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Danube lock broken. Gabcikovo lock


gentlemancruiser
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We're on board Viking Idun and have just been told that we will be unable to sail to Budapest on Saturday because of this lock, instead we will dock in Bratislava and be bussed in for the tour and then return to the ship. So no night spent in Budapest, which is a shame.

 

Passengers whose flight home on Sunday morning is before 10am will spend the night in a Budapest hotel before transfering to the airport, but for later flights this is not an option unless you are prepared to fund it yourself.

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The cruise director has done a great job and the captain is waiting for information from the authorities in Slovakia. We hope the Avalon Impression will meet us next Monday upstream. It is upsetting because we waited so long to see the danube from the river not from a bus. Avalon is going to take us to see every city and we are being given a few extra excursions for free.

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Ugg....worries...high water, low water, broken locks

so much to worry about before our cruise

 

I think I will have to pack a recipe for making lemonade from lemons!!!

We will be on vacation with friends....and will have to keep positive outlooks...

 

Good luck to those who are now on the river!

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We docked in Komarno, Slovakia(1hours drive south of Bratsliava) There were 6 ships docked in the Danube and another 10 docked in a side canal. We were bussed to Vienna and drove past the broken lock. It was empty of water (not a good sign). We are hopeful we will see the Impression again in 2 days. Avalon told us to keep our room keys, so fingers crossed we might get back onboard.

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The cruise director has done a great job and the captain is waiting for information from the authorities in Slovakia. We hope the Avalon Impression will meet us next Monday upstream. It is upsetting because we waited so long to see the danube from the river not from a bus. Avalon is going to take us to see every city and we are being given a few extra excursions for free.

 

Gentlemancruiser,

I imagine they would be working on it feverishly. Not only cruise ships but barges (commerce) is affected. Hoping for the best for you all.

Edited by rudeman
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I have a friend on the AMA Certo now. She's supposed to be cruising from Budapest to Amsterdam. Her email from late last night said that they were being bussed to Vienna today. It's a mess. Don't know how many boats are affected going in both directions.

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On Wednesday morning we were advised that a lock, located west of Bratislava, had been closed for urgent repairs. Unfortunately this means that the Avalon Impression and Avalon Expression are not be able to pass through the lock on their Danube journeys. For the time being, we have no further information about how long this repair work will last.

 

As you can imagine, this disruption is out of our control, and as a result, upon arrival, we offered our guests the opportunity to cancel their trips and return home, promising to refund all unused cruising days. For those who chose to stay on, we are doing our best to help them enjoy the many beautiful sights and delights they traveled to Europe to see.

 

Our Cruise Directors are providing travelers daily updates on revised schedules, as well as any new insight we receive from river authorities related to the lock situation.

 

We appreciate our travelers, their patience and understanding throughout this situation. Should you have any questions and you would like to reach out to us directly, please email traveleradvisory@globusfamily.com or call 866.397.6593.

 

(We're sending our warmest wishes and best thoughts to you Gentlemancruiser and your fellow passengers.)

Edited by Avalon Waterways
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On Wednesday, a lock between Budapest and Bratislava was closed for urgent repairs. The lock remains closed, regrettably disrupting cruise itineraries for both the Avalon Impression and Avalon Expression. As a result, the Avalon Impression will not make it to Nuremberg in time for its next cruise: The Legendary Danube (WNB 0803). This delay will result in hotel stays and less time cruising on the Danube for travelers scheduled on that itinerary.

 

While this situation is, in large part, out of our control, we are proactively reaching out to travelers scheduled to depart on The Legendary Danube (WNB 0803) to offer them several options, given the situation and disruption.

 

If you are scheduled to sail aboard the Avalon Impression on the Legendary Danube Cruise (WNB 0803) and have not yet been contacted by our team or your travel agent, please reach out to us by calling 866.397.6593 or via email at traveleradvisory@globusfamily.com. Thank you for your understanding.

Edited by Avalon Waterways
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We are on the Viking Aegir and we stopped in Krems and were bussed to Vienna. We are currently staying at the Grand Hotel till tomorrow and will be bussed to Brataslava to continue our journry to Bucharist. We are being treated like loyalty with a lot of frebbies.

We are on a vacation and are going with the flow.

It is out of the control of the cruise lines.

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We are on AMACerto stuck in Gonyu, Hungary. We left Budapest on Wednesday and were told that the captain had just been informed that the lock was closed for repair and it would take three or four days but nothing definite. They took us to Estergom, not on our original itinarary, and bused us ~ 1 hour to Szentendre for an hour tour and then back to the ship. On Thursday they moved the ship to Komarom and then bused us 1.5+ hours to Bratislava for a 1 hour tour and then back to the ship. Today, Friday, they moved the ship once again to Gonyu, Hungary and bused us to Vienna. They provided a one hour tour, lunch and a tour of Schonbrunn Palace before a 2.5+ hour bus trip back to the ship. Tomorrow they are offering tours to Neusiedl, Austria, 1.5 hours, or Gyor, Hungary .5 hours.

 

The captain and cruise manger keep telling us they have no news on when the lock will be open. Tonight they said maybe Sunday sometime, but no guarantees. They will not tell us what the plans are for the rest of the cruise assuming the lock opens. They have not mentioned moving us to hotels like other cruise lines have done. So we are stuck in Hungary waiting and seeing places we have never heard of and never had a desire to see.

 

We are due in Amsterdam on August 10 and it looks like we will have to miss most of the ports on the way to make it, that assumes the lock opens soon.

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Just read this on Viking's website: http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/my-trip/about-my-cruise/current-sailings.html

 

We are supposed to be on the Viking Romantic Danube on August 27. I hope that the water levels return to normal and the broken lock gets repaired by then. I never knew there were so many potential issues with river cruising. Thank you to those now cruising for posting updates for all of us.

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On Friday morning we left the Avalon Impression in Komarno Slovakia and we were bussed into Vienna. There were 6 ships rafted and another 10 on a side canal. We drove past the Gabcikovo lock and it was totally dry and it didn't look promising. On Friday evening we receive a letter from Avalon that we will NOT be going back to the Impression, instead we will be taking a modified bus trip. Today (Saturday) we are going to Melk by bus and then Take a steamer up the Wachu valley to Durnstien. Tomorrow we are being bussed to Salzburg for 2 nights and then bussed to Neuremburg for 1 night and then on to Prague our final destination. The Avalon Expression passengers will also be joining us today in Vienna.

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On Wednesday morning we were advised that a lock, located west of Bratislava, had been closed for urgent repairs. Unfortunately this means that the Avalon Impression and Avalon Expression are not be able to pass through the lock on their Danube journeys. For the time being, we have no further information about how long this repair work will last.

 

As you can imagine, this disruption is out of our control, and as a result, upon arrival, we offered our guests the opportunity to cancel their trips and return home, promising to refund all unused cruising days. For those who chose to stay on, we are doing our best to help them enjoy the many beautiful sights and delights they traveled to Europe to see.

 

Our Cruise Directors are providing travelers daily updates on revised schedules, as well as any new insight we receive from river authorities related to the lock situation.

 

We appreciate our travelers, their patience and understanding throughout this situation. Should you have any questions and you would like to reach out to us directly, please email traveleradvisory@globusfamily.com or call 866.397.6593.

 

(We're sending our warmest wishes and best thoughts to you Gentlemancruiser and your fellow passengers.)

 

 

Thank you Avalon. I know Jeanette is trying her best.

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