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The river Moselle infos and river cruising experiences


notamermaid
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Those on a land trip along the Moselle this week and next can experience an unusual sight: no ships will pass them! Traffic is more or less suspended on the river due to the annual maintainance of the river locks. Theoretically you could of course sail between two locks, but it does not really make much sense, with so many locks on that river you would not get far. The maintainance is necessary to keep the lock gates and chambers in good shape. Earlier this year driftwood caused damage to the lock gate at Palzem close to the border between Luxembourg and Germany and has to be taken off its hinges completely for repairs. A major job.

 

 

You might wonder how this works out with river cruise itineraries. There should be no problem at all. All the regular maintainance is published several years in advance, as you can see here: http://moselkommission.org/index.php?eID=tx_nawsecuredl&u=0&g=0&t=1528567867&hash=7fc2f12634882c59ca3ba73f1205af252786cb82&file=fileadmin/user_upload/Sperrzeiten%20und%20Verkehr/lock_closure_times_plan-2017-2025.pdf

 

 

notamermaid

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  • 2 months later...

With so many river cruisers now discovering the Moselle I would like to address a subject that many of you cherish or look forward to on another river - the Rhine. What immediately springs to mind (usually)? Castles! The Moselle has a slightly different history as regards that but nevertheless many ruling families made their influence and wealth known by building castles. Like on the Rhine they are mostly on a hill and here is a list of them: https://www.mosellandtouristik.de/en/culture-events/experience-the-culture/castles/?tx_sfdeskline_pi1%5Bpage%5D=3&cHash=d49aef46a99ef90691fa0861b2b9ecd1 Please note that one of them is on the Saar river flowing into the Moselle and one - the famous Burg Eltz - on the Elzbach, also flowing into the Moselle.

 

 

And in view of the current low water situation on other rivers, here is a reminder: the navigation channel of the Moselle is dug out so deep and the flow controlled by locks that problems for river cruise ships are virtually impossible.

 

 

notamermaid

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  • 3 weeks later...

What is the Moselle valley famous for? Wine, of course, and its Riesling grape in particular. The German wine regions always have a representative and normally it is a young woman. The last two years have been a little different for the Moselle wine region: https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-male-wine-queen-steps-down-from-the-throne/a-45035820

 

 

notamermaid

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Yes I read that thread by notamermaid on # 178 which is great news but I read a post a few days ago by someone whose cruise was not proceeding from a point on the Rhine to Cochem & further to Trier. I’m guessing it was due to low water levels near Koblenz but I see no further posts. It appears no one else has posted on the Viking Paris to Swiss Alps tour or any other line doing this route. I did read where a ship was given the green light to sail all the way from Amsterdam to Basel which is good news as well.

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Yes I read that thread by notamermaid on # 178 which is great news but I read a post a few days ago by someone whose cruise was not proceeding from a point on the Rhine to Cochem & further to Trier. I’m guessing it was due to low water levels near Koblenz but I see no further posts. It appears no one else has posted on the Viking Paris to Swiss Alps tour or any other line doing this route. I did read where a ship was given the green light to sail all the way from Amsterdam to Basel which is good news as well.

We are presently on the Moselle sailing upriver past cochem toward Tier. Water levels are fine here as they are controlled by the locks.

RB

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We are presently on the Moselle sailing upriver past cochem toward Tier. Water levels are fine here as they are controlled by the locks.

RB

 

Thank you - good to know.

Our Elbe cruise on Sept 15th may be cancelled but at least this one later in Sept should be fine.

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Thanks a million for reporting. Did you commence your cruise in Basel? Have a great end to your cruise.

We started in Amsterdam on Wednesday the 22nd and will finish in Basel on the 3rd.

Please keep doing your rain dances.

RB

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  • 2 weeks later...

Trier, as the birthplace of Karl Marx, has obviously invested in having souvenirs manufactured to serve the many tourists from far and wide. This year more so than ever. While the standard souvenirs are in popular demand as one would expect, a more unusual item is the real hit: https://www.dw.com/en/tourists-snap-up-zero-euro-bills-with-karl-marxs-image/a-45089015

 

 

By the way, the banknote with zero denomination is not a new idea, Koblenz has got one, too.

 

 

notamermaid

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In 2017 the Moselle for the first time made it onto the list of the top ten tourist destinations in Germany, a survey taken among tourists from abroad. Deutsche Welle subsequently made a trip to the region and issued this article with 360 degree video: https://www.dw.com/en/360-tour-the-moselle-valley/a-40060202

 

 

notamermaid

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They are digging again...

