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

[Zonko]

There may be no way to know, but I’ll ask anyway: How much rain would it take to get the Danube back to a level for cruising? I’m drawing some hope from the 14-day weather forecast. 

[skinnylegs]

1 hour ago, Zonko said:

There may be no way to know, but I’ll ask anyway: How much rain would it take to get the Danube back to a level for cruising? I’m drawing some hope from the 14-day weather forecast. 

Yes, we are causing the Danube in a month and I'm wondering if we can move our cruise to October.

[andante]

If you lose nights on a river cruise due to low water levels and are coached to hotels do you have any entitlement to premiums you have paid for upgraded cabin on a per night basis, as well as all inclusive basis also calculated on a per night basis.

[Canal archive]

Don’t forget the law regarding travel is vastly different in the USA as opposed to the U.K. 

[Ethel6666]

There is some precedent for compensation in Australia. Although through lengthy litigation

https://www.travelweekly.com.au/article/supreme-court-awards-cruise-passengers-up-to-20k-each-following-scenic-class-action/

[Eofor]

We're doing our first Scenic cruise in a few months and their included river cruise cover lays out the compensation rates based on cabins and level of disruption. 

 

Not sure if it was introduced in response to the class action but it seems likely. 

 

$300-$800 per person per day based on your cabin class. 

 

https://www.scenic.com.au/why-scenic/coverage?webSyncID=60ead3c4-34c4-d14a-1e32-1ad66874d9c7&sessionGUID=b82d6bad-0928-a195-c904-2600d56c3085

[Cruisegroover]

On 8/11/2022 at 6:08 AM, travelcommons said:

Update:

Viking Egil, left Budapest this past Saturday, destined for Regensburg for Friday.  Just learned on board this evening that we will get into Passau tomorrow Thursday and stay there Thursday and Friday night.  No debarkation at Regensburg due to low water levels.

 

This also means that the Nuremberg ship excursion and the Narrows boat tour have been cancelled.  We heard on board that no ships are leaving or going to Budapest - just buses!

Did you get bussed to Regensburg for the walking tour or did you get through? I just saw a blogger doing a live who is on your river cruise and no mention of any river level issues.

[Canal archive]

Don’t forget these legal issues took place some years ago, so I would have thought the Scenic group would now have these issues covered in their Ts & Cs. I’m not surprised that they are regurgitated so often, such an easy target! The legalities regarding travel are different in various countries. The cover your referring to was put in place some years after the initial legalities, which were brought against Evergreen a subsidiary of Scenic. An entrepreneur such as Glen Moroney would surely have covered his ********* after that debacle!. According to a very good friend he’s not exactly daft!

[notamermaid]

It would be interesting to find the T&C regarding low water levels for both Viking US and Viking GB. Try and find them folks and compare! Australia appears to be even stronger on consumer rights regarding travel than Germany/EU. And the UK is at least close to the EU (not sure if the gap has widened after Brexit, not necessarily quality but interpretation and decision differences). The US is different, possibly differences among states but you will be better able to judge what your state law and federal law do differently from each other. Canada, no clue, do check the fine print anywhere you live anyway. 🙂

 

Pfelling gauge: 223cm. Back on track to a new historical low...

 

43 minutes ago, Cruisegroover said:

I just saw a blogger doing a live who is on your river cruise and no mention of any river level issues.

 

Fascinating. An "independent" blogger should report, shouldn't they? 😉

 

notamermaid

 

 

[pully8]

We have lived the high/low water interruptions, as some refer to them a number of times.

Frustrating and mixed responses from cruise operators and travel agents.

Eventually it returns to normal cruising until it happens again.

Seems to be a known risk and part of river cruising. Well documented on this forum.

Can understand the distress some express. For many it is a trip that they may not get to do again and is not a cheap option, especially if long flights are involved.

Getting up to date info from forums like this assisted us and others.

Getting info from cruise lines even when on board can be challenging.

Even comical. People generally do/say the best but circumstances are often beyond there control. 

Good luck to all cruising at present. 

[Canal archive]

Hear, hear, difficult times for tourists and cruise companies alike, may things soon get sorted out and all is calm again.

[drisro1]

Live update on Uniworld River Princess. Cruise embarked today from Nuremberg (well not exactly embarked, as we are docked here next 2 nights). Got email yesterday evening that we would be on River Princess 3 nights, then bused to River Duchess for the rest of the trip. First part ends in Straubing, second part starts in Vilshofen. So, this is the “ship swap” version of our tour (Authentic Danube tour). Not perfect but better than land touring or cancellation. My biggest complaint about this is they have known this was the plan for several days, if not weeks, and did not inform until the day before the cruise started. It was clear to me based on this forum they could not sail the normal cruise, and if an idiot like me could tell, they could also.  Also, since the River Duchess is covering part of this trip, whatever tour that ship was supposed to be covering was probably canceled, I assume. Anyway we are on board enjoying it so far!

[travelcommons]

6 hours ago, Cruisegroover said:

Did you get bussed to Regensburg for the walking tour or did you get through? I just saw a blogger doing a live who is on your river cruise and no mention of any river level issues.

 

3 full buses left Passau this morning at 8am.  We arrived in Regensburg just before 9:45am and we did a 90 minute walking tour.  Return buses at 12:15pm and at 3:30 for those that wanted to stay longer.  The blogger was on my bus and I think she's more about the sights and scenes of the places she goes to versus logistics and/or talking about problems she's encountered.  At any rate, Viking seems to know what they are doing and though I'd rather disembark in Regensburg, I'm glad we made it this far all in the same ship.

