AnhaltER1960

Viking usually offer a "easy walking"/leisure group as part of the included tour programme. They may have different routes, more bussing etc., depending on destination, but will always care for guests with mobility issues. Optional excursions do not offer this alternative. So look carefully if the optional tours cover destinations you are really interested in and will otherwise miss. Booking 3rd-party tours, please keep in mind that river cruise schedules can vary even on short notice, depending on water conditions/ locks/docking locations pp. Also the ship might move while guests are on tour and reboard at another place. So this will require a detailed planning and flexibility you can only expect with a private tour just for you. And they will be pricey too.

Sometimes yes, sometimes not. Look at the documents you received from Viking. It may be the case that extra excursions can only be booked in advance, require a minmum booking (or can be sold out). But dont overdo it, the included tours already will fill your days. Feel free to do. Often the ship is docked within walking distance to the city center or hotspots. In case of more distant docking locations, often there are shuttle buses offered. Cannot comment on that. It is your personal priority. Evening entertainment is offered on at least some evenings. This might be an alternative for pre-/post-cruise extensions. During the cruise, as sharkster77 has pointed out, they might be difficult to coordinate. I would not recommend that unless you have some very special interest into a destination not covered otherwise. Viking give recommendations regarding tipping both on board and on land (tour guides/coach drivers), which you can find on their website and probably also in your travel documents. As far as I remember, they recommend 2 Euro for a tour guide, 1 Euro for the bus driver. Local currency is best (Euro in the Netherlands and Germany, Swiss francs in Switzerland), but USD should be ok, too. Nobody will check your bags when boarding the ship, so you can bring as many bottles as you can carry for consumption in your stateroom. In public rooms a corkage fee might apply. Sparkling/still water is available on all Viking ships as well as tea/coffee anytime.

The Czech authorities did some maintenance work at their reservoirs, releasing plenty of water in September. So indeed they might have some capacity now to hold back water/refill those reservoirs. On the other hand, while there was a relatively wet autumn and winter so far, relative for this rather dry region, which feeds the Elbe, there were no torrential rainfalls. Also a bit of snow, but well below the masses of snow falling in Bavaria and the Alps, which now are melting and causing (or at least adding to) the floods of Danube and Rhine.

I cannot comment on Rhine, Moselle, Main or Danube. However, on the Elbe "abysmal" translates to "near perfect". Well filled river, neither too much water nor not enough. Christmas markets are alive with wintery, chilly weather, but nothing unusual for this time of year.

Authentic Christmas crafts in Germany come from the "Erzgebirge" (ore mountains) in Saxony, partly from Thuringia, too. They can be found on all the Christmas markets you will see during your cruise, Wittenberg, Torgau, Meissen or Dresden. Dresden does have several christmas markets, so probably the widest choice. However, also the markets in the smaller cities have their choices. It is not the "seen one, seen them all"-thing, but indeed things can repeat. Personally I liked the christmas market in Meissen most for the atmosphere, but this is also a matter of time. You will see some of the markets in daylight, others in (of course more atmospheric) at dark.

The Danube flows west to east most of the time. So, when cruising upriver from Budapest to Germany, the starboard cabins tend to be on the shadowy side (facing north). Port cabins are facing south and thus more exposed to the sun. Your choice, what you prefer. As far as scenery is concerned, there is not much difference. Scenic parts like Wachau you might wish to see from the sundeck w/360degree-view anyway. Docking is a lottery, if you dock port or starboard side, see river banks, open river or a cabin of another rafting ship.

No news is good news, as far as water levels of the Elbe are concerned. The water levels are keeping a sound level and this likely will not change until the Christmas market season starts. The Elbe region has a lot to offer for travellers between Berlin and Prague, both cities not lying at the Elbe. The Elbe cruises are (with the exception of Dresden) calling at smaller places, many of them have their share of history. Lutherstadt Wittenberg, birthplace of the reformation, is one of them. However, the standard destination in Wittenberg, the Luther House, the place, where Luther lived for several decades, closed down for renovation until well into 2025.

The draught seems to be over. Sailing has resumed, at least as far as Viking are concerned. From what Ive heard, Croisi is still on bus mode - not sure for how long. Indeed the Dresden gauge looks a bit confusing with the first wave gone, levels almost back to "zero" and then up again, like a second wave.

I am not sure, for how long the "wave" will continue (the czech authorities should know...). Anyway, it was enough to allow sailing this week. There is rainfall coming into the east of Germany and also into Bohemia, which hopefully will help to ease the situation.

