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Water Levels On The Rivers Of Europe

When all is said and done, there is no way to accurately predict whether your river cruise will be affected by low-water or high-water levels for river cruises in Europe. But in general, high water occurs in the spring while low water occurs in heat of the summer, usually August. The summer of 2018 saw record low water levels for river cruises in Europe on the Danube. However, contrary to the conventional wisdom, I saw record lows on the Rhine in November of 2015. While high or low water can impact your river cruise, in 50+ river cruises, I’ve never experienced a major disruption because of high water or low water. I should add that I did not river cruise in the summer of 2018. In the comments below, some readers say their dream vacations were disappointing because of low water levels for river cruises in Europe. Others had their trips scuttled altogether because the river cruise companies could not operate due to high or low water levels for river cruises in Europe. My hope is that this page will serve as a useful forum for sharing information about the conditions on the rivers and how the cruise companies are handling adverse water levels for river cruises in Europe.– Ralph Grizzle

Whether a river has high or low water levels is something you’re unlikely to consider when planning your river cruise – until it happens to you.

Unlike ocean cruising, river cruising is all about narrow margins. Low bridges make the air draft of a ship – how much of it sticks out of the water – critically important. Most river cruise ships have collapsible upper deck railings, removable furniture, and even navigation bridges that lower completely into the floor.

Being aware of water levels for river cruises in Europe can greatly enhance your travel experience.

Understanding water levels for river cruises in Europe is vital for ensuring a smooth and enjoyable journey.

Monitoring water levels for river cruises in Europe is essential for a trouble-free adventure.

What’s under the keel – or hull – of your river cruise ship also makes a difference. In some cases, there can be less than a foot of water under the keel. River cruise ships have incredibly shallow drafts to begin with, and river cruise operators construct their ships as efficiently as possible. They’re the high-performance sports cars of the cruising world.

Understanding Water Levels for River Cruises in Europe

Understanding the significance of water levels for river cruises in Europe can help travelers make informed decisions.

Unfortunately, low water and high water conditions can exist – and they can throw a real wrench into an otherwise flawless cruise.

For current updates from river cruisers currently on the rivers (or from those who have returned recently) be sure to see the comments at the bottom of this post.

In fact, keeping an eye on water levels for river cruises in Europe could save your trip.

The Rhine is perhaps the most dependable river when it comes to being able to continue navigation due to low water. I felt the boat scraping the bottom of the Rhine in Rudesheim in November of 2015, but we made it past. See Is AmaWaterways The Champion Of Low Water?

Water levels are unpredictable. In many cases, the cruise line may only find out on your actual sailing, or a few days beforehand, that a particular stretch of water isn’t navigable.

See related article: Low Water Levels Continue To Affect River Cruises; Plus Why This Happens In The First Place

Water levels aren’t uniform. That is to say, if there’s low water on the Danube, the entire Danube isn’t affected. In 2014, water levels were too low for many ships to pass between the German cities of Passau and Regensburg. In past years, the stretch heading across the Austria-Hungary border has been problematic.

History isn’t a good indicator of high or low water. In June of 2013, Passau was hit by the worst flooding – and the highest water levels – since the Middle Ages. In 2018, the Danube was so low that many cruise ships terminated their journeys in Passau.

What happens if high/low water levels affect my sailing? River cruise lines will typically attempt to keep your itinerary as operational as possible. Generally, when high/low water levels hit, three options are available to cruise lines:

I’m not sure if I should cancel my river cruise because of high/low water levels. What do I do?

Unless you have travel insurance that covers cancellation, do not cancel your river cruise over high/low water. Wait for the cruise line to either pull the plug or offer alternatives. If your sailing commences in a few weeks, cancelling your sailing will result in you losing all monies paid. If you wait for the cruise line to pull the plug, offers typically include the ability to switch to another sailing at no cost; the offer to complete your cruise as scheduled at a discount or rebate; or the offer to cancel with minimal or no penalties. Of course, such offers are determined by the cruise line, but typically favor the guest.

