river cruises on danube cancelled

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• High Waters Force Danube River Cancellations, Ship Swaps

High waters on the Rhine River, June 4, 2024. Photo: M. Volk / Shutterstock.com

Though river levels have started to fall, and parts of the Danube in Austria are once again open to traffic, at least two sailings on the Danube River have been canceled due to unusually high waters , while other departures – on both the Danube and Rhine rivers – have required ship swaps.

Avalon Waterways "The Danube is experiencing higher-than-average water levels, due to an unprecedented amount of rain in the last month," said Pam Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways. "This week, we made the decision to cancel two cruises on the lower Danube, due to ship access and availability,"

The canceled sailings are the June 7 Balkan Discovery sailing and the June 13 Active & Discovery on the Lower Danube departure.

"For both, we provided cruisers – and their travel advisors – options, recognizing the inconvenience" Hoffee said. "Other cruises departing this week on the upper Danube are experiencing itinerary deviations. Our operations team is constantly monitoring the situation and making any necessary updates to accommodate the conditions while ensuring the best possible experience for our guests."

Avalon isn't the only cruise line impacted by the flooding.

AmaWaterways "High water conditions are impacting access to certain upper Danube docking locations this week," a spokesperson for AmaWaterways told TMR. "Our experienced operations team has been adjusting itineraries and using alternative docking facilities and arranging ships swaps to ensure guests are still able to enjoy the excursions planned. High water conditions tend to arrive and disappear very quickly and we always have back up plans in place to adapt and minimize any impact on our guests’ river cruise experience. We have not cancelled any cruises."

Scenic & Emerald "On the Danube, guests of Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises are informed and aware a combination of ship swaps, changing embarkation/disembarkation locations, and alternating itineraries where necessary is occurring," a Scenic spokesperson said.

Guests on upcoming sailings will be notified up to seven days before departure (as necessary) and offered the opportunity to move to an alternate date.

Ships affected include Scenic Amber, Scenic Jade, Scenic Jewel, Emerald Sky, and Emerald Star.

He added, "Where Scenic Group cannot deliver the vacation as promised, or changes to the itinerary are extensive, River Cruise Cover has been enacted."

Scenic's River Cruise Cover program provides compensation for significant itinerary changes and disrupted days.

Uniworld A spokesperson for Uniworld said sailings along the Danube and Rhine rivers have been impacted, "temporarily affecting operations for all river cruise lines."

"We are actively monitoring the situation and communicating with impacted Uniworld guests and their Travel Advisors as soon as changes to the embarkation point, sailing schedule, and/or tours are known and confirmed; with solutions being determined on a case-by-case basis. Due to the changing nature of the situation, we are not always able to provide specific details in advance. Guests can be assured that the operations team is working diligently to provide them with alternatives that meet Uniworld's strict standards for quality and service, delivering the 5-star experience that they know and expect."

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Rising water levels force tui river cruises to evacuate ship.

Tui River Cruises was forced to evacuate more than 140 passengers on its Tui Isla ship after the vessel ran into difficulties on the Danube where rising water levels have caused issues for several operators. 

In a statement, shared with TTG , the line confirmed there was no damage to the 155-passenger ship and customers were flown home the same day they were evacuated.  However, it added that it was continuing to monitor water levels in Deggendorf, Germany, where passengers were evacuated. Maritime tracking site CruiseMapper shows Tui Isla remains docked in Deggendorf.  Local media reported Tui River Cruises passengers were evacuated in groups of between 25 and 30 people using a repurposed work boat. 

Since the incident on Monday (3 June), the line has decided to pull the next Rhine Gems sailing on Tui Isla that had been due to depart on Friday (7 June). A Tui River Cruises spokesperson said: “Due to the increased water levels across several areas of the Danube, we’re currently unable to safely sail in these areas. 

“The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority so we have made the decision to cancel this week’s upcoming Tui Isla itinerary.  

  “We’re continuing to assess the water levels and will be in direct contact with our customers if needed.”

The spokesperson added: “We appreciate how disappointing this news is to our customers and we have given them options to rebook their cruise in the near future or receive a full refund.” 