There is a wave flowing down the Elbe, just having reached the Czech-German Border and will be seen in Dresden probably by the end of today. There is a second wave coming down the Vlatava, which has reached now the confluence of Vlatava and Elbe at Melnik. I am not sure, whether these waves are result of rain or release of water from reservoirs upriver the Vlatava (? maintanance works). My guess is the latter. Also I am not sure, if these waves, which bring around 50 cubic metres per second, last long enough to allow sailing by the end of the week.

Your concern is certainly justified. If there is not plenty of rain in Bohemia the next days there will be a "deviation" programme, as Viking chose to name it. And the prospect for rain is not good. You did not mention, what direction you will be cruising (Berlin to Prague or vice versa). Anyway, the "deviation" programme means one ship, the Viking Beyla, is berthed in Dresden. You are offered to do tours from there, bus or maybe a half day/one day sailing the Elbe canyon upriver from Dresden. For sure there will be an opportunity to do a DIY at Dresden. Contact your Program Director as soon as possible to find out what day that will be, in case you want to make prior appointments for you non-Viking tour there.

Now it is clear: No. The Viking Astrild should have left Wittenberg yesterday. She didnt. So, no Viking sailing for the time being.

Now, as we are in mid-September I dare a guess. Water levels smell like bus tyres to me, not ship diesel.

Usually not. Occasionally they sail until late in the evening and/or start early (at say 5 am), but as far as I am aware they do not sail all night.

Indeed the Croisi ships are designed for the Elbe, but so are the Viking ships, which sail this river. In recent years there had not been much of a difference in the performance of Croisi and Viking - when Viking could not sail, Croisi also could not. When Croisi resumed, Viking did, too. Unlike Viking, who sail from Wittenberg to Decin and do Berlin-Wittenberg and Decin-Prague by bus, Croisi sail all the way. Normally. At times of low water they sail from Berlin to somewhere close to Magdeburg (on a canal and thus not affected by water levels). From there bus rides as far as Wittenberg, while using the ship as a boatel, then the big leap by bus to Usti (ehere the other ship is berthed) and again bus tours. From Usti upriver the Elbe is locked as well as the Moldova into Prague and therefore not affected by low water, so again sailing there.

Too early to say. Todays water levels would allow sailing, but this can change in the next two weeks. The recent massive rainfalls in Bavaria/Alps, which caused a floodwave on the Danube, did not reach into the Bohemian Basin. Or just a bit. From what I see in marinetraffic, Viking have put the Beyla and the Astrild into position in Dresden and Wittenberg respectively.

The Viking ships, which sail the Elbe, as well as ships of other companies like CroisiEurope, do have a draft of roundabout 90 cm. The also have special propulsion systems. But that proved not enough in dry years. The readings of water levels you find here (like in notamermaids post #32) do NOT give the depth of the navigation channel; they are simply a fixed scale in the water against the water table. The captain will have to do the math then. In recent years readings of the Dresden gauge below 75/80 meant trouble.

Not much of rain occured in eastern Germany or the Czech Republic. Therefore there still is no sailing on the Elbe. Viking did not resume sailing before their planned summer break. Also CroisiEurope are not sailing.

It looks like the recent rain in eastern Germany did not reach the Bohemian basin. Still very low water discharge from the Moldova and upper Elbe. And therefore way too low water levels downriver - and no sailing this week again.

You find a report on this cruise here: Viking Elbe cruises have several excursions included, which cover the needs of most cruisers. Just read their programme. Additional tours might depend on your interest, including pre and post-extensions. Viking have introduced an additional to Leipzig this year, in fact only a couple of weeks ago. So probably hard to find anyone, who has done it yet

Still not enough rain in the source areas of the Elbe, so cruise ships did not resume sailing yet.

Feel free to wear shorts whenever you wish. It is quite common. Might be worth having a look in the daily itinerary though, as shorts are not the appropriate attire to visit churches. Also be careful wearing shorts while cruising - on the water the sunburn comes much quicker. NB, when participating in a cruise, you will hardly be away from main tourist areas.

Now it has happened again. The Czech do withhold water in their locks, so downstream the ships are grounded. Viking have suspended their sailings this week (well, converted into bus tours...). From what Ive heard, Croisieurope also have stopped sailing the Elbe. There is rain in the region righz now, so hopefully cruises will resume soon.

Can you tell, when this was, please ? Passenger load may vary much depending on weekday also also time of day.

Indeed, Viking are pausing their Elbe cruises, but not that long. They run until mid-July and continue by mid-September (many of these cruises are sold out and may not show any longer). It remains to be seen, if that will work out, corresponding the water tables. By now the Elbe became a bit low, though there had been a bit of rain in recent days. The current water tables can make maneuvering on the river a bit more difficult, but are not (yet) critical for sailing altogether.