Danube water levels 2024 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[pnwliane]

20 hours ago, moonriver54 said:

You'll be our eyes and ears for the Lower Danube.  I've seen virtually nothing mentioned about Lower Danube flooding here on CruiseCritic.  We're departing Bucharest headed west to Budapest aboard the Avalon Passion on 12 October.

Moonriver54: We'll be on that 12 October Avalon Passion sailing with you! Like you, we've been watching for news about the Lower Danube. It sounds like the next few days will be telling.

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

31 minutes ago, Kenster said:

That doesn’t make any sense! Bused all the way from Nuremberg to Budapest?? 
Calls for a wee bit of elaboration. 

 

From another poster, different thread, same journey, same forum:

 

"We're driving 10-13 hours today from Nuremberg to Budaest compliments of Scenic Luxury Cruiseline. No water offered on bus, no food, no 'welcome glass of champagne.' We were told this morning bring food and drinks. We'll have two stops at rest areas, one 30 mins another 45 mins. One couple canceled cruise when they learned the terms this morning. Another couple decided to make their own way to Budapest (very smart). Train ride is 38 euros, 7 hours. Plane would have been a couple 100 and less than 2 hours. One day of cruising gone. Very sloppy, negligent planning and total lack of planning logistics. We have 7-8 hours to Vienna, change busses, then another 2-3 to Budapest. Needless to say a lot of unhappy campers. My mom and I are still waiting for the 'luxury' part to kick in. Feels more like school camping trips. Scenic did say they would give us all 35 euros cash to cover our breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sooooo generous. Whoever the GM is, Starr thinking outside the box, give folks options. I'm confident every single one of us would have chosen plane or train transit. You're not responsible for the flooding conditions but you are responsible for living up to your name."

[grumpypharm]

1 hour ago, hermione8181 said:

Which ship?

Viking Tor

[moonriver54]

25 minutes ago, pnwliane said:

Moonriver54: We'll be on that 12 October Avalon Passion sailing with you! Like you, we've been watching for news about the Lower Danube. It sounds like the next few days will be telling.

Barring too much rain between now and 12 OCT I think we'll probably be fine.  When we booked an October Danube cruise my biggest concern was LOW water.  LOL!

[Kenster]

25 minutes ago, The Hudson Co. Landlubber said:

 

From another poster, different thread, same journey, same forum:

 

"We're driving 10-13 hours today from Nuremberg to Budaest compliments of Scenic Luxury Cruiseline. No water offered on bus, no food, no 'welcome glass of champagne.' We were told this morning bring food and drinks. We'll have two stops at rest areas, one 30 mins another 45 mins. One couple canceled cruise when they learned the terms this morning. Another couple decided to make their own way to Budapest (very smart). Train ride is 38 euros, 7 hours. Plane would have been a couple 100 and less than 2 hours. One day of cruising gone. Very sloppy, negligent planning and total lack of planning logistics. We have 7-8 hours to Vienna, change busses, then another 2-3 to Budapest. Needless to say a lot of unhappy campers. My mom and I are still waiting for the 'luxury' part to kick in. Feels more like school camping trips. Scenic did say they would give us all 35 euros cash to cover our breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sooooo generous. Whoever the GM is, Starr thinking outside the box, give folks options. I'm confident every single one of us would have chosen plane or train transit. You're not responsible for the flooding conditions but you are responsible for living up to your name."

How can you skip the entire itinerary from Nuremberg to Budapest and say you only list one day of cruising? That’s usually a week long cruise. 
I didn’t think any line could be worse than Viking during irregular ops… now I’m not so sure. 

[hermione8181]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

Now there are five in Tulln:

 

notamermaid

 

Figured this out a little. Yes, Viking does usually brief stop there. While passengers are on their Krems excursion the ship moves there and the passengers reboard there. So not unknown to Viking. 
 

looks like a few ships sailed out of Budapest tonight. Still ….we all wait on the one lock. 

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

15 minutes ago, Kenster said:

How can you skip the entire itinerary from Nuremberg to Budapest and say you only list one day of cruising? That’s usually a week long cruise. 
I didn’t think any line could be worse than Viking during irregular ops… now I’m not so sure. 

 

My guess is they reversed the itinerary since the equipment could not be moved yet because of the broken loch?  But I am just guessing.  I will try and monitor that group for more info, but I leave for my own journey tomorrow.

[hermione8181]

1 minute ago, The Hudson Co. Landlubber said:

 

My guess is they reversed the itinerary since the equipment could not be moved yet because of the broken loch?  But I am just guessing.  I will try and monitor that group for more info, but I leave for my own journey tomorrow.