Avalon Waterways has also reportedly cancelled two sailings on the Danube. A spokesperson for the line told TTG : "Avalon has a history of making every effort to keep cruise itineraries intact.

"When Mother Nature makes other plans, we present guests with alternate experiences and opportunities to determine how they’d like to navigate their next steps and journey. The majority of our cruises are operating normally."

A-Rosa River Cruises confirmed it was in contact with harbours and water management authorities along the river due to the "very high" water levels along the Danube. 

"We constantly check the conditions for each section between the individual ports to ensure that the cruise can be carried out safely," an A-Rosa spokesperson said. 

It added that its "aim" for Danube cruises was to reach Engelhartszel – nearly 50 miles south of Deggendorf – where passengers can embark and disembark. 

"As things stand today, however, this may not be possible for the cruises departing in the next few days," continued A-Rosa. "If this forecast is correct, we will start the cruises from the next possible port and take guests to the ship from Passau in comfortable coaches." 

Uniworld confirmed it was monitoring the situation in central Europe and stressed that every cruise line operating in the region was affected. 

"We are actively monitoring the situation and communicating with impacted Uniworld guests and their travel advisors as soon as changes to the embarkation point, sailing schedule, and/or tours are known and confirmed; with solutions being determined on a case-by-case basis," the luxury line said. 

"Due to the changing nature of the situation, we are not always able to provide specific details in advance. Guests can be assured that the operations team is working diligently to provide them with alternatives that meet Uniworld’s strict standards for quality and service, delivering the 5-star experience that they know and expect." 

Viking, meanwhile, shared a statement on its website, warning passengers and travel agents that imminent departures on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers could be impacted. 

It said: “Currently, sections of the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers are experiencing high water levels. 

“To varying degrees, these conditions may affect select itineraries. Our Switzerland-based nautical team is continually monitoring the situation and will make any necessary adjustments to accommodate the conditions.” 

APT confirmed one Rhine sailing was recently cancelled as the ship was unable to sail through to Amsterdam. 

APT customers were transferred either to Munich or Amsterdam and were then assisted with their onward travel arrangements. All other sailings have continued with ship swaps in Amsterdam and Budapest, the line said. 

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Low Water Levels Disrupt European River Cruises, a Favorite of U.S. Tourists

As the continent faces a severe drought, companies have had to use buses to transport passengers along parts of the Rhine and the Danube, where water levels have become too low for riverboats.

By Jenny Gross

• Aug. 29, 2022

Mark Farmer’s two-week river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest got off to a bad start. For the first four days, there were no luxurious dinners overlooking the Rhine River or views from the top-deck balcony room that he and his wife had booked.

In fact, there was no boat at all. He and the other 150 or so passengers were shuttled around the Netherlands and Germany on buses, queuing up in long lines for bathrooms at highway rest stops and cramming into small restaurants.

“We were not happy,” said Mr. Farmer, a sales manager for a waste and recycling company. He and his wife, who live in Arizona, had booked the August trip, which had cost $18,000 including business-class flights, to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary.

One of Europe’s worst droughts in decades has left the water level of parts of the Rhine and the Danube Rivers too low for ships to pass, paralyzing commerce and causing disruptions for companies that transport goods and commodities like oil and coal. The drought has also affected river cruises, forcing passengers to cope with last-minute changes to their itineraries, long bus rides and missed excursions.

River cruising is a multibillion-dollar industry, with 1.6 million travelers, many of whom were over the age of 55, cruising European rivers in 2018, a number that had nearly doubled from 2013, according to Statista , a provider of market and consumer data. Cruise Lines International Association, a trade group, said the largest group of passengers come from North America.

Nearly 65 percent of European Union territory is currently under some degree of drought warning, according to the European Drought Observatory , which aims to improve drought resilience. Droughts are likely to become more frequent, researchers say, even as hurricanes and other large storms bring flooding to other places around the globe. Climate change from the burning of fossil fuels and other human behavior can play out differently, according to scientists, but the common theme is that extreme weather is becoming more frequent and intense.

