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Low Waters on the Elbe

RZW'sYaYA

By RZW'sYaYA,
in River Cruising

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editor@cruisecritic

editor@cruisecritic

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Hello from Dusseldorf, where I'm here for an overnight before heading off for a shipyard visit in Papenburg (nothing river related). There are few riverboats that call here in the north Rhine (wondering why, Steamboats?) but the river does look a bit parched. On the other hand, we've had four rainstorms since I left the airport this a.m. at 8 a.m. and the parks look lush. Weird.

 

Carolyn

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xpcdoojk "Live from...." Rare

xpcdoojk

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Posted
Hello from Dusseldorf, where I'm here for an overnight before heading off for a shipyard visit in Papenburg (nothing river related). There are few riverboats that call here in the north Rhine (wondering why, Steamboats?) but the river does look a bit parched. On the other hand, we've had four rainstorms since I left the airport this a.m. at 8 a.m. and the parks look lush. Weird.

 

Carolyn

 

Have a great trip and enjoy the shipyards.

 

jc

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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Hello Carolyn,

 

Hello from Dusseldorf, where I'm here for an overnight before heading off for a shipyard visit in Papenburg (nothing river related). There are few riverboats that call here in the north Rhine (wondering why, Steamboats?) but the river does look a bit parched. On the other hand, we've had four rainstorms since I left the airport this a.m. at 8 a.m. and the parks look lush. Weird.

 

Carolyn

 

have a great time in Papenburg. I have heard it is a fantastic place. If you are into big ships and ship building. :)

 

Tour operators in Germany offer day trips to Papenburg.

 

As regards the lack of ships docking in the ports North of Cologne: I "bemoaned" that fact in a thread earlier this year. There are interesting places. However, things are already changing there, I will get back to that sometime in the river cruise ports section.

 

notamermaid

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steamboats Great Review Rare

steamboats

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Posted
Hello Carolyn,

 

have a great time in Papenburg. I have heard it is a fantastic place. If you are into big ships and ship building. :)

 

Tour operators in Germany offer day trips to Papenburg.

 

As far as I´ve seen, Carolyn has already left Papenburg. Unfortunately the Ems conveyance of the Norwegian Escape has been resceduled to Friday.

 

Day trip to Papenburg... out of Munich it´s easier to get to Miami than to Papenburg - unfortunately! Fly to Bremen, take a tram to the train station, take a train to Papenburg (usually you have to change at least once) and then get a cab to the shipyard.

 

steamboats

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editor@cruisecritic

editor@cruisecritic

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Interesting insight, notamermaid. I had a choice of flying into Amsterdam or Dusseldorf and then having car service to Papenburg (which apparently, and like my own hometown, isn't close to any major airports), and I've been to Amsterdam a billion times, so opted for Dusseldorf. I only had an afternoon to poke around, but really liked it, and adored, just adored my hotel (the Breidenbacher Hof). In NY, London, Paris it would have been way beyond my budget -- such a fabulous hotel -- but in Dusseldorf, affordable.

 

Didn't love the Hafen City to be honest. All the guidebooks and bloggers rave about it, found it cold and sterile. But the older town, the Rhine river front, and the lake and the parks and such, lovely. Nice place to decompress. I could see flying into Dusseldorf and then training or maybe having a transfer to Cologne to catch a riverboat.

 

Papenburg is fascinating. Looks like a nice small town on the surface but everything is about shipbuilding. Said goodbye to my Norwegian Cruise Line counterparts this afternoon, and then wandered down to the lobby of my hotel and ran into Royal Caribbean's shipbuilders, in town for meetings on its next newbuild. Very international, from American to Finnish to Swedish to French.

 

Carolyn

 

Hello Carolyn,

 

 

 

have a great time in Papenburg. I have heard it is a fantastic place. If you are into big ships and ship building. :)

 

Tour operators in Germany offer day trips to Papenburg.

 

As regards the lack of ships docking in the ports North of Cologne: I "bemoaned" that fact in a thread earlier this year. There are interesting places. However, things are already changing there, I will get back to that sometime in the river cruise ports section.

 

notamermaid

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editor@cruisecritic

editor@cruisecritic

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Pouring buckets in Dusseldorf. Pouring buckets in Papenburg. Apparently pouring such buckets in France that a Royal Caribbean pal missed all flights to Travemunde (where he was giving a speech) but managed to make it here. Apparently, though, the high pressure weather "gods" are keeping it dry around Dresden.

 

Alas. I still can't wait for my cruise, and finally get to visit Prague (not to mention other places along the way). So: Excited. Also, and absurdly, anticipating the chance to sit on a Viking Longboat (love the design of these ships) in a rocking chair at the forward, watching the world go by. I'm a simple gal.

 

Carolyn

 

Pouring buckets tonite on the Main!
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ural guy

ural guy

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Also, and absurdly, anticipating the chance to sit on a Viking Longboat (love the design of these ships) in a rocking chair at the forward, watching the world go by. I'm a simple gal.

 

Carolyn

 

Not absurd at all, that was our favorite spot to hang out. The image of my wife up in the rocker, wine glass on the little table and knitting in her lap...all she was missing was the cat! Bliss.

 

I liked the entire layout of the Aqavit lounge, and had dinner up there several times to enjoy the views and leave the noise of the main dining room. It was so quiet, you really seemed to be gliding along. All the people walking along the river, enjoying the evening and waving....and I'm finally the lucky one who is on the boat, waving back. First cruise ever and we got lucky, w/ river levels, weather.

 

Enjoy your trip, I hope it works out. :)

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steamboats Great Review Rare

steamboats

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I'm still in Papenburg tonight, Steamboats, but will miss the conveyance. I'm 0 for 3 :) --

 

Carolyn

 

I thought the sheep were the good bye from Papenburg ;)! I might know someone who stayed for two extra nights to see a ship leaving the Meyer Werft (and he wasn´t prepared for such a long stay).

 

steamboats

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steamboats Great Review Rare

steamboats

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Is it raining up river?

 

No, not in the East and not upriver the Elbe river. The Eastern part of Germany (which includes Eastern part of Bavaria) still has hot temps and bright sunshine. We expect rain in the afternoon. Will be later for the Czech Republic.

 

steamboats

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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I do not look at the weather report for the Czech section of the river, I am afraid. It looks as if Dresden and the German section upstream are in a kind of bubble not letting rain in. Rain is only around Berlin this morning (which is the Spree river, not the Elbe, anyway). There is rain further downstream towards Hamburg. Sunshine and clouds forecast for Saxony (i.e. sort of the Elbe region), but no rain for the next three days.

 

It has rained so much in the Rhine valley in 24 hours, I would gladly take some buckets to Saxony and fill the river (sounds like a desperate effort, I know).

 

notamermaid

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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Widespread rain over the East and South East of Germany this morning. Unfortunately, I do not think this will help the very low Elbe much. Things are still not looking good there. Temperatures are pleasant, around 16 to 20 degrees tommorrow and the day after. No rain forecast.

 

notamermaid

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xpcdoojk "Live from...." Rare

xpcdoojk

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JVilleGal says it's pouring buckets around the Danube, so maybe the Elbe will get some too?

 

quite a ways a part. I haven't looked at the European maps though. We were in Budapest the first day and it rained all day. We were doing our day with the guide walking all over town. Tested the rain gear fully. Good investment.

 

jc

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