrong, I believe it is Craig and Lorna Allen-Goebbels.

You are as direct as ever (the good way)... I am glad to read I am not the only who does not like this. Those where the days when Michelle Baran was still reporting... No offence but one has one's preferences.

 

The article I read in the "The Telegraph" titled "Tourists left high and dry..." Might be a little dramatic and of completely different journalistic intent but far more to my liking.

 

notamermaid

 

[hbr777]

On my way to Zurich, Luzern and Basel for our cruise on Monday on AmaStella. I’m thinking the rain is too late to help us with any river levels, but enough to make for rainy tours?

[notamermaid]

48 minutes ago, hbr777 said:

On my way to Zurich, Luzern and Basel for our cruise on Monday on AmaStella. I’m thinking the rain is too late to help us with any river levels, but enough to make for rainy tours?

It does not look as if it will rain by the bucketload but an umbrella will come in very handy. Still hoping for a last minute change of cruise itinerary North of the gorge for you.

 

Safe travels.

 

notamermaid

 

[nickbevoz]

Just playing around with the iPhone screen record - a short video of the predicted rain for the next week.

[hbr777]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

It does not look as if it will rain by the bucketload but an umbrella will come in very handy. Still hoping for a last minute change of cruise itinerary North of the gorge for you.

 

Safe travels.

 

notamermaid

 

Thank you so much, I appreciate you and all your information.

 

[pully8]

4 hours ago, xmaser said:

Obviously Pollyanna is now working for travel weekly. Have those people thought about anything other than selling product? I'm offended by what I consider obvious huckstering. If you've done 40+ you probably don't really care where you go as long as you are going. For the sentient world, destination counts. I know the cruise companies can't control the weather, but let's not glorify second best. I've sailed repeatedly in the Low Countries in the Spring and love it, but it's not German Christmas Markets.

The author mentioned they were on a sponsored trip with AMA. It was a promotional piece for AMA. Nice pictures and content but I agree, those of us who have paid in full, a significant sum to travel, may have other opinions from those on a free trip or a heavily discounted one. 

[peregrino]

6 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Over to you, judges, past, present and future cruisers: https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/bright-side-low-water?ct=river

 

Would that be a case of making a silk purse from a pig's ear, by any chance?!!

[pully8]

Yes a bit like the scripts/spin written for real estate ads or politicians? 

We value the experiences given freely by real travellers whenever we can find them.

Good news about the AMALEA arrival in Budapest from Vienna. Will watch with interest.

 

[Mark_T]

I took a quick look at the track for AmaVenita as she is now active on the cruise that followed ours which started with hotel stays in Budapest and Vienna.

 

It looks like she is following the Netherlands/Belgium itinerary that was to have been our fate before the water levels perked up a bit and we got lucky.

 

Sadly I'm not seeing any sign of the same luck for the current cruisers... 😞

[Intlxpatr]

14 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Okay, I do admit this might annoy some people and I was in two minds about giving you this link. Making lemons out of lemonade, or veiling a bad experience in a good marketing story? For the couple mentioned it was a nice experience but how do others see it? I am not sure about this article, I feel a slight annoyance rising up inside me. Over to you, judges, past, present and future cruisers: https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/bright-side-low-water?ct=river

 

One note: closure of the port at Cologne? I did not read anything about this. I did see ships on marinetraffic docked in Cologne (large ones as well as small ones) and the harbour in Niehl would be a weird thing to close. Do they mean access to docks I wonder? Or what has happened? .confused.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

I think she was very clever, finding positive things to say, except for not addressing the major issue - that those who sign up for a particular tour usually do so for a destination-related reason. I liked the idea of Bruges; such a gem, but the rest of it sounded a little desperate, and a stretch at the very least, to find something positive. And she told us right up front she is being comped to be positive. The remark about the ports at Cologne being closed is just bizarre. They aren't closed; they are quite busy.

 

Our experience has been very positive on our Christmas Markets tour. The ship swap was inconvenient, but handled so smoothly that it was minor. The directors and crew of the MS Grace and MS Inspire are knocking themselves out to make this a delightful trip. Today is Colmar and Riquewihr, and then on to Basel tomorrow, and departure. 