Rudi Schreiner, the president and co-owner of AmaWaterways, a river cruise company with a fleet of 26 ships, said that when water levels in the Lower Rhine are too low, cruise passengers are taken on an excursion to a nearby town by bus and then brought back to a spot on the river where water levels are higher. For each day that the cruise itinerary differs from what was scheduled, a passenger receives a voucher for 15 percent off the next seven-night cruise, he said.

Rainfall in Germany last week has provided relief, but the reprieve may be temporary. “The question is how long it will last,” Mr. Schreiner said. AmaWaterways is looking for new technologies to lower the draft of its ships so they can pass through shallower waters. “I don’t see any death of river cruising ,” he said. “I see adjustments.”

Even ships that are able to pass through the Rhine have had to reduce the capacity of their loads, since heavy cargo weighs down ships and causes difficulties in shallow waters.

For Mr. Farmer, the last straw came on day three of his trip, when Viking, the operator, arranged for the guests to stay in a hotel that Mr. Farmer described as subpar, with a man in a building next to the hotel staring into their room when he and his wife walked in.

“That night, my wife and I had had enough. I wanted to go home,” he said. But after two hours on hold with customer service, it became apparent that Viking wouldn’t be giving him a refund. So, he said, he and his wife decided they would change their attitudes. They boarded the ship the next day, and the trip improved significantly.

Viking, which offers trips in Europe, said the circumstances that affected that trip were “highly unusual,” with the Rhine and the Danube Rivers experiencing historically low levels. “We recognized that this was not the experience that our guests expected, which is why we provided all guests with a 15 percent credit toward their next Viking voyage, in the form of a voucher good for one year,” a spokesman said. Customer ratings during the dry period have been “highly satisfactory,” he added.

The company also said in a statement last week that the vast majority of its trips faced no interruptions, even though water levels on the Danube remained unusually low. “Our nautical team is continually monitoring the situation,” the company said. “Guests and their travel advisers will continue to be notified directly by Viking customer relations if we think that their itinerary might be impacted.”

Another passenger on a different Viking cruise this month, Scott Myers, said he and his wife loved their trip, despite viewing one of the most picturesque stretches of the Rhine from a bus.

“It wasn’t as good as if you were sitting on top of the boat as you were floating through, but we were still able to see all the castles,” said Mr. Myers, the director of a county park district in Troy, Ohio. He and his wife were able to spend all but one day of their trip on the cruise they had originally booked. That one day on land involved six or seven hours on a bus, traveling from Cologne, Germany, to Strasbourg, France, with stops, he said.

The pace of climate change has affected other aspects of summer tourism in Europe. With heat waves expected to intensify because of global warming, it is expected that travelers will shift their summer itineraries to destinations further north or on the coasts from destinations like Rome or Tuscany, according to travel agents.

Ellen Bettridge, the president and chief executive of Uniworld, a river cruise company, said that in response to the changing weather in Europe, the company last year expanded into luxury train travel, with itineraries that include both cruise and rail components.

“While we cannot predict future weather changes, we are preparing for it,” she said in a statement. “Our longstanding history and unparalleled relationships within the travel industry have allowed us to be flexible in creating alternate itineraries.” She said most trips had been unaffected, and that the company has had to cancel 7 percent of its cruises.

Lisa Wheeler-Pollington, who had booked a cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest with her husband, said low water levels in the Rhine caused Uniworld to cancel their trip nine days before they were scheduled to depart for Europe.

“My heart just fell,” said Ms. Wheeler-Pollington, a retired real estate worker, who lives in Sarasota, Fla. She and her husband could not reschedule because they had already arranged care for their two Labradors, Cruiser and Scooby-Doo, and contractors were scheduled to do repair work at the house. So Ms. Wheeler-Pollington and her husband accepted a refund and made their way from Amsterdam to Budapest by rail.

It ended up being the best trip of their lives. “Sometimes the unexpected is a lot more fun than things you’ve planned for a year,” she said.

Mr. Farmer, the sales manager from Arizona, said he wished that he and his wife had been offered a refund. On the second-to-last day of their trip, the cruise had to dock in a town far outside Budapest because of shallow waters in the Danube. Passengers then were back on the bus for a 90-minute drive to the city, he said.

