Rhine water levels 2020 and similar topics

[Steerage Club]

Avalon Waterways per their website (March12) states that they are temporarily suspending operations through April 30, 2020.

[AF-1]

I sail AMA on 11 May;  if I were a betting man; I believe my trip will cancel.  

[Daisi]

4 hours ago, notamermaid said:

I am loosing track of what is happening. Uniworld has stopped, Viking has stopped, Amawaterways has stopped. AvalonWaterways still running cruises?

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

 

 

Avalon has suspended operations to April 30.  Posting in the Avalon thread their updated Peace of Mind benefits.

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Daisi
Updating info

[notamermaid]

Thank you people for the infos.

 

I have returned from work and the words that hang over this day are "cancellations" and "doom". The tourism industry and events people have been hit very hard, it became so apparent today.

 

Public life is shutting down at an alarming rate. Yesterday I was quite pleased with the fact that there were only 52 cases in Rhineland-Palatinate, today there are 101. This map had been relatively void of major markings three weeks ago, now it has more red patches than blank ones and the shades of red are deepening in intensity: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/zahl-der-corona-infizierten-gestiegen-100.html 

 

Doom is entering my usually positive mind, I said to my colleague that I feel there is an invisible wolf circling around me, getting ever closer till one day it will bite without me noticing.

 

I hope you are in good spirits despite cancellations and disappointment. Stay safe.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[AF-1]

All the best to you and thank you for your continued updated info about river cruising on the Rhine

[jerryd1]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

I hope you are in good spirits despite cancellations and disappointment. Stay safe.

 

Disappointments? yes    But in the big scheme of things a cancelled cruise or two is hardly a bump in the road.    

 

Thanks for keeping us informed and all the best to you!     You, too, stay safe!

[Wannawander]

5 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Thank you people for the infos.

 

I have returned from work and the words that hang over this day are "cancellations" and "doom". The tourism industry and events people have been hit very hard, it became so apparent today.

 

Public life is shutting down at an alarming rate. Yesterday I was quite pleased with the fact that there were only 52 cases in Rhineland-Palatinate, today there are 101. This map had been relatively void of major markings three weeks ago, now it has more red patches than blank ones and the shades of red are deepening in intensity: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/zahl-der-corona-infizierten-gestiegen-100.html 

 

Doom is entering my usually positive mind, I said to my colleague that I feel there is an invisible wolf circling around me, getting ever closer till one day it will bite without me noticing.

 

I hope you are in good spirits despite cancellations and disappointment. Stay safe.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Oh notamermaid, i can’t even imagine how it is for you.....most heart wrenching. You do realize that those who have followed you for a few years feel like we have a friend living near the Rhine. Well, I do anyway. I appreciate your faithfulness to our queries regarding river levels but, maybe even more than that I value your sharing of yourself with us. Thank you for all you do and for all you are!💗

[PrettyParrot]

Dear @notamermaid you are awesome for all you do for us here on Cruise Critic. Your invaluable Insights and information are incredibly helpful and a wonderful look at culture.  Stay safe and know that we appreciate you! 🤗

[notamermaid]

To all of you out there who have posted with long messages in the last few days: you have filled me with joy - and my eyes with tears.

 

Thank you all also for your continued support by sending feedback great and small, be it with a short post or a reaction to a post.

 

You are lovely.

 

Look after yourselves.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

People have uttered the word "surreal" on this board several times in the last week or so. Yes, that is how it feels. And a combination of science fiction of the unpleasant kind and a post-war scenario of the mild kind spring to mind. Life is slowly coming to a stand-still. I fall asleep thinking about Coronavirus, I wake up thinking about Coronavirus.

 

In Rhineland-Palatinate indoor events of over 75 people are prohibited. Yesterday afternoon, a shopping trip took me to a half empty town. It is a strange mood that is coming out in places. It feels like an invitation for unruly behaviour of the mad or the ones that do not care.

 

There are no church services. Restaurants are still open but do not seem to have many customers. People are afraid to stand close or sit close. I picked up some food at a local restaurant that has no delivery service. It was almost empty. The situation is difficult. It will push some local clubs to the point of bankruptcy. I am planning to donate some money to such a club of music friends, they will struggle, having had to cancel a major (for them) event.

 

Schools will be closed from tomorrow, so a teacher I know is setting up distance learning for his students. A relative has gone into home office. And me? At short notice, my office building is closing down. I do not know how this will work for me in practice yet. Much to sort out next week...

