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Rhine water levels 2018 and similar topics

notamermaid

By notamermaid,
in River Cruising

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hbr777

hbr777

Posted
Posted

Great news! We are on the AmaStella Basel to Amsterdam. The levels have risen enough that we are not deviating vía Belgium and Amsterdam! We are staying on the Stella until Friday and we’ll do a ship swap from Rudesheim that involves a two huir bus transfer. It is still unknown if we will go through the gorge,  it I doubt it.

 

I am so, so, so, so, happy!

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orchidj5

orchidj5

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, hbr777 said:

Great news! We are on the AmaStella Basel to Amsterdam. The levels have risen enough that we are not deviating vía Belgium and Amsterdam! We are staying on the Stella until Friday and we’ll do a ship swap from Rudesheim that involves a two huir bus transfer. It is still unknown if we will go through the gorge,  it I doubt it.

 

I am so, so, so, so, happy!

   Me too-I wondered if this is what would happen-If the gorge is passable next week this ship swap will allow both Stella and Kristina to resume normal schedules with next weeks departure and even if the do the ship swap we will get the ports we booked not the Belgian ones!

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masonpips

masonpips

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Hello sachasmum,

You are right, with this five-day Cologne round-trip itinerary you have no real alternative and just need to wait and see what the ship can do. But with the levels rising I am confident the Robert Burns can stick to the original itinerary. One good thing about the relatively short distance the ship travels is that all the towns are doable by coach or train. Riviera Travel could organise an excursion boat perhaps to give you sailing through the Rhine gorge. With the figures of today she would at least get to Lahnstein at the beginning of the gorge, but probably even to Boppard which is an interesting small town in the gorge. Ships have done this and then returned to Koblenz. But for now the situation looks promising for sailing all the way.

 

notamermaid

 

 

4 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Thank you Mark.:classic_smile:

 

And while I am here, I will squeeze in a short update in-between household jobs. Maxau has now got its guaranteed navigation channel depth of 210cm again. Several other gauging station indicate that the respective stretches of river have also gained quite a bit of depth. Kaub is well on the way to reaching its depth of 190cm, perhaps in the early hours of the morning, being currently at a depth of 180cm. The gauge is running ahead of its forecast currently showing a few centimetres more than was forecast for late afternoon.

 

Managed to have a quick look at Niehl harbour and did not see the SS Antoinette on marinetraffic. I tracked her then and found out that she has "sneaked out" while I haven't been watching and is already past Bonn, well on her way to reaching Koblenz during the night. Will she continue into the gorge or rest overnight in Koblenz? I am getting excited about this!

 

You lot on the other side of the big pond can follow her on her journey during the night. I shall rest and hope to read more good news over breakfast.

 

Byeee for now.

 

notamermaid

 

Best news ever!  On our flight to AMS then Zurich!  Thanks so much notamermaid and all!  I will update as we go re: the Antoinette!!

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Olivera

Olivera

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Philandher said:

 

Hi Olivera,

We had the generic email from Scenic over the weekend stating the itinerary may be amended due to low water levels...…..etc.

The Opal is currently on its way to Amsterdam for the 5th Dec sailing to Basel, so it will be interesting to see if it can navigate the gorge. Hopefully we should know tomorrow if our cruise will go-ahead without any amendments.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:3415229/zoom:14

Philandher

Thank you. Same here just received the generic email from Scenic. Reading through some of the comments it seems there has been some rainfall so fingers crossed. Thanks again for the link.

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Marsarva

Marsarva

Posted
Posted

Hello from the Viking Eir at Koblenz! We sailed on Viking Idi from Basel on Friday, stopping at Breisach and then Strasbourg, where the rain began ...  (we still enjoyed the Christmas markets). This morning we left Strasbourg and Idi, travelling by bus to Heidelberg, where we were drenched by seemingly constant rain. (Made the gluhwein taste all the better, and souvenir mug is the nicest we’ve seen so far).

Then bus on to Braubach and our ship swap. We were briefly in the shadow of Marksburg Castle, and tonight are docked in Koblenz before tomorrow’s lunch cruise on the Rhein Star, a visit to Marksburg Castle, and a little time at Koblenz Christmas Markets before heading on to Cologne overnight.

Until yesterday, we understood it would be a Strasbourg-Cologne ship swap, and then became hopeful when our Cruise director told us that Koblenz was becoming more and more likely. So it turned out to be!

Viking have done an excellent job sticking as close as they were able to their original itinary, although we’ve had to miss Rudesheim, sadly. At least we regained Koblenz!

it’s beginning to look very promising for future cruises ...

