Danube water levels 2018 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[Jcat2010]

RDC1.  What you say is correct.

 

However, it has a lot to do with marketing and disclosure.  I've never seen a cruise advertisement that mentions the possibility of bus touring.   When asked directly, Viking downplays the risk - like it will never happen.   Unfortunately, this excellent forum is often discovered after people have committed.  Until both sides of the market know the true risks, the market won't change.

 

Paid my money, taking my chances, learning my lessons, will be smarter next time.   All I ask is a fair adjustment for disruptions and promises broken.     

 

 

 

 

[billybob57]

Not really looking forward to my up coming river cruise with Viking,

with all the disruption they should at least offer cancelations at no charge

its just greed.

when there is disruption in the Caribbean, Ocean cruises cancel sailings and they have thousands of passengers.

This is a one off river cruise, hopefully it all runs smoothly otherwise i wont be settling for a money off voucher,

which they know many will not be redeemed.

 

[G.M.T.]

Being looking at Vesselfinder today, in and around Passau.

 

There seems to be a new docking area on the Danube, it is about 3 Km north of Passau going towards Vilshofen. There are currently at least 4 ships berthed there, Emerald Sun, Amadeus Brilliant, Avalon Vista and Avalon Expression, a couple of the ships have been there for several days.

 

The area where they are moored is normally used by cargo ships that lay up there either for the winter or for waiting for their next cargo. The area is not meant to embark or disembark passengers, there are absolutely no facilities there, the road runds along side the Danube with no places for buses to tounload or load passengers.

 

So what are they doing there?

 

Waiting for the tide to come in?

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

19 minutes ago, G.M.T. said:

Being looking at Vesselfinder today, in and around Passau.

 

There seems to be a new docking area on the Danube, it is about 3 Km north of Passau going towards Vilshofen. There are currently at least 4 ships berthed there, Emerald Sun, Amadeus Brilliant, Avalon Vista and Avalon Expression, a couple of the ships have been there for several days.

 

The area where they are moored is normally used by cargo ships that lay up there either for the winter or for waiting for their next cargo. The area is not meant to embark or disembark passengers, there are absolutely no facilities there, the road runds along side the Danube with no places for buses to tounload or load passengers.

 

So what are they doing there?

 

Waiting for the tide to come in?

 

There's an old joke with the punchline:  Waiting for a streetcar.  I think that applies here. 

[KrystynaL]

I've been looking at different sites for water levels for the Danube in Budapest - is it correct that the level is approximately 60 cm at the moment?

[kellyirwin610]

We are set to leave Saturday on the Viking Atla from Nuremberg to Budapest. I can see that the Atla has been in Vienna for a couple of days; I'm assuming its stuck there and that we won't be sailing on the Atla. Husband called Viking yesterday and in the end they said no cancellations; "its in the contract." My husband advised the rep that he thought they had deceptive advertising because there is nothing mentioned about this when booking this very expensive trip. Well, we're going in with low expectations hoping for a great time regardless! On a side note, my son attends college in Malibu. He has been wearing the same set of clothes since last Thursday due to being evacuated from his residence as a result of these catastrophic fires in California. Hoping the evacuation order will be lifted so that he can grab some clean clothes before leaving on the trip. Counting our blessings!!!

[mskaufman]

5 minutes ago, kellyirwin610@gmail.com said:

We are set to leave Saturday on the Viking Atla from Nuremberg to Budapest. I can see that the Atla has been in Vienna for a couple of days; I'm assuming its stuck there and that we won't be sailing on the Atla. Husband called Viking yesterday and in the end they said no cancellations; "its in the contract." My husband advised the rep that he thought they had deceptive advertising because there is nothing mentioned about this when booking this very expensive trip. Well, we're going in with low expectations hoping for a great time regardless! On a side note, my son attends college in Malibu. He has been wearing the same set of clothes since last Thursday due to being evacuated from his residence as a result of these catastrophic fires in California. Hoping the evacuation order will be lifted so that he can grab some clean clothes before leaving on the trip. Counting our blessings!!!

 

We were on the Atla (and Jarl) this summer.  We had a ship swap and were bused into Budapest. We still had a great time and saw 90 percent of what was planned.  Viking worked hard to do the best they could under the circumstances.

[kellyirwin610]

5 minutes ago, mskaufman said:

 

We were on the Atla (and Jarl) this summer.  We had a ship swap and were bused into Budapest. We still had a great time and saw 90 percent of what was planned.  Viking worked hard to do the best they could under the circumstances.

Awesome, that's great to hear!

[mskaufman]

11 minutes ago, kellyirwin610@gmail.com said:

Awesome, that's great to hear!

