Danube water levels 2022 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[notamermaid]

Let us have a look at another ship for a change from river levels. If you are on the Danube now, you may see in the next two days to three days a "Kaskotransport" as we call it. A push boat called Argo pushes the new ship hull for Phoenix Reisen up the Danube to be outfitted in the Netherlands. She already has a name "MS Alisa", it is on her hull (the logo is not there yet) to see and will be sailing itineraries for the German company from 2023.

 

The ship spotters on Binnenschifferforum are following her journey: https://www.binnenschifferforum.de/showthread.php?111874-Alisa-–-FGKS-Kasko

 

notamermaid

 

[drisro1]

Small follow up on behavior of cruise lines. I asked our travel agent to see what she could find out about the status of our Uniworld cruise departing Aug 12. She called the Uniworld rep for agents, who said all cruises were running at full speed. How blatantly dishonest. Not a single Uniworld ship has passed the low water area in over a week. I have been on two Uniworld trips previously, and the trips were great. The company, on the other hand, has been hard to deal with on several issues. Once all our cruise credits are used up, we will be moving on. Anyway, I am glad to have found this forum of nice people, makes the frustration slighlty more tolerable. 

[notamermaid]

15 hours ago, drisro1 said:

Anyway, I am glad to have found this forum of nice people, makes the frustration slighlty more tolerable. 

Frustrating it is when you feel or even know that you know more about the situation than the company representatives. I do not think that ignorance is bliss though, if you know what I mean. I sometimes wonder if I do not make people too nervous, but I keep getting the impression people would rather know that a low water problem can exist or even is about to exist when they are due to travel. In 2018, so many folks were surprised by it and voiced their frustration and even anger here on CC. I have got the impression that communication has improved to a great extent among passenger and company. Reading into your post I gather that there is room for improvement still.

 

Pfelling gauge at 14.15 hours local time: 254cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[travelcommons]

Hello CC community...

My wife and I are set to sail this Saturday 8/6 Budapest to Regensburg on Viking.  Um, make that Budapest to Passau (for now).  Recent email received today:

 

==========

 

Dear Viking Guest,

 

Thank you for choosing Viking for your upcoming European voyage. If you are not aware, we wanted to let you know that the Danube River is currently experiencing unusually low water levels that will impact your itinerary.

 

When water levels are too low, navigation for vessels on the river may become restricted. As a result, we may need to adjust our sailing speeds, which could result in slight delays, or dock in alternate locations in areas where our regular docking spots are adversely affected by the conditions.

 

Due to low water levels on the Danube River near Passau, your ship will be unable to reach its regular disembarkation port in Regensburg and you will now disembark in Passau (75 miles east of Regensburg). As a result of these changes, your Regensburg shore excursions will operate in or near Passau on Day 7.

 

Rest assured, we have considerable experience in dealing with situations like this and will make every effort to stay as close to your itinerary as possible. In any event, we are confident that you will enjoy your journey — and we will do everything in our power to ensure your time with us is enriching and meaningful.

 

 

For guests joining us for our post-trip extension, you will be transferred to your hotel from the new docking location on disembarkation day.

 

========================

 

That's the latest info we have, I'll be updating as we go along in a few days or answer any questions.

[notamermaid]

7 hours ago, travelcommons said:

My wife and I are set to sail this Saturday 8/6 Budapest to Regensburg on Viking. 

Thank you for the info. I am confident this will go smoothly under the circumstances. Have a great time on the Danube.

 

Update Pfelling gauge: 256cm. Air Temperature 30.4 Celsius. River forecast gives a downward trend and figures under 250cm for tomorrow. Rain sweeping into Germany from the West, reaching the Danube valley early on Friday. Although spreading over the whole valley, centre looks to be closer to Salzburg and therefore giving more water to Austria rather than Bavaria. A strong high pressure area over Europe is keeping bad weather at bay and the temperatures up, therefore rain is only coming as short thunderstorms mainly, not giving either ground or river long relief. Dry conditions are expected to persist further into August.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[mrbmcb]

On 8/2/2022 at 2:43 AM, milling73 said:

We are currently cruising on Viking Mimir from Budapest - Amsterdam. 
Now near Krems, going towards Melk Abbey in Austria. 
we have passed a few other riverboats from opposite direction, and so far have not had any water level issues. 
cooler temps than we expected, and cloudy. It is mid 60’s right now. 

We received notice yesterday from Viking that due to low water our August 7 embarkment has been changed from Regensburg to Passau.  I am assuming that you will have to change ships and bus from Passau to West of Regensburg.  Hopefully the rest of your trip has been well.