The group toured the city by bus and then drove back to the boat for their final night, before waking up at 3 a.m. to get back on the bus to the Budapest airport for their departing flights.

Mr. Farmer and his wife received a $500 voucher each toward their next Viking cruise, but he said he was not rushing back for another river cruise any time soon. “I literally saw Budapest through a bus window.”

Jenny Gross is a general assignment reporter. Before joining The Times, she covered British politics for the The Wall Street Journal. More about Jenny Gross

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Torrential floods in Germany force evacuation of Danube cruise

T orrential rains in Germany have led to the declaration of a state of emergency. On Monday, the waters of the Danube reached a dangerous level, causing a passenger ship on the river to halt its journey. 150 people had to be evacuated using a smaller boat.

The number of flood victims in Germany is increasing. Heavy downpours have hit the country , and the water level in the Danube keeps rising.

As the German "Bild reported," the rising river level caused one of the cruise ships to interrupt its voyage on the Danube and anchor. Onboard were 147 tourists from various countries worldwide , including the USA and Australia, and almost 50 crew members.

Before noon, the cruise ship departed from a small port in Bavaria. Its voyage did not last long . Due to the rising water level in the Danube, further travel could have been too dangerous, so the decision to evacuate was made.

A much smaller rescue ship was dispatched to where the passenger ship was anchored. This vessel could transport 30 people to shore at a time. Among the passengers were mainly elderly people, but medical assistance was unnecessary. The evacuation was completed around 1:30 PM Eastern Time, and then all the tourists were taken to Munich airport so they could safely and without incident return to their home countries.

The flood death toll in Germany is rising

There have been heavy rains for several days in Germany, especially in the south. As a result, some regions are struggling with floods. Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are among those dealing with the aftermath of intense rainfall.

As reported on Monday, not one but four people have now died as a result of the floods. The first victim was a firefighter involved in rescuing a family in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm on Saturday. The raft carrying four firefighters capsized. One of them, a 42-year-old, died. The others managed to get out of the water.

German police reported to the AP that on Monday, the body of a 43-year-old woman, who had been missing since Sunday morning, was found in the basement of a house in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria. Meanwhile, in Schorndorf near Stuttgart, the bodies of a woman and a man were found in a flooded basement.

Emergency state in Germany

A state of emergency has been declared in several counties and cities in Bavaria. Schools and kindergartens located in flooded areas have been closed until further notice. Thousands of people living near the Danube have evacuated their homes. Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Upper Bavaria and promised government assistance to those affected.

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Will the drought in Europe affect your river cruise vacation?

Experts are saying that the current drought in Europe could be the worst in 500 years, with water levels dropping, especially along the Rhine River. If have a river cruise planned for the end of the summer or the fall, should you be concerned?

Not at all, according to Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder AmaWaterways — as long as you're willing to be a little bit flexible.

Here's what you need to know about water levels on Europe rivers and what to expect if you're booked on a river cruise or considering booking one.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Cargo ships have it worse because of draft

The dire news you're reading about low water levels in Europe now, especially along the Rhine River, mostly concerns the cargo shipping industry in Europe.

"The Rhine River is the main artery for German and Swiss transportation and also French," said Schreiner. If water levels are low, cargo ships cannot carry their normal loads of freight.

That's because the weight of the cargo such vessels carry affects their draft (the distance between the ship's bottom and the water line). A weighted-down ship sinks lower in the water and therefore needs more distance from the water line to the river bottom to sail safely without scraping the riverbed.

If ships have to lighten their loads to cross shallow water, fewer goods can be transported at once. Companies will need more ships to carry the same amount of cargo, increasing transportation costs — all of which have a negative impact on the European economy.

Schreiner says that the last time Europe experienced extremely low water levels, in 2018, the economic impact was around 5.4 million euros ($5.4 million). You can see why people are worried.

However, the same problems do not affect river cruise ships.

"Our ships have a very low draft…about five feet," he explained. "We also carry about 500 tons of water, that is ballast and fresh water for the guests."

