Rhine water levels 2018 and similar topics

[WST]

Sorry for the typo errors folks   didnt have my glasses on   

[MitchellD]

6 minutes ago, WST said:

So glad we could cook thete as it is gery expensivevto eat out ( we are Aussie and everything was twice the price).

 

You are Aussies as well. Glad you were able to enjoy your trip. I hope I also do get to do mine as well.

[millebe]

3 minutes ago, MitchellD said:

 

Wait, it does?

 

Damn, bit scummy on their part, to some degree.

Curious, I guess you have not recieved anything from Uniworld at all? or even though your TA?

I called the company we have our cruise insurance with and they told me as long as the cruise line provides alternate accommodations, a refund will not be provided if I cancel.  Here is the email I rec’d from Uniworld this afternoon:

Thank you for your message.  Kindly note that our management continues monitoring the water levels and as of now this date will be operating as usual. We will keep our guests informed though if any changes may occur and if we need to deviate they normally treat each sailing on a case by case basis. 

Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us at 1(800)733-7820.

Best regards,

Emily Rolon
Reservations Services

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises | U by Uniworld
Part of The Travel Corporation Family of Brands
17323 Ventura Boulevard | Los Angeles, CA 91316
tel: 800-733-7820 | info@uniworld.com
uniworld.com | ubyuniworld.com | TTC.com

Service – If you are not serving the customers directly, you need to be serving someone who is.
CSR Value – We value our world and are conscious of the impact we have on the environment. 

Follow Uniworld: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Follow U By Uniworld: Instagram | Snapchat | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MitchellD]

3 minutes ago, millebe said:

I called the company we have our cruise insurance with and they told me as long as the cruise line provides alternate accommodations, a refund will not be provided if I cancel.  Here is the email I rec’d from Uniworld this afternoon:

Thank you for your message.  Kindly note that our management continues monitoring the water levels and as of now this date will be operating as usual. We will keep our guests informed though if any changes may occur and if we need to deviate they normally treat each sailing on a case by case basis. 

Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us at 1(800)733-7820.

Best regards,

Emily Rolon
Reservations Services

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises | U by Uniworld
Part of The Travel Corporation Family of Brands
17323 Ventura Boulevard | Los Angeles, CA 91316
tel: 800-733-7820 | info@uniworld.com
uniworld.com | ubyuniworld.com | TTC.com

Service – If you are not serving the customers directly, you need to be serving someone who is.
CSR Value – We value our world and are conscious of the impact we have on the environment. 

Follow Uniworld: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Follow U By Uniworld: Instagram | Snapchat | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lucky Us.

 

Anyway, I just looked for the clause as well through the contract information and I do see what you mean.

 

I sent an email to the TA I went through (who gets all the information from Uniworld.) I'll see what he says, but I am still looking forward to seeing some of Europe regardless.

[Host Jazzbeau]

23 minutes ago, MitchellD said:

 

Wait, it does?

 

Damn, bit scummy on their part, to some degree.

Curious, I guess you have not recieved anything from Uniworld at all? or even though your TA?

Same as all ocean cruise lines.

[Intlxpatr]

16 minutes ago, MitchellD said:

Lucky Us.

 

Anyway, I just looked for the clause as well through the contract information and I do see what you mean.

 

I sent an email to the TA I went through (who gets all the information from Uniworld.) I'll see what he says, but I am still looking forward to seeing some of Europe regardless.

Some of our best vacations, great adventures, have had disastrous beginnings, i.e. missing bags on arrival in Zambia, having to find a store where we could find even the basics to get us through until the bags arrived (found some really great clothes at reasonable prices and they took our credit cards), bags missing at the beginning of our Med cruise (they caught up eventually.) You've got a great attitude. When you roll with the punches, new opportunities for a great time open up. Happy trip :-)

[MitchellD]

7 minutes ago, Intlxpatr said:

Some of our best vacations, great adventures, have had disastrous beginnings, i.e. missing bags on arrival in Zambia, having to find a store where we could find even the basics to get us through until the bags arrived (found some really great clothes at reasonable prices and they took our credit cards), bags missing at the beginning of our Med cruise (they caught up eventually.) You've got a great attitude. When you roll with the punches, new opportunities for a great time open up. Happy trip 🙂

 

First time overseas. Trust me dude,. I am regardless going to be enjoying myself. At the end its a new world for me to explore, by myself.

