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

[blag]

We are currently on the River Duchess (110m) nearing Budapest.

Yesterday evening the ship was not able to use the pontoon dock at Batina due to low, water, and those guests due to travel beyond Budapest (some travelling all the way to Amsterdam) were told that, due to low water and the likelihood that there will be high temperatures and no rain, the ship would not proceed beyond Budapest! 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge is at 245cm right now. No significant change is forecast, expected tomorrow: 243cm to 242cm. No significant amounts of rain for the Bavarian Danube before next Friday.

 

notamermaid

 

[blag]

Update from the River Duchess... 

Captain addressed the guests here in Budapest this evening. He reported that the water level (location not specified) had dropped by an unprecedented 30cm in just one day! 

[notamermaid]

1 hour ago, blag said:

had dropped by an unprecedented 30cm in just one day

Eek, where may that be? Perhaps an effect of retaining water with the help of a lock and dam to keep the level up in the previous stretch?

 

I read that the level in Budapest has fallen quite a bit, it appears the dry hot weather is everywhere up to Budapest (and you are reporting of this already extending further downstream).

 

Report by BR24 (issued via an agency so you will read more or less the same words repeated several times elsewhere) in German: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/donau-hotelschiffen-drohen-probleme-wegen-trockenheit,TBXC5W3

 

Just a couple of explanations from the text:

-The large river cruise ships are getting affected, it will soon hit the smaller ships as well

-Buses are used to take passengers through the area and to another ship (my addition: i.e. the dreaded ship swaps)

 

Important at the end:

"Letztlich träfen die Entscheidung die Reedereien und der Schiffsführer. Das Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsamt spreche keine Verbote aus."

This means that company and captain take the decisions. The authorities do not prohibit sailing.

 

16 hours ago, blag said:

those guests due to travel beyond Budapest (some travelling all the way to Amsterdam) were told that, due to low water and the likelihood that there will be high temperatures and no rain, the ship would not proceed beyond Budapest! 

As you say, the River Duchess is 110m. That is favourable and I am a bit surprised they are saying in Budapest that they will not attempt passage towards Amsterdam. But I do not know details about the situation in Austria so I reckon they have already calculated that it is not possible for them. Logistical reasons may play a part, i.e. it is better for them to cancel outright in Budapest rather that give up somewhere along the way, be it Passau or on the Main before reaching the Rhine Gorge on the Rhine.

 

notamermaid

 

[PhD-iva]

Embarked yesterday on Emerald Sky. We were supposed to embark in Regensburg, but due to low water we embarked  instead in Engelhartszelle (sp?). Today we will take a two hour bus ride to Regensburg, we will have free time for one hour in Regensburg after a one hour walking tour. I think that starting tomorrow we are back to our usual cruise schedule.

[blag]

3 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

Embarked yesterday on Emerald Sky. We were supposed to embark in Regensburg, but due to low water we embarked  instead in Engelhartszelle (sp?). Today we will take a two hour bus ride to Regensburg, we will have free time for one hour in Regensburg after a one hour walking tour. I think that starting tomorrow we are back to our usual cruise schedule.

What is the port of disembarkation? 

[notamermaid]

6 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

We were supposed to embark in Regensburg, but due to low water we embarked  instead in Engelhartszelle (sp?).

Yes that is Engelhartszell, more or less just across the border in Austria from Passau. It is often used by German lines for embarkation and I believe increasingly as well internationally. Perfectly avoids the low stretch and is not as busy a port as Passau.

 

Hope you enjoy Regensburg and everything runs smoothly from here on.

 

notamermaid

 

[PhD-iva]

10 hours ago, blag said:

What is the port of disembarkation? 

Budapest.

[drisro1]

4 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Yes that is Engelhartszell, more or less just across the border in Austria from Passau. It is often used by German lines for embarkation and I believe increasingly as well internationally. Perfectly avoids the low stretch and is not as busy a port as Passau.

 

Hope you enjoy Regensburg and everything runs smoothly from here on.

 

notamermaid

 

Where is the low stretch? Scheduled on River Princess, 110 m, Nuremberg to Vienna next month. hoping to avoid buses. Thanks!

[notamermaid]

17 minutes ago, drisro1 said:

Where is the low stretch? Scheduled on River Princess, 110 m, Nuremberg to Vienna next month. hoping to avoid buses. Thanks!

Straubing to Vilshofen:

 

Pfelling gauge at 243cm. Daily fluctuating in a downward trend:

 

 

notamermaid

 

 

[blag]

4 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

Budapest.

Very few ships currently sailing as far as that. 

I suugest you use CruiseMapper to see how many cruise ships are parked at Budapest. 

[fairydustca]

19 minutes ago, blag said:

Very few ships currently sailing as far as that. 

I suugest you use CruiseMapper to see how many cruise ships are parked at Budapest. 

We are embarking in Budapest 8/28 and ending in Amsterdam  I wonder how this will affect cruises in that direction?

[notamermaid]

A fairy, ouiii (expression of delight)!

 

1 hour ago, fairydustca said:

We are embarking in Budapest 8/28 and ending in Amsterdam  I wonder how this will affect cruises in that direction?