[mrbmcb]

56 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Thank you for the info. I am confident this will go smoothly under the circumstances. Have a great time on the Danube.

 

Update Pfelling gauge: 256cm. Air Temperature 30.4 Celsius. River forecast gives a downward trend and figures under 250cm for tomorrow. Rain sweeping into Germany from the West, reaching the Danube valley early on Friday. Although spreading over the whole valley, centre looks to be closer to Salzburg and therefore giving more water to Austria rather than Bavaria. A strong high pressure area over Europe is keeping bad weather at bay and the temperatures up, therefore rain is only coming as short thunderstorms mainly, not giving either ground or river long relief. Dry conditions are expected to persist further into August.

 

notamermaid

 

 

We received notice from Viking last evening indicating that due to low water levels our August 7 embarkment from Regensburg will now change embarkment to Passau.  I'm assuming if we don't wish to bus to Regensburg we can just spend two days in Passau.

[mrschiefopd]

11 hours ago, travelcommons said:

Hello CC community...

My wife and I are set to sail this Saturday 8/6 Budapest to Regensburg on Viking.  Um, make that Budapest to Passau (for now).  Recent email received today:

 

==========

 

Dear Viking Guest,

 

Thank you for choosing Viking for your upcoming European voyage. If you are not aware, we wanted to let you know that the Danube River is currently experiencing unusually low water levels that will impact your itinerary.

 

When water levels are too low, navigation for vessels on the river may become restricted. As a result, we may need to adjust our sailing speeds, which could result in slight delays, or dock in alternate locations in areas where our regular docking spots are adversely affected by the conditions.

 

Due to low water levels on the Danube River near Passau, your ship will be unable to reach its regular disembarkation port in Regensburg and you will now disembark in Passau (75 miles east of Regensburg). As a result of these changes, your Regensburg shore excursions will operate in or near Passau on Day 7.

 

Rest assured, we have considerable experience in dealing with situations like this and will make every effort to stay as close to your itinerary as possible. In any event, we are confident that you will enjoy your journey — and we will do everything in our power to ensure your time with us is enriching and meaningful.

 

 

For guests joining us for our post-trip extension, you will be transferred to your hotel from the new docking location on disembarkation day.

 

========================

 

That's the latest info we have, I'll be updating as we go along in a few days or answer any questions.

We look forward to your updates. We are following a week behind you on Viking Jarl. Have a wonderful trip. 

[Haqdeluxe]

1 minute ago, mrschiefopd said:

We look forward to your updates. We are following a week behind you on Viking Jarl. Have a wonderful trip. 

A week can make a difference. Sadly A difference either way. The water level issues this season are something of an exception I believe. I'm sure directly effected - exacerbated by this excessive heat. 

[notamermaid]

Rain swept over parts of Bavaria during the night but the last radar image I saw before going to bed did not show substantial amounts of rain falling in Bavaria where it was needed. Bands of clouds are stronger in the North of Germany. The south is seeing isolated clouds and rain this morning, but perhaps the afternoon will bring more into Bavaria.

 

Pfelling gauge 249cm at 1pm local time. Air temperature 32.4 Celsius. Forecast suggests Pfelling could lose a couple of centimetres in the next 24 hours. So any possible effect of rain appears to be pushed into Sunday or even Monday.

 

The weekly "Niedrigwasserbericht", report on the low water situation, of the authorities paints a not so happy picture for August. We will see. While the Rhine is hovering on the line of sailing or not sailing for river cruise ships and with a few extra centimetres already looks better, the Danube at Pfelling will need more than a few centimetres. Raising and sustaining a comfortable river level is a bigger task here than on the busiest waterway in Europe.

 

A newspaper article from Bulgaria suggests that the levels are also very low there. But I cannot comment further on that. The recent rain which appears to come down mostly over Austria will at least fill the sections there that are controlled by locks, but hopefully enough water goes through the dams to make the levels rise elsewhere.

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Rain swept over parts of Bavaria during the night but the last radar image I saw before going to bed did not show substantial amounts of rain falling in Bavaria where it was needed. Bands of clouds are stronger in the North of Germany. The south is seeing isolated clouds and rain this morning, but perhaps the afternoon will bring more into Bavaria.

 

Nothing so far here in Munich...

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

14 minutes ago, steamboats said:

Nothing so far here in Munich...

 

Looks to be avoiding the city - for the time being: https://www.dwd.de/DE/leistungen/radarbild_film/radarbild_film.html#buehneTop

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

Yeah, the thunderstorms are more South in the Alps... Here it´s still hot and sizzling...