[Host Jazzbeau]

New feature of the new Cruise Critic website:  they have officially labeled notamermaid as hot!

[gadugger]

11 minutes ago, MitchellD said:

 

First time overseas. Trust me dude,. I am regardless going to be enjoying myself. At the end its a new world for me to explore, by myself.

It has been said: When it comes to travel, tragedy plus time equals comedy. The question is whether I have enough time left.

Amsterdam to Basel Nov. 17-24  Age - 69. 

[pully8]

Yes agree with that thought.

Given the contract terms and conditions which are written to protect the operators revenue and business interest, they can make any changes at anytime.

We may have to settle and go with the reality that we at great cost/risk, are simply booking mystery trips?

The marketing material is pretty but fantasy in travel.

 

[CILCIANRQTS]

Does it make sense that, with many individual travelers opting out due to itinerary changes, there are lots more visits from the upgrade fairy?? ( assuming those newly in suites are willing to admit they didn’t pay for a suite).

[ural guy]

1 minute ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Does it make sense that, with many individual travelers opting out due to itinerary changes, there are lots more visits from the upgrade fairy?? ( assuming those newly in suites are willing to admit they didn’t pay for a suite).

Vantage is savvy there, they don't give you an option to cancel.

 

And you can't give upgrades if the boat is 1000km's away from the start point of Basel. 

 

Very frustrated with Vantage now, boarding a plane tommorrow and they can't even give us a hint as to what is in store for us.  They only repeat the mantra, 'There have been no changes made to your sailing that have been communicated to us'.  I waited on hold to speak to a manager, same spiel, but he at least acknowledge that the boat probably won't be in Basel.

 

No details at all.  Just that we should get on the plane, and they'll figure it out.

 

Really sounds like some of my Army deployments; can't get out of it, foggy intel about objective, questionable leadership.  At least for those, I didn't have to pay large sums of money, other than taxes.

[Begete]

We are on Uniworld's European Jewels November 9 and got the same replay Mitchell got on his cruise.

 

I wish they would give us the option to cancel.

[rcaruso]

I have a friend on Viking’s Rhine Amsterdam to Basel. They left Amsterdam, saw the windmills then arrived in Cologne. Today, 10-29 they were bussed from Cologne to Koblenz, then took a smaller boat through the Rhine Gorge with lunch and did stop in Rudesheim. I believe ended in Mainz then bussed to Strasbourg France. They then met the new ship. They were very tired. But that should be the only ship swap.

 

i have another friend who will be on the 10/30 Budapest to Amsterdam on Viking. Their ship is in Budapest now, so I will report when I hear from them.

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, gadugger said:

It has been said: When it comes to travel, tragedy plus time equals comedy. The question is whether I have enough time left.

Amsterdam to Basel Nov. 17-24  Age - 69. 

Roald Amundsen [whose prior planning let him succeed in reaching the South Pole as Scott failed] said: "Adventure is another word for bad planning."  But Amundsen wasn't at the mercy of a cruise line... 

[Where’s Waldo]

We left Koblenz last night about 9pm on 10/29, was scheduled for 1am on 10/30 but I was told last night the captain wanted to leave at 8pm. We were told before reaching Koblenz we didn’t have to bus as far north due to conditions improving. So I wonder if the improvements were short lived. We are docked in an industrial port in Cologne and supposed to be a 10 minute shuttle. Without the obvious downside to the water levels is docking of boats. We have been docked along or docked to nearly everyday.

[G.M.T.]

6 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

New feature of the new Cruise Critic website:  they have officially labeled notamermaid as hot!