 

 

in Trier. Archaeologists in Trier are currently digging on a building plot next to a hotel. The area will be built over from November. Not much time left for the experts but they have already been successful. A large building that was obviously lived in, with typical underfloor heating, but it was also extended to make it so large that it could have been official, more than just a mere dwelling for a small family. That is not clear yet. But what is obvious is the stones that look as if they were a half pipe construction to carry water are part of the - latrines! Here is an article in German with photos: https://www.volksfreund.de/region/trier/archaeologen-finden-in-der-trierer-saarstrasse-reste-eines-grossen-roemerbaus-des-vierten-jahrhunderts-seine-funktion-ist-noch-voellig-unklar_aid-33055941

 

 

If you happen to be in Trier is the next couple of months and would like to have a look to see if you can find the archaeologists at work, the address is Saarstrasse 4.

 

 

notamermaid

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  • 1 month later...

I would like to head away from the Moselle again, but not far as the mouth of the Saar river is only a stone's throw from Trier. Following the Saar upstream you get to the Saarland. I have posted the quiz about the Saarland before but here are a few travel tips with video from Deutsche Welle: https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-16-states-saarland/a-45259835

 

notamermaid

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Drought on the Rhine - is the Moselle an alternative?

 

I was asked in connection with the drought in Europe 2018 if the Moselle could be an alternative specifically for the hard-hit growing fleet of 135m ships that are struggling on the Rhine. I answered the question in the Rhine thread with yes but want to address it here as well. First, some background information. The Rhine has been particularly low in late Summer and Autumn due to lack of rainfall. The 135m ships are the largest river cruise ships allowed on the Rhine and have a draft that makes them struggle in times of low water in the bottleneck on the Rhine, the Rhine gorge. Kaub is the river level gauge that serves as a marker for shipping, a level below 78cm means that the navigation channel depth of 1.90m is not guaranteed anymore by the authorities. With every centimetre less, 135m ships one after the other will eventually have to stop sailing. Which one continues for how long depends on ship, captain and corporate (the last mainly as regards logistics of which ship should be where and where it should not be to secure itineraries, etc.). The 110m ships will sail a little longer and even in the greatest drought a few ships shorter than 110m are sailing. Authorities only close the river (harbour areas excepted) in times of flooding.

 

What is the situation on the Moselle then? The Moselle, I have mentioned this before of course, is as a commercial waterway for its entire waterway - not river - length controlled by locks as opposed to the Rhine which has a very long free-flowing stretch.

 

Drought does effect the Moselle minimally, i.e. the level seen in comparison with flooding is low, but a certain depth is guaranteed with the working of the locks, authorities always keep a certain level. This is then still deep enough for all river cruise ships. Dredging ensures this further.

 

135m ships are allowed to sail the Moselle and now do so on a regular basis. One setback is timing. Many locks are not long enough to fit two ships of that length into them at one time. 110m used to be the standard/maximum for river cruise ships. Lock chambers that are being built or planned will allow for that extra length.

 

At least until Trier 135m ships are fine to sail which is a good length for exploring the river.

 

But let us divert here a bit. If you downsize the experience as regards cruise ship length, current itineraries of both American and European river cruise companies take you even further along the river. Luxembourg can be reached in the port of Remich, or you can divert into the Saar, a tributary to the Moselle near Trier. German, Dutch and Swiss operators will take you even further, into France, and if you search for them specifically you can even find two ships, the MS Johannes Brahms (82m)  and the MS Excellence Pearl (82m), that take you all the way to Nancy on the Meurthe. From where you could get a barge to take you through a canal to get (back) to the Rhine. In this way you could have a round trip Basel to Basel if you so wish, of the more unusual kind.

