Uniworld Enchanted Danube -- Noisy Locks at night???

[swamp1sg]

I don't get this thing about locks. We've gone in December and found it interesting to stand on the deck at night and enjoy passing through the locks. Compared to the 9 hours to get to Europe, the locks are a breeze.

[Baybear]

Originally Posted by swamp1sg

I don't get this thing about locks. We've gone in December and found it interesting to stand on the deck at night and enjoy passing through the locks. Compared to the 9 hours to get to Europe, the locks are a breeze.

Some people on these boards were complaining that they were awakened from sleep in the middle of the night (2AM for example) by banging and bumping; and several more times, at that. They said it disturbed their sleep. Not many people would be standing out on a deck at 2-3AM watching the locks.

That's what "this thing" was. Based on those reports I was trying to see if this was really a problem. Sounds like it's not, depending on where you're traveling with the "lock density" playing a factor as well as the deftness of the piloting crew.

[swamp1sg]

We were on the deck about 10:00 along with some crew members and other guests. It's not like the locks can be moved. There were locks on the Seine, also.

[LHT28]

Originally Posted by swamp1sg

We were on the deck about 10:00 along with some crew members and other guests. It's not like the locks can be moved. There were locks on the Seine, also.

Standing on the deck at 10:00 is fine ...sleeping in your bed & being jarred almost out of it at 3 am is another story

[Train Riders]

Easiest solution here is not to go on cruises that have to navigate thru locks,instead maybe book a road transport holiday & put up with all the traffic noise,pollution etc while viewing the country side.

Train Riders. Looking forward to cruising from Instanbul to Amsterdam with APT/AMA in 41 days time.

[antipodean99]

according to Wikipedia:

"The length of the canal is 171 km; the summit altitude (between the Hilpoltstein and Bachhausen locks) is 406 m above sea level. This is the highest point on Earth that can be reached by watercraft from the sea. Along the course of the canal are 16 lock with lifting heights of up to 25 meters, of which thirteen are designed to conserve water.
The height difference along the north ramp of the canal — from the Main at Bamberg to the crest attitude — is 175 m, with 11 locks. From the crest attitude down to the Altmühl at Dietfurt is a drop of 51 m in altitude, through three locks. The further difference in altitude of 17 m along the Altmühl, with two more locks, makes a total of 68 m for the south ramp. This means that the Danube end of the canal is 107.3 m above the level of the Main end.
The 16 locks are managed from four remote control centers (Neuses since 2007, Kriegenbrunn, Hilpoltstein, and Dietfurt from the beginning of 2007). These centers are manned with one (night shift) and two (day shift) employees. The locks were modernized from 2001 to 2007, replacing the outdated relay technology with computers and a PLC. The cost is approximately $ 1.3 million per lock.'


and btw - there is hardly any noise when you go through the locks.

[Jesterscourt]

I was on The Enchanting Danube trip last year and was never awakened by going through any lock. The main issue with a lock is if you are lying in your underwear with your french balcony or state room shades open, and suddenly there are local lock staff strolling by!

[Baybear]

Originally Posted by Jesterscourt

I was on The Enchanting Danube trip last year and was never awakened by going through any lock. The main issue with a lock is if you are lying in your underwear with your french balcony or state room shades open, and suddenly there are local lock staff strolling by!

That sounds like a whole new topic!

[Yggdrasil98]

I've slept through lots Bud to Ams, and sometimes woken. I don't really understand how important it is? To me all the boat stuff is part of River or small ship cruising.

We have another Christmas cruise and often the people on the lower deck last time lost a fair bit of sleep because of the crunching through the ice at night. We didn't hear it much on level 2, and they didn't seem to mind.

I find the locks comforting too, it's like someone is looking after everything at night

[globie]

To swamp1sg
Are you booked on the Avalon Tranquility Dec 15 to 22, Nuremburg to Frankfurt? My wife and I would enjoy meeting you. We arrive Prague a few days early. -globie

Bob & Merry Grisak

[jklc123]

We greatly enjoyed Passau to Budapest in 2010. We don't remember being awakened more than maybe once or twice passing thru the locks. Fabulous trip!

[twinkletoes4445]

I am a very light sleeper and I, nor my husband, heard any noises at night on our River Beatrice cruise. We did the Passau to Budapest route this past summer.

[Talisker92]

Originally Posted by Jiminkcmo

Seems to me that I read somewhere that the Europeans don't like Uniworld and force their ships to go through locks along the rivers.

All of the other lines cruise right past the locks with no noise.

Unfortunately, this is a problem with posting on a board. The poster has said something that is totally incorrect, and it may confuse others.
We have taken the cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, and there is absolutely NO WAY around the locks.

[newlondon]

Talisker92, I didn't see that post. As you said it couldn't be more inaccurate. How did the poster think any river boat dealt with a dam across the river
The question, however, is noise going through the locks. Two comments; we have done river cruises twice with many locks: the skill of the officer guiding the boat can make a huge difference in noise levels; and, if the lock is only olding your boat as opposed to others also matters. It doesn't have to be noisy, but it can be.
Let me add, however, it didn't always wake us up. Might have had something to do with the free wine at dinner