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

[JZTravel]

2 hours ago, mtkprint said:

Were Plan A and Plan B an option or does Plan B only come into play if there is no rain and Plan A can't work. Or is it majority rules? When will the final call be made on what is happening.  We are on AMACerto on 22 December from Vienna to Nuremburg. Are still waiting to hear what is happening as we leave Australia on 7 December for a sea cruise first and fly to Vienna the day we finish the sea cruise. Lets hope the wifi is working on the sea cruise or we will have no idea what is going on.

We were told a decision would be made 4 days before departure. It’s their cal, they just wanted to make sure we knew what could happen. Truthfully, knowing that plan B is arguably as good or better than plan A really takes the pressure off in my opinion.

[B'Elanna]

I'll be on the Amadeus Queen from Vienna on the 28th. Heard from the TA today. We will be doing a ship swap to the Amadeus Elegant at Passau.

[G.M.T.]

2 hours ago, B'Elanna said:

I'll be on the Amadeus Queen from Vienna on the 28th. Heard from the TA today. We will be doing a ship swap to the Amadeus Elegant at Passau.

Vienna to Passau is going upstream, so doing a ship swap in Passau looks like continuing upstream. Currently you can only go about 20 Km upstream from Passau then no further because of low river levels.

 

It looks like you itinerary is 7 days Vienna top Nuremberg, to do a ship swap that should involve a bus trip either to Regensburg or Nuremberg, but not a ship swap in Passau as that does not make sense.

 

If I were you I would check back with the TA and see exactly what is involved.

 

Have a great time.

[G.M.T.]

4 hours ago, B'Elanna said:

I'll be on the Amadeus Queen from Vienna on the 28th. Heard from the TA today. We will be doing a ship swap to the Amadeus Elegant at Passau.

I can confirm that you will not be doing a ship swap in Passau, I had a look at the ships current locations, Amadeus Queen is in Linz and Amadeus Elegant is in Regensburg. So you will more than likely be bussed from Passau to Regensburg about 1.5 hours drive.

[Second seating]

Anyone in Regensburg I hope you get to visit the Thurn and Taxis Christmas Market this is one of my favorites!

 

https://www.thurnundtaxis.de/en/events/romantic-christmas-market/

 

Second seating

[MGGG54]

We were on the Danube Waltz from 11/6 to 11/14 with Viking we made it to Vienna.  Was bused from Vienna to Bratislova for the day amd back to ship.  The next day we were bused from Vienna to Budapest.  Lost the whole morning to travel.  Got to Budapest at 12:30 pm, dinner at 1:00 pm and then 3.5 hour bus tour starting at 2:00 PM. So no time to really walk around Budapest.

 

We skipped the bus tour to walk aroung Budapest.  Early Christmas market was open so did some shopping there.  The "Hotel" ship that Viking uses in Budapest is one of their older ships.  Also menu is not usual menu, it had "very" limited choices.  If I had known I would have stayed in Budapest at Christmas market that had a huge variety of fresh food to eat.

 

While Viking cannot control the water, they can control, the food and amenities.  How can a "Hotel" ship docked in a major city serve a limited menu when a ship moving from city to city on the Danube can have a more diverse men?.

[steverhodes]

Which ship where you coming from and which ship did you use as a hotel in Budapest?

[worldtraveller99]

2 hours ago, G.M.T. said:

I can confirm that you will not be doing a ship swap in Passau, I had a look at the ships current locations, Amadeus Queen is in Linz and Amadeus Elegant is in Regensburg. So you will more than likely be bussed from Passau to Regensburg about 1.5 hours drive.

We are on that Amadeus ship with you B'Elanna, so thank you and G.M.T. for the heads up that we will need to pack on our Passau afternoon? Regensburg morning? to travel to Regensburg the morning of that day, probably? Unless the relentless rain now forecast makes that unnecessary?  The Amadeus Elegant certainly has smaller cabins, pity. Hope the food is going to be good though - it is our first cruise with Amadeus?

We are Hilary and Graydon - is your name B'Elanna? Please come and say Hallo on the ship!

