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:
- Continue the affected itinerary by having guests ‘swap ships’ – typically, being bussed from one town to the next, where you will embark a sister-ship or similar vessel to continue the rest of your journey. Read about our ship swap on Viking.
- Complete the itinerary as far as possible aboard your ship, and then transition to hotels (on the company’s expense) to complete the remainder of your itinerary.
- Outright cancellation. This is the rarest option, exercised when no other options are available.
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.
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.
We are currently sidelined on the Budapest-Amsterdam Viking Grand European River Cruise because of low levels on the Danube. We managed to get to Passau, but have pulled into an “alley” just outside of Passau. Today’s Regensburg tours required 3 hours of bus riding (1-1/2 hours each way), and tomorrow we’ll be bused to Nuremberg (3 hour bus ride one way) where we will swap ships. Sadly not the cruise we hoped for because we missed two days/nights of cruising. But it was wonderful until we hit this snag, and I can only hope it will be wonderful once we get past it.
We are due for our river cruise on July 27th. Tracking water levels on the website BfG – green dots say good water levels. You an pinpoint an exact spot by scrolling down on the list. Concerns about the heat wave rolling in just before we leave. Keeping fingers crossed. We probably will go with what we end up with anyway since we have planned a visit afterwards to England and can’t change that easily.
I’m 17 days out before a Rhine cruise and I’m concerned. Koblenz is down to 127cm and Germany is forecasted for a major heatwave next week. Has anyone heard anything about the Rhine or about any rain being forecasted for the Rhine River valley before Aug 5?
Yes, us too … we are scheduled to leave Budapest on August 26th.
I just came off the Danube last week. Water levels were optimal. Things changed quickly if that is the case.
Leaving next week – just heard today Danube river is low and we already have ship change
We are on a viking cruise leaving 22 July from Budapest and just got an email from Viking giving a heads up of potential problems with it. No futher details yet
We were on the phone with Viking Sunday and Monday. They advised that they had cancelled the same Elegant Elba trip that was to start 4 days earlier than ours, giving those passengers 12 days notice.
Yesterday, they told us we would get 3 days notice, which is ridiculous considering water levels that I am seeing on the below site are under 3 feet in some places.
https://www.wetteronline.de/?gid=SAH&iid=Elbe&pcid=pc_pegel_data&sid=River [levels are in centimeters, conversion 30 cm/foot]. This is updated daily at numerous points along the Elba and many other rivers, so i assume there are guaging stations with wireless transmitters].
We are being strung out, not real happy about it. Given what we are paying for this trip, we nor anyone elses deserves this treatment or stress.
I do want to add that our cruise on the Rhine in 2015 was absolutely outstanding, no water issues at all. Such a contrast I never expected.
Make sure you post when you get back – we do this same trip Sept. lst. and would love to hear about the water levels and your trip
And we were on the Viljahm.
We just returned from Budapest on July 5th. We did the Danube Waltz from Passau to Budapest. No problems with river levels, although the locks near Vienna broke and some ships could not get through. We made it through before then. It was an amazing trip!
we are due to get on Boat in Budapest on July 31…. fingers crossed as well….
Friends of mine finished cruising Basel to Amsterdam on Scenic a week ago with no drama and no changes. Bon voyage, enjoy. We are watching water levels for Amsterdam to Budapest in December, postponed from last year…..here’s hoping!!!
Friends of mine finished cruising Basel to Amsterdam on Scenic a week ago with no drama and no changes. Bon voyage, enjoy. We are watching water levels for Amsterdam to Budapest in December, postponed from last year…..here’s hoping!!!
I’m so sorry to hear this! Did they offer an adjustment or vouchers if you chose to take the altered trip?
Hello Judy – did they only give you one days notice so you were already flown over to Prague or Berlin?
We fly to Prague on July 22 and sail on the 27th after 4 days in Prague – we’re very concerned they are going to wait till we get over there to tell us that they’re going to mod the trip. I have seen this same thing in several forums going back to 2016 – The sales agents act so concerned that you’re happy but then they pull off this kind of strategy, not the way to handle it.
John
We are set to cruise the Danube on the 30. We would appreciate any “boots on the ground” information.
We cancelled on Tuesday the Elegant Elbe Viking cruise we were scheduled to take Saturday. The itinerary basically was changed to a poorly arranged bus trip with hours of shuttling and no cruising.
How was your River cruise? We are leaving July 25 for thr Budapest to Regensburg. How was the water navigation and the Monarch Princess?
Were doing that same trip leaving from Amsterdam on July 18th… anything special you would recommend that we do? we are spending a couple extra days in Budapest, as everyone said it was beautiful.
Gail- let us know how the river levels are on the Rhine. I’m leaving Aug 5.
Hi Jen,
I’m so happy on found this site. Great information. We are going on the Viking cruise on July 19 on the Viking Gullveig. Will you be on our ship?