In the case of low water, the crew can dump the ballast water and reduce the freshwater to 60 tons (two days' worth), and just refill as needed. The low draft and the adjustability of the ballast allow the ships to navigate through sections of the river where the water levels are not very deep.

Low water is only a problem at critical junctions, not along the entire river

Another point that travelers should understand is that when the news reports low water levels, it's not that an entire river has dried up and is impassable.

"There are critical points, like the one on the Rhine River, right in the Rhine Gorge," Schreiner explained. "There is rock on the bottom; there's also this little house in the middle of the river. The area is protected and that's where you have the low water issues. You could tear down the house and build a dam there, but that is not what is going to happen."

Where the European rivers have locks and dams to control water levels, ships can still sail problem-free. Another section of river that can be negatively affected by low water levels is the Danube, past the last lock in Slovakia heading downriver toward Hungary. If water levels fall, riverboats can have trouble sailing all the way to Budapest.

Because these problem spots are well known, river cruise lines can find ways to mitigate the issues with savvy itinerary planning.

Related: Best river cruises in Europe

River cruise lines plan itineraries with water levels in mind

The river cruise lines will tell you that low water levels are rare, and that few sailings are altered due to water levels – but the truth is the risk is always present. Any time there's a heat wave in Europe, especially if coupled with lighter-than-average spring snow melt or rainfall, you can end up with low water in certain parts of Europe.

The cruise lines plan their itineraries to mitigate this risk.

One thing Amawaterways and many other river lines do is run two ships simultaneously on the same one-way itinerary, with one ship starting at one end and the other on the opposite end.

Schreiner gives an example of two identical sister ships, AmaLucia and AmaSiena, that both sail the Rhine.

"We have one ship starting in Amsterdam and one ship starting in Basel…If they cannot pass Kaub [the critically low water point on the Rhine], then [the passengers] all disembark on either side," he explained. "They disembark in the morning, they go on the shore excursion, and they come back on the other side on the sister ship. In the same cabin. Their luggage has been moved over automatically so by the time they arrive on the ship they have their luggage, and then they sail on the other ship back to the destination."

Other than the hassle of packing up in the middle of the cruise, travelers still get the full Rhine experience they paid for.

If the water issues are closer to the beginning or end of an itinerary, cruisers may have to spend a few days in hotels or bussing to destinations rather than sailing there. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. Only in very rare circumstances are the sailings canceled outright.

"We will not cancel any cruises," said Shreiner. Instead, in the most extreme cases, AmaWaterways will create a new itinerary.

Not every river cruise line takes the same stance.

"We've canceled one cruise on the Danube and have made a few mostly minor alterations to a small handful of cruises on the Rhine," a Tauck spokesman told TPG when asked about this year's cruises. "Like other river cruise lines, we've dealt successfully with low-water situations in the past, and we have a variety of strategies that we can deploy as necessary. Unlike other river cruise lines, however, we're very fortunate that we also operate numerous land tours throughout the region, so we have a fantastic network of local supplier-partners that we can leverage as necessary should alternate arrangements become necessary."

The situation changes day by day

Water levels are unpredictable and can vary day by day, depending on what the weather brings.

"We've been cruising since March with no issues" until August, said Schreiner. "We have a very good rain forecast for this Thursday/Friday, and fairly heavy rains coming, so [the situation] might change."

However, as everyone knows, predicting the weather is not an exact science. This is why most lines are not offering flexible cancellation policies or waiving penalties for canceling a river cruise because they're worried their itinerary will get disrupted due to low water levels.

"If you want to cancel a cruise right now in October because of low water, I will tell you, 'Sorry, we don't know if there's low water in October,'" said Schreiner. "You don't know a week or 10 days in advance what will happen with the water levels. They can go up, they can go down, rain can come in."

Ships might be able to pass through a tricky spot, like Kaub, today but not tomorrow, or can't this week but can next week. Some years, low water levels caused disruptions as early as June and some years as late as October. Just as with ocean sailings, there's always a risk that weather and river/sea conditions can impact that itinerary, and cruisers must accept that itineraries cannot be set in stone.

If you book a river cruise, you acknowledge that you might not get the exact itinerary you signed up for.

