Rhine water levels 2018 and similar topics

[gadugger]

2 minutes ago, Coli said:

The credit is full amount you paid for this cruise to use on another AMA cruise. To be used in next 3 years. I’m on this trip with holacandita. Got our letter from AMA today. The other option was to cancel this cruise for a full refund. As holacandita states, AMA will get us to Basel for the post cruise extension. AMA also asks for those who are traveling indepentantly from Basel to give them all those details. Sounds like they are trying to get everyone to Basel regardless. Mum and I are going to take the revised itinerary, enjoy the fact we’re on holiday and go for the full credit for another cruise. We’re happy we get to do our 4 night post trip as planned.

 

HBR777 - if we end in Düsseldorf we take train to Basel. If we’re ending in Amsterdam we fly to Basel.

Thanks for the info. on the credit. I still haven't got any info. from AMA or my TA even though I informed them of what was apparently going on thanks to the posters on this board. 

[Coli]

12 minutes ago, gadugger said:

Thanks for the info. on the credit. I still haven't got any info. from AMA or my TA even though I informed them of what was apparently going on thanks to the posters on this board. 

Hi gadugger... our TA is on holiday so we called one of her colleagues today and said could they check with AMA. She called and said AMA sent out the letter yesterday to TAs and they sent her a copy for us today. I think Cruise Critic’s messaging system is down or I’d send you a copy. Again thanks to notamermaid and GMT and all the others who have posted about the river situation.

[holacandita]

2 hours ago, gadugger said:

Thanks for the info. on the credit. I still haven't got any info. from AMA or my TA even though I informed them of what was apparently going on thanks to the posters on this board. 

 

Edited November 14, 2018 by holacandita

[gadugger]

4 hours ago, Coli said:

Hi gadugger... our TA is on holiday so we called one of her colleagues today and said could they check with AMA. She called and said AMA sent out the letter yesterday to TAs and they sent her a copy for us today. I think Cruise Critic’s messaging system is down or I’d send you a copy. Again thanks to notamermaid and GMT and all the others who have posted about the river situation.

Thanks Coli. Thanks to a new friend in low places, I got the info. I needed. Hope to see you on the cruise, wherever that is 🙂

[peregrino]

16 hours ago, Mark_T said:

Peregrino, I have brought this to the attention of our onboard rep, she will contact the Australian office to deal with the incorrect information.

 

On a side note, we passed AmaMagna a few mins ago, she looks very good even though not ready to sail yet. At twice the width of the other ships she is going to be limited on destinations of course. 

 

Thanks a lot Mark_T !

 

We hope that APT correct their information promptly, to avoid the general impression that they are making false promises and trapping people into a last-minute Clayton's choice.  It would be a short-term strategy, if it tarnished their reputation.

 

The website I am using indicates that AmaVenita has finally arrived in Koln.  Yay!!!

 

We really appreciate your extra info on your travels, especially the news that you will get to see the Rhine Gorge (local boat would be just fine for us too, if it is offered!) and that your impromptu trip on the Mosel River is proving enjoyable!

 

We really wanted to see river scenery and castles, and the German Xmas markets.  Any itinerary that contains these things (without lots of bussing about, or stooging about in lowland canals) would be just great - whether by boat swaps or whatever it takes.  🙂

[peregrino]

16 hours ago, ural guy said:

notamermaid gave you a more detailed reply, but I can tell you I am on a 135m ship that is heading downstream past castles right now on the Mosel.  Great visit to Reichsburg castle in Cochem this morning.  We've been on this river for 4 days now, truly beautiful.  

 

Oops sorry ural guy, I got your ship confused with Mark_T on the AmaVenita!

 

Anyway, thanks for your encouraging news that the Mosel is a great option  🙂

 

[Mark_T]

32 minutes ago, peregrino said:

We really wanted to see river scenery and castles, and the German Xmas markets.  Any itinerary that contains these things (without lots of bussing about, or stooging about in lowland canals) would be just great - whether by boat swaps or whatever it takes.  🙂

I hope it all works out for you as well as it has for us.