 

Mermaid in Hot(pants)

 

[notamermaid]

In brief this morning: situation in the industry unchanged, more shortages being reported. No new bomb finds reported as far as I know. Emmerich gauge still worryingly low. Rain forecast for today still stands.

The river levels: Maxau fallen, currently at 338cm, due to rise again. Kaub as forecast has been reached by the wave and has risen to 50cm. Koblenz also better at 39cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[hbr777]

5 hours ago, Where’s Waldo said:

We left Koblenz last night about 9pm on 10/29, was scheduled for 1am on 10/30 but I was told last night the captain wanted to leave at 8pm. We were told before reaching Koblenz we didn’t have to bus as far north due to conditions improving. So I wonder if the improvements were short lived. We are docked in an industrial port in Cologne and supposed to be a 10 minute shuttle. Without the obvious downside to the water levels is docking of boats. We have been docked along or docked to nearly everyday.

Which cruise line are you on?

[cannockfrodo]

Well we’ve been upgraded by APT, just waiting to see if the holiday happens. Deadline is Friday. Then , of course, how much of the holiday we bought will we get ?

[hbr777]

4 hours ago, notamermaid said:

In brief this morning: situation in the industry unchanged, more shortages being reported. No new bomb finds reported as far as I know. Emmerich gauge still worryingly low. Rain forecast for today still stands.

The river levels: Maxau fallen, currently at 338cm, due to rise again. Kaub as forecast has been reached by the wave and has risen to 50cm. Koblenz also better at 39cm.

 

notamermaid

 

Will the same wave of water also reach as far as Emmerich, which is crazy low at 7 cm? I see Worms was once 7 cm is now at 37. It is still raining and it is a beautiful thing. Fingers crossed this rain makes a difference. It seems like it has already.

 

[Mark_T]

37 minutes ago, cannockfrodo said:

Well we’ve been upgraded by APT, just waiting to see if the holiday happens. Deadline is Friday. Then , of course, how much of the holiday we bought will we get ?

Not sure if you are also on the Amsterdam - Budapest cruise, but if heading in that direction then the Rhine Gorge remains the biggest issue.

 

If it is not passable then APT are going to have to limit the cruise beginning on the same day from the Budapest end to travelling no further than Nuremberg and either do a mixed ship/hotel route from Amsterdam with a swap in Nuremberg with those coming from Budapest, or put on an alternative itinerary between Amsterdam and Koblenz which lasts about 7 days then a land transfer to Nuremberg...

 

Neither are ideal, so lets keep hoping that the Rhine Gorge opens up again...

[kathywin53]

12 hours ago, gadugger said:

It has been said: When it comes to travel, tragedy plus time equals comedy. The question is whether I have enough time left.

Amsterdam to Basel Nov. 17-24  Age - 69. 

You have enough time, just make good use of it to enjoy every adventure. Uncertainty of this trip is better than work.

 

[Where’s Waldo]

Sorry forget to mention ship, we started on Viking Vidar and now on the Loftn. Rain this morning but clear for the past 2-3 hours. We are 3 Viking boats docked along 2 other cruise boats in an industrial port in Cologne. 

[notamermaid]

16 minutes ago, Where’s Waldo said:

Sorry forget to mention ship, we started on Viking Vidar and now on the Loftn. Rain this morning but clear for the past 2-3 hours. We are 3 Viking boats docked along 2 other cruise boats in an industrial port in Cologne. 

I spotted the Lofn on marinetraffic in transit at an unusual hour last night. Now I know why. Levels still tricky downstream from Koblenz of course. You are in Köln Niehl, which is actually the winter harbour for many river cruise ships. I think the Viking Bestla is at the usual Viking dock along the Rhine. Not sure why you ended up in the harbour then. A safety measure, or no double docking allowed? If you are interested, I am sure the cruise director is happy to explain.

 

Can you remember which excursion boat you took through the gorge?

 

Have a great time in Cologne and in the Netherlands. It has been a bit of an adventure for you, for sure.

 

The wind today feels ice cold. Skies should clear up and there are warmer temperatures forecast for tomorrow.

 

notamermaid