Rhine water levels 2019 and similar topics

[djh1959]

We are due to sail on the Pearl from Amsterdam to Basel on 14th October.  We have heard nothing about a ship swap and we leave before you.

 

I have looked at the map where the Pearl is and I'm not sure it is where she should be so I wouldn't be surprised to get an email too.

 

She is due to leave Basel for Amsterdam on Monday 7th October, but currently she appears to be in Bernkastel which is a little strange.

[rileygirl12]

The day has finally come! We arrived in Nuremberg on schedule today only to find out while we were in flight from Florida our ship was changed again back to our original boat the Scenic Crystal. Instead of being taken directly to the ship we were transferred to the Grand Hotel downtown Nuremberg and offered a complimentary beverage while we hang here for three hours till we can be taken to the ship. Apparently it’s not docked yet, at least that is what we are being told. Although extremely tired we were excited to see Nuremberg because this otherwise would have been our second time here and not actually seeing the city. Traveling is adventurous otherwise why would we keep doing it! 

[notamermaid]

Good to hear from you rileygirl12!

Adventurous indeed. Hope you have a good transfer to your ship and then your cruise can begin. Great food and drink and lovely places to explore coming up.

 

notamermaid

 

[jpalbny]

Le Méridian Grand in Nuremberg? A beautiful place. We had dinner there for our anniversary a few years back.

 

You can easily walk to a few sights in the city from there. Hope you have the time and energy!

 

Exit the hotel, walk up Konigstraße, keeping the train station on your left. In a few blocks you'll see a church, then the Museum Bridge. A little further across the bridge, another church and a pretty fountain. Then head back for more drinks. 

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[argyllsock]

We are on the Avalon Panorama on the 05 October Sailing from Mainz to Amsterdam.  Just received an email from Avalon:

 

"There has been a change of your Cruise embarkation plan. Your ship AVALON PANORAMA will be in Nierstein instead of Mainz."

 

I expect that it's due to the embankment in Mainz not being deep enough - the channels are fine but docking is a problem.  I'm hoping we can get a shuttle into Mainz as we arrive very early on embarkation day and we were hoping to visit the Dom and the Gutenberg museum.

 

[FuelScience]

13 minutes ago, argyllsock said:

 I'm hoping we can get a shuttle into Mainz as we arrive very early on embarkation day and we were hoping to visit the Dom and the Gutenberg museum.

 

It's a 20 minute train ride, and they leave every 30 minutes. You can find scheduled trains on the bahn.de web site. The trains are a local carrier (RNN), and it looks like a ticket good for travel all day is 12 Euro.

Edited October 2, 2019 by FuelScience

[argyllsock]

5 hours ago, FuelScience said:

It's a 20 minute train ride, and they leave every 30 minutes. You can find scheduled trains on the bahn.de web site. The trains are a local carrier (RNN), and it looks like a ticket good for travel all day is 12 Euro.

Thank you!  That will work for us!

[rileygirl12]

19 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Le Méridian Grand in Nuremberg? A beautiful place. We had dinner there for our anniversary a few years back.

 

You can easily walk to a few sights in the city from there. Hope you have the time and energy!

 

Exit the hotel, walk up Konigstraße, keeping the train station on your left. In a few blocks you'll see a church, then the Museum Bridge. A little further across the bridge, another church and a pretty fountain. Then head back for more drinks. 

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Thanks for all your help in planning for our cruise and Nuremberg info. How good are you at bringing back the sunshine?

[notamermaid]

17 hours ago, FuelScience said:

It's a 20 minute train ride, and they leave every 30 minutes. You can find scheduled trains on the bahn.de web site. The trains are a local carrier (RNN), and it looks like a ticket good for travel all day is 12 Euro.

Public transport can work out well for @argyllsock indeed in that region. A good suggestion. To expand on this and clarify it a little further: The RNN is a Verkehrsverbund that means several carriers working together in a specific region for public transport - train, tram and bus. Their website has an English version that explains how they operate: https://www.rnn.info/index.php?id=93

 

argyllsock, enjoy Mainz and have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

[jpalbny]

Mainz is definitely worth a visit. Nice waterfront for strolling, the Dom, and the Gutenberg Museum were both worth a visit. We stayed in the Hyatt for 3 nights while exploring the area, but we did walk around Mainz a bunch.

 

There's an Augusteinerkeller if you want more than your fill of inexpensive food and drink. And Kleines Andechs, if you like their beer. Plenty of other good choices. 

 

One hint, if you're taking the train, it looks like the Hauptbahnhof is a decent walk from the major sights, probably at least 15 minutes. We drove by it once while in Mainz and it seemed far from the Old Town.