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Cruise Critic here in the same boat (ha). I am slated to be on Emerald Waterways, leaving Budapest on Dec. 8 for Nuremberg. Reading the threads and hoping for rain! 

[B'Elanna]

5 hours ago, G.M.T. said:

Vienna to Passau is going upstream, so doing a ship swap in Passau looks like continuing upstream. Currently you can only go about 20 Km upstream from Passau then no further because of low river levels.

 

It looks like you itinerary is 7 days Vienna top Nuremberg, to do a ship swap that should involve a bus trip either to Regensburg or Nuremberg, but not a ship swap in Passau as that does not make sense.

 

If I were you I would check back with the TA and see exactly what is involved.

 

Have a great time.

The TA said in the email that at 8am on the Sun (2nd), there will be a transfer (bus) from Passau to Regensburg. I was also told that the bus takes 90 minutes.

 

Also the TA said this -  "between Regensburg and Passau is not navigable, due to the critical situation in Pfelling (near Regensburg)". 

[B'Elanna]

1 hour ago, worldtraveller99 said:

We are on that Amadeus ship with you B'Elanna, so thank you and G.M.T. for the heads up that we will need to pack on our Passau afternoon? Regensburg morning? to travel to Regensburg the morning of that day, probably? Unless the relentless rain now forecast makes that unnecessary?  The Amadeus Elegant certainly has smaller cabins, pity. Hope the food is going to be good though - it is our first cruise with Amadeus?

We are Hilary and Graydon - is your name B'Elanna? Please come and say Hallo on the ship!

Hi Hilary and Graydon,

 

This is the new 'schedule' that the TA sent.

 

B'Elanna (real name Heidi) 

[Second seating]

My note to Uniworld today omitting names for posting here. We do arrive prior to Dec. 2nd.

 

Second seating

 

Hello,

 

I am booked on the S.S. Maria Theresa Budapest to Passau December 2nd through December 9th.

We are looking forward to our upcoming cruise with Uniworld. This will be my eighth cruise on Uniworld and my friend's first. I saw this posting on Cruise Critic (please see below) and I am hoping that Uniworld will find a more pleasant way of managing the river level problems than Viking did. Specifically, I hope that Uniworld does not plan to shuttle passengers back and forth between Budapest and Vienna on a bus. Spending the night in a hotel in Budapest would be a much better option! Of course one bus trip from Budapest to Vienna will be needed to get the passengers to the ship; I just hope we can avoid spending about six hours on a bus going from Vienna to Budapest and back to Vienna in one day.

 

Thank you,

 

"We were on the Danube Waltz from 11/6 to 11/14 with Viking we  made it to Vienna.  Was bused from Vienna to Bratislova for the day amd back to ship.  The next day we were bused from Vienna to Budapest.  Lost the whole morning to travel.  Got to Budapest at 12:30 pm, dinner at 1:00 pm and then 3.5 hour bus tour starting at 2:00 PM. So no time to really walk around Budapest".

[Trvlcrazy]

Received my Iconic Christmas markets sailing Dec 7 Nuremberg to Budapest on Ama Viola documents in email from my TA yesterday because AMA office is closed due to California fires.  Although 32 pages long per passenger - generic instructions.  Perhaps any changes due to water levels will be communicated closer to the date ? 

[bubbulz]

12 minutes ago, Second seating said:

My note to Uniworld today omitting names for posting here. We do arrive prior to Dec. 2nd.

 

Second seating

 

Hello,

 

I am booked on the S.S. Maria Theresa Budapest to Passau December 2nd through December 9th.

We are looking forward to our upcoming cruise with Uniworld. This will be my eighth cruise on Uniworld and my friend's first. I saw this posting on Cruise Critic (please see below) and I am hoping that Uniworld will find a more pleasant way of managing the river level problems than Viking did. Specifically, I hope that Uniworld does not plan to shuttle passengers back and forth between Budapest and Vienna on a bus. Spending the night in a hotel in Budapest would be a much better option! Of course one bus trip from Budapest to Vienna will be needed to get the passengers to the ship; I just hope we can avoid spending about six hours on a bus going from Vienna to Budapest and back to Vienna in one day.