 

Currently no itineraries geared towards the American market start from Koblenz and just do the the Moselle, as far as I know, it is just a bit short. But I can see the potential for a good itinerary roundtrip Cologne that I am sure would appeal to those who have seen both Amsterdam and Basel and do not wish to repeat long stretches of the Rhine. With a bit of logistical deep thinking and exploring small places for their potential much is within a 30 minute coach ride vicinity of the Moselle to keep passengers busy for eight days.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Moselle as an alternative in Summer or Autumn with its splendid colours and wine festivals/harvest. I have already recommended it in my last post. But what about Winter and Christmas markets? A yes from me for that as well. But for that I would include part of the Rhine. Some cruise companies, mainly from mainland Europe and the UK have chosen Cologne as a port for starting and ending a cruise along the Rhine. Even more so at Christmas time when many cruises are only five nights. You could get a nice itinerary together throwing the Christmas markets of Cologne, Koblenz, Cochem and Trier into the itinerary. They all run for more or less the whole "season", i.e. Advent. Cologne and Koblenz are well-known, so here is Trier: https://www.trierer-weihnachtsmarkt.de/en/index

 

Even the small town of Bernkastel-Kues, a popular stop on river cruises, has its own Christmas market: https://www.weihnachtsmarkt-bernkastel-kues.de/

 

And if one wanted to extend it, a visit to Luxembourg and - if going as far as Remich with the ship - even to Metz in France is possible. If one so wished, one could change this itinerary from a round-trip Cologne into a trip Cologne to Paris. A fast train from Metz or a coach drive from Trier or Remich to get to Paris are very much possible. We know them from standard itineraries.

 

Trier is always worth a visit and the Christmas market in Metz I highly recommend. For a special treat, plan to be in Metz or another town in Lorraine on 5/6 December. Saint Nicolas is the patron saint of the region Lorraine.

 

notamermaid

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

A tiny place whose name carries enormous weight for Europe: Schengen

 

You are very much forgiven if you have never heard of the village in Luxembourg before, but political events and negotiations that took place there some years ago mean that their impact also concerns you as a river cruiser when entering Europe. It is the reason you only need to apply for one visa instead of one for every country you want to visit.

 

Here is an article by the BBC on the village and the "Schengen agreement": http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20181202-schengen-a-tiny-village-that-changed-european-travel

 

notamermaid

 

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  • 1 month later...

Things are quite on the Moselle, we have no flooding and a warm spell, pushing the temperatures up to figures that are unusual for February. But this is likely to change and flooding can happen in March or even later.

 

If you have not had of looking at Trier yet, here is a little video to enjoy (or whet your appetite if you have not been yet): https://www.dw.com/en/trier-from-above/av-44042799

 

notamermaid

 

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On 2/19/2019 at 9:57 AM, notamermaid said:

Things are quite on the Moselle, we have no flooding and a warm spell, pushing the temperatures up to figures that are unusual for February. But this is likely to change and flooding can happen in March or even later.

 

If you have not had of looking at Trier yet, here is a little video to enjoy (or whet your appetite if you have not been yet): https://www.dw.com/en/trier-from-above/av-44042799

 

notamermaid

 

We are taking Avalon's Canals, Vineyards, and Castles cruise from Remich on the Moselle to Amsterdam in June.  Pre-cruise we will be in Berlin with friends, then have 4 days free before boarding the ship.  We plan to rent a car and drive to Trier, possibly stopping somewhere overnight along the way.  We are thinking of staying in Trier for 2 or 3 nights and touring the region.  Is there enough to see in Trier or within an hour or so drive? Or would there be more to see in the Heidelberg area?  Any suggestions would be appreciated!

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2 hours ago, KathyK13 said:

We are taking Avalon's Canals, Vineyards, and Castles cruise from Remich on the Moselle to Amsterdam in June.  Pre-cruise we will be in Berlin with friends, then have 4 days free before boarding the ship.  We plan to rent a car and drive to Trier, possibly stopping somewhere overnight along the way.  We are thinking of staying in Trier for 2 or 3 nights and touring the region.  Is there enough to see in Trier or within an hour or so drive? Or would there be more to see in the Heidelberg area?  Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

There is so much to do along the way that you might wish you had 4 weeks free, not 4 days. 🙂

 

That said, if your plan is to drive from Berlin, you might consider a base a little further east than Trier. Don't get me wrong; Trier is great and worth a visit. But you might want to expand your options, and just visit Trier for a day.

 

Also, it's about 7-8 hours driving from Berlin to Trier. You could get from Berlin to Frankfurt in probably 6h or less by car or about 4 hours by train. Mainz adds another hour at most. Berlin to Trier is a long day. I suppose you could break it up a little stopping in Dresden of Leipzig, but they aren't exactly on the way.

 

If you based yourself in Frankfurt or in Mainz, you could easily get to Trier as a day trip (about an hour drive each way from Mainz). This is how we did it. Plenty to do in Trier but we were able to get most of it done before having a late lunch then driving home. I don't think I'd want to be based there for 3 days.