 

Thank you, notamermaid, and all posters who shared information on this thread. For you, notamermaid, the angel reading the Christmas poem:

 

[notamermaid]

Intlxpatr,

 

Thank you so much for thinking of me and posting the photo. After a hectic, annoying morning shift at work it was lovely to find this.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Just a brief note on today's weather and the river levels. I have not seen any rain today (yet), but other parts of the valley might have had some drizzle. More is to come of course if the weather forecast is right. Hopefully this will help with cruises in the coming week. The river levels this afternoon: Maxau 318cm, Kaub 35cm, Koblenz 36cm. For Sunday and Monday a good rise at Maxau is forecast, the later prediction sees the level fall again after that but should remain at a higher level than we are at now. Kaub will rise from Monday onwards and we could well finish that day with a level of a little over 40. The further prediction gives us hope of more good news to come. But that is for tomorrow when the forecast will be more precise...

 

Today, on the eve of the first of Advent, I would like to leave you with a success story of how to bring Christmas cheer into this commercial world. IMHO excellently bridging the gap between modern Christmas shopping and Christian tradition, this gentleman with his devotion and "his" village in the Westerwald hills bring the message of Christmas across: http://wiedtal.de/cms/index.php/joomla/weihnachts-und-krippendorf-waldbreitbach

 

For river cruisers accessible from the port of Andernach, a drive by car of about 30 minutes, I really recommend it.

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

6 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Today, on the eve of the first of Advent, I would like to leave you with a success story of how to bring Christmas cheer into this commercial world. IMHO excellently bridging the gap between modern Christmas shopping and Christian tradition, this gentleman with his devotion and "his" village in the Westerwald hills bring the message of Christmas across: http://wiedtal.de/cms/index.php/joomla/weihnachts-und-krippendorf-waldbreitbach

 

For river cruisers accessible from the port of Andernach, a drive by car of about 30 minutes, I really recommend it.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Lovely!  Thank you for posting it, notamermaid

[Jimmy_Buffett]

Our two days of deviation on Viking this week.

[FuelScience]

On 11/30/2018 at 8:20 AM, FuelScience said:

I see from marinetraffic.com that you've made it through the Rhine gorge. Congrats! Did you do the full cruise from Budapest? If so, how did Teeming handle things before boarding the ship at Regensburg? It would also be interesting if you could post a word or two on how Teeming has compared to other river cruises you've done.

 

I found a review of Teeming's recent Amsterdam-Budapest cruise on another site, and it looks like Teeming did not bus people to Budapest, but kept everyone on the ship in Regensburg for 5 days until the final day when they bused cruisers to Budapest so that they could fly home (they did a stop at a Christmas market in Vienna). The reviewer seemed pleased with the decision to stay on the ship in Regensburg. 

 

https://www.tourradar.com/teeming-river-cruises

[pully8]

Thanks for those accounts of modifications on Viking and Teeming.

Long day trips and bus rides in mid winter would mean some would be in the dark.

There was 1 report of someone walking 3 miles to see the Arnhem open museum but it was closed/under construction, only the garden was open?

The cruise director told them they should have checked on the internet 1st, unfortunately they said they had no access? 

Some said they liked the food on board and the packed lunch on the bus ride Regensburg to Budapest.

Challenging experiences. 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

The bus ride on the way would be in the light.  On the way home in the dark, it would provide a nice nap.  [Making lemonade here]

[jo-b]

5 hours ago, pully8 said:

Thanks for those accounts of modifications on Viking and Teeming.

Long day trips and bus rides in mid winter would mean some would be in the dark.

There was 1 report of someone walking 3 miles to see the Arnhem open museum but it was closed/under construction, only the garden was open?

The cruise director told them they should have checked on the internet 1st, unfortunately they said they had no access? 

Some said they liked the food on board and the packed lunch on the bus ride Regensburg to Budapest.

Challenging experiences. 

 

 

It was the reports of the captain's drinking in that same review that would have put me off!! 

[FuelScience]

10 hours ago, pully8 said:

There was 1 report of someone walking 3 miles to see the Arnhem open museum but it was closed/under construction, only the garden was open?

The cruise director told them they should have checked on the internet 1st, unfortunately they said they had no access? 

 

I have a couple of thoughts about this. I think that it's inexcusable for the CD not to know that a major attraction like the Open Air Museum is closed--especially when it's listed on their app. Second, when you take a do-it-yourself line like Teeming, you should do lots of research before you leave home. So I see some fault on both sides.

[ural guy]

Looks like the Arnhem Open Air Museum has only the grounds open until 8 December as they are setting up for their winter program.  Too bad for the poster as it really is an interesting place.  It's so large they have a 1920's era tram that circles the place, complete with seven stops.  I enjoyed it so much that I brought my spouse along so she could see it as well.

 

 https://openluchtmuseum.nl/winter

 

[sjde]

I missed that report of the captain’s drinking- was that Viking or Teeming?