Has anyone cruised on the Danube Waltz recently? Viking Longship Vilhjalm. Heard water levels were high,
Hi all, any information how the current levels compared to a year ago? Thanks, Joe
Hi Russell, I am trying to read the chart on the wetteronline page but not really understanding it. For Rhine River – I clicked Colgone – is that the correct one? Also, What are the green flags for? Do they mean levels are ok? I am leaving for Rhine River Cruise on July 27th. TY
Thanks. We leave Basel on July 27th with Avalon – Hopefully!
We were not impressed with the optional Bavarian Beerfest in Passau. If you are on the Budapest to Nuremberg cruise, and signed up for the Panoramic Budapest tour ( which we did), know that you will miss the debarkation going thru Budapest and miss all the beautiful photo opportunities. (They bus you at the end of the tour to a pick-up site down (up) river.)
Lisa, you can check river levels here https://www.wetteronline.de/pegelstaende
Same cruise line and same destination leaving the 20th I believe. It seems water level is low near Basel but rain forecast for the 11th and 12th there. You can look at this page which seems to show up to date Rhine water levels. Bon voyage. https://www.wetteronline.de/pegelstaende
Any recent travelers on Rhine river cruises? I leave in a couple of weeks for Avalon Basel – Amsterdam and am keeping my fingers crossed
We were on the same cruise and boats. Same response for us.
We are doing the same cruise in reverse at the end of August, so hoping there will be enough water in the river.
Just returned from taking the Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) with Viking. Water levels all along the way were fine. Although the top level of the ship had to be closed for five days while on the Mine River to make it under some low bridges. We did have to do one ship-swap at Nuremberg because of a damaged lock earlier in the month. The only reason for the swap was to get us on our originally scheduled ship. The cruise itself was absolutely wonderful, even though we had to endure a major heat wave! Highly recommend this tour and Viking!
Thanks, Rick. We’re cruising with the Ama Lea on August 12 and after cruising on the Rhine last year with seriously low water levels (having to be bussed for about 3 hours) this is good news!
Hi Wally and Mrs Wally, please post a review once your cruise has finished. I am doing same trip in october on the monarch princess and very difficult to get reviews about Gate1.
We just returned from a fantastic cruise on AMAMora. The water level on the Rhine was high the third week in June, but not flooding or anything to cause a problem. The only change for our ship was that most of the upper deck was closed the last couple of days, as we neared Basel, so the ship could go through the locks and bridges. Only the front area of the roof was available for guests as this is a lower section. I believe they expected the level to lower a bit as July approached.
We are doing the reverse on August 7th…. I am a little nervous about water levels as well.
we have that same trip panned on July 18 – Amsterdam to Budapest on Viking, pease advise of water conditions if you can ….
Wally & Mrs. Wally are taking the Monarch Princess from Regensburg to Budapest leaving July 14th. Any tips? First River Cruise; multiple ocean cruises
Same experience with Viking in 3018. Lack of transparency and unwillingness to compensate for list cruising days other than discounts on future trips. No way using them again.
Thank you, going on this trip in a few weeks and glad to hear the water levels were good. Any tips for this itinerary? Is there something you did that you would (or wouldn’t) recommend?
Thanks for the post Rick. We’re boarding the AMA Certo on 6/30 enroute to Nuremberg.
We just completed a week cruise on a Viking ship from Budapest to Nuremberg and the water levels were fine. They did swap ships at the beginning of the cruise due to higher waters but other than that, smooth sailing. We had beautiful weather with only an occasional shower one day. Viking did keep us docked in Regansburg (our last stop before Nuremberg) due to the fact that a lock was damaged but the bus ride into Nuremberg was only a little bit longer than the ride from Nuremberg docks into town would have been. We couldn’t have asked for a better cruise or weather.
I’m on Scenic Ruby, leaving Amsterdam for Basel July 1, wondering if river levels are going to be a problem.
Taking my family on a Rhine cruise Amserdam to Basil leaving July 1 . Hope weather predictions are sunny.
Norma
Thank you to all the people posting on river levels. I’m going on the Rhine from ams to Basel August 5 and I’m nervously watching water levels.
Just returned from an AmaWaterways Danube river cruise on the AmaLea from Budapest to Vilshofen, Germany. Water levels were high and the river current was very strong, but no flooding or problems with travel. Just north of Passau, the captain informed us that the water levels were rising. What a fantastic display of the talent of AmaWaterways crew when they lowered the ship by 14 inches by pumping water into the holding tanks to weigh the ship down, along with dropping the canopies and the bridge on the Sun Deck! We passed under the last low bridge with 14 inches to spare!
In August of 2018 we sailed the Rhine with Ama, and were told that water levels were historically low. AmaKristina sailed through the narrows without a hitch! We will be taking our third river cruise with AmaWaterways, as they have certainly earned our trust and respect!
Us too. Traveling on Scenic Opal.
Thanks Kate
Would be interested in an update from you if possible. We leave Amsterdam on 5th July heading to Budapest on APT. Any updates would be appreciated.
I will be on that same cruise