Curious as to what the current conditions on the rivers of Europe are? A reader has provided us with a map showing the water levels on rivers in Germany. From reader “Sabine” see this link: https://www.wetteronline.de/pegelstaende?gid=HES

We have found the Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (BFG) to be helpful. The organization published maps like the one below and forecasts. Find BFG’s 14-day water levels forecasts here and the six-week forecasts here.

It’s advisable to check the latest updates regarding water levels for river cruises in Europe before you travel.

August 12, 2022 map data © OpenStreetMap-Mitwirkend Sourced from Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde

To see what our readers had to say about how their trips were impacted by low water levels, click here.

Additionally, understanding how different seasons affect water levels for river cruises in Europe will enhance your planning.

In summary, staying informed about water levels for river cruises in Europe is crucial for a rewarding travel experience.

2,273 Responses

  1. Just returned from a Vantage River Splendor 27 day cruise from Bucharest to Mainz (Germany). Sufficient water for the entire cruise, although there was concern expressed about water levels on the Danube upriver from Passau. We cut our day (July 28) short in Passau and left that port during lunch instead of the planned 4PM departure due to reports that this would put is at the low spot at maximum water, but warned that we might have to leave the ship and take the rest of the trip by bus. Fortunately we were able to get past the low water area although we did arrive in Regensburg on July 29 later than planned. No problems the remainder of the cruise on the Mainz-Danube Canal, the Main, or the Rhine.

  2. The Rhine is gorgeous ! We did Viking from Amsterdam to Basel in the fall of 2018 and loved every bit of it ! Make sure you take in the Dinner evening in Rudesheim ..it’s a hoot ! We have done 2 cruises since ..Danube was low and they gave us a credit. The Rhône ( with pre trip in Nice) was lovely and perfect !

  3. Hi Lynne, You may have missed my earlier reply to your post. The 2 Viking Elbe ships have not moved for almost 2 months. We have been tracking water levels. Water depth is currently at only 33% of average depth. The rain forecast for the next 30 days is only 1.3″ total . It would take a monsoon to bring enough rain to make a difference in the water level. So you can conclude now that you will not be cruising. They will offer you a bus option.

  4. My cruise ended Saturday morn and never had any issues on the Danube. Grand Circle Budapest to Prague trip

  5. Just received a note from Viking that we are now scheduled to embark on the Skirmir in Amsterdam instead of the Modi, this Sunday. Any idea what happened to the Modi? Was the water level really low near Nurenburg.

  6. Is anyone on the Elbe Viking trip Berlin to Prague? I was wondering if they were still having low water issues?

  7. This is a follow up post to my 7/14 comment on Viking-we were to set sail on the Elba from near Prague to a point near Berlin on 7/27. I was tracking river levels on the site wetternonline.de [thank you, Rivercruiseadvisor, for this reference]. On 7/24 there were 3 locations where levels were below 70 cm [~2.3 ft], and from other comments on line, the water required for Viking ships is 4 ft +. We were told on 7/20 by a Viking customer service manager that they would let us know well before our air departure of 7/23 if they would be sailing or not. On 7/17, Viking sent us an email stating that this ship would not be sailing and gave us 2 options: bus to destinations using the 2 boats on the Elba as hotels OR receive a full refund including insurance. We chose the latter and have rebooked for September stays in each city, minus the cruise. Water levels are simply too iffy and it was nerve wracking waiting on Viking to make a decsion; which, to their credit, they delivered, as promised. We received our full refund within 10 days. This is not timely information for anyone looking at real time water levels, just a follow up. The website above is good for following water levels, real time. I saw them dropping by the day. Best, John S from Viriginia and good luck to all!!

  8. We are taking our first river cruise, sailing Avalon Paris-Normandy on August 31. I’m seeing water levels much below normal on the Seine. Should we be concerned that our vacation will turn into a land trip?

  9. Thanks – we leave in a few days for Grand Circle, Great Rivers, from Vienna to Amsterdam, and we understand from German friends that the rivers are fine, and our tour director called to inform us it had been raining for a few days, so all is good.

  10. We are on the Skirnir and have made it through the Main Danube canal so no ship swaps on this trip due to water levels! We had a heavy rain last night and it is cloudy and cool in Nuremberg today. Thanks for the link to vessel finder!