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

Looks to me as if the Upper Isar will again be getting more water than the Lech. So at least the river in Munich will rise a bit even if you do not get water from the air. Warm here, mostly in the twenties. The air is a little refreshed. Hottest place in Germany looks to be Bavaria today, Regensburg leading the top list with over 36 Celsius.

 

Thunderstorms over the Upper Neckar and the young Danube right now. But that water will not reach Pfelling before Sunday morning I think. Need some more closer to Regensburg. Forecast for around midnight.

 

@steamboats can you see the Perseids with you or do you have too much light pollution? https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/perseid.html

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

13 hours ago, notamermaid said:

@steamboats can you see the Perseids with you or do you have too much light pollution? https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/perseid.html

 

No stars last night... Thunderstorms set in by 9 pm or so. And... the good news... it´s still raining!

 

steamboats

[epimom007]

6 hours ago, steamboats said:

 

No stars last night... Thunderstorms set in by 9 pm or so. And... the good news... it´s still raining!

 

steamboats

God news. Where, specifically, is it raining. Following closely because we are supposed to leave Amsterdam on 9/5. Thank you

[steamboats]

3 minutes ago, epimom007 said:

God news. Where, specifically, is it raining. Following closely because we are supposed to leave Amsterdam on 9/5. Thank you

 

I do live in Munich. BTW in the meantime it stopped raining.

 

Anyway this is just a drop on a hot plate. It might raise the river levels but only for a day or two.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

8 hours ago, steamboats said:

No stars last night...

Oh well. A few more evenings for spotting them available this year.

1 hour ago, steamboats said:

Anyway this is just a drop on a hot plate. It might raise the river levels but only for a day or two.

We need to assume so.

 

Pfelling gauge at 251cm. Big temperature drop after the thunderstorms: 21.2 Celsius.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge showing daily fluctuation only. 256cm. It had been raining in Bavaria so may Pfelling be on an upward trend besides that? I am really skeptical and will have another look at that later today.

 

notamermaid

 

[travelcommons]

Update .. currently on the Viking Egil, boarded yesterday (Saturday) and during orientation we were told that the water levels are very low and have been fluctuating daily so the current plan is to end in Passau instead of Regensburg, but that could change later in the week so nothing is etched in stone.  Looks like that's the only change in itinerary at this point.  So far it's been lovely, this is our first time river cruising.

[drisro1]

Pfelling gauge up to 262, presumably from the rain about 36-48 hours ago, interesting to me the lag between the rain and water rise. Anyway, if it is like the last time, it will probably be a very temporary rise before falling again. Based on the movement of the Uniworld ships in the area, it looks like they may be doing a ship swap across the Straubing/Vilshofen shallow area, which would be a good sign for us. Would rather endure a ship swap than cancel the whole trip I think.  Our trip departs Aug 12 from Nuremberg

[notamermaid]

Thanks drisro1. The fluctuation has indeed turned into a slight proper rise. I am not rejoicing but it is noticeably higher than yesterday. The lag comes from the fact that it rained further upstream and the river and the bigger tributaries need a bit of time to give the water to the Pfelling gauge. I suspect a slight effect from the two locks operating upstream but I cannot say how much that may be. This is the graph which I have shortened in days to show the fluctuation and the proper rise:

Note the fact that the river is still not back where it was on 31 July.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

49 minutes ago, travelcommons said:

So far it's been lovely, this is our first time river cruising.

Good to read that you are having a lovely time. Viking is so experienced with the low water, I am sure everything will run smoothly.

 

notamermaid

 

[rizello]

On 8/4/2022 at 2:51 PM, mrbmcb said:

We received notice from Viking last evening indicating that due to low water levels our August 7 embarkment from Regensburg will now change embarkment to Passau.  I'm assuming if we don't wish to bus to Regensburg we can just spend two days in Passau.

Are you docked in Passau now?  Our ship the Magni is next to two other ships in Passau now.  

[bluestocking7]

After doing a Rhine cruise with Tauck at the end of July that managed to sail the Rhine Gorge, I am now watching this thread, as we have a Budapest-Vilshofen cruise starting August 27 (also with Tauck).  The cruise ends with a bus trip to Prague, so I assume if the ship can't reach Vilshofen they'll just have us do a longer bus trip from whatever Bavarian port the ship can reach.  (I think it's the MS Joy)  

 

From this thread it seems that the water issue is in Bavaria rather than downstream.  Is that right?