The pictures are Heidelberg, this afternoon. Very wet!

12D1C15A-6671-4802-BC0B-250D2D52C29D.jpeg

B4D6967E-DF7D-45E8-AD47-5644850365AD.jpeg

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Chili Queen

Chili Queen

Posted
Posted

Hello to all.  We are sailing this coming Saturday, December 7th from Amsterdam to Basel, on the Avalon Tranquility II.  Our travel agent has been calling Avalon every day for the past week to inquire about any changes in our itinerary.  Last week, we were told that we would have an answer by Friday.  When Friday came, we were told that we would now have to wait until Monday.  I know that it has been raining in the area and that Avalon needed to see what happens with the water levels.  I am sure Avalon wants to give us the most accurate information so we were fine with that answer.  It just made it a bit more difficult to make arrangements for our backup plan. 

 

We were told late this afternoon that our trip is a go and that it looks good as far staying with the original itinerary, but nothing is 100% certain.  I totally understand that water levels can change quickly.  We wanted to unpack just once and enjoy our time on the ship.  We didn't want to end up a bus trip for a good portion of the time and spend nights at various hotels. 

 

We have never done a river cruise before or any Christmas Markets so we are very excited!  This is a dream vacation for us, and we would have definitely canceled if we weren't going to get the itinerary that we had planned on for the past ten months.  I guess we don't have to use our Plan "B" after all, which included going to the Caribbean instead.   

 

After reading all of the comments, visiting websites that others have included links to, such as marine traffic, rainfall charts,  etc., I now know more than I care to admit on this subject!  Haha.  Keeping my fingers crossed that everything moves forward and we are able stick with our original itinerary (or at least as close as possible). 

 

Thank you to everyone who has posted, especially to notamermaid.  We have all benefited from the posts.  You have given us the knowledge and  information needed (along with a little humor) to make us feel comfortable in our decision to continue to move forward on our trip.   I will do my best to post while on our trip so others can possibly benefit from our experience.  

 

Happy sailing!  Let it rain!!  I got my raincoat packed!

Chili Queen

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nickbevoz

nickbevoz

Posted
Posted (edited)
11 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Thank you Mark.:classic_smile:

 

And while I am here, I will squeeze in a short update in-between household jobs. Maxau has now got its guaranteed navigation channel depth of 210cm again. Several other gauging station indicate that the respective stretches of river have also gained quite a bit of depth. Kaub is well on the way to reaching its depth of 190cm, perhaps in the early hours of the morning, being currently at a depth of 180cm. The gauge is running ahead of its forecast currently showing a few centimetres more than was forecast for late afternoon.

 

Managed to have a quick look at Niehl harbour and did not see the SS Antoinette on marinetraffic. I tracked her then and found out that she has "sneaked out" while I haven't been watching and is already past Bonn, well on her way to reaching Koblenz during the night. Will she continue into the gorge or rest overnight in Koblenz? I am getting excited about this!

 

You lot on the other side of the big pond can follow her on her journey during the night. I shall rest and hope to read more good news over breakfast.

 

Byeee for now.

 

notamermaid

 

Did this screen cap at 2:36 pm in Australia which is 5:46 am in Germany.  The SS Antoinette is at Boppard and that seems an encouraging site.

 

The AmaPrima is on its way as well heading toward Basel and is now at Neuweid, just before Koblenz.

 

40276B57-62F5-4BD0-BD27-ED004F00C5F2.jpeg

Edited by nstarrenburg
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Philandher

Philandher

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Olivera said:

Thank you. Same here just received the generic email from Scenic. Reading through some of the comments it seems there has been some rainfall so fingers crossed. Thanks again for the link.

Just an update, the Scenic Opal is now in Koblenz, so everything is looking good, fingers crossed!

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nickbevoz

nickbevoz

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, hbr777 said:

Thank YOU for all of your help!

 

To notamermaid.

 

Amen to the above.  You have been a true help to all of us - both for your detail and updates but also for the personal care in your posts and local knowledge.

 

Thank you!

Edited by nstarrenburg
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peasmith

peasmith

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, nstarrenburg said:

 

To notamermaid.

 

Amen to the above.  You have been a true help to all of us - both for your detail and updates but also for the personal care in your posts and local knowledge.

 

Thank you!

 

 

Ditto!

