Danube water levels 2019 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[notamermaid]

23 hours ago, TMLAalum said:

☂️So glad I bought a black umbrella!☔!

Let's hope the weather on our cruise results in umbrellas like this🌂!

Only idly lying around umbrellas during the day, of course, for river cruisers, is my wish. Rain during the night.

 

And just in case anybody is wondering, the gauge at Pfelling is doing really well. At 404cm, there is no sign of it falling to a critical level soon. With more rain forecast for today and tomorrow we could see a further rise. The whole weekend shows no rain (as of now) for the Danube in Germany, so all those on the river then can look forward to some splendid Autumn days.

 

No need to report on levels for a few days, hooray, so I shall refrain from working at my plans to divert water from the Isar to the Danube at Straubing, and after a short article on Straubing, do my household, go to work at the weekend and stare at the Rhine Autumn skies.

No doubt, @G.M.T. will stare at at lovely glass of beer in a great Autumn coloured beer garden in the meantime. Have a great weekend.

 

TMLAalum, have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited October 9, 2019 by notamermaid
Grammar

[G.M.T.]

There are some public holidays coming tp along the Danube:

 

Germany

Friday 1st. November - All Saints Day

 

Austria

Saturday 26th. October - National Holiday

Friday 1st. November - All Saints Day

Sunday 8th. December - Immaculate conception

 

[DanL]

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

There are some public holidays coming tp along the Danube:

 

Germany

Friday 1st. November - All Saints Day

 

Austria

Saturday 26th. October - National Holiday

Friday 1st. November - All Saints Day

Sunday 8th. December - Immaculate conception

 

And October 23 Hungary.

[G.M.T.]

22 minutes ago, DanL said:

And October 23 Hungary.

Outside my authority, same goes for:

Slovakia

Croatia

Serbia

Romania

Bulgaria

Moldova

Ukraine

🍻🥨🍻

[notamermaid]

Straubing. A town with dock, on the Bavarian Danube upstream from Passau and the notorious shallow stretch of river that I regularly post the level of in the shape Pfelling gauge.

 

A few years ago Straubing received a landing stage, it belongs to Viking River Cruises. According to an article in the regional newspaper, Viking frequently used the dock last year during the low water period just to dock and bus the passengers to Passau and further - what we know as ship swaps. The cruisers did not visit Straubing. Other river cruise companies have shown more interest and here is some info on cruisemapper about the situation: https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/straubing-port-3321

 

Now Straubing is trying to become part of a Viking River Cruises itinerary. Mostly "You need patience" according to the local tourism expert (article online only partially available without subscription): https://www.idowa.de/inhalt.kreuzfahrt-tourismus-warum-straubing-noch-nicht-teil-der-viking-route-ist.b0fe41e9-83d0-417a-81ec-e8386f8fec9f.html

 

Never having been to Straubing I cannot comment on whether the town would merit a longer stop on an itinerary. Going to Straubing instead of Regensburg or Passau? I am not convinced about that...

 

notamermaid

 

[eqj60]

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

There are some public holidays coming tp along the Danube:

 

Germany

Friday 1st. November - All Saints Day

 

Austria

Saturday 26th. October - National Holiday

Friday 1st. November - All Saints Day

Sunday 8th. December - Immaculate conception

 

And since we embark in Budapest 23 October to AMS, looks like several of these dates may effect us.

Can you please give an idea re what may be closed, does anything change if ship in port? Will there be special celebrations to see?

Many thanks, 

El

[G.M.T.]

Straubing, has a zoo, very large prison, a few churches and home to the Gaubodenvolksfest (second largest Volksfest in Bavaria after Oktoberfest).

 

Other than above, it helps to keep Passau and Regensburg apart.

[G.M.T.]

2 minutes ago, eqj60 said:

And since we embark in Budapest 23 October to AMS, looks like several of these dates may effect us.

Can you please give an idea re what may be closed, does anything change if ship in port? Will there be special celebrations to see?

Many thanks, 

El

The 1st. November and 8th. December are religous holidays, shops will be closed, some restaurants and museums will be open.

 

Celebrations, 1st. November is when you visit cemetary to pay respects to family members who have gone from us.

 

8th. December Christmas Markets will be open.

 

Nothing changes if a ship is in port.

[eqj60]

1 hour ago, G.M.T. said:

The 1st. November and 8th. December are religous holidays, shops will be closed, some restaurants and museums will be open.

 

Celebrations, 1st. November is when you visit cemetary to pay respects to family members who have gone from us.

 

8th. December Christmas Markets will be open.

 

Nothing changes if a ship is in port.

Many thanks, GMT

[eqj60]

5 hours ago, DanL said:

And October 23 Hungary.

And since we embark in Budapest 23 October to AMS, looks like this may effect us.

Can you please give an idea re what may be closed, does anything change if ship in port? Will there be special celebrations to see?

Many thanks, 

El

[POD49]

eqj60.  Which river boat will you be on?

 

We are on the Monarch Duchess, Budapest to AMS.  October 24.

[eqj60]

5 hours ago, POD49 said:

eqj60.  Which river boat will you be on?