  12. Yes, you can predict! The Elbe is in bad shape! We are booked on this cruise Sept. 25. We’ve been doing research on water levels. Both Viking Elbe ships have not moved from Dresden since late June. Water levels are very low and no amount of rain will likely correct this! We have concluded our cruise will be impacted. Viking will not allow us to change to another cruise until they make an official decision, which may be 1-2 weeks in advance of our trip. This doesn’t give enough time for plan B. We really don’t want to spend our time on buses!
    What are you going to do?

  14. thanks JB. we’re scenic departing budapest august 12. did scenic say/offer anything for the inconvenience or would you say there was no inconvenience.

  15. Nancy,
    Thanks for the information, we will be leaving on August 19th on the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel.

  16. Viking is offering full refund on Elbe River for trip beginning in Berlin on August 19. If you want motor coach then 50%. We canceled and they were very understanding. Appreciation to all of you who update water level situations!

  18. I’ve been following various Viking and Monarch (Gate1) ships on the Rhine River, Danube and Grand European Journey itineraries (Rhine/Main/Danube) using a site called vesselfinder. com (for Viking, make sure to click on the Swiss flag if 2 ships of the same name are listed). Using this site, you can track the current location of your ship day by day. So far this week, at least from what I can see, all ships seem to be able to sail their normal itinerary without ship swaps. That’s great news for my neighbors currently on the Viking Skirnir from Budapest to Amsterdam. We leave in 2 weeks on the Monarch Countess from Amsterdam to Basel along the Rhine and i haven’t noticed any hiccups on the Rhine River in the past 10 days.

  19. It looks like there’s been a lot of rain lately, so I’ve actually been wondering if I should be concerned that the levels will be too high! This water level watching can make you nuts. As someone else posted, I think we all have to go with the flow (pun somewhat intended) and enjoy our cruises come what may. Easier said than done, for me at least, and I am happy to share my experiences.

  21. Marcy, we will be watching for your comments as we are doing the reverse (nuremberg to Budapest) starting 9/3

  22. We left Passau two days ago and now in Durnstein on our way to Budapest. River is running strongly with rain at the moment. Interesting to note the flood levels of 2013 some 10 meters up from current level.

  23. We just completed Scenic’s Amsterdam to Budapest cruise July 17 to July 31st. We had to do a ship swap mid-way through on the 24th but it was seamless. We were able to do our tours of Nuremberg on the morning of the 24th and have lunch back on the ship. The only disruption, besides having to pack up that morning, was a long (220 km) bus ride in the afternoon to get to the new ship in Passau where our luggage awaited. We even had the same cabin on a newer ship. No tours were missed although on the day following the swap passengers had to be bussed further for their tours. We decided to stay on board that day and relax. Our Tour Director transferred ships with us but the staff was different on the new ship which was an adjustment for them and us.

  26. My parents and I are on Scenic Budapest to Nuremburg leaving August 15th. I started checking this site for updates much earlier and more frequently than necessary :). Thanks to all for sharing your experiences! I’ll post updates on our trip for cruisers behind us.

  27. Thanks very much for the update! We don’t leave until the 26th but hoping water levels remain OK.

  28. I bought a book, Frommer’s Easy Guide to River Cruising and read it cover to cover before booking a river cruise. This was the best thing I could have done and there was no surprises on our river cruise in June of this year. It’s important to research all aspects of river cruising since there are so many companies as well as so many different areas to cruise in. I don’t think any travel agent or booking company will tell you about the pitfalls you might encounter!

  29. We just completed the Rhine cruise at Basel on July 25th. No problems during our cruise, but you could tell by looking along the riverbanks that levels had dropped considerably over the last few weeks.

  30. My wife and I will be sailing the Rhine River from Amsterdam to Basel, beginning 25 Aug. Knowing we are still almost three weeks out, we were wondering if anyone on this blog has been down/up the Rhine and whether they had any issues. Happy sailing to all?. John

  31. And the bus portion of this tour Prague to Linz or Linz to Prague was always planned that way. So nothing changed on the tour with Grand circle

  32. I’m on it right now. At this moment all is good. Am guessing you are taking this boat on the return after our cruise. You will be bused from Prague to Linz and we get off in Linz on Saturday then bussed to Prague.

