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Danube Water Levels Low


BPCruiser

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FYI, Danube water levels are low....apparently low enough for Avalon to cancel the Panorama for our Danube river cruise scheduled for Nov. 14th, Budapest to Prague. Due to size of Panorama, Avalon decided it could not make it through the water depths so they are substituting the Tapestry instead for our cruise. Big disappointment as we got the news 2 days ago as we were packing to fly here to Budapest. Tapestry is the oldest of Avalon's fleet compared to the new Panorama which we booked in January of this year. We are here in Budapest enjoying this great city and hope the cruise works out well, I guess we will have to wait and see the Panorama another time. They did offer to allow us to cancel with no penalty and give us a small monetary refund to compensate but we would still much rather be on the Panorama. :(

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Here in Budapest, had our 1st group meeting this evening and met our cruise director. Robert Zemenski, don't know if I am spelling his name correctly. He did not dwell long on the Avalon issue of switching boats from the Panorama to the Tapestry as there is not much to say I guess. Many voiced their unhappiness pre meeting about not being on the Panorama but hopefully Avalon will try to make this cruise special for everyone. No rain in the forecast at present to bring up water levels on the Danube. Weather here in Budapest has been picture perfect. Cool, dry and plenty of sunshine. We board the ship in 2 days. Biggest difference I can see will be the cabin size will be smaller and no coffee/ refreshment lounge at the rear of the boat on the Royal deck as on the newer riverboats.

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Interesting information. If you can post more info on the water situation over the next couple of weeks please do. Or if you hear how long Avalon plans to use the Tapistry on the Danube. We are scheduled to board the Panorama in Vienna on Dec 3rd. so we are keeping our fingers crossed. Haven't heard anything from Avalon yet. Will wait a few days and then see if we can get an update. Thanks for any info anyone can pass on.

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Although a disappointment that you will be travelling on the Tapestry instead of the Panorama - at least this has not (yet) turned into a bus trip.

 

It is good that Avalon still has access to a river boat they can use for this trip - rather than just cancelling altogether.

 

It will be interesting to see if this happens again (ie: is the boat too big to sail if there are water level fluctuations...??)

 

Fran

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Looks like at the moment the river levels does not really matter as the danube is closed after an accident that happend on monday at Deggendorf:

 

http://www.pnp.de/region_und_lokal/landkreis_deggendorf/deggendorf/268570_Eisenerz-Frachter-laeuft-auf-Grund-Donau-blockiert.html

 

http://www.idowa.de/hallertauer-zeitung/container/container/con/934769.html

 

Ship is free but river still closed on tuesday morning

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The Tapestry pulled into river dock here in Budapest today and we board her tomorrow afternoon. Designed totally different then the Panorama as well as the Affinity we were on last October 2010. The wheelhouse is completely aft leaving no outdoor seating area aft for sightseeing as well as no Royal Deck Aft lounge for viewing, coffee, reading, games or socializing. A big factor for many who choose to be on the upper deck level. Ship looks it's age from exterior compared to Affinity did when we were on it last Fall. I only hope the interior is nice and well kept and food and service quality as good as on the Affinity. Time will tell. Have not heard yet of any accident on the Danube, that would really be the last bit of bad news we need to hear that we are being bussed due to river closure.

 

I have been using a nice wifi cafe here in Budapest near the St. Stephens Basillica. Don't know what the wifi situation on the Tapestry will be?

 

On a positive note, weather here has been great as has been the Intercontinental Hotel. Worth it to pay a few extra euros to upgrade to a room facing the Danube, Buda Castle and Chain Bridge. When the city illuminates at night it is truly breathtaking. If anyone is coming to Budapest anytime soon, let me highly recommend 2 restaurants we have dined at here over the last few days with great food! Cafe Kor ( ate twice) it was so good and also

Donacourso. Cafe Kor is 1block from St. Stephens and Donacourso is on Danube River front easy walking distance from Intercontinental Hotel.

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@ingo,

 

Tapestry

 

http://www.premicon.de/kapitalanlagen/fondsdaten/twin1.html

 

(sorry, it´s 1.60 m with full load)

 

Avalon Panorama

 

http://www.binnenschifferforum.de/forum/showthread.php?32949-Avalon-Panorama-FGKS-02333460&

 

The Binnenschifferforum is usually pretty reliable in its data.

 

steamboats

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We were on a Danube River cruise with Vantage September 27 to October 14 from Bucharest to Vienna.

 

The Danube was also very low then and we were bussed for the first three days and joined the Odyssey well up river from Bucharest. While on the cruise it rained heavily in the North and the river rose very rapidly so the next departure went as scheduled.

