Scenic Gems of the Danube 2015

I'm wondering if any CC members were on the Scenic Jasper last week when it was stuck in Passau due to the low water, or are on it now on the trip to Budapest. Based on past reviews I am assuming that the Regensberg and Nuremberg activities were by bus.

I'm interested in how well Scenic dealt with the situation. Did passengers stay with the boat or were they moved to a hotel? How was the bus travel from Passau to Regensberg?

At final disembarkation did they allow the option of leaving the ship in Passau?

We are on the August 24 cruise from Budapest to Nurenberg. Looking at the weather forecast I think the most likely scenario is pretty much what happened last week, so I'm trying to get myself prepared mentally and emotionally so we can still have a good time.

Any input is appreciated.

Passau to Regensburg is about 1h 15 minutes on the Autobahn. Who knows how the weather upstream is going to be before you cruise. It may rain for an entire week!

Jeb Bud, good question. I'm especially interested in how passengers were transported to Nuremberg. Depending on the situation, I'm prepared to take the train from Passau.

Passau to Regensburg is about 1h 15 minutes on the Autobahn. Who knows how the weather upstream is going to be before you cruise. It may rain for an entire week!

That doesn't sound bad. Shorter than Passau to Salzburg. It looks to me like if we make it to Passau, even if that's as far as we go, the cruise will still be a success. As long as we don't have to move off the ship. The last night is our 40th anniversary and we really want to be on the ship that night.

I agree that the future is unknowable and I am hoping for a rainy third week in August.

Jeb Bud, good question. I'm especially interested in how passengers were transported to Nuremberg. Depending on the situation, I'm prepared to take the train from Passau.

I'm with you Nancy. We are staying in Rothenburg the night after the cruise. If the cruise ends in Passau I would rather take the train from Passau to Rothenburg than bus to Nuremberg then train. My wife thinks I'm being silly but I like European train travel and really don't care for bus travel.

Of course if we get that rainy August this will all be moot.

Passau to Regensburg via the Autobahn is currently about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Why, the Autobahn is only part of the journey, you have to get from the disembarkation dock in Passau (then the Autobahn) and then to the embarkation dock in Regensburg, the traffic in both towns varys greatly depending on the day and time of day.

On the Autobahn there are many construction sites, with speed limits (60 or 80 kph) and restricted width, also very heavy holiday traffic (even more starting next weekend when Bavarian schools break up for the summer holidays).

You have to change trains in Nuernberg in order to go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. You might have to change trains again afterwards in Ansbach and in another small town. A rental car is more convenient with luggage. Just saying.

That's a thought. We're going to Munich from Rothenberg. I wonder how a two day one way rental would compare with the train fare.

No members on Gems of the Danube?

The last two ended(or started) at Passau due to low water between Passau and Regensberg. If what's going on right now with the Opal is an indicator this week's cruise will probably end the same way.

I keep hoping a CC member will be on one of these departures and report on how Scenic is dealing with the situation.

DW and I are committed to having a good time on our cruise starting August 24. My personal style makes it easier to have fun if I have been able to do contingency planning.

Jeb Bud, looks like Scenic Jasper left Budapest this afternoon. Hope we can pass the Danube Bend area in daylight. Looks like it left an hour earlier than it did last time. I wonder if ships are going slower due the channel being narrower making it trickier to pass oncoming ships.

If this cruise only makes it as far as Passau, I'm going to call Scenic and ask how the situation was handled.

Taking the express train to Nuremberg seems preferable to a 3 or 4 hours bus ride. Also, I'd like to see something of the city before we move on the same day to Prague.

Are you still considering a car? Check on parking in Rothenburg. You may have to park outside the city walls. Also, where would you drop it off in Munich?

The historic area of Munich is right by the main station so if you have to drop off some distance away, it might be a hassle. Finally, our train ticket included local transportation in Munich for the same day. But that was in 2009 so things may have changed.

Then there is the one way drop off charge. So renting a car might not be as good an option as one might think.

Look at the post about cancelations by the host, Scenic are doing a ship swap at the moment.

CA

That's interesting; Pearl and Ruby did a swap but Opal made it through the shallows. Does Scenic Opal have a shallower draft than the older ships?

...Are you still considering a car? Check on parking in Rothenburg. You may have to park outside the city walls. Also, where would you drop it off in Munich?

The historic area of Munich is right by the main station so if you have to drop off some distance away, it might be a hassle. Finally, our train ticket included local transportation in Munich for the same day. But that was in 2009 so things may have changed.

Then there is the one way drop off charge. So renting a car might not be as good an option as one might think.

Thanks for the thoughts, they prompted me to do some checking. As it turns out, through luck rather than foresight, our hotel in Rothenburg has free parking. The town is apparently pedestrian only at night but not during the day.