 

Take care, look after the elderly and the vulnerable and if your spirits are down: sing. The Italians are doing it well. Perhaps, initially, keep your windows closed still. If the situation gets worse, organize your neighbours and open the windows.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Just a reminder, most of my info comes from the German authorities' websites, the local TV stations, nationwide tagesschau TV programme and Deutsche Welle. Deutsche Welle covers the news on the Coronavirus outbreak from around the world in a daily report starting 0:00 and ending 23:59. Today, find everything from the latest border closures to vaccine here:

https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-latest-germany-to-close-some-borders-reports/a-52777896

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

It's getting sureal all over... here in Canada, we have a Travel advisory to "get home ASAP" if you are abroad.  Where I am, although there are only 5 confirmed cases in the closest city, shoppers are clearing out the stores (at least from what I hear in the city, our small towns are lowish, but still have most basic supplies), church services are all cancelled, schools which closed for a week for "March Break" will be closed another 2 weeks after (so kids now have 3 weeks off).  All public buildings (libraries, museums, arenas, pools etc) are closed until further notice...have fun keeping kids busy for 3 weeks...:)

 

So far the only business shut downs are those who can have their employees work from home (high tech).  I feel for those in Europe where employees are off with no pay for 3 weeks or so, it can't be easy.  Our government has created a special fund for anyone with problems here, hopefully it will be enough (at least for day to day living, and if no one gets greedy).  

 

It's scary, and hopefully we can all do our best to help health services do whatever they need to in order to turn this around.

 

On the lighter side...when they cancelled our Hockey, a team of Doctors from McMaster University (Hamilton Ont) and Sunnybrook Hospital (Toronto Ont) found a way to isolate the virus, and the doctors in Saskatchewan are ready to start the long process of testing their vaccine.  The big joke around here is "Don't take away our hockey"!

 

Stay safe all, and hopefully we can start planning travels again soon.

[AF-1]

I live in Ohio and the Governor just closed all bars and restaurants as of 9pm 15 Mar.  My son is out of a job until they reopen.  

[notamermaid]

13 hours ago, AF-1 said:

I live in Ohio and the Governor just closed all bars and restaurants as of 9pm 15 Mar.  My son is out of a job until they reopen.  

It is financially hard on many people but those that work on an hourly rate or are employed on short time contracts will suffer even more. Many hotels and restaurants here can feel it already, the financial burden. If believed evidence is correct, the club scene and proximity of guests in restaurants are a major source of infection for the younger generation. In Berlin for that reason the nightclub scene has been, well, basically closed.

Hopefully this will keep party goers and staff safe, with similar measures following or already having been implemented all over the world.

 

Germany has sort of closed five borders now. My personal opinion: too few closures, too late, across the EU. Britain, hurry up, you are not in Schengen anyway!!

 

I still do not know if I will be working from home officially or behind closed doors without access by the public. I have a good contract and need not worry. The self-employed will struggle more.

 

My health insurance will get a large sum of money from me today and my purse will cry out in pain. But it is nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to the grief and pain of those who have lost a family member or are struggling to keep working to help those in critical medical conditions. My heart is heavy.

 

Look after yourselves, more than ever.

 

notamermaid

 

P.S.: The levels of the Rhine are falling, are now on a high but pleasant level. No flooding.

 

 

[notamermaid]

Okay, that's it. No more shopping trips other than to get groceries. Will just need to see when that will come into effect:

https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-latest-germany-to-close-all-bars-restaurants-and-non-essential-shops/a-52788195

 

Seeing that I do not need to go to work now, I need not look good in that new pair of trousers I was meaning to buy...

 

Home office in scruffy sweat-shirt, here I come.

 

I just need to make sure I get a last minute delivery from my favourite Italian restaurant.

 

What a crazy world. Would you believe it, two weeks ago we where still wondering about mass gatherings and if the cruise lines cancel.

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

Stay safe notamermaid, and enjoy your working from home.  It can be quite nice being able to work and have the convenience of coffee/tea whenever you wish, and no one to disturb you.  Laundry is also great, as home clothes become work clothes!

 

Hopefully if everyone starts to listen to the health authorities, we can start turning this around.

[gnome12]

I'm still a bit in limbo. My trip isn't until May 21st and while I don't expect it to go, no one is cancelling that far in advance. I can't do anything about my (currently) non-refundable flights yet, nor have they cancelled the bike and barge yet. When that happens, I will cancel my hotel reservations, and hopefully my train reservations.

 

I'm enjoying working from home in a pair of leggings that I would never wear to work, but it is going to get fairly boring here after a while, even for me as an introvert.

 

I'm looking forward to a few virtual events, Choir!ntine: EPIC Social Distan-Sing-Along! Tuesday night with a bunch of songs about friends and helping others, and a virtual play on Sunday afternoon from a small theatre that I go to. Just a few things to lighten the alone-ness.