 

I don’t expect our itinerary to change from here. We will sail to Koblenz over night then we will take a coach down to Rudesheim for a tour there in the morning and we will have lunch there as well  (€25 each provided by APT). Then we board a local ship for a cruise from their back to Boppard. From there we head back to Koblenz.

 

From Koblenz we will head off up the Mosel for a few days before returning to the Rhine for our visit to Namedy and Andernach, before ending this part of the cruise in Düsseldorf from where we will fly to Vienna.

 

I would expect the next cruise start8ng in Budapest to be the reverse of ours.

 

Also for those interested, while we were in Nijmegen we did the Arnhem Airborne Museum and visit to the Commonwealth war graves. So even though we didn’t get to moor at Arnhem due to our rapid change to Cologne, we still got to go there.

[pully8]

Thanks for the updates.

[notamermaid]

Mark_T,

Thank you for the updates. Sounds if things are really going well under the circumstances. I hope the food is good, too.

 

It has got colder and mist has returned to the valley. But the sun is coming out. Apart from an isolated patch around Freiburg no part of Germany will see any real rain before Sunday. Which will be great for photos along the misty river in Autumnal colours.

 

Looking forward to reading where they will take you, Koblenz and Cochem or even Bernkastel-Kues?

 

notamermaid

 

[Mark_T]

25 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Looking forward to reading where they will take you, Koblenz and Cochem or even Bernkastel-Kues?

 

All three !

 

.. and yes, the food has been great...

[gadugger]

7 hours ago, peregrino said:

 

Thanks a lot Mark_T !

 

We hope that APT correct their information promptly, to avoid the general impression that they are making false promises and trapping people into a last-minute Clayton's choice.  It would be a short-term strategy, if it tarnished their reputation.

 

The website I am using indicates that AmaVenita has finally arrived in Koln.  Yay!!!

 

We really appreciate your extra info on your travels, especially the news that you will get to see the Rhine Gorge (local boat would be just fine for us too, if it is offered!) and that your impromptu trip on the Mosel River is proving enjoyable!

 

We really wanted to see river scenery and castles, and the German Xmas markets.  Any itinerary that contains these things (without lots of bussing about, or stooging about in lowland canals) would be just great - whether by boat swaps or whatever it takes.  🙂

"Clayton's choice" A toast to you for exposing me to this phrase from the exotic land of Australia  🙂

[notamermaid]

53 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

All three !

 

.. and yes, the food has been great...

Hungry, hungry, want desert. Please can I go one a river cruise?

 

Moselle galore. How lovely!

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The situation on the Rhine today. Not much different from yesterday. Germany and its border areas will see very little rain over the next five days. River levels are forecast to go down. As I said last night the 54cm figure at Kaub that had been in the forecast might not be reached today. Indeed the level peaked at 52cm today and appears to be on the way down again.

 

The current river levels: Maxau 340cm, Kaub 50cm, Koblenz 60cm.

 

At least we are a bit better off than a few days ago. Where we will be in figures at the end of the week is not clear, apart from one thing: a return to anything close to the desired navigation channel depth is out of the question.

 

Reports on the internet, in newspapers and on television tell of more shortages and rising prices of heating oil and petrol.

Monday evening a tanker got stuck at Cologne. It was freed the following day. The river was closed for two hours during the rescue operation.

 

BASF chemical works is contemplating buying flat-bottom barges to be ready for the future. Other companies have re-instituted or will do soon force majeure for their production.

.

Ferry service owners have had to lay off staff. One or two ferry operators have mentioned they might have to give up business altogether if conditions do not improve and no aid comes from the government. Not pretty.

 

Still, it could be worse. Fate, do not be tempted please.

 

I shall retire with a cup of hot chocolate, a craving for the desert in the photo that Mark_T posted and snooker on telly.

