Rhine water levels 2022 and similar topics

[notamermaid]

Good question. I am not sure. At the moment it is probably coal...

 

Bulk, yes, commodities of all the type that is too heavy and too much to transport solely by rail and road. Chemicals, heating oil, also steel and car transport. Grain. Animal feed. Fertilizer. Sometimes wood. But I do not know what may be the biggest piece in a pie chart. There is a lot of container shipping, too.

 

With a bit of time I could have a look in the statistics.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[CPT Trips]

9 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Good question. I am not sure. At the moment it is probably coal...

 

Bulk, yes, commodities of all the type that is too heavy and too much to transport solely by rail and road. Chemicals, heating oil, also steel and car transport. Grain. Animal feed. Fertilizer. Sometimes wood. But I do not know what may be the biggest piece in a pie chart. There is a lot of container shipping, too.

 

With a bit of time I could have a look in the statistics.

 

notamermaid

 

 

You answered my question. Save the time for river conditions 👍

[notamermaid]

1 minute ago, CPT Trips said:

You answered my question. Save the time for river conditions 👍

Thank you. It kind of bugs me that I do not know a rough estimate of a pie chart, so I will put it on the back burner and check it some time.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[RDVIK2016]

5 hours ago, notamermaid said:

A river cruise ship is on its way to the Rhine. This one is a special sailing. The MS Alisa is on her way to the Netherlands to be fitted with all that is needed to turn her into a proper ship, right now she is being pushed as a steel hull by Zasavica III and is on the Main. I believe the push boat is only allowed to sail during the day, so it will be another day till she arrives at Mainz and then attempts the passage of the Rhine Gorge. I reckon it could work as she is obviously much lighter still than a finished river cruise ship is. We will see. I hope the Zasavica III continues the job, if she is fixed alongside a barge on the Rhine instead I will have a hard time picking up that track on a shipspotting website. She will be part of the fleet of Phoenix Reisen.

Very interesting.  Alisa seems to have a shallow draught and has come all the way from a shipyard on the Sava river in Serbia. This will have to be an important consideration for all cruise companies. I wonder if they might have to give up some features for that shallow draught.  I saw another boat from that shipyard in Serbia with a draught of 1,3 m, but still with a length of 135 m. Viking has taken delivery of its last Longships I think.  Their next series will probably be able to sail shallower waters.  

[notamermaid]

1 minute ago, RDVIK2016 said:

Viking has taken delivery of its last Longships I think. 

That is correct. The contract with the shipyard has ended. Have not heard what Viking will do next.

https://www.cruise4news.at/166326/neptun-werft-65-flussschiffe-fuer-viking-river-cruises-seit-2010/

65 ships in ten years.

I am sure there is an English language article with similar text published somewhere.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Is it creepy, weird, worrying or surreal? Or another word? Call it what you will, it certainly is noteworthy. Like Kaub and a few other gauges on the Rhine Emmerich close to the border (see the video a few posts back) has a forecast and tentative forecast/modelling. For Tuesday it says zero - with a possibility for going into minus figures. You could argue that this is only what the reference point is set at and where the gauge is in the water. Correct, but Emmerich is also on the way to setting itself a new all time record low. The previous one was set at 7cm on 23 October 2018.

 

This what it looks like tonight:

 

notamermaid

 

 

[RDVIK2016]

37 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Is it creepy, weird, worrying or surreal? Or another word? Call it what you will, it certainly is noteworthy. Like Kaub and a few other gauges on the Rhine Emmerich close to the border (see the video a few posts back) has a forecast and tentative forecast/modelling. For Tuesday it says zero - with a possibility for going into minus figures. You could argue that this is only what the reference point is set at and where the gauge is in the water. Correct, but Emmerich is also on the way to setting itself a new all time record low. The previous one was set at 7cm on 23 October 2018.

 

This what it looks like tonight:

 

notamermaid

 

 

Cruise Critic needs WOW and Sad face emojis! I sure don't want to give this a heart or a thank you.

 

[krintc]

On 8/12/2022 at 9:15 PM, gayles said:

 

Hopefully we can meet on the ship!  Our friends have canceled so it just me and my husband going.

We had part of our group cancel as well. But there are five of us still going! We are from Michigan and it would be lovely to meet IRL!

[Canal archive]

Now that sounds like an excellent excuse for a party 🎉 enjoy 😊 

[FM-R]

On 8/6/2022 at 11:55 PM, RDVIK2016 said:

I have been following the Viking ships on their Rhine Getaway itinerary.  None have sailed through the Rhine Gorge for several days.  They all stop short of the Gorge whether they are traveling upstream or down.  They swap passengers with a ship on the other end of the Gorge, turn around and head back to the port where they started, allowing the swapped passengers to complete their itinerary.