Here is a link to some of our pictures

 

https://rivercruiseonthedanube.shutterfly.com/

 

 

[Lggva]

2 hours ago, kellyirwin610@gmail.com said:

Awesome, that's great to hear!

 

2 hours ago, kellyirwin610@gmail.com said:

We are set to leave Saturday on the Viking Atla from Nuremberg to Budapest. I can see that the Atla has been in Vienna for a couple of days; I'm assuming its stuck there and that we won't be sailing on the Atla. Husband called Viking yesterday and in the end they said no cancellations; "its in the contract." My husband advised the rep that he thought they had deceptive advertising because there is nothing mentioned about this when booking this very expensive trip. Well, we're going in with low expectations hoping for a great time regardless! On a side note, my son attends college in Malibu. He has been wearing the same set of clothes since last Thursday due to being evacuated from his residence as a result of these catastrophic fires in California. Hoping the evacuation order will be lifted so that he can grab some clean clothes before leaving on the trip. Counting our blessings!!!

I’m looking forward to your report of the trip. Since we leave on the Alta on 12/2. I did this same cruise in 2012 and Viking does a great job. I hope you can enjoy your trip. Safe travels. 

 

[RDC1]

11 hours ago, Jcat2010 said:

RDC1.  What you say is correct.

 

However, it has a lot to do with marketing and disclosure.  I've never seen a cruise advertisement that mentions the possibility of bus touring.   When asked directly, Viking downplays the risk - like it will never happen.   Unfortunately, this excellent forum is often discovered after people have committed.  Until both sides of the market know the true risks, the market won't change.

 

Paid my money, taking my chances, learning my lessons, will be smarter next time.   All I ask is a fair adjustment for disruptions and promises broken.     

 

 

 

 

A person did bring suit against scenic in Australia and won 12,000 in lost value.  Part of the reasoning in that award was due to the brochure design, as well as discovery showing that scenic was inconsistent in its policy concerning cancellations and refunds.

[RDC1]

11 hours ago, billybob57 said:

Not really looking forward to my up coming river cruise with Viking,

with all the disruption they should at least offer cancelations at no charge

its just greed.

when there is disruption in the Caribbean, Ocean cruises cancel sailings and they have thousands of passengers.

This is a one off river cruise, hopefully it all runs smoothly otherwise i wont be settling for a money off voucher,

which they know many will not be redeemed.

 

Actually most ocean cruise change the routes and ports, not cancel the cruise.  About the only time they actually cancel is when it is not safe for the ship to make it into port.  For example have seen eastern Caribbean cruises turn into western Caribbean during hurricane season.  You get very very few out right cancellations.

[gnome12]

On 11/13/2018 at 3:40 AM, Trvlcrazy said:

Have been reading every single post since September my friend.  Jcat2010, much appreciated for that information, exactly what I am looking for.  I have not come across any Ama Viola cruisers plus the Christmas market cruises have not started yet.  I make copious notes but my precise ship and itinerary does not have many people chiming in so not exactly the same. But I will continue to watch the boards...

I wouldn't concentratr so much on your ship, because there is a good chance that you might be starting on another ship. Just concentrate on the itinerary and any Ama ship on it.

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I wouldn't concentratr so much on your ship, because there is a good chance that you might be starting on another ship. Just concentrate on the itinerary and any Ama ship on it.

 

I agree.  For most river cruise lines, there isn't any great difference between ships that should concern passengers.  Our two European AMA cruises were on their oldest ships – but both trips were great and we never felt that a newer ship would have been better.  BTW they were both 110m ships, which would actually be a blessing in this year's low-water situations!

[notamermaid]

8 hours ago, kellyirwin610@gmail.com said:

We are set to leave Saturday on the Viking Atla from Nuremberg to Budapest. I can see that the Atla has been in Vienna for a couple of days; I'm assuming its stuck there and that we won't be sailing on the Atla. Husband called Viking yesterday and in the end they said no cancellations; "its in the contract." My husband advised the rep that he thought they had deceptive advertising because there is nothing mentioned about this when booking this very expensive trip. Well, we're going in with low expectations hoping for a great time regardless! On a side note, my son attends college in Malibu. He has been wearing the same set of clothes since last Thursday due to being evacuated from his residence as a result of these catastrophic fires in California. Hoping the evacuation order will be lifted so that he can grab some clean clothes before leaving on the trip. Counting our blessings!!!

That is really sad to read. What a distressing situation to be in. We have seen the footage on television of the fires...

 

Hope things improve soon and you can all enjoy a well earned rest.

 

notamermaid

 

[Trvlcrazy]

9 hours ago, gnome12 said:

I wouldn't concentratr so much on your ship, because there is a good chance that you might be starting on another ship. Just concentrate on the itinerary and any Ama ship on it.