 

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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It has been an eventful 48 hours on the river. I have not seen so many ships move about in weeks. What a pleasure it is. Read the news headline over breakfast: Ende des Niedrigwassers in Ludwigshafen. End of low water in Ludwigshafen. The article referred to the harbour there and the shipping industry. But also ferries are running again. It is all looking much better. Better than had been forecast three days ago, in fact. We have had more rain than the weathermen said we would have. It caused a few flash floods along the Moselle, but nothing major to report. With the Moselle also contributing more water (I expect them to retain some of it in the locks, though) the Lower Rhine will soon benefit as well. As of this afternoon, all gauges up to and including Cologne are off the low water status. Hardly any orange dots on the map left in the Rhine valley. And Kaub is on triple digits!

 

Here are the figures: Maxau 463cm, Kaub 133cm, Koblenz 177cm. Emmerich is still low, but even there the level is at 42cm and due to rise fast.

 

With the level at Kaub forecast to rise further to potentially over 200cm, my "job" of daily reports is done, and this weary head is having a rest from all those figures. But I will continue to "lurk in the background" and give you some info during this happy time of year.

 

The sun has set over the valley so I will say goodbye for today and put the Christmas lights on.

 

If you are sailing enjoy food, drink and good cheer on the Christmas markets and on the ships. If you are at home equally, in what can often be a stressful time of year, find calm and joy by putting on the lights or light up your life through having loved ones around you.

 

See ya.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

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Philandher

Philandher

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

It has been an eventful 48 hours on the river. I have not seen so many ships move about in weeks. What a pleasure it is. Read the news headline over breakfast: Ende des Niedrigwassers in Ludwigshafen. End of low water in Ludwigshafen. The article referred to the harbour there and the shipping industry. But also ferries are running again. It is all looking much better. Better than had been forecast three days ago, in fact. We have had more rain than the weathermen said we would have. It caused a few flash floods along the Moselle, but nothing major to report. With the Moselle also contributing more water (I expect them to retain some of it in the locks, though) the Lower Rhine will soon benefit as well. As of this afternoon, all gauges up to and including Cologne are off the low water status. Hardly any orange dots on the map left in the Rhine valley. And Kaub is on triple digits!

 

Here are the figures: Maxau 463cm, Kaub 133cm, Koblenz 177cm. Emmerich is still low, but even there the level is at 42cm and due to rise fast.

 

With the level at Kaub forecast to rise further to potentially over 200cm, my "job" of daily reports is done, and this weary head is having a rest from all those figures. But I will continue to "lurk in the background" and give you some info during this happy time of year.

 

The sun has set over the valley so I will say goodbye for today and put the Christmas lights on.

 

If you are sailing enjoy food, drink and good cheer on the Christmas markets and on the ships. If you are at home equally, in what can often be a stressful time of year, find calm and joy by putting on the lights or light up your life through having loved ones around you.

 

See ya.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

Notamermaid, just to echo the thoughts of all the posters above and we'll raise a glass to you when we set sail from Basel next Wednesday!

Happy Christmas to you and yours.

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Crusin Kelly

Crusin Kelly

Posted
Posted

I will add my thanks and well wishes to ms. Mermaid for a Blessed Christmas and Bountiful New Year. 

 

and we must all offer up a prayer of Thanksgiving to St. Nicholas for his gentle hand in making our sailings safe and worry-free.   "May St. Nicholas hold the tiller."

 

 

 

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ural guy

ural guy

Posted
Posted (edited)
11 hours ago, hbr777 said:

Update: on AmaStella, B to A. we ARE cruising through the Rhine gorge! Yay!

 

I'm really happy to hear that the cruise is going well for you.  You had other people traveling with you (if I remember correctly), and I know that really amped up the pressure.

 

This is one thread that can hopefully drift off into the ether.  What a rollercoaster it is has been.

 

Thanks to all the posters who shared their experience, and especially to our German friends on the scene.  You've educated a ton of people on the region's hydrology along with sharing a laugh and other tidbits of knowledge about your part of the world.

 

Prost!

Edited by ural guy
clarity
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hbr777

hbr777

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, ural guy said:

 

I'm really happy to hear that the cruise is going well for you.  You had other people traveling with you (if I remember correctly), and I know that really amped up the pressure.

 

This is one thread that can hopefully drift off into the ether.  What a rollercoaster it is has been.

 

Thanks to all the posters who shared their experience, and especially to our German friends on the scene.  You've educated a ton of people on the region's hydrology along with sharing a laugh and other tidbits of knowledge about your part of the world.

 

Prost!

Yes, we are a group of 12. Everyone is having a wonderful time and thrilled we will stay on the Rhine

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