Water Levels On The Rivers Of Europe

2,273 Responses

1. Water Levels – River Cruise Advisor –
   Awesome things here. I am very glad to peer your post. Thank you so much and
   I’m looking forward to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?- calator.tel

2. Any news of water levels ? We too are doing the Amalea cruise from Dec 13 th to 21st Nuremberg to Budapest.

3. did anyone travel from Budapest to Nuremberg yet in December. Im cruising there December 15 thru the 22nd. How is the water level on the Danube?

4. We sailed from Basal to Amsterdam in November 2018. before we left we were informed of the possible disruptions because of the low water levels and given a choice to cancel at no charge or continue. We continued as our flights were already booked and we did spend 2 nights in hotels all at Avalons expense. we also received 50 % of our money back and a discount on our next cruise to be taken before then end of next year.

5. Our trip went off perfectly. Oct 29- nov 12 Viking grand tour from Amsterdam to Budapest. Water levels stayed ok,with no changes. Viking was wonderful. Not only keeping us posted about the water levels, but the entire cruise. Excellent staff, smooth sailing, interesting included tours daily,and optional ones to purchase separately. The foods were beautifully prepared and presented. I loved their steaks( not normally a steak person) rack of lamb and soups. All desserts were perfect. Highly recommend.

6. Steve, how were the water levels on your Vilshofen to Budapest trip? I’m considering this same itinerary for next year and trying to decide between early May and early Oct.

7. Hi Ann, thanks for your comments. We are also travelling on the Amavenita shortly so I’m really pleased to hear your glowing review. It’s a shame that the meals are heavy as we are small eaters and prefer light meals, not always chicken or salmon. That being said I’m sure we’ll find something to our liking including the wines. So ready for this cruise, it’s been a long time coming. No apparent issues with water levels either

8. We are sailing AMA Venita. We left Amsterdam on the 8th November. The ship has just pulled into Regensburg. There has been no apparent trouble with river levels. The staff are exceptional, the service beyond expectation, the rooms are lovely, as well as clean. The tour itself has also exceeded expectation. Plenty of activity if you choose to do it (hiking, dancing, cycling). The food is very good. It is typical European fare which on occasion is heavy but the (always available) menu (salmon, sirloin, chicken) with accompanying veggies or salad is an alternative. The cakes are to die for, breakfast – plentiful fruits as well as hot breakky. I have written this here because some of the reviews of APT below were less than glowing. Let me assure all of those about to do an APT cruise that they will not be disappointed. The only thing that is a little disappointing is the quality of house wine and beer in the lounge. Wines at dinner are better.

9. Thank you. Starting cruise this coming wednesday & couldn’t find straight answer on how river is now. So thank you again so much. Hope the the rest of you cruise continued to be delightful.

10. In Nuremburg, 32F & SUNNY early this morn, looking at a high of 45F. No water level problems at at except rain, Budapest to Nuremberg on Viking Tor.

11. Just left Passau towards Regensburg on Viking Tor. Levels are good so far, high temp was 39F in passau,

12. Sorry to hear of your nightmare trip. Sounds like you had more of a coach tour rather than a river cruise which you booked and paid for.
    We are travelling with Scenic from Nuremberg to Budapest starting on 2nd December for Christmas Markets Tour.
    I hope we don’t experience what you’ve been through.

    Sorry, but I can’t see how you start a new thread on here, so I looked for the most recent topic that was doing a similar tour to us.

13. Nuremberg to Budapest. Nov 2 to 9. no boat changes

14. AmaReina , Budapest to Amsterdam 11/10 to 25/10 no water problems. Seems their ships need less water than Viking.

15. Budapest to Amsterdam , 11/10 to 25/10 on AmaReina APT, no water problems, it seems APT need less water depth than Viking.

16. We are currently in Passau. Viking Gefjon Amsterdam to Budapest oct 29- nov 12. Water levels are doing well. We were told 2 days ago that we will not have to change ships.
    The ship,service, foods, tours have app been perfect. So many members of the crew go out of their way to know and remember details that make the trip very personal.

17. Thanks so much for the update! We’re doing the Christmas market cruise with Viking on Nov.22 and are really looking forward to it! Hopeful that the water level will cooperate!

18. We just completed the Grand European Tour on Viking, Oct 17 – 31, Budapest to Amsterdam. There are not enough words to express how AMAZING the trip was and Viking is second to none!! We did have to change ships around Regensburg and Nuremberg but Viking handled it seamlessly and perfectly. It really was not a big deal at all except we had become attached to our bartender on Viking Tir. We will do this trip again and there were several on our ship who had done this trip as many as 6 times. ENJOY!!!

19. Typical Viking. So many other lines to choose from.

20. Thanks for the update. My husband and I are doing the Christmas Market cruise in December with AmaWaterways. I can’t wait.