  34. We haven’t had rain but all seems fine on the Danube. Started in Budapest the other day, in Vienna this eve.

  35. We are also anxiously watching as we are doing Scenic’s Budapest – Amsterdam leaving August 26th and any updates on water levels is appreciated.

  36. Hello, I was wondering if you went on the cruise and if the water levels were ok and you enjoyed it?

    Thank you,
    Joy

  37. Curious if there has been any rain along the Danube/Rhine rivers in the past few days? Have an upcoming trip from Bucharest to Amsterdam.

  38. Suggest you go and enjoy your holiday. Don’t worry too much.
    We are booked on a similar tour on the Ama Bella leaving by the end of August and we are looking forward to it and thinking about having a good time. Cheers.

  39. We are also leaving on a 10 on Grant Circle, Prague to Budapest. We are also concerned that we won’t be on the shift for the entire trip.

  40. Yes we are leaving on 8/10 on Grand Circle on the same Romantic Danube Prague/Vienna/Budapest and we are being impacted potentially. I have no way to know what the water levels are so I know whether to cancel or not. Can anyone help?

  41. Any news about Seine and Loire River levels? We’re on Viking’s France’s Finest trip.Aug 20- Sep 3rd starting in Paris.ending in Avignon.

  42. Thank you Sabine for The information on how to read the site you mentioned. I have struggled to decipher the information! Jody

  43. Hello Sabine! I have looked at that map and was on able to figure out how to read it. Thanks so much for your information as it makes sense now! I’ve been watching the weather and it seems as if areas along the Danube and Rhine have received rain in the last several days. Thank you again! Jody

  45. Hallo Jody and Rich,

    https://www.wetteronline.de/pegelstaende?gid=HES

    Great that you are about to start your river cruise soon!
    See if you can manage the above website. “Pegel” is the word for water levels. On the map of Germany on this webpage they give ports with above-average water levels red flags and below average water levels green ones. So today’s map shows the bottom right corner of Germany as red (=above average) . If you click on “Fluss” (river) “Donau” (Danube) there is a table of all the ports on the German part of the Danube. You can see there, for instance, that Passau has an average of 499 (centimetres, I think) and right now has 524 – this translates as more water under the keel! So I hope you won’t have any worries.

    Sabine

  47. Thank you Sabine for further elucidating water levels!!! We leave August 5th From Budapest to Amsterdam and have been anxiously wondering how our cruise may be affected.

  48. A lot of people travel on the 15 day cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest (or in the other direction). About halfway through this cruise the ships coming along the Rhine from Amsterdam through Germany first do some 384 kilometres on the River Main from Mainz as far as Bamberg, then 171 kilometres on the Main-Danube Canal from Bamberg to Kelheim and then another 209 kilometres on the Danube from Kelheim to the Austrian border.
    Of these three stretches the middle one (the Canal) has the most locks, which means it is unlikely to suffer from low water, but in fact the first stretch (the River Main) is also regulated, so here there is less danger of low water levels, too. The area which is most affected is the third stretch (the Danube), so I must say to Ralph Grizzle that the main problem area is NOT the Main but the Danube between Regensburg (or Straubing) to Vilshofen (or Passau).

    At present the heatwave has abated and there has been some rain, so hopefully this week’s cruises won’t be affected too much.

  49. My wife and I are doing the Christmas Market Cruise – Budapest to Amsterdam departing Budapest on December 1st – I followed the river levels / cruises in December 2018 for the trip – river levels were a disaster- was December 2018 just an anomaly or is there genuine concerns about water levels in the Danube and Rhine in December? Also anyone have any insights on Emerald Waterways / food / experience etc ?

  50. just got off Budapest to Vilshofen 21st/28th July AmaWaterways new mega ship AmaMagna. No issues with water levels although Captain indicated there will be some issues upriver from Vilshofen towards Regensburg over the coming days unless rain arrives

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