I checked and found that currently I can rent a car tomorrow in Passau and turn it in the next day at Munich Hbf for around $130. Our hotel in Munich is a couple of blocks from the train station. That scenario works well enough that we are giving serious thought to renting a car anyway, Nuremberg or wherever we end up. More expensive than the train but much more flexible.

I've never driven in the center of Munich so that will be a new experience but I've spent quite a few days driving in Germany over the years so it's no big deal.

Just to make sure: it's Rothenburg ob der Tauber. There are several Rothenburg and similar names in Germany. The Tauber is a river.

Yes I know. I'm not a good typist so I shorten to Rothenburg.

According to Marine Traffic Emerald, Diamond, Sapphire, Pearl and Ruby have about a 1.8 metre draught and Jade, Gem, Jewel and Jasper have a 0.2 metre draught I cannot get Opal up on the site but it would be a pretty sure bet that she has the same draught. The 0.2 is a pretty shallow draught for the size of vessel but with the uncertainty of the river levels it makes sense.

Good cruising CA

I am following these posts carefully as we are doing Budapest to Amsterdam on Aug 17th. We are on either Jewel or Crystal I think so hopefully will get through with the shallow draught. I notice there is some rain forecast as well so fingers crossed !

Anyone else on this cruise ?

According to Marine Traffic Emerald, Diamond, Sapphire, Pearl and Ruby have about a 1.8 metre draught and Jade, Gem, Jewel and Jasper have a 0.2 metre draught I cannot get Opal up on the site but it would be a pretty sure bet that she has the same draught. The 0.2 is a pretty shallow draught for the size of vessel but with the uncertainty of the river levels it makes sense.

Good cruising CA

I saw that 0.2 meter number and decided it is a typo. 0.2 meters is about eight inches. Looking at pictures of the exterior of the ship and interior of aquarium class cabins, the waterline is close to waist height in aquarium class. And of course there's more structure under the floor before you finally get to the keel. I'm thinking the decimal point needs to move one place to the right.

Jen Bud , got TA to call Scenic about what happens if the Aug 24th sailing ends in Passau or Vilshofen. As of Aug 3rd, the word is that passengers who are not going on the Prague extension or did not purchase a transfer will be bussed to the Nurenberg port or the Nuremberg airport. IMO a train to Nuremberg main station may be faster.

Thanks, Nancy. We are leaning heavily toward renting a car no matter where we disembark. I do tend to agree with you that taking a train from Passau or Vilhshofen sounds better than riding in a bus to Nuremburg.

The last time I went to Europe was in 2007 when I spent three weeks touring Rick Steves style with two 16 year old sons. Eight years later I think I would have a lot less fun doing that again. Every time I think about it I get more convinced renting a car is the best way for me to go.

On the bright side, I was checking out Vesselfinder last night and saw that Avalon Vista was making the run fromPassau to Regensberg. She's past Regensberg heading for the canal now. Maybe that's a sign of things to come.

When do you start your trip? We're heading for Paris on the 19th.

We leave Cincinnati on the 22nd for Budapest. Other posts make it sound like the passage from Passau to Regensberg very difficult and that captains have to use great caution. If the ship is going on to Amsterdam, the risk may be worth it versus canceling the cruise. For our cruise taking the risk just to get to Nuremberg may not be worth it.

We leave Cincinnati on the 22nd for Budapest. Other posts make it sound like the passage from Passau to Regensberg very difficult and that captains have to use great caution. If the ship is going on to Amsterdam, the risk may be worth it versus canceling the cruise. For our cruise taking the risk just to get to Nuremberg may not be worth it.

That would probably explain why Scenic Opal went for it but Jasper stopped at Vilshofen. I was surprised they would risk it at all, but then I thought they probably only risked getting stuck in the mud. If the risk was getting the hull ripped open by rocks it would probably be better to cancel.

BTW, did you notice that the Jasper moved back to Passau yesterday? Parked in the industrial zone this time. I guess the meter ran out in Vilshofen. Or maybe it's that Vilshofen is on a local road and Passau has Autobahn access to Nuremburg and Regensberg.

Maybe the ship was scheduled to be in Passau.

BTW, did you notice that the Jasper moved back to Passau yesterday? Parked in the industrial zone this time. I guess the meter ran out in Vilshofen. Or maybe it's that Vilshofen is on a local road and Passau has Autobahn access to Nuremburg and Regensberg.

Vilshofen also has Autobahn access, about 12 miles away, same Autobahn as from Passau to Regensburg. The Jasper is moored in Passau- Lindau about 2 miles down stream from Passau Old Town. Although there are factories and shops in the near, the moorings are not for freight carrying ships, but are customed built for cruise ships embarking / disembarking passengers, with plenty of space for cars / buses to deposit their passengers.

Maybe the ship was scheduled to be in Passau.

Per the brochure, today they toured Nuremburg. Tomorrow is Regensberg and Passau-Linz is Thursday.