I should have said Ama waterways ship whichever it was.  But yes, itinerary is important to me as I am arriving a day ahead to Nuremberg so change of ports at that point will be difficult.  But nothing can be done now so will learn as much geography as I can and be prepared.  

[Trvlcrazy]

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

I agree.  For most river cruise lines, there isn't any great difference between ships that should concern passengers.  Our two European AMA cruises were on their oldest ships – but both trips were great and we never felt that a newer ship would have been better.  BTW they were both 110m ships, which would actually be a blessing in this year's low-water situations!

First river cruise on this stretch so any ship is fine just so long as it stays on water :)  Now after reading these boards, I am even ok for ship swaps.  And by the time I leave in 3 weeks, I might even end up ok for "a" bus ride :(

[kellyirwin610]

5 hours ago, notamermaid said:

That is really sad to read. What a distressing situation to be in. We have seen the footage on television of the fires...

 

Hope things improve soon and you can all enjoy a well earned rest.

 

notamermaid

 

Thank you!

[kellyirwin610]

13 hours ago, mskaufman said:

Here is a link to some of our pictures

 

https://rivercruiseonthedanube.shutterfly.com/

 

 

Thanks for sharing your pictures; beautiful!

[worldtraveller99]

Hope everything goes well for your son KellyIrwin610 - we are expecting 1 degree C in the day and -5 at night some days! Erk! I am taking all my warmest clothes and hope to buy more in Vienna.

 

Just to add that we have annual trip insurance with InsureandGo, which has just renewed. I phoned them and added for £27, which I thought reasonable, "cruise insurance". This appears to give you £50 a day for missed ports, refunds on missed excursions, and I sincerely trust, a refund on the train tickets from Nuremberg back to Munich Airport which I bought online last month for about £50 (between us), if we never reach Nuremberg and have to buy new tickets to the airport from Passau or Linz or wherever we end up!

 

Has anyone ever claimed on this?

 

[Mark_T]

On 11/13/2018 at 1:54 AM, abelov said:

We are booked on a scenic Christmas market cruise, Budapest to Amsterdam departing on the 21st of November.  I am very concerned with the updates on the river levels.  Does anyone know if scenic tours have made it through in recent weeks?  I hope not to be on a bus tour instead of a river tour. 

Do you know which ship you are on?

 

If it is 135m long you have got a lot of changes heading your way unless there is a lot more rain than is currently forecast.

 

Are Scenic giving you any information about changes at the moment?

[Bizmark'sMom]

2 hours ago, Trvlcrazy said:

I should have said Ama waterways ship whichever it was.  But yes, itinerary is important to me as I am arriving a day ahead to Nuremberg so change of ports at that point will be difficult.  But nothing can be done now so will learn as much geography as I can and be prepared.  

We're in a similar situation. We have a couple of independant days before and after the cruise from Vienna to Nuremberg.  We are expecting to take the train from Passau to Nuremberg at the end of our cruise at this point.

[mskaufman]

1 hour ago, kellyirwin610@gmail.com said:

Thanks for sharing your pictures; beautiful!

 

If you look up Romantic Danube on Youtube, I am 75msk, although there are videos better than mine.

[bubbulz]

On 10/23/2018 at 11:27 PM, trickylibrarian said:

This is our first ever river cruise going on Uniworld SS Beatrice starting in Prague and then getting on boat in Nuremberg on Nov. 7th ending in Budapest on Nov. 14.  Sure hope all goes well.  Anyone out there think the cruise would be cancelled?

 

Looks like the SS Beatrice stopped in Vienna and didn't make it onward to Budapest as expected for your cruise. Any update on how logistics were handled for your cruise? Were you bused to Budapest and put up in a hotel (if so, which one)? We are due to board the Maria Theresa in Budapest soon but she hasn't made it to Budapest in many weeks as far as I can tell.

[abelov]

6 hours ago, Mark_T said:

Do you know which ship you are on?

 

If it is 135m long you have got a lot of changes heading your way unless there is a lot more rain than is currently forecast.

 

Are Scenic giving you any information about changes at the moment?

Hi Mark,  we are booked on the Opal.  Unfortunately scenic are not giving any information other than they will give us 48hours notice if there are any changes, however I feel this is very deceptive as they are aware of the situation and have been for sometime.  I appreciate the water levels can change but from the posts and forums that I have been on there have been many many disruptions and small value compensation offered once travellers are in Hungary.  We will already be in Hungary 48hours before our river cruise after a long flight from Australia.  We are in urgent discussions with our travel agent to cancel our trip and request a refund given the cost of the "5 star luxury" cruise that will no doubt turn into, in part, a bus trip.  We are very anxious, as a lot of people are no doubt, given the cost, however it is not the way you want to be heading into a holiday of a lifetime, stressed before you leave.  😞