 

Thank you,

 

"We were on the Danube Waltz from 11/6 to 11/14 with Viking we  made it to Vienna.  Was bused from Vienna to Bratislova for the day amd back to ship.  The next day we were bused from Vienna to Budapest.  Lost the whole morning to travel.  Got to Budapest at 12:30 pm, dinner at 1:00 pm and then 3.5 hour bus tour starting at 2:00 PM. So no time to really walk around Budapest".

For recent cruises, Uniworld has been busing between Vienna and Budapest (one way, depending on the origination/destination of the cruise) and has been providing a one-night stay in a hotel in Budapest. For some cruises, the Beatrice was in Budapest, and was used basically as a floating hotel. I expect they will be making a decision soon for the cruise starting December 2 in Budapest. Right now the Maria Theresa is waiting in Vienna.

[worldtraveller99]

1 hour ago, B'Elanna said:

Hi Hilary and Graydon,

 

This is the new 'schedule' that the TA sent.

 

B'Elanna (real name Heidi) 

Brilliant Heidi - at least we only have 2 nights in the lower quality ship with smaller cabins. Please do come and say hallo - we are staying in one of the Suites on the top deck.

[steverhodes]

3 hours ago, MGGG54 said:

We were on the Danube Waltz from 11/6 to 11/14 with Viking we made it to Vienna.  Was bused from Vienna to Bratislova for the day amd back to ship.  The next day we were bused from Vienna to Budapest.  Lost the whole morning to travel.  Got to Budapest at 12:30 pm, dinner at 1:00 pm and then 3.5 hour bus tour starting at 2:00 PM. So no time to really walk around Budapest.

 

We skipped the bus tour to walk aroung Budapest.  Early Christmas market was open so did some shopping there.  The "Hotel" ship that Viking uses in Budapest is one of their older ships.  Also menu is not usual menu, it had "very" limited choices.  If I had known I would have stayed in Budapest at Christmas market that had a huge variety of fresh food to eat.

 

While Viking cannot control the water, they can control, the food and amenities.  How can a "Hotel" ship docked in a major city serve a limited menu when a ship moving from city to city on the Danube can have a more diverse men?.

Which ship where you coming from and which ship did you use as a hotel in Budapest?

 

[Bgreco1]

Hi Everyone,

 

My wife and I are planning to be on the Riveria Cruise, Thomas Hardy Ship, for the Christmas Market Cruise departing Budapest on December 6th. I'm reading a lot about other Cruise lines not being able to sail to Budapest or out of Budapest does anyone know this line? And if they or any cruise ships are currently able to sail out of Budapest? Also I am seeing Rain this week in the Budapest area, can this possibly make a difference? I know its impossible to know but i'm wondering where it needs to rain for us to have a chance at sailing! Also so I can properly send my rain dance hopes. Thank you for any information!

[G.M.T.]

40 minutes ago, Bgreco1 said:

Hi Everyone,

 

My wife and I are planning to be on the Riveria Cruise, Thomas Hardy Ship, for the Christmas Market Cruise departing Budapest on December 6th. I'm reading a lot about other Cruise lines not being able to sail to Budapest or out of Budapest does anyone know this line? And if they or any cruise ships are currently able to sail out of Budapest? Also I am seeing Rain this week in the Budapest area, can this possibly make a difference? I know its impossible to know but i'm wondering where it needs to rain for us to have a chance at sailing! Also so I can properly send my rain dance hopes. Thank you for any information!

Welcome to CC.

 

Rain in the Budapest area will only be helpful cruises going downstream towards Bucharest, upstream to Vienna no help at all.

 

There is another low river area that is currently not passable and that is between Passau and Regensburg.

 

To alleviate the current low river levels it needs to rain in the whole of the Danube catchment area, Southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

[Bgreco1]

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

Welcome to CC.