Related: Booking your first river cruise? Here's what you need to know.

You will be reimbursed

Most river cruise lines do not allow guests to cancel pre-cruise without penalty except for in the most extreme circumstances. However, you won't be entirely out of luck if your itinerary changes once you arrive at your ship.

For every day that is altered, AmaWaterways guests will get 50% of the daily rate they paid as a future cruise credit. If the whole itinerary is changed, you'll get to sail the new itinerary and receive a 100% future cruise credit to book another cruise. Tauck says it deals with compensation on a case-by-case basis.

Should your cruise be canceled, the cruise line will also offer compensation. "While we may have to make changes to some of our itineraries and have had to cancel a few voyages, impacted guests and travel partners have and will receive transparent updates and the opportunity to re-book onto another sailing," shared Ellen Bettridge, president and CEO of Uniworld, in an email to TPG.

This is not the end of river cruising

A recent CNN article proclaimed that summer droughts like the current one, plus global warming, could signal a death knell for river cruises in the near future. Schreiner does not hold with that assertion because river cruise lines simply adjust their schedules year after year for optimal weather conditions.

"Look at the Mekong — you don't cruise in May, June, July and August because it's too hot. You don't cruise in Egypt in June/July because it's too hot. In Europe, we don't cruise in January, February and into early March because it's too cold," he explained. "Maybe 10 years from now we cruise the Danube and Rhine in January/February/March and we stop in the summertime because August is too hot and there are low water areas."

"We don't know what the future will bring," he continued. "But it's clear that river cruising is not going away anytime soon."

Bottom line

This year's summer drought in Europe could affect your upcoming river cruise, but it's highly unlikely your cruise will be canceled outright.

At best, you'll do a ship swap mid-cruise, a slight inconvenience that will allow you to follow your planned itinerary. Or, you might have a few port stops changed out for new ones, or spend more time than you prefer in busses or hotels, possibly with shorter visits to destinations that now require longer bus rides.

You will, however, still get a vacation in Europe, even if it's not the one you expected.

Schreiner's advice is simple: Just go. "You will be cruising, you will be enjoying," he said. "You might see some cities you might not have expected to see and you might miss some you wanted to see. In the end, you will have a fantastic vacation and you will get a future cruise credit according to what you miss."

He added: "It's better than canceling and sitting at home and not doing anything."

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• TUI Isla passengers flown home after Danube River flooding...

TUI Isla passengers flown home after Danube River flooding incident

TUI River Cruises had to evacuate 140+ passengers from TUI Isla ship  due to complications arising from rising water levels on the Danube , which have affected multiple operators. The 155-passenger riverboat was undamaged, and passengers were flown home the same day.

TUI is closely monitoring the water levels in Deggendorf Bavaria , where the evacuation took place. Local reports indicate that passengers were evacuated in groups of 25 to 30 using a modified workboat.

In light of the incident on June 3rd, TUI decided to cancel the upcoming "Rhine Gems" sailing scheduled for June 7th. A spokesperson emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew is the top priority, leading to the decision to cancel this week's itinerary due to the unsafe sailing conditions on the Danube.

Avalon Waterways has also canceled two Danube sailings. A spokesperson mentioned that while Avalon strives to keep itineraries intact, alternative experiences are provided when natural events necessitate changes. Most of Avalon's voyages are still operating as planned.

Uniworld is monitoring the situation in central Europe, noting that all cruise lines in the region are affected. Uniworld is in communication with impacted guests and their travel advisors about any changes to embarkation points, schedules, or tours, with solutions tailored to each case. Uniworld assured guests that they are working to maintain high standards for quality and service despite the disruptions.

Viking has issued a statement warning that high water levels on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers could impact upcoming departures. Their nautical team in Switzerland is monitoring the situation and will adjust itineraries as needed to accommodate the conditions.

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Danube river cruise cancellations - Austria Forum

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Danube river cruise cancellations

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Were any Danube river cruises cancelled in 2021 or 2022 due to drought conditions?

5 replies to this topic

Apart from the months of Covid restrictions in 2021, very few. River cruise companies have to deal with flood and drought conditions every year, and while last year was exceptional, there were very few cancellations.