21. Just got back from Prague to Berlin, ship sailed all the way. Food was great, crew was great, entertainment was great. Enjoy your trip

22. Good news Linda, thank you. We’re cruising Amavenita 6 December Amsterdam to Budapest.

23. Thanks for the post Veronica. The season looks to be improving with a little rain. Viking will appreciate a good review as there were some scathing ones left on consumeraffairs.com for September cruises. I’m relaxing a little now, cruising in December.

24. Hi ron! We r now in budapest which exceeded my expectations of all the ports. I will be posting my raving reviews on viking site, trip advisor and cruise critic! This is our 3rd viking cruise and i commend viking for another amazing cruise specially their great handling of the different alternative ports used due to passau low levels. If u can take additional days to both prague and budapest!!!

25. Hi Veronica,
    Appreciate the information, will be doing Viking next year Amsterdam to Budapest around same time frame. Hope you keep posting and if you write a review somewhere would like to read it. Thanks and have a great trip.

26. Hi Dan,
    Appreciate the information and hope you post more. Also if you post a review anywhere I would be interested in reading it as will be doing the same route just opposite direction next year Oct 20-Nov 4. Have a great trip.

27. Thanks for the update, will be doing this same cruise next year Oct 20-Nov4, would appreciate more updates and if you write a review somewhere would like to read it. Have a great trip.

28. Agree about the Corinthia- shuttle to the old town center- very easy and a lovely park and fort/ castle nearby with beer garden – no complaints at all

29. Yesterday we were told melk to passau and passau to regensberg are the 2 problematic routes on the danube. 2 ports were used to resolve the problem – durnstein and straubling. Viking handled the bussing to passau extremely well. We did not have to change ships because
    Viking was able to resolve the low water levels. Thank you viking!

30. On viking atla nov 1 friday leaving vienna for budapest. Great day in vienna with 3 other viking ships in vienna. Viking ve, viking uluur and viking skadi. Not sure where they r going. This is my last update since we finish our cruise in budapest. Safe travels to all and for this awesome web site!!! And many many thanks to viking for an amazing river cruise! This was our 3rd viking cruise and look forward to more!!!

31. As retired Navy, I appreciate conservative with the ship, not grounding is good!

32. Guessing you got notice of a ship switch since we just were notified that we are leaving Nuremberg Sunday on the Jarl ( changed from the Alta). Hope all goes well .

33. Currently cruising on the Emerald Star, Budapest to Amsterdam. Left Budapest on the 27th. The water level was low but we made it without any issue. The crew never mentioned any possibility of an issue. Currently docked in Melk along four other ships. Lite rain a couple of days ago. Very cold. No rain on the weather radar for the next couple days. Still unclear what will happen in Passau but there is no talk of a ship swap. (Yet!)

34. We are on the Emerald Star. We were able to dock in Melk without an issue. There are at least 3 other ships here as well. As it was explained to us, some captains are more conservative about the river than others. Hoping to make it to Amsterdam as well.

35. Thanks barbara!!! Dress very warm!!! Its cold. Viking Atla staff amazing!!!!!

36. Oct 31 thursday. On viking atla with latest update no ship swap. The worst is behind us which was regensberg to passou. Slow sailing on wachou valley arriving at 11 instead of 9. Unable to dock in melk but docked at durnstein and rode bus 45 minutes to see the wonderful gotweig abbey 110-330pm then back to ship docked in tuln instead of melk. Now sailing to vienna to arrive by 7pm. Blessed to be on Viking atla for the whole cruise! Many thanks Viking staff for an amazing danube river cruise!!! Have not seen rain oct 27 til 31.

37. On AMA Viola which left Vilshofen on the 27th of October for the Danube Cruise. Made through to Vienna. Everything looks OK to end in Budapest on 11/3. Wausau Valley level was 173 with 165 being the limit for our ship. Not sure of the units, maybe cm? Which means about 3.5 inches to spare. Levels look low, especially when you look at the banks, but we see ships from all lines on the River.

38. I stayed at the Corinthia in August. It was lovely. Great room, nice breakfasts, easy easy access to transportation right outside door. Heard no complaints from any of our cruise group about hotel.

39. We are currently approaching Cologne from Amsterdam to Budapest. ( oct 29- nov 12)Good levels so far. I know it is a daily situation with river levels, but whatever happens is all just part of our travel story. Viking is providing us with a fantastic trip. Getting our moneys worth for sure. Rain in forecast for upcoming cities….

40. Am just completing a seven-day AmaWaterways cruise from Nuremburg to Luxembourg along the Main-Danube canal, the Main, the Rhine, and the Mosel. No problems with water levels whatsoever. At times it wasn’t very deep (who knows, maybe that is normal for that particular place(s)), but we always got through without squeeking.

41. Thank you for all your update, Veronica! You help me understand how the low water situation is managed by Viking. It looks like Viking was able to move your boat downstream without the weight of 190 passengers, and now you can continue the cruise on the same boat. Happy cruising for the rest of your trip. My husband and I are scheduled to be on Viking Atla from Budapest to Nuremberg on 11/24 (our first river cruise). I can see a ship-swap decision can be a very close call when the water level is marginally passable for the boat.