 

Rain in the Budapest area will only be helpful cruises going downstream towards Bucharest, upstream to Vienna no help at all.

 

There is another low river area that is currently not passable and that is between Passau and Regensburg.

 

To alleviate the current low river levels it needs to rain in the whole of the Danube catchment area, Southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

 

Thank you so much for this information and your response. So if i'm hearing you correct, it would seem doubtful at this point we will be sailing the leg of our trip from Budapest to Vienna? Unless there are a few solid days of rain over the south Germany region? Perhaps near Passau and Regensburg areas?

[G.M.T.]

1 minute ago, Bgreco1 said:

 

Thank you so much for this information and your response. So if i'm hearing you correct, it would seem doubtful at this point we will be sailing the leg of our trip from Budapest to Vienna? Unless there are a few solid days of rain over the south Germany region? Perhaps near Passau and Regensburg areas?

Correct.

[MGGG54]

2 hours ago, steverhodes said:

Which ship where you coming from and which ship did you use as a hotel in Budapest?

 

We were on the Vilhjalm from Passau to Vienna and the Bragi in Budapest.

[Second seating]

5 hours ago, bubbulz said:

For recent cruises, Uniworld has been busing between Vienna and Budapest (one way, depending on the origination/destination of the cruise) and has been providing a one-night stay in a hotel in Budapest. For some cruises, the Beatrice was in Budapest, and was used basically as a floating hotel. I expect they will be making a decision soon for the cruise starting December 2 in Budapest. Right now the Maria Theresa is waiting in Vienna.

bubbulz,

 

You got more of an answer than me. I like your answer better!

 

Second seating

 

Thank you for contacting Uniworld River Cruises. We greatly appreciate your feedback. Please note that at the moment management continues monitoring the water levels and as of now we have not received any changes for your sailing date. We will keep though our guests informed if any changes may occur.

Should you need further assistance, feel free to contact our Reservations team at 1(800)733-7820.

Best regards,

Emily Rolon
Reservations Services

[bubbulz]

13 minutes ago, Second seating said:

bubbulz,

 

You got more of an answer than me. I like your answer better!

 

Second seating

 

Thank you for contacting Uniworld River Cruises. We greatly appreciate your feedback. Please note that at the moment management continues monitoring the water levels and as of now we have not received any changes for your sailing date. We will keep though our guests informed if any changes may occur.

Should you need further assistance, feel free to contact our Reservations team at 1(800)733-7820.

Best regards,

Emily Rolon
Reservations Services

I agree, but not all of my summation is based on info from Uniworld. Part of it has been my constant (obsessively at times!) monitoring of ships and ports but added with an equal part of persistence and refusal to accept the standard - and often inaccurate and/or misleading - messages from my TA or the cruise line. Also I have a friend who has updated me directly regarding her recent experience with her cruise ending in Budapest. 

[pully8]

One issue that is highlighted in these discussions is that the need for information in a timely manner is not being given by the operators. 

Without this forum, word of mouth from fellow cruisers, locals and other social media we would not be getting accurate information or updates.

Meanwhile we are getting copious marketing material to sell cruise products via email and snail mail.

Other enquiries post sale and payment are met with standard scripts that are not informative and sometimes not accurate. As someone remarked awhile ago it would be funny if not serious.

 

[steamboats]

15 hours ago, Cruise Critic Chris said:

Cruise Critic here in the same boat (ha). I am slated to be on Emerald Waterways, leaving Budapest on Dec. 8 for Nuremberg. Reading the threads and hoping for rain! 

 

Hi Chris,

 

I fear to Dec 8th the hopes for rain won´t help much. We need at least two weeks of constant rain. And currently it´s too cold as it´s around freezing point.

 

Our gas price in Munich is 20 cents higher than in Berlin due to the low water situation as the crude oil is coming by ship. Also the price for domestic fuel oil has gone up (plus we had an explosion in a refinery here in Bavaria so they can´t come up with the needed capacity until that refinery is rebuilt).

 

This has been the dryest year ever. We had almost no spring and no fall but changed from winter to summer and back to winter.

 

steamboats