It will depend on what happens in the weeks before as well as on the date, I mean how much has it rained in the two weeks prior and which ships could sail through. You may be on another ship than you are supposed to (ship swapped), you may have your cruise cancelled (depending on company) or you may be perfectly fine sailing through (depending on ship draft).

 

You should be informed with a few days notice before your sailing date by the company (should as in this will probably happen and as in they should do for customer satisfaction and planning). I would say do not expect notification from your company now. They cannot know what will be six weeks out.

 

notamermaid

 

[kiarmuid]

PhD-iva:  how did  you get to Engelhartszell?  Were you transferred from Munich Airport or Regensburg by Emerald?  It does not look straightforward on public transport from MUC.

[Seattle1964]

So glad I found this forum.  The cruise company isn't being very forthright so far as I can tell.  I had friends start in Mainz and they're headed for Budapest where I am supposed to join then and continue to Bucharest.  They got a low water alert the day they were leaving and I didn't get it until two days later.

I know most of the comments are about the stretches between Budapest and Amsterdam, but what about Budapest to Bucharest?   I see at least two 135m ships on the Danube right now (CruiseMapper) but is that region as prone to low water impediment as well?  I know notamermaid said he's not as familiar with anything past Bucharest in that direction, but does anyone know or is anyone on that waterway, now??   I am supposed to arrive July 29 so that's still about 12 days out, but just looking for general knowledge about how affected Budapest to Bucharest has been in the past.

Thank you!

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge is at 241cm. Rain coming to the Upper Danube valley on Wednesday, here I mean the area upstream from Ingolstadt (no river cruise ships go that far up the river). An effect for Pfelling can not be felt before Thursday most likely, if we actually see any.

 

notamermaid

 

[CastleCritic]

11 hours ago, Seattle1964 said:

So glad I found this forum.  The cruise company isn't being very forthright so far as I can tell.  I had friends start in Mainz and they're headed for Budapest where I am supposed to join then and continue to Bucharest.  They got a low water alert the day they were leaving and I didn't get it until two days later.

I know most of the comments are about the stretches between Budapest and Amsterdam, but what about Budapest to Bucharest?   I see at least two 135m ships on the Danube right now (CruiseMapper) but is that region as prone to low water impediment as well?  I know notamermaid said he's not as familiar with anything past Bucharest in that direction, but does anyone know or is anyone on that waterway, now??   I am supposed to arrive July 29 so that's still about 12 days out, but just looking for general knowledge about how affected Budapest to Bucharest has been in the past.

Thank you!

Looking at the 135m Amawaterways ships that do that route, one (Amaverde) was due in at Girgui (Bucharest) and the other (Amabella) is listed as due to go from Bratislava to Budapest and may continue south from there.

 

somewhat hard to read the tea leaves since everything looks to be in port and on the literally large end, their doublewide ship (which should have already stopped that route for the year)  the Amamagna is in Passau and may be there for longer than normal.

 

I do see a gap on their web site in new sailings on the Budapest to Bucharest route until August 8th.  Which means they've either started cancelling cruises or they are just full.

Edited July 18, 2022 by CastleCritic

[Seattle1964]

36 minutes ago, CastleCritic said:

Looking at the 135m Amawaterways ships that do that route, one (Amaverde) was due in at Girgui (Bucharest) and the other (Amabella) is listed as due to go from Bratislava to Budapest and may continue south from there.

 

somewhat hard to read the tea leaves since everything looks to be in port and on the literally large end, their doublewide ship (which should have already stopped that route for the year)  the Amamagna is in Passau and may be there for longer than normal.

 

I do see a gap on their web site in new sailings on the Budapest to Bucharest route until August 8th.  Which means they've either started cancelling cruises or they are just full.

Thank you to all that have responded so far.  I know no one has a crystal ball but you do have more insight/experience and I'm getting a bit anxious about it all.  I signed up for a river cruise and the sound of being moved around by bus, boat swapping, and/or living out of a suitcase in hotels is just awful.  Is it really that awful, though?   Certainly doesn't seem as relaxing as being on a boat you can walk around on and eat/drink while seeing the countryside.  I've got some time to thing about it, still.  If anything develops, I'd be very grateful to hear it from those closer to the situation.  And... THANK YOU!

[blag]

3 minutes ago, Seattle1964 said:

Thank you to all that have responded so far.  I know no one has a crystal ball but you do have more insight/experience and I'm getting a bit anxious about it all.  I signed up for a river cruise and the sound of being moved around by bus, boat swapping, and/or living out of a suitcase in hotels is just awful.  Is it really that awful, though?   Certainly doesn't seem as relaxing as being on a boat you can walk around on and eat/drink while seeing the countryside.  I've got some time to thing about it, still.  If anything develops, I'd be very grateful to hear it from those closer to the situation.  And... THANK YOU!

There seems to be very few cruise ships on the stretch between Budapest and Bucharest at present.

You can monitor cruise ship movements on CruiseMapper.com or the app of the same name. 

[notamermaid]

11 hours ago, Seattle1964 said:

So glad I found this forum. 