 

notamermaid

 

[Intlxpatr]

Today we received the following notification from Tauck. We like that they are addressing the issue forthrightly, that it is still ten days out, and that they seem to be adhering greatly to the Christmas Market agenda. If there is a swap, we can handle that. If there has to be some coach time, oh well, not our favorite but we like walking and sometimes you see and experience more on the ground.

 

Dear Mr. & Mrs.

We hope this email finds you well, and that you are looking ahead to your upcoming Tauck journey with excitement and anticipation. 

We are contacting you today to provide you with the attached letter, which contains important information regarding your journey. Please be sure to read it carefully prior to your departure. 

NOTE: Please do not respond to this email. If you have any questions, please contact our Reservation Sales Center at 1-800-468-2825. 

As always, our thanks for choosing to travel with Tauck. 

Sincerely, 

The Tauck Worldwide Operations Team

p: 800-468-2825 ● e: info@tauck.com ● www.tauck.com
November 14, 2018

Dear Mr. & Mrs.                    ,
We are looking forward to welcoming you on your Tauck Christmas market river cruise along the
Rhine, where an enchanting and memorable experience awaits.

 

We are contacting you today because certain areas of the Rhine continue to experience low
water levels resulting from exceedingly hot and dry weather in Europe over the past several
months, and these low-water conditions have the potential to impact your cruise. Conditions
along the Rhine are subject to change with short notice, and it is possible – but not certain – that
your itinerary could be affected. Itinerary alterations could be minimal, or more material
including additional motor coach travel, transferring to another Tauck riverboat positioned
beyond a low-water stretch of the river, or other tour adjustments.

 

We apologize that we’re unable to provide more specific information at this time, but we did
want you to be aware of the situation along the Rhine and the possibility of alterations to your
itinerary. Please know that we are carefully monitoring conditions along the river, and if
necessary, we will inform you of any major changes as soon as they are confirmed.
In addition, we also wanted to advise you that the Baden-Baden Christmas market will not be
open to shoppers during our morning visit to the city on Day 5 of your itinerary. (We will still visit
Baden-Baden as planned, however, and you will still enjoy your tour of its famous casino.)
Fortuitously, the Baden-Baden Christmas market opens with great fanfare that very same
evening, and you’ll be able to experience those festivities if you so desire. You’ll have the
choice of remaining in Baden-Baden that afternoon (following the conclusion of our visit that
morning), and we’ll also be providing motor coach transportation to and from the city later that
day.

 

Your Tauck Director will share additional information about options in Baden-Baden during your
cruise, and once again, we are looking forward to hosting you on your journey!

Sincerely,

The Tauck Worldwide Operations Team

[Mark_T]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

I shall retire with a cup of hot chocolate, a craving for the desert in the photo that Mark_T posted and snooker on telly.

 

I’ll try not to post too much temptation on here, but I do have to say that the food has been excellent, tonight was the Chaine de Rotisseurs dinner and the preparation, especially of the lamb was exceptional.

 

So tomorrow we will sail the Rhine gorge and yes I will carefully note the name of the ship 🙂

 

it it has been confirmed that we have exclusive use of the ship they are using, so no need to worry about having other people onboard as some have mentioned in recent weeks.

 

Sail away from Cologne tonight gave us the beautifully illuminated Cathedral as a backdrop..

 

Edited November 14, 2018 by Mark_T

[pully8]

Lovely picture, enjoy the castle cruise.

[Mark_T]

Peregrina - we heard back from the EU office of APT who had contacted the Australian office and they acknowledged that incorrect information had been given out.

 

This should not happen again! and they regretted that it had happened at all.

 

On a different topic, while listening to the incredibly good entertainment from Jela & Connie, it should not be ignored that our tireless cruise Director, Anja, spent the entire evening preparing a map of our entire cruise and posting on the wall in reception.

 

It is impossible to ignore just how hard Anja is working to keep things on track. 7am to 10:30pm. is normal for her...