 

Vantage made alternative plans for our departure and we really enjoyed the trip in spite of the river levels.

 

No river cruise company can control water levels or really fully anticipate the

levels. Fortunately Avalon had an alternative. The later departures could go as scheduled if it rains up river. Who knows?

 

High water levels are also a problem because of low bridges and the Rhine-Main Canal sometimes freezes in winter.

 

You may want to check older threads on this site for details.

 

Gianna

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Our cruise director confirmed this morning after breakfast that yes, the Danube is reopened and we are boarding the Tapestry is about 2 hrs to begin cruising. However he had a cautious tone regarding the low Danube water levels and what will or will not happen for the remainder of the cruise as we head to Nuremburg. I don't know what the water level herein Budapest is supped to look like but there is about 5 ft. of rocks exposed above the water level in the areas of the river on the Buda side and Pest side of the Danube.

 

Another glorious weather day here in Budapest....no rain. They are setting up all the stalls for the Christmas markets and a few are already open off the Vaci Uta. The Christmas tree is going up today in the square and all the Christmas lights are up on the light post around town. The smell of mulled cider and wine fills the air and a very festive atmosphere. Such a beautiful city, will be difficult to say goodbye.

 

I hope the rest of our trip is as nice as Budapest has been.:)

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Never thought that I might wish some rain :D! But actually I´m booked on a river cruise for mid December out of Passau to Nuremberg and back again. There we are "hitting" the most difficult parts of the Danube river regarding low water (between Straubing and Deggendorf as there are no locks).

 

steamboats

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There´s been an article in our newspaper today about the current situation between Straubing and Vilshofen on the Danube river. Currently they only have 1.70 m of water. You have to have 30 cm between the hull and the bottom of the river. So you need a ship that is drawing not more than 1.40 cm. That´s pretty much the reason why Avalon is using the Tapestry which is drawing 1.35 cm.

 

That area between Straubing - Vilshofen - Deggendorf has no locks and dams - it´s natural river. Due to permanent problems they are thinking about building a dam for decades. But environmentalists of course oppose to that.

 

BTW we do have three weeks of continous dry weather. Currently I do have blue skies and sun but most of the time it was pretty foggy. Our local river is more like a small creek now.

 

steamboats

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Yes, the river is open again. Since tuesday afternoon. But I had to go to Regensburg yesterday as some groups were delayed.. The weather is the same here in Nuremberg as steamboats describes for southern bavaria.. This is the dryest year I can remember. Still, there were not that many delays or rearranged trips for the cruise ships.

 

BTW, steamboats, thanks for the links..

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Well, we sailed last night from Budapest and all day today on the Danube, arriving in Vienna late this evening. Supposedly there was a Viking ship that could not complete it's scheduled itinerary due to low water levels and their passangers had to be bussed per some of the comments we heard on board today.......so we were reminded that even though we were not on the Panorama as planned, that at least we were sailing and not on a bus. Will be in Vienna overnight and all day tomorrow and then we sail tomorrow night for Duerstein, Austria :)

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Ingo,I´m about an hour and a half South of you :D (Munich).

 

steamboats: ask yourself, do you really want to start the "bavaria vs. franconia" discussion here? ;)

 

npphotog: the rhine levels are very low as well, but there is another topic on that...

BPCruiser: the most difficult stretch of the danube will be the between passau & regensburg.

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We booked what we hoped would be a once in a lifetime river cruise on the Danube with Viking River Cruises...since I was a kid, always wanted to experience a German or Austrian Christmas and the Christmas markets. Can only hope for rain before our ship leaves Nuernberg on December 17...somehow it won't be the same on a bus. Nor worth what we paid for the river cruise and the flight to get there....didn't buy the insurance, so does this mean we pray for rain or settle for a bus tour replacement for the pricey cruise? Please say it isn't so!

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Welcome to Cruise Critic!! I am sorry that your first post involves such a stressful situation.

 

Would never book a trip of this type without insurance... There has been lots posted about this on this board. But - that is a personal decision.

 

However - even if you had insurance, I doubt it would cover this scenario. Most river cruise companies have a comment about changes in your itinerary being possible - to cover such an event. They have no control on the weather - or the water levels. So bus tours are possible - and do happen.

 

Some of the new boats appear to be more affected than some of the older ones. The Panorama is a good illustration on that. Not sure what boat you are booked on - but that might affect the ultimate outcome of your trip.

 

Lots can change between now and mid-December. Pray for rain!!

 

Fran

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