 

We are on the Monarch Duchess, Budapest to AMS.  October 24.

We will be on Viking Embla. Looks like water levels will be ok.

[Mimosa09]

Although it maybe early for it, I think we are experiencing Goldener Oktober here on the river in Slovakia. Gorgeous sunny morning cruising to Vienna with some of the trees turning yellow. Looks like we will have partly sunny skies in Vienna with Fahrenheit temps of high 60s. 😃

[G.M.T.]

Goldener October is certainly on it's way for at least the next 5 days, with tempurature up around 22 °C and sunny - no rain.

 

Water levels are fine, even above the average levels. If no rain they should be good for a fortnight. 😢😹

 

 

Edited October 11, 2019 by G.M.T.

[Space cookie]

Went to sleep in Passau last night and woke up in Regensburg.  The trip on the Monarch Empress has been wonderful, especially not having to change ships.

[land of boz]

Starting on 9-17-19 for Prague on a Vantage pre cruise with Bratislava Slovakia and then to Budapest for two days, then on the Danube for 15 days. I am so glad to hear the water levels are good. Will start the Vantage River Cruise on the 23 of October. 
I want to give a big shout out and Thank You to Notamermaid and GMT for all the information about the water levels. I am cruising Solo for the first time. I have cruised with  Vantage before and have been very happy with them.  

[G.M.T.]

5 hours ago, land of boz said:

Starting on 9-17-19 for Prague on a Vantage pre cruise with Bratislava Slovakia and then to Budapest for two days, then on the Danube for 15 days. I am so glad to hear the water levels are good. Will start the Vantage River Cruise on the 23 of October. 
I want to give a big shout out and Thank You to Notamermaid and GMT for all the information about the water levels. I am cruising Solo for the first time. I have cruised with  Vantage before and have been very happy with them.  

Welcome to CC.

 

We are currently enjoying an Indian Summer, beautiful warm sunny weather.

 

Have a great cruise.

[pauldole]

On the Crystal Mozart for the 10/10 - 20/10 Danube cruise.  Itinerary was flipped at the start and we headed to Budapest first instead of the end of the trip.  Danube is very, very low as the days have been sunny an highs of 70 degrees.  Heading back to Vienna and into Austria---lets see how far we get

[G.M.T.]

2 hours ago, pauldole said:

On the Crystal Mozart for the 10/10 - 20/10 Danube cruise.  Itinerary was flipped at the start and we headed to Budapest first instead of the end of the trip.  Danube is very, very low as the days have been sunny an highs of 70 degrees.  Heading back to Vienna and into Austria---lets see how far we get

Where is the Danube very very low?

[pauldole]

Danube very low between Vienna and Bratislava.  Low as well between Bratislava and Budapest. You can see a lot of sandbars that should be under water

[notamermaid]

On 10/13/2019 at 5:08 AM, land of boz said:

Starting on 9-17-19 for Prague on a Vantage pre cruise with Bratislava Slovakia and then to Budapest for two days, then on the Danube for 15 days. I am so glad to hear the water levels are good. Will start the Vantage River Cruise on the 23 of October. 
I want to give a big shout out and Thank You to Notamermaid and GMT for all the information about the water levels. I am cruising Solo for the first time. I have cruised with  Vantage before and have been very happy with them.  

land of boz,

Thank you. A long trip. Have a great time.

Are you sailing downstream to the Black Sea and back or upstream into Germany?

 

notamermaid

 

[land of boz]

On 10/13/2019 at 3:52 AM, G.M.T. said:

Welcome to CC.

 

We are currently enjoying an Indian Summer, beautiful warm sunny weather.

 

Have a great cruise.

That should have read 10-17-19. I’m heading to Germany. Looking like the water levels may be in question again. I’m looking forward to my trip and all that the beautiful fall weather. 

[land of boz]

14 hours ago, notamermaid said:

land of boz,

Thank you. A long trip. Have a great time.

Are you sailing downstream to the Black Sea and back or upstream into Germany?

 

notamermaid

 

I’m still getting the hang of posting on this board. So I just replied to GMT I think. My post should have read 10-17-19. And yes I’m headed towards Germany. As it is my trip will be 23 days counting the Pre Trip and travel. But I’m looking forward to the nice fall weather. It was 85* here today and humid. Thank you again for keeping us up to date on the water levels. 
 

land of boz

[Mimosa09]

On 10/11/2019 at 11:40 AM, G.M.T. said:

Goldener October is certainly on it's way for at least the next 5 days, with tempurature up around 22 °C and sunny - no rain.

 

Water levels are fine, even above the average levels. If no rain they should be good for a fortnight. 😢😹

 

 

Well, Goldener Oktober has been hit & miss. We were in Vienna Oct 12th & the fog never lifted. But when we did the scenic cruise between Weissenkirchen & Passau on Oct 13th, it was beautiful!  Our visit to Passau on Oct 14th started off foggy but eventually turned beautifully sunny.  On Oct 15th we had a foggy day in Regensberg. And today on our way to Nuremberg on the Main Danube canal, it’s beautiful with golden trees & sunshine. Feeling pretty lucky with the weather. 😄

[Mimosa09]