[Seattle1964]

1 hour ago, drisro1 said:

My biggest complaint about this is they have known this was the plan for several days, if not weeks, and did not inform until the day before the cruise started.

I feel your pain.

You are very lucky to being a ship swap as that means just one segment of your cruise was interrupted.  Try and let that go and enjoy the rest of your cruise.  Others have not been so lucky and they should be very upset;  Very upset, indeed.

[Canal archive]

Maybe I should also have said the future of the river cruising industry as a whole, considering that as it would seem the difficulty these ‘large ‘ companies are having recruiting staff. If this weather continues year in year out maybe in the future it won’t stop only in the winter but this time of year as well. People do so much research into cruising and I’m sorry but to my mind ask some inane questions but don’t seem to check water or weather. There is a tremendous amount of information on the different companies websites but not that. 

[debbie311]

7 hours ago, pully8 said:

Can understand the distress some express. For many it is a trip that they may not get to do again and is not a cheap option, especially if long flights are involved.

 

That's it in a nutshell.

[stillmoretosee]

All we can do is STAY IN THE KNOW AND GO WITH THE FLOW 🤞☔️

[Cruisegroover]

9 hours ago, travelcommons said:

 

3 full buses left Passau this morning at 8am.  We arrived in Regensburg just before 9:45am and we did a 90 minute walking tour.  Return buses at 12:15pm and at 3:30 for those that wanted to stay longer.  The blogger was on my bus and I think she's more about the sights and scenes of the places she goes to versus logistics and/or talking about problems she's encountered.  At any rate, Viking seems to know what they are doing and though I'd rather disembark in Regensburg, I'm glad we made it this far all in the same ship.

Thanks for the update. I am a details person so was wondering how Viking handled the issue. Glad you made it all on the same ship.

[talerco]

Keeping an eye on things here and on vessel finder.

Booked on Uniworld Budapest to Prague leaving September 21.

Currently watching the Beatrice (our boat) which started in Budapest on August 10. Seems to be beyond Vienna so OK so far.

Any info about Uniworld alternatives when thing go wrong would be appreciated.

Praying for rain!

Thanks!

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge at 223cm, back up a little after a drop during the night.

 

notamermaid

 

[AnotherWanderer]

Hello all.

August 28 I am scheduled to take my first ever cruise. Viking’s “Budapest to Prague (Regensburg port)” river cruise.

From reading here I am under the impression that, as of 3 days ago, ships weren’t able to leave/dock at Budapest or cruise beyound Passau.

Does this still seem to be correct?

If we cannot get on the boat in Budapest does anyone know where our first port will likely be?

[Haqdeluxe]

2 hours ago, AnotherWanderer said:

Hello all.

August 28 I am scheduled to take my first ever cruise. Viking’s “Budapest to Prague (Regensburg port)” river cruise.

From reading here I am under the impression that, as of 3 days ago, ships weren’t able to leave/dock at Budapest or cruise beyound Passau.

Does this still seem to be correct?

If we cannot get on the boat in Budapest does anyone know where our first port will likely be?

 Komárno Slovakia. About 60 miles north of Budapest. 

[notamermaid]

2 hours ago, AnotherWanderer said:

From reading here I am under the impression that, as of 3 days ago, ships weren’t able to leave/dock at Budapest or cruise beyound Passau.

Does this still seem to be correct?

Not sure about Budapest.

 

Ships cannot go beyond Vilshofen, mostly appear to stop at Passau, or even Engelhartszell in some cases. This is likely to remain so for several days, anything between three days and x days. Noone knows. Rain forecast for some time next week, good amounts most likely Thursday and Friday. Various weather models. Not certain as to exactly where and how much rain.

 

Pfelling gauge at 225cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[Atlavon]

On 8/8/2022 at 2:23 PM, drisro1 said:

Just a couple of notes Re: Uniworld. Even though they refuse to put on their website or in my DM’s with them on Twitter that they have any cruises cancelled, they have several ships that are not moving or not on the correct itinerary, so they have clearly cancelled some. A notice on the site yesterday (gone today) said the port site in Budapest had moved to a different site there (presumably due to water level?) and that the Authentic Danube cruise leaving Vienna Aug 5 would be on River Duchess instead of River Princess. River Princess is stuck upstream in Regensberg, and it looks like they may be doing a ship swap there with River Duchess. Wish they were more honest/transparent about the situation, but I am figuring it out slowly using their ship positions

Thanks for posting.  We are headed to our 4th Uniworld cruise 15 nights Vienna to AMS August 19-Sept 2.  I also wish they were more proactive and communicated changes to us so we can make choices (lone up private transport vs bus, if we must bus, for one.) I guess they can choose whether to earn our business for the next cruise or not! Definitely need to let them know we prefer to know “news” sooner rather than later.  Happy cruising to you!

[travelingman]

If things are as they are today you will meet at the dock in Budapest, unless you arrive on the day of the cruise, and you will be bused to Komárno.  If arriving on the day of the cruise with a Viking transfer you will be bused to Komárno, maybe stopping at the dock to pick up other passengers.  Then you will be bused back to Budapest the next day for the tours.  It is possible they might move the tour to the boarding date since you are going to be on a bus anyway.  If you are on pre-cruise extension everything should be the same except on the boarding day you will be bused to Komárno.