 

 

Edited November 14, 2018 by Mark_T

[gadugger]

3 hours ago, Mark_T said:

I’ll try not to post too much temptation on here, but I do have to say that the food has been excellent, tonight was the Chaine de Rotisseurs dinner and the preparation, especially of the lamb was exceptional.

 

So tomorrow we will sail the Rhine gorge and yes I will carefully note the name of the ship 🙂

 

it it has been confirmed that we have exclusive use of the ship they are using, so no need to worry about having other people onboard as some have mentioned in recent weeks.

 

Sail away from Cologne tonight gave us the beautifully illuminated Cathedral as a backdrop..

 

Hi Mark, is there just one Chaine de Rotisseurs dinner per cruise? Also are you limited to just one captain's table dinner? I look forward to the food and drink. As we don't where we will be cruising till we are on board, I can't say the same for the port and the excursions. I'm too old for a Magical Mystery Tour 🙂   George   Amsterdam to ??? Nov. 17

[peregrino]

4 hours ago, Mark_T said:

I’ll try not to post too much temptation on here, but I do have to say that the food has been excellent, tonight was the Chaine de Rotisseurs dinner and the preparation, especially of the lamb was exceptional.

 

So tomorrow we will sail the Rhine gorge and yes I will carefully note the name of the ship 🙂

 

it it has been confirmed that we have exclusive use of the ship they are using, so no need to worry about having other people onboard as some have mentioned in recent weeks.

 

Sail away from Cologne tonight gave us the beautifully illuminated Cathedral as a backdrop..

 

 

Lovely picture, Mark_T !!!

Thanks for the feedback on the misleading water level website.

We are looking forward to your story about the Rhine Gorge tootle!

Hoping that there will be some water left when we get there, and that we aren't issued with trail bikes to explore that part 😉

[Mark_T]

7 hours ago, gadugger said:

Hi Mark, is there just one Chaine de Rotisseurs dinner per cruise? Also are you limited to just one captain's table dinner? I look forward to the food and drink. As we don't where we will be cruising till we are on board, I can't say the same for the port and the excursions. I'm too old for a Magical Mystery Tour 🙂   George   Amsterdam to ??? Nov. 17

Only one so far, but to be honest even the ‘normal’ evening meals are excellent.

 

The Chef’s Table has a fixed menu that changes once week, each guest is allowed one reservation per week. So for us that of course means we can go twice.

[pully8]

We enjoyed our cruise on the AMAReina and the level of service and food quality when we travelled from Budapest to Amsterdam on our last river cruise  a year or so ago. Glad you are too.  

 

[Mark_T]

A lovely day today, first on a scenic drive from Koblenz to Rudesheim where we visited the museum with all the mechanical musical devices and then had some free time to shop and have lunch. 

 

After lunch we we returned to St. Goar where we boarded a Loreley ship for our cruise to Boppard. 

 

Even the day ships are having problems sailing parts of the gorge now sadly. 

 

Beautiful scenery with the autumn colours coming through now. 

 

At Boppard we left the ship and boarded our coaches for the short drive back to Koblenz. 

 

Ill leave you all with this photo taken at Boppard which illustrates just how low the water has got now...

 

 

[sjde]

We are going on Teeming Dec 3, Nuremburg to Amsterdam and I was told as of yesterday it is still on. 

[Mark_T]

4 minutes ago, sjde said:

We are going on Teeming Dec 3, Nuremburg to Amsterdam and I was told as of yesterday it is still on. 

Still to far away for any real clarity on the water levels. I’d suggest asking for more details from them when you are a week away, and focus specifically on the Rhine Gorge water levels at that time. 

[sjde]

It looks like no great chance of rain in the forecast .

This is what I received-

 

The water levels on the Danube River are low. However, the MS Johann Strauss (the ship your cruise is on) is able to reach as far as Regensburg, Germany. This town is past Nuremberg to the east.