 

Maybe hop off at the prior stop, Römisches Theater? That seems a bit closer to where you want to go. Take a look at a map and plot out the places you want to see, then check which station is closer. If you are taking one of the local trains, odds are very good that it will stop at both.

[notamermaid]

Good point, jpalbny. From direction Nierstein (South of Mainz) Römisches Theater is the first station and makes more sense than going to Hbf - the main station.

 

Makes me want to go to Mainz again... Would you believe it, I have never been to the Gutenberg museum! I know the Landesmuseum which has all the archeological stuff. And the Dom and the shops.

 

Augustiner in Mainz... I am sure it is good but perhaps for a local brew: https://www.mainz-tourismus.com/en/explore-enjoy/wining-dining-in-mainz/beer-brewing/

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Docking in Cologne.

 

Cologne has huge embankments and spaces for river cruise ships on both the left (city centre) and the right (Deutz district and trade fair area as well as a small harbour) bank of the Rhine. Everybody would of course like to dock close to the old town and Cathedral but that is not always possible.

 

Remember slewis7 reported on Saturday they were out of town with the Viking Skirnir and I tracked the ship as being in the harbour at Niehl district in the North? Today I happened to see the Viking Ve in the harbour. What surprised me even more was the fact that the Viking Tialfi, Viking Eistla and Viking Skadi all docked in the city centre. All ships were in Cologne at the same time at 12.30pm local time. As I write the Viking Ve is still in the harbour by the way. With the river level having changed little (about five centimetres maximum) I wonder why three ships dock in town and one out. Is double docking not possible at this river level? A little puzzling. Whatever the reason for the logistics, one thing is certain: with the Viking Sigyn approaching that currently makes for five Viking ships within the boundaries of Cologne, which I find a lot.

 

I posted this quite some time ago, perhaps this is of interest for those new to the Rhine (no guarantee that it is up to date). The map of Cologne as provided by a German river cruise company: https://www.1avista.de/media/pdf/Dokument0-708-1.pdf

 

notamermaid

 

[G.M.T.]

8 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Mainz is definitely worth a visit. Nice waterfront for strolling, the Dom, and the Gutenberg Museum were both worth a visit. We stayed in the Hyatt for 3 nights while exploring the area, but we did walk around Mainz a bunch.

 

There's an Augusteinerkeller if you want more than your fill of inexpensive food and drink. And Kleines Andechs, if you like their beer. Plenty of other good choices. 

 

One hint, if you're taking the train, it looks like the Hauptbahnhof is a decent walk from the major sights, probably at least 15 minutes. We drove by it once while in Mainz and it seemed far from the Old Town.

 

Maybe hop off at the prior stop, Römisches Theater? That seems a bit closer to where you want to go. Take a look at a map and plot out the places you want to see, then check which station is closer. If you are taking one of the local trains, odds are very good that it will stop at both.

Andechs (should be Danube board) great beer and great schweinshaxe:

 

https://andechs.de/en/

 

[Escaper]

We are on Viking Ve.  There were 5 Viking ships in Koln today.  We were *told* we had to move to the industrial area due to low water levels.  I think they were fibbing or stretching the truth, as we certainly saw the same Viking sister ships docked in downtown area.  I think they probably have limited capacity, and we were diverted to the industrial area.

 

The weather was cold and rainy, so not may folks availed themselves of the opportunity to re-visit Koln after the morning excursions, partially since all the retail was closed due to Unification National Holiday.

 

Escaper

[jpalbny]

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

Andechs (should be Danube board) great beer and great schweinshaxe:

 

https://andechs.de/en/

 

Love that place!

 

Chris had been there on a trip years ago when she was in college. She took me there in 2013, during the river cruise that got canceled. June 2013...I am sure that you remember that?

 

We had a little snack. I absolutely love Schweinshaxe, but we didn't have room for one then. Another excuse to go back?

 

 

[argyllsock]

@notamermaid, @FuelScience, @jpalbny, @G.M.T.

 

Thank you for the great suggestions!  Very excited about spending a day in Mainz.  Appreciate all of the train travel tips!

 

One day to go!

[Schlugs]

Hi all 🙂

 

I have been following closely, thanks for all your updates! 

Our Scenic Jewels of Europe tour (Ams to Bud) leaves on Oct 14, Scenic Jewel. We booked this 18 months ago and cannot wait! 

 

Really hoping for water levels to be OK, but will take what we can!  I am sure it will all be magnificent. Pretty hard to hope for great water levels and also no rain on our tour..but whatever happens happens.

Still watching this page for water info tho 🙂 

[rileygirl12]

5 hours ago, Schlugs said:

Hi all 🙂

 

I have been following closely, thanks for all your updates! 

Our Scenic Jewels of Europe tour (Ams to Bud) leaves on Oct 14, Scenic Jewel. We booked this 18 months ago and cannot wait! 