 

Mainz itself has the Gutenberg Museum (worth a stop), as well as its Cathedral which is nice. It's another nice riverside city with a pretty walk along the Rhine, near its junction with the Main. Plenty of good eating options here too. In fact we were going to stay there for a night in May for old times' sake, but we just had to scrap those plans and we're staying in Frankfurt instead. Oh well, both are fun in our book.

 

From Mainz it's also an easy shot down to Worms (with its massive Dom, worth a stop), or Oppenheim where there are nice ruins up on the hill above town, a short walk. There's also an underground network of tunnels which you can tour in the Old Town area of Oppenheim. And a cool old church, and a boneyard.

 

Mainz is within striking distance of Heidelberg too so no worries about missing out on Heidelberg. If you were to stay in Trier, it would be too far to make it a day trip.

 

And don't forget Wurzburg...another favorite within an hour or so of Frankfurt.

 

So I like your plan to visit Trier, but I'd base in Frankfurt or Mainz instead.

 

 

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jpalbny,

 

I like your idea of Mainz or thereabouts as a base. From Frankfurt you can go to interesting places in the area, do the Rhine gorge, explore Rhine Hesse wine country or even the Hunsrück hills and the Nahe.

 

KathyK13,

Some places around Trier have been mentioned on this thread, plus I have posted a bit about the Saar river that flows into the Moselle. Trier is great for exploring. I like the Roman mosaic nearby and hopping into France works, Metz springs to mind.

 

However, I would not attempt to go there from Berlin in one day. For an interesting stopover that can never be explored on a river cruise I suggest Fulda. From there you can have a more leisurely drive to either Heidelberg or Trier the following day. But perhaps consider a train journey that covers much distance from Berlin to the Rhineland and rent a car from there. Back to Heidelberg and the Neckar. There is a thread on the Neckar with some info on what else there is to see in the area. In addition I recommend Schwetzingen palace from hearsay.

 

I think your choice might also depend on what Avalon offers on the itinerary. You will go through the Rhine gorge so could skip that in a car. If they do not go to the Saar or Burg Eltz you might consider doing that.

 

You could drive along the Moselle in the car but if you prefer to be surprised when on the ship, skip the valley journey and approach Remich from the motorway A48 which runs through the Eiffel hills North of the Moselle. Although I like the Hunsrück hills... That would make it a long approach. You might prefer a motorway coming from the South, you could come through Saarbrücken, also an interesting town with palace.

 

Have fun planning.

 

notamermaid

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

JPAlbany and Notamermaid,

Thanks so much for your suggestions!  I'm going to sit down with a map and look at some of the places you've suggested.  Since my original post our German friends suggested that we all stay an extra night in Berlin and do a day trip to either Dresden or Potsdam.  We agreed and now have one less free day before our cruise begins in Remich.  We had originally planned to drive to Trier but stopping somewhere along the way for one night.  Looked at making the trip by train but it takes longer.  Now with less time we might pick somewhere in between Berlin and Trier to stay for 3 nights before making our way to Remich.  Lots to consider1

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If you're adventurous, you might also consider a flight from Berlin to Frankfurt and a train from there to Remich. I did a quick check, and you can fly from Berlin to Frankfurt for less than $100. Then you can take a train from there to Nennig Perl via the Bahn (FRA to Trier, Trier to Nennig) for 20-26 Euro. According to google maps, the Nennig train station is just across the river from Remich (1.1 km).

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On 3/12/2019 at 4:09 PM, FuelScience said:

If you're adventurous, you might also consider a flight from Berlin to Frankfurt and a train from there to Remich. I did a quick check, and you can fly from Berlin to Frankfurt for less than $100. Then you can take a train from there to Nennig Perl via the Bahn (FRA to Trier, Trier to Nennig) for 20-26 Euro. According to google maps, the Nennig train station is just across the river from Remich (1.1 km).

I thought of that but my DH hates the hassles of flying and would rather spend more time on a train than deal with security, luggage, long lines, etc at the airport.  So we have decided to take the train to Trier; we can get there in around 7 hours.  I found a  great AirB&B apartment in Trier close to the center that has the added bonus of a washer and dryer, which will come in handy since we will have over a week's worth of dirty clothes by then!  We can spend some time seeing the sights in Trier but also just enjoying some down time between our visit to Munich and Berlin and the start of our river cruise.  Thanks to all who made suggestions!

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