I looked quick and scenic has a 10 day Budapest to Nuremberg itinerary and a 15 day amsterdam to Budapest…..that’s it…oh and a Prague one. So that all seems pretty odd.

[notamermaid]

4 minutes ago, The Hudson Co. Landlubber said:

but I leave for my own journey tomorrow.

Have a good trip. I hope all works out to your satisfaction and you can very much enjoy the Danube and the ship.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Brief info on Greifenstein. It is a lock and weir/dam that is a run-of-the-river hydro-electrical power plant. I have no info what the damage is. The power plant was taken off the grid during flooding and the weir opened to let the water run through untamed, so to speak. So it produced no electricity. It is partly back. No idea if there is a connection with the lock being repaired.

 

Note that locking on the German and joint Danube may be delayed as well, as one chamber at Kachlet and and one chamber at Jochenstein are out of order.

 

Official info on Jochenstein:

 

notamermaid

[hermione8181]

3 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Brief info on Greifenstein. It is a lock and weir/dam that is a run-of-the-river hydro-electrical power plant. I have no info what the damage is. The power plant was taken off the grid during flooding and the weir opened to let the water run through untamed, so to speak. So it produced no electricity. It is partly back. No idea if there is a connection with the lock being repaired.

 

Note that locking on the German and joint Danube may be delayed as well, as one chamber at Kachlet and and one chamber at Jochenstein are out of order.

 

Official info on Jochenstein:

 

notamermaid

This matches what one poster said about the lock ‘having no electricity.’  Technically….true lmao 

[notamermaid]

2 hours ago, NewB2Cruise said:

I'm hearing about changes in plans, switching ships and altered itinerary and I'm wondering if this situation is still going on or have there been improvements.

Welcome to Cruisecritic. As you have read from a previous poster, there have been improvements. Budapest should have its lower embankment (the river cruise ship docks) back by tomorrow afternoon.

 

notamermaid

 

[NewB2Cruise]

3 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Welcome to Cruisecritic. As you have read from a previous poster, there have been improvements. Budapest should have its lower embankment (the river cruise ship docks) back by tomorrow afternoon.

 

notamermaid

Excellent news? Thank you.

[ural guy]

1 hour ago, The Hudson Co. Landlubber said:

 

From another poster, different thread, same journey, same forum:

 

"We're driving 10-13 hours today from Nuremberg to Budaest compliments of Scenic Luxury Cruiseline. No water offered on bus, no food, no 'welcome glass of champagne.' We were told this morning bring food and drinks. We'll have two stops at rest areas, one 30 mins another 45 mins. One couple canceled cruise when they learned the terms this morning. Another couple decided to make their own way to Budapest (very smart). Train ride is 38 euros, 7 hours. Plane would have been a couple 100 and less than 2 hours. One day of cruising gone. Very sloppy, negligent planning and total lack of planning logistics. We have 7-8 hours to Vienna, change busses, then another 2-3 to Budapest. Needless to say a lot of unhappy campers. My mom and I are still waiting for the 'luxury' part to kick in. Feels more like school camping trips. Scenic did say they would give us all 35 euros cash to cover our breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sooooo generous. Whoever the GM is, Starr thinking outside the box, give folks options. I'm confident every single one of us would have chosen plane or train transit. You're not responsible for the flooding conditions but you are responsible for living up to your name."

 

That is really bad sounding.  I can see needing to stop to swap out drivers due to maximum driving time allowed, but to have to swap out the bus?

[AtlantaCruiser72]

35 minutes ago, ural guy said:

 

That is really bad sounding.  I can see needing to stop to swap out drivers due to maximum driving time allowed, but to have to swap out the bus?

As they are going from Germany, through Austria, and onto Hungary it is possible that the transport company coming from Nuremberg may not employ any drivers in Austria, or even have a corporate presence in Austria. It could also be that, as I have often seen, the busses belong to the drivers who then do contract work for various companies and perhaps the driver on the first leg only agreed to go as far as Vienna or can only legally drive so many hours in a day. Too many variables to give an exact answer, but obviously there is a reason for the bus swap

[notamermaid]

Cruisecritic article: https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/danube-cruises-impacted-by-european-floods-river-cruise-lines-amend-itineraries?stay=1&posfrom=1

 

notamermaid

 

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

4 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Have a good trip. I hope all works out to your satisfaction and you can very much enjoy the Danube and the ship.

 

notamermaid

 

You are very kind!  We will attempt to do that and roll with it.  Although I will do almost anything to avoid 12 hours on a bus!  Hopefully will still make our tickets for "The Marriage Of Figaro" at the Vienna Opera House and end up meeting German friends at Oktoberfest after the cruise ends.  It'll be great.