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

I've read some reviews on this board of other lines that said they were awakened at night with bumping and banging from the ship going through locks... and several locks in one night!

Does anyone know how many locks are on the Danube from Budapest to Passau, and whether the Uniworld River Beatrice goes through a bunch of these each night?

And if there are any past Uniworld passengers who can comment on the noise factor, it would be much appreciated!

TIA

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.

Please do not take the above post as true. The only way around the locks is on wheels pn a highway. If the nite captain is really good you will hardley feel the lock. If you have not selected a cabin, pick one away from the bow thrusters--lots of noise in a lock no matter how good the captain is. The thing to be really careful of is river cruising can be addictive. It is a wonderful way to see parts of Europe ocean liners can't reach. We are addicted--15th coming up or is it 16th in Oct to China. Pat

I complained about the locks

I am a light sleeper so they did bother me

YMMV

I have a map of the river so will count them later

The total number from AMS to BUD were either 68 or 80 +

Lyn

According to something I just read, there are a total of 15 locks in Germany and Austria. Some you will pass through during the day, some at night.

Regardless what another poster said, there is no way around the locks.

I complained about the locks

I am a light sleeper so they did bother me

YMMV

I have a map of the river so will count them later

 

The total number from AMS to BUD were either 68 or 80 +

 

Lyn

Wow! That'a a lot-o'-locks.

I'm intersted in the number of them between Budapest and Passau.

If a ship traveled 8 hours a day for 8 days from AMS to BUD, then they'd be encountering a lock on the average of every one hour or less!

Looked at my map it appears to be about 14 locks from Passau to Budapest

..some I could not tell if they were locks or just bridges

If you are getting on/off in Passau you will have a lot less than the AMS to BUD route we took

Just in one stretch of the river we had 34 locks in 240 miles ;)

Of course whether you will hit any of these lock in the night is hard to say

timing is everything

Perhaps our Captain was not a good driver & hit the walls more often than not:eek:

There is a search feature above on the right you may want to search for "LOCKS"

There are some other comments about them

Enjoy the cruise

Lyn

Wow! That'a a lot-o'-locks.

 

I'm intersted in the number of them between Budapest and Passau.

 

If a ship traveled 8 hours a day for 8 days from AMS to BUD, then they'd be encountering a lock on the average of every one hour or less!

We did 14 days some nights they were every hour or so it seemed ;)

Hopefully you will sleep through them as it seems most people have ...unlike me ;)

A few years ago, I cruised on the River Beatrice from Passau to Budapest and NOT ONCE was I woken by going through a lock or by any other noise. The whole ship was very quiet at night.

A few years ago, I cruised on the River Beatrice from Passau to Budapest and NOT ONCE was I woken by going through a lock or by any other noise. The whole ship was very quiet at night.

Thanks! That's encouraging. A testimopnial from an actual River Beatrice Budapest-to-Passau rider. That is the exact same trip we're taking.

Also if there's only 14 locks between Budapest & Passau for the whole 7-day trip, that's not going to interrupt sleep every hour... even if the night-pilot is steering with two left feet. That's only about 2 locks per day, assumming they're about equally spaced.

Thanks! That's encouraging. A testimopnial from an actual River Beatrice Budapest-to-Passau rider. That is the exact same trip we're taking.

 

Also if there's only 14 locks between Budapest & Passau for the whole 7-day trip, that's not going to interrupt sleep every hour... even if the night-pilot is steering with two left feet. That's only about 2 locks per day, assumming they're about equally spaced.

You will probably be just fine

Our worst part was from Amsterdam down & by the time we hit Vienna we were so sleep deprived to do much

But everyone reacts differently like I said others have survived & not heard a thing

YMMV

We have been on AMA twice. Once from Paris to Nuremberg and then Amsterdam to Budapest. Yes, there are a lot of locks. I believe we had three 81 foot locks up to the continental divide. Not at night but very exciting. The locks should not bother you. They may wake you but are sort of comforting. If you know what is happening, then you can go back to sleep. The ship is bound to sort of hit the lock now and then. It is all part of the experience. Enjoy!

There are 12 locks between Budapest and Passau. Eleven of them are between Passau and Vienna, just one is between Bratislava and Budapest.

So I spend the time sipping my morning coffee to produce a list of all locks along the western european rivers (Danube, Douro, Elbe, Main, Main Danube Canal, Moselle, Rhine, Rhone, Saar, Saone, Seine, Vltava and all the Canals and Waterways in the Netherlands & Belgium).

Get it here: http://www.rivercruiseinfo.com/content/list-locks-along-rivers

On the Amsterdam to Budapest Question:

1 Lock at the Amsterdam Rhine Canal

+ 0 Locks at the Rhine

+ 34 Locks at the Main

+ 16 Locks at the Main Danube Canal

+ 16 Locks from Kelheim to Budapest

= 66 Locks in total

So I spend the time sipping my morning coffee to produce a list of all locks along the western european rivers (Danube, Douro, Elbe, Main, Main Danube Canal, Moselle, Rhine, Rhone, Saar, Saone, Seine, Vltava and all the Canals and Waterways in the Netherlands & Belgium).

 

Get it here: http://www.rivercruiseinfo.com/content/list-locks-along-rivers

 

On the Amsterdam to Budapest Question:

1 Lock at the Amsterdam Rhine Canal

+ 0 Locks at the Rhine

+ 34 Locks at the Main

+ 16 Locks at the Main Danube Canal

+ 16 Locks from Kelheim to Budapest

= 66 Locks in total

Thanks very much. That's what I was trying to find with internet searches using various phrases, but to no avail. You managed to find this!

EDIT: On second thought, it looks as though you CREATED THIS! I went back and looked at it again and your name is on it. You've made an important contribution to our World Web!

EDIT: On second thought, it looks as though you CREATED THIS! I went back and looked at it again and your name is on it. You've made an important contribution to our World Web!

You are right, thanks for the comment btw. I just thought I would gather some valuable information on the website, as they tend to get lost in forums.

We just returned in early

May on the Enchanting Danube Cruise wiith Uniworld. We were told there were 11 locks that we passed through. FYI, it was the best overall cruise we have been on including 35 ocean cruises and 1 other river cruise. We are going on Uniworld's Tulips and Windmills Cruise in april 2013.

We just returned in early

May on the Enchanting Danube Cruise wiith Uniworld. We were told there were 11 locks that we passed through. FYI, it was the best overall cruise we have been on including 35 ocean cruises and 1 other river cruise. We are going on Uniworld's Tulips and Windmills Cruise in april 2013.

Re: Original question on this thread...

Any problems with waking up at night going through locks?

We were wakened a few times on our Rhine/Moselle cruise, but as it was our first river cruise,we thought it exciting and didn't mind at all...and I won't ever mind... It is part of the adventure, to me.

No problems at all. We did go through some locks at night, but they didn't wake us up.

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.

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.

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.

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 ;)

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.