Welcome to cruisecritic. I know you have the low water issues uppermost on your mind, but perhaps you may want to have a look at the pinned threads (stickies) at the top of the page. Great info on many aspects of river cruising.

 

11 hours ago, Seattle1964 said:

I know notamermaid said he's not as familiar with anything past Bucharest in that direction,

It is a she that I am, but just for info . Unfortunately past Austria I virtually know nothing about the situation, apart from a few sporadic bits of info from Budapest news online. What I can see is that the figures of the Danube beyond Vienna into Serbia look low but I cannot interpret them as they relate to what is actually happening on the river.

 

@blag How has your river cruise been? Would you like to share a few thoughts about ports from Bucharest to Budapest some time? I am sure you have taken tons of photos .

 

Hope things improve along the Po river very soon.

 

notamermaid

 

[Seattle1964]

15 minutes ago, blag said:

There seems to be very few cruise ships on the stretch between Budapest and Bucharest at present.

You can monitor cruise ship movements on CruiseMapper.com or the app of the same name. 

Thank you, Blag.  As I said in my original post I do see those 135m ships but don't know if they're right on the cusp of being able to navigate.  I guess the real question is if the section between Budapest/Bucharest is as bad as further north.  Say Passau to Budapest, for example.  I know your ship is still in Budapest and they say they can't continue.  But was navigating up to Budapest okay and without concern of water level being too close for comfort?   Thanks

[blag]

6 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

 

@blag How has your river cruise been? Would you like to share a few thoughts about ports from Bucharest to Budapest some time? I am sure you have taken tons of photos .

 

Hi.

Winding down after a couple of hairy days. (long story, but flights Budapest-Istanbul; Istanbul/Milan Malpensa.

Were forced to stand for 40 minutes in 35+ heat waiting for hotel transfer. Hotel is only 4 mins away from airport!)

A complimentary cold prosecco at the Hotel is soothing.

I will post pictures and report on my cruise, but as it is not a matter of high priority for me, please be so kind as to remind me. 

[blag]

36 minutes ago, Seattle1964 said:

Thank you, Blag.  As I said in my original post I do see those 135m ships but don't know if they're right on the cusp of being able to navigate.  I guess the real question is if the section between Budapest/Bucharest is as bad as further north.  Say Passau to Budapest, for example.  I know your ship is still in Budapest and they say they can't continue.  But was navigating up to Budapest okay and without concern of water level being too close for comfort?   Thanks

I spent some discussing this very issue with the captain very early one morning.

He was aware of the problems, and anxious to ensure that we stuck to our itinerary timings, so as not to prejudice our chances of getting to Budapest.

We were not able to dock at Batina due to low water, and he went further upstream to dock at Mohacs.

As a consequence of this our long (0900 to 1600) excursion was extended by over 3 hours, and we actually boarded at about 1905. In truth, the rest of the guests had embarked previously but I was enjoying the really, really inexpensive beer at a Riverside bar (Pizzeria & Gastropub) so much that we were the last to board, delaying the ship for a full five minutes.

Part of the delay in Mohacs was due to customs/immigration for the ship and crew at Mohacs. The ship was coming from a non-Schengen (Croatia) country to a Schengen country (Hungary). The ship was visible upstream from the bar (cheers!) for this process and 'reversed' to the passenger pontoon once the formalities were complete.

I learnt from the captain that the River Duchess (110M * 11M) requires a minimum of 20cm water under the bottom to proceed, but with that amount of water under the ship it has to proceed very slowly. Presumably this reduced speed moderates the riverbed damage caused by the propellers.

I may be wrong, but I believe he said that they require at least 1M clear water under the ship to go at full speed. 

Edited July 18, 2022 by blag
Clarification

[Seattle1964]

8 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Welcome to cruisecritic. I know you have the low water issues uppermost on your mind, but perhaps you may want to have a look at the pinned threads (stickies) at the top of the page. Great info on many aspects of river cruising.

 

It is a she that I am, but just for info .

 

My apologies for the gender assumption.  I couldn't have known 🙂  I was pretty sure you weren't a ship on a river, though.  (your photo)  LOL

I don't see the "stickies" that you mentioned or that anything is pinned at the top of the page/thread.  I would be interested in looking at what you suggest if I can locate it.  I've tried two different browsers so don't think it's something on my end.  Maybe I'm just misunderstanding.

Sorry, again, Miss.  

[notamermaid]

 No problem. Impossible to know.

30 minutes ago, Seattle1964 said:

I was pretty sure you weren't a ship on a river, though.  (your photo)  LOL

That is an Avalonwaterways ship backing out of Koblenz Moselle docking area. Of course one cannot see that she is going backwards. I presume ships do that because the Moselle is too narrow for turning there.

 

The stickies are here, compiled by our host jazzbeau: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/115-river-cruising/

They have a pin and a lock sign.

 

I hope a river cruiser somewhere between Budapest and Bucharest joins us here soon. People are sometimes more comfortable just to write within the roll call threads so you may want to add yourself there with the dates you will be sailing on. Or you can just read the info provided there.

 

notamermaid