I'm on Basel to Amsterdam embarking 8/30.  If this should be the case, does this mean we get off at Speyer for excursion and get on another boat in Koblenz or is ship change actually just at the Gorge?  Not sure how/where the ship swapping happens.  Thanks!

[Bowler Lady]

On 8/12/2022 at 2:07 AM, notamermaid said:

 

That is right about September and October. And is the reason for people being worried. If we have such low levels in August what will it be like in September and October? The weather could change but statistically it is unlikely to. Relying on Lake Constance and rainfall with all the tributaries also low on water, the Rhine is "always" on the low side in Autumn compared to Summer. I have my doubts about the Grand European itinerary in Autumn. But I will gather my thoughts on that for posting them another day.

 

 

Thank you for all your knowledge, insights, and reporting to us on the Rhine river levels.

 

We are departing on the AMA Siena from Amsterdam on Sept. 15 to Basel. It is so disheartening to hear and see all these changes to the rivers in Europe. I will just have to pray that our trip won't be turned into a total land tour.. 

[notamermaid]

Hello folks, a working Sunday for me. Therefore just a quick catching up with the river levels. Basically a little worse than yesterday. Kaub gauge at 34cm.

 

My flat is 30 Celsius and I have two fans running more or less constantly. Could I change to the air conditioned lounge on a river cruise ship, please?

 

notamermaid

 

[gayles]

Just now, gayles said:

It looks like all the ships are clustered at Strasburg and Cologne because they have more docks.  So I think you do 2 days of excursions from one of those ports and transfer to the other ship on the second day.  I figured this out because for 3 days some of the ships have not moved (from the above mentioned ports) and there have not been any Viking ships docked at Speyer.  Google maps shows the drive between  these 2 cities is 2 hours and 41 minutes but likely longer since its a bus.  I am hoping someone from the current cruises can comment.

 

Just now, gayles said:

 

 

[FM-R]

32 minutes ago, gayles said:

It looks like all the ships are clustered at Strasburg and Cologne because they have more docks.  So I think you do 2 days of excursions from one of those ports and transfer to the other ship on the second day.  I figured this out because for 3 days some of the ships have not moved (from the above mentioned ports) and there have not been any Viking ships docked at Speyer.  Google maps shows the drive between  these 2 cities is 2 hours and 41 minutes but likely longer since its a bus.  I am hoping someone from the current cruises can comment.

 

What if I simply do not want to bus around?  I believe Viking docks in Kehl.  Can I just stay and explore that town and get myself to Strasburg?  Or do Cologne on my own or with a private excursion? Seems like as long as I get myself back to ship......

[gayles]

24 minutes ago, FM-R said:

What if I simply do not want to bus around?  I believe Viking docks in Kehl.  Can I just stay and explore that town and get myself to Strasburg?  Or do Cologne on my own or with a private excursion? Seems like as long as I get myself back to ship......

I have no idea how much freedom you have to do things on your own.  My husband and I are going August 30 B to A.  I am changing my frame of mind to view the ship as a hotel rather than a river cruise. I didn't want to cancel since we did extensions in Lucerne and Amsterdam and at least I know those will be normal.  There might be some hope in that it is raining a lot in Zurich next week.

[gentlemancruiser]

4 hours ago, Bowler Lady said:

 

Thank you for all your knowledge, insights, and reporting to us on the Rhine river levels.

 

We are departing on the AMA Siena from Amsterdam on Sept. 15 to Basel. It is so disheartening to hear and see all these changes to the rivers in Europe. I will just have to pray that our trip won't be turned into a total land tour.. 

AMA will not do a land tour.  If you cannot complete your journey on the same ship you will be transferred to another ship to complete your journey.    

 

[gayles]

3 minutes ago, gayles said:

I have no idea how much freedom you have to do things on your own.  My husband and I are going August 30 B to A.  I am changing my frame of mind to view the ship as a hotel rather than a river cruise. I didn't want to cancel since we did extensions in Lucerne and Amsterdam and at least I know those will be normal.  There might be some hope in that it is raining a lot in Zurich next week.

You are right about Kehl being the docking place.  It is near Strasbourg.  I noticed that some of the ships sat at Kehl for 3 days in a row this week.  

 

[FM-R]

5 minutes ago, gayles said:

I have no idea how much freedom you have to do things on your own.  My husband and I are going August 30 B to A.  I am changing my frame of mind to view the ship as a hotel rather than a river cruise. I didn't want to cancel since we did extensions in Lucerne and Amsterdam and at least I know those will be normal.  There might be some hope in that it is raining a lot in Zurich next week.