However the larger companies have enough ships to position them so that ship to ship transfers ( usually by bus via an excursion ) can fulfil the itinerary.

I’ve not done it but passengers report that since the ships were identical, they packed up their luggage, went off for the day’s tour and joined the second ship, in the identical cabin, in the afternoon or evening.

Just because there were cancellations in the past does not mean that you have to "expect" them in the upcoming years. But it can of course happen again.

As mentioned, there are certain stretches and/or spots along the Danube where a lower water level has a serious impact on the navigability.

Perhaps you should go earlier in the season (e.g. June), not at the height of summer, or during the follwing weeks, when water levels may drop significantly.

I agree roefamily, but part of the problem is that the river levels can change dramatically within a few days, and many passengers don’t get a chance to decide until almost the last moment, especially those who have tagged a weeks river cruise onto a European trip.

Cruise Critic is a useful website to follow. There is a very knowledgeable poster on their River Cruises forum who was providing daily and sometimes twice daily updates about river levels on the Rhine and Danube.

Under the forum name “ notamermaid “ their posts were invaluable in keeping up with the state of the rivers.

And remember that high water levels can be equally problematic if cruise ships can’t under the Danube bridges.

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I Just Went On A River Cruise — 8 Changes You Need To Know

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Each of us has a comfort zone for timing our return to international travel. When you are ready to set sail on a European river cruise, there are a few changes you should keep in mind. We anticipated many of the changes to cruising, a few were happy surprises.

I just returned from a Danube River cruise on Avalon Waterways. We explored the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, and Hungary aboard our floating hotel the Avalon Artistry II . We had a fabulous time while still adhering to appropriate health and safety practices that have become part of our daily life. There are several changes in the river cruise industry that you need to know before you hop on an international flight to sail on one of Europe’s beautiful rivers.

1. Cruise Lines Want You To Sail

The cruise lines are ready for guests. They want you to feel safe, enjoy your cruise, and spread the word that cruising is back.

The Avalon Artistry II can carry a maximum of 128 passengers in her 12 staterooms and 52 suites. Our sailing had 62 passengers which imparted a spacious, uncrowded feel. The staff is listed at 37 members, however, on our sailing, we had 41. Virtually two staff for every three guests. Needless to say, we were extremely well attended onboard. There was plenty of space to spread out and watch the gorgeous scenery as we floated along.

Tourism is down in Europe due to the perceived restrictive paperwork required and the only recently lifted travel restrictions. This is a plus for the travelers that visit. There are fewer crowds everywhere you go. The lines are shorter, restaurant service is quicker, and you don’t have to battle traditionally crowded attractions.

2. Sanitation Practices

Sanitation practices are the first big change you will encounter. While hotels and cruise ships strive to be squeaky clean, the emphasis on sanitation has brought clean to a new level.

According to Avalon Waterways Health and Safety statement, “We’ve instituted enhanced cleaning procedures throughout each ship … deep disinfection of each stateroom between cruises as well as dining areas between each meal service and the inspection and disinfection of all goods prior to loading on the ship. In addition… the air in our ships is not circulated between staterooms; only within an individual stateroom and mixed with clean, fresh, outside air.”

Every time housekeeping staff entered our suite, they opened the balcony door to let in fresh air, giving the room a refreshingly clean scent. I was comforted by their first-rate safety protocols.

3. River Cruises And Social Distancing

All common areas like the dining room, deck, and lounge had social distancing seating pre-set regularly. There was a large, organized group sailing together so they tended to sit without distancing. The crew reset the social distancing reminders regularly.

When we boarded buses for the excursions, many times there were empty rows between seats. However, on the smaller group excursions that required only a large van, we were not socially distanced and many riders chose to wear a mask on the buses.

4. COVID Testing

Most river cruise lines are requiring all passengers and staff to be fully vaccinated. This adds a level of comfort and security to your cruise vacation. They may also offer COVID testing at the end of your cruise if it is required to re-enter your home country.

Obviously, the goal is to avoid a positive test indicated by a pink line. I never thought in my 60s I would be worried about a little pink line again!