42. We are on the Grand Circle Rhapsody leaving Antwerp to Basel on November 10. Keeping an eye on water levels as our Christmas market cruise last November wad cancelled due to low water. Grand Circle refunded the entire cruise plus air and gave us a nice credit. They were excellent and we would have been more disappointed if we had to bus rather than cruise. We stay on the ship in Basel and are doing the Christmas Markets a long the Rhine ending in Amsterdam. Grand Circle is amazing.

43. Oct 30 wedn. Viking atla in straubling not passau due to low water level. 830am bussed 1 hour to passau. Absolutely beautiful day in passau. Awesome concert at st stephans cathedral. Great Lunch provided at local restaurant. 5pm bussed to ship 30 minutes away at another port not straubling. Tonight will sail to krems austria. No ship swap!!!!! Thank you viking for an amazing day in passau

44. Thanks for update . Looks like rain in the forecast , are you seeing the same and will it be too late ?

45. Viking atla update oct 29 tuesday at 645pm. cannot sail from regensberg to passau so ship is sailing to straubling. Will be bussed to passau 45 minutes from straubling. We will get another update at noon to find out if boat can pick us up at passau or we have to be bussed back to straubling. No talk of ship swap. Viking atla has been awesome! Had a great day in regensberg.

46. We are currently enroute to Budapest from Regensburg with news water levels are sufficient. Other Scenic ship Opal navigated from Budapest to Regensburg last few days with no trouble. It appears Viking are being cautious on the Regensburg Passau leg. Nevertheless less no ship change for us on the Jade and safe cruising for everyone.

47. Penny – we are on the Amsterdam/Basel Grand Circle cruise in late November – mainly chose it because of Strasbourg – so beautiful. Lucky for us – at least so far – our trip is on the Rhine and better levels than the Danube. We had scheduled this trip for last year — but water levels too low. We appreciated Grand Circle cancelling totally instead of getting us over there and busing us around. Have a wonderful trip!!

48. Brenda says

    October 29, 2019 at 7:45 am

    We did our cruise on the Danube with Viking Oct 18-25. The first few days were great. We did a ship swap after we left Regensburg. We sailed to Straubing and left our ship Viking Tor there. We left the ship an hour later than was originally planned and spent three hours plus one hour at a rest stop to meet up with Viking Var. By the time we got moving again, it was too late to do any of the excursions except one of the optional excursions to the opera (or something like that). So basically we missed everything that day. It was even dark when we cruised the scenic Wachau Valley! We did manage to sail again on the Viking Var until we got close to Budapest. We had to take a bus into Budapest because the water levels were so low the ship could not make the trip in with the passengers on board.

    While in Budapest I spoke to someone from another ship that had managed to sail all the way, she said on the last lock before Budapest their ship scraped bottom and they had a three hour delay while the ship was assessed.

    So, unless there is some major rain in the forecast, expect to be doing a ship swap.

    Happy sailing.

49. We did our Romantic Danube Cruise with Viking Oct 18-25. The first few days were great. We did a ship swap after we left Regensburg. We sailed to Straubing and left our ship Viking Tor there. We left the ship an hour later than was originally planned and spent three hours driving plus one hour at a rest stop to meet up with Viking Var. By the time we got moving again, it was too late to do any of the excursions that day except one of the optional excursions to the opera (or something like that). So basically we missed everything that day. It was even dark when we cruised the scenic Wachau Valley! We did manage to sail again on the Viking Var until we got close to Budapest. We had to take a bus into Budapest because the water levels were so low the ship could not make the trip to our port with the passengers on board.

    While we did see some of the countryside, I would have preferred to leave the ship on time and forego the hour long stop at the rest stop, where we had to pay for our own lunch if we wanted to eat. In my opinion it would have been more pleasant to leave the ship at the original time quoted and spend a few minutes at the rest stop and then spend the rest of the time in the small village where we boarded the Viking Var.

    While in Budapest I spoke to someone from another ship that had managed to sail all the way, she said on the last lock before Budapest their ship scraped bottom and they had a three hour delay while the ship was assessed.

    So, unless there is some major rain in the forecast, expect to be doing a ship swap.

    Happy sailing.

50. We did our cruise on the Danube with Viking Oct 18-25. The first few days were great. We did a ship swap after we left Regensburg. We sailed to Straubing and left our ship Viking Tor there. We left the ship an hour later than was originally planned and spent three hours plus one hour at a rest stop to meet up with Viking Var. By the time we got moving again, it was too late to do any of the excursions except one of the optional excursions to the opera (or something like that). So basically we missed everything that day. It was even dark when we cruised the scenic Wachau Valley! We did manage to sail again on the Viking Var until we got close to Budapest. We had to take a bus into Budapest because the water levels were so low the ship could not make the trip in with the passengers on board.

    While in Budapest I spoke to someone from another ship that had managed to sail all the way, she said on the last lock before Budapest their ship scraped bottom and they had a three hour delay while the ship was assessed.

    So, unless there is some major rain in the forecast, expect to be doing a ship swap.

    Happy sailing.

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