My travel buddy and I are also B to A on the Sigyn embarking in Basel on 8/30.  We have pre in Lucerne.  All post were full so doing Amsterdam on our own and then taking a deviation to Barcelona.  We too are not canceling because of our pre-extension and our time in Amsterdam and Barcelona.  We can pretty much go with the flow - but like to have things told to us honestly and right up front as soon as it is known rather than last minute game playing.  We also don't want our hoped for relaxing cruise to turn into a 4+ hour bus ride for most days - we might prefer to go on our own and make do wherever ship is docked.

[notamermaid]

Kehl in Germany is a typical port for the Strasbourg excursion. Shuttle is then usually provided it seems. If you did not want to be on the coach you could theoretically take a train from Kehl or Strasbourg to the other ship in Koblenz or Cologne or wherever it may be docked in between. But it is a longish train journey with at least one connection. Or vice versa, Cologne or Koblenz to Kehl/Strasbourg.

 

notamermaid

 

[Bowler Lady]

29 minutes ago, gentlemancruiser said:

AMA will not do a land tour.  If you cannot complete your journey on the same ship you will be transferred to another ship to complete your journey.    

 

That is good to hear. As we have booked the pre Amsterdam and post Lucerne/Zurich extension we are not cancelling. We also have booked time in Lauterbrunnen after. We will go with the flow and trust AMA to do the best they can with what they are given!

[notamermaid]

It appears that Viking does the Amsterdam to Basel and vice versa swap in Strasbourg while others do it at Speyer or even Rüdesheim. Definitely not as long a coach trip from those two. The Budapest to Amsterdam itinerary appears to end in Mainz. Tonight the Viking Baldur and the Viking Modi are there.

 

Ships are still going to Rüdesheim, I spotted an Amawaterways (APT) ship there yesterday. In the evening, the Emily Bronte came. She moved to another dock in Rüdesheim after lunch today and then disappeared from view. Her dock at the train station was then occupied by another ship that had come through the Rhine Gorge! Not sure which one it is but I think it is Dutch and definitely not 135m long.

 

notamermaid

 

[RDVIK2016]

4 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

It appears that Viking does the Amsterdam to Basel and vice versa swap in Strasbourg while others do it at Speyer or even Rüdesheim. Definitely not as long a coach trip from those two. The Budapest to Amsterdam itinerary appears to end in Mainz. Tonight the Viking Baldur and the Viking Modi are there.

 

Ships are still going to Rüdesheim, I spotted an Amawaterways (APT) ship there yesterday. In the evening, the Emily Bronte came. She moved to another dock in Rüdesheim after lunch today and then disappeared from view. Her dock at the train station was then occupied by another ship that had come through the Rhine Gorge! Not sure which one it is but I think it is Dutch and definitely not 135m long.

 

notamermaid

 

For the last couple of weeks it does not look like any of the Viking ships on the Basel to Amsterdam itinerary have gone past Strasbourg and coming from the other direction from Amsterdam they get as far as Koblenz or Braubach. 

 

As far as being docked in Strasbourg for 2 to 3 nights, it might be a good opportunity to stay ashore late and not have to worry about getting back in time to get underway.  Now that the Covid restrictions have eased the tram runs again from Kehl to Strasbourg. From the dock it can't be much more than a five minute walk to the tram stop and a 20 minute ride to the middle of Strasbourg.  If you are good walkers you could walk across the bridge. 

 

RDVIK

[RDVIK2016]

50 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Kehl in Germany is a typical port for the Strasbourg excursion. Shuttle is then usually provided it seems. If you did not want to be on the coach you could theoretically take a train from Kehl or Strasbourg to the other ship in Koblenz or Cologne or wherever it may be docked in between. But it is a longish train journey with at least one connection. Or vice versa, Cologne or Koblenz to Kehl/Strasbourg.

 

notamermaid

 

However if you did not take the bus from Strasbourg to Koblenz/Braubach you might miss the excursion boat through the Gorge.  (I don't think they are busing passengers all the way to Cologne. Yet!)

[notamermaid]

2 minutes ago, RDVIK2016 said:

However if you did not take the bus from Strasbourg to Koblenz/Braubach you might miss the excursion boat through the Gorge. 

Definitely the drawback of the train journey. Book the right train and it takes you through the Gorge (great tunnels!) but on balance, excursion boat is much better for the view.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[RDVIK2016]

30 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

 

Ships are still going to Rüdesheim, I spotted an Amawaterways (APT) ship there yesterday. In the evening, the Emily Bronte came.

notamermaid

 

My wife and I will be cruising the Rhine next April and are confident water levels should not be a problem (unless you have a huge snowfall this winter with heavy spring rains - then maybe too much water).  So we assume we will dock in Rüdesheim. Is the Asbach Uralt distillery worth a visit? - Somewhere I read they severely reduced the amount of the distillery available on tours.

RDVIK