 

Really hoping for water levels to be OK, but will take what we can!  I am sure it will all be magnificent. Pretty hard to hope for great water levels and also no rain on our tour..but whatever happens happens.

Still watching this page for water info tho 🙂 

Bring warm clothes because it’s cold! I’m jealous of the passengers that have down jackets 

[djh1959]

56 minutes ago, rileygirl12 said:

Bring warm clothes because it’s cold! I’m jealous of the passengers that have down jackets 

Ha ha, we also leave on 14th October on Scenic Pearl for the Rhine Highlights cruise.

 

I have been tossing up whether to pack my down jacket as well as a lighter leather one.  You have just made the decision for me! 

[Schlugs]

16 hours ago, rileygirl12 said:

Bring warm clothes because it’s cold! I’m jealous of the passengers that have down jackets 

Thannks! 

Down Puffer Jacket...check.

Beanie....runs off to find 😉

 

Well packing for all seasons as I think the ships are air conditioned. Packing raincoats also as when I checked on accuweather it said rain for most of our trip. 

River levels..so hard to predict eh. 

Watching this page like a hawk ! 

[djh1959]

7 hours ago, Schlugs said:

Thannks! 

Down Puffer Jacket...check.

Beanie....runs off to find 😉

 

Well packing for all seasons as I think the ships are air conditioned. Packing raincoats also as when I checked on accuweather it said rain for most of our trip. 

River levels..so hard to predict eh. 

Watching this page like a hawk ! 

We too are packing for all seasons, I have everything from sleeveless to down lol.
I am interested in what you said about Accuweather.  I just checked my app and it state sunshine most of the way with odd showers and cloudy days.  Definitely not rain.

We are sailing the Rhine from Amsterdam on 14th October.  Are you travelling at a different time or are our apps just different?

[Schlugs]

4 minutes ago, djh1959 said:

We too are packing for all seasons, I have everything from sleeveless to down lol.
I am interested in what you said about Accuweather.  I just checked my app and it state sunshine most of the way with odd showers and cloudy days.  Definitely not rain.

We are sailing the Rhine from Amsterdam on 14th October.  Are you travelling at a different time or are our apps just different?

Sorry, checked Accuweather a few days ago and it said rain for most of the trip. Checked again now and you are so right !! Sounds good eh. I see you are on the Pearl..we are on the Jewel leaving Ams also on 14th, but going to Budapest. So hopefully clear sailing for us all ..with good river levels 🙂

[djh1959]

1 minute ago, Schlugs said:

Sorry, checked Accuweather a few days ago and it said rain for most of the trip. Checked again now and you are so right !! Sounds good eh. I see you are on the Pearl..we are on the Jewel leaving Ams also on 14th, but going to Budapest. So hopefully clear sailing for us all ..with good river levels 🙂

Oh that's good news.  Let's hope the forecast doesn't change.  I really wanted to go all the way to Budapest, but this is our first river cruise and DHs first every time on a boat, so he wanted a short one to test the waters.

 

It has actually worked out well, because after we disembark in Basel we are spending six nights in Vienna and then six in Budapest so we will still get to see those places too.

 

Are you going to Amsterdam early?  We will arrive on Friday 11th so have three nights.  We have been to Amsterdam before, but still lots to see and do.

[Schlugs]

4 minutes ago, djh1959 said:

Oh that's good news.  Let's hope the forecast doesn't change.  I really wanted to go all the way to Budapest, but this is our first river cruise and DHs first every time on a boat, so he wanted a short one to test the waters.

 

It has actually worked out well, because after we disembark in Basel we are spending six nights in Vienna and then six in Budapest so we will still get to see those places too.

 

Are you going to Amsterdam early?  We will arrive on Friday 11th so have three nights.  We have been to Amsterdam before, but still lots to see and do.

OOH lucky you!! A very full trip for you both! 6 nights in Vienna and Budapest and even 3 in Ams..what a dream!! 

No, we get to Ams on the day and go straight to the ship from the airport.Then straight home afterwards. In retrospect I wish we gave ourselves more time at either end. So looking forward to it, just a week to go..less for you 🙂

[djh1959]

1 minute ago, Schlugs said:

OOH lucky you!! A very full trip for you both! 6 nights in Vienna and Budapest and even 3 in Ams..what a dream!! 

No, we get to Ams on the day and go straight to the ship from the airport.Then straight home afterwards. In retrospect I wish we gave ourselves more time at either end. So looking forward to it, just a week to go..less for you 🙂

Oh well never mind.  At least you have a two week cruise, I'll probably be sorry to have to get off lol.

 

My only worry about arriving on the day of the cruise is flight delays, although we are coming from Australia so it's a long way.  It always takes a day or two to get over the jetlag.  

 

Where are you coming from, the UK presumably?