During my recent river cruise, I had three COVID tests. My grandbabies were sick with a cold before I left on vacation. As you can imagine, I became sick with their cold just as we landed in Prague. After the first night of coughing, I was terrified I was COVID positive and would pass it along to other guests. The next morning, I took one of the video-proctored tests I brought with me. Thankfully, it was negative. The following day I was still coughing — a lot! After speaking with our cruise director, it was decided the cruise line would test me once I embarked on the ship.

Typically, cruise guests have to wait to check in once they have embarked, however, they hustled us right to our room and administered a COVID test. Once again, the test was negative and we were allowed to enjoy our cruise.

Consider bringing a CDC-approved video-proctored test kit with you. Many cruise lines are offering to test U.S. passengers since they are required a negative test to fly back to the country. However, if they don’t offer testing, you will need to seek out a testing center at the airport or another local testing facility. It is much easier to have one of these kits that provide an emailed copy of your results.

You can take the test in the privacy of your room and most kits take about 15 minutes from start to finish. Be sure to choose one that is CDC-approved. City Health and many others offer a CDC-approved Rapid Antigen COVID test online. 

5. Temperature Check

Every guest’s temperature was checked daily before entering the dining room at breakfast. A no-contact thermometer and required hand sanitization made the process quick and easy. We began each day with the comfort of knowing we were good to go.

6. Mask Requirements

Wearing masks on the ship was highly recommended in the common areas. That being said, after the first day, many guests chose not to wear their masks around the ship. The ship’s crew, however, always wore their masks.

Masks were required when entering the dining room and when serving yourself from the breakfast or luncheon buffet.

A KN95 mask from FFP Masks is a must-have in many European countries. At this time, travelers are allowed to be outside without a mask. Many museums and attractions, however, required the KN95 mask to enter. Packing a supply of these masks will keep you from scurrying to purchase one if you are declined entry.

7. Itineraries Need To Be Flexible

Everyone has certain excursions that are high on their to-do list. With unpredictable COVID outbreaks, passengers need to be accepting of flexible itineraries. Excursions may change and evolve while you are mid-cruise. Keeping an open mind regarding your itinerary will make your cruise more enjoyable.

Changes to the original plan may happen, but your ship’s staff is dedicated to your vacation enjoyment and will do their very best to ensure you have fabulous shore experiences.

8. Locator Forms And COVID Vaccination Attestations

Many countries are requiring visitors to complete a locator form or COVID attestation form. Your travel agent is the best resource for what forms need to be completed before your trip. Some Schengen Area Countries (European countries that have eliminated border patrols and checks for citizens and tourists) have similar travel requirements and restrictions, making it easy to move from one country to the next.

In our case, we needed to complete a locator form for the Czech Republic before we left home. It was a simple form. It was, however, in Czech and took a little effort to complete. The correctly completed form generates a QR Code that you need to carry with you during your visit. We were asked to produce it only once at the airport before our flight from Munich to Prague.

During our trip, Germany changed its travel requirements, and our travel agent and the ship’s cruise director informed us of the new COVID vaccination attestation requirement immediately. Again, it was a simple form to complete and we were able to print it out on the ship.

Many countries required us to show our vaccination cards when entering a hotel, restaurant, or pub. However, we were not asked to show our vaccination cards at other onshore activities.

Great River Cruising Deals

When you are ready to travel, and that time is unique to every individual, the river cruise industry is ready to welcome you back with open arms and sparkling ships. The changes I encountered on my recent cruise were mostly a source of comfort and security. Some of the paperwork was tedious and repetitive, however, this is how the travel world is evolving and we need to adapt if we want to get out and explore.

If you are contemplating a river cruise, these are good things to know:

• Considering A European River Cruise? 7 Things To Know
• What Happened When Our River Cruise Got Cancelled
• Viking River Cruises: 9 Tips For Enjoying The Best Cuisine On And Off The Ship

Sandi loves writing about culture, cuisine, adult beverages, cruising, golf, skiing, road trips, hiking, New England, and photography. Traveling solo, with hubby Chris, or the entire Barrett clan there is always a story waiting to be told.

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