[notamermaid]

From tomorrow we will almost cut ourselves off from other countries and each other. That is a bit what it feels like. Not easy to stay calm anymore. Not for me anyway, others are more positive and the young generation a bit more easy-going about this.

 

The RKI people (disease control) have put up the risk to high.

 

The midday church bell took on a "ringing in of doom" air for me.

 

Keep saying to myself: this may feel like 1945 but it is not, there are no ruins. Life is good, I do not feel ill.

 

This is Germany as of tomorrow: https://m.dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-brings-in-unprecedented-restrictions-on-public-life/a-52801471 

 

Office closed, my boss in home office, parliament not meeting tomorrow in Mainz. Good.

 

And as strange as it may sound, I cheered yesterday when I read that supermarkets are allowed to open on Sundays. Just like in Britain, great!

 

River levels high but pleasant. But no river cruise ship will come...

 

Weather lovely, sun is out, daffodils in full bloom, neighbour's cats happy!

 

notamermaid

 

[pully8]

Daffodils sound lovely.

Sounds grim globally at present and with almost coordinated similar lockdowns everywhere.

Like all things it will pass but the uncertainty of when is concerning.

Not just about the health issues and severe restrictions that change almost daily, the financial markets and social disruption is difficult to process.

We look forward to when we can again cruise and visit Europe.

Thanks for your updates.

 

[notamermaid]

How quickly things change. Now the Robert Koch Institut has added the US states of California, Washington and New York to the risk zones. Not that we are supposed to travel anywhere, anyway.

 

If you are interested, here is the page that takes you to the daily situation report for Germany (available in German and English): https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Situationsberichte/Gesamt.html 

 

I have done my last shopping trip under normal circumstances today. Markedly more young people around. Hope they keep their distance from each other and others, for the sake of mother and father and even more so grandmother and grandfather. Oh, come to think of it. Hospital and old peoples home visits are restricted to persons aged 16 and over and limited by time as well.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited March 17, 2020 by notamermaid
Wrong word

[notamermaid]

Rhineland-Palatinate has now gone a step further and prohibited all events and gatherings. That is intended to also include private parties. So forget that early Spring barbecue.

 

Oh dear.

 

This is all so new it is just hard to digest. How long will it take till routine turns into cabin fever I wonder? Oh well, we are still allowed to shop and go to work. But I can see a lock down as a strong possibility of a next step.

 

Hmm, I am not convinced we will see many river cruise ships sailing in May. Am I being realistic or pessimistic? Time will tell.

 

All the best.

 

notamermaid

 

[jerryd1]

20 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

I am not convinced we will see many river cruise ships sailing in May. Am I being realistic or pessimistic?

 

I would bet on the "realistic" unfortunately.

[notamermaid]

On 3/17/2020 at 1:13 PM, pully8 said:

Daffodils sound lovely.

Sounds grim globally at present and with almost coordinated similar lockdowns everywhere.

Like all things it will pass but the uncertainty of when is concerning.

Not just about the health issues and severe restrictions that change almost daily, the financial markets and social disruption is difficult to process.

We look forward to when we can again cruise and visit Europe.

Thanks for your updates.

 

Thank you pully8.

Even getting to Europe from Australia, if one still wants to, is proving a challenge by plane. Now Germany is denying entry to Non-EU citizens. This is an article on the subject: https://m.dw.com/en/germany-turning-people-back-at-the-airport-what-you-need-to-know/a-52819857 

 

Shopping is turning into a rather unpleasant experience.

 

About the daffodils, I will come back to that later or tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

[pully8]

https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-to-build-1000-bed-coronavirus-hospital/a-52811671 just Read about this proposal for Berlin.

Best to be prepared I suppose.

It all sounds like a bad dream globally at present.

We are getting messages not to travel overseas at all by our PM.

Only place not mentioned was Antarctica.

Frankly I would prefer the spring flowers and tree blossoms. 

Looking forward to this passing but our PM is saying at least 6 months.

Meanwhile we have happy memories and hope for better things to follow.

Take care all.

[Daisi]

9 minutes ago, pully8 said:

https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-to-build-1000-bed-coronavirus-hospital/a-52811671 just Read about this proposal for Berlin.

Best to be prepared I suppose.

It all sounds like a bad dream globally at present.

We are getting messages not to travel overseas at all by our PM.

Only place not mentioned was Antarctica.

Frankly I would prefer the spring flowers and tree blossoms. 

Looking forward to this passing but our PM is saying at least 6 months.

Meanwhile we have happy memories and hope for better things to follow.

Take care all.

 

Pully8, he probably didn't mention Antartica because we are just getting out of winter...figures no-one wants to see more. 🙂  

 

I see they are looking at even closing the boarder off with the US, except for essential services/supplies.