Length of river boat docking?

I read somewhere that the new longer boats can not dock overnight in some ports, or even dock for an extended period of time in some places I can not find this information again. Does anyone have experience with this? What was your experience on the longer ship with more people? Any comments are appreciated. Thank you.

What cruise line are you speaking about? Viking longboats seem to have an issue in Paris.

What cruise line are you speaking about? Viking longboats seem to have an issue in Paris.

AMA - the two newest boats are 443 feet versus the 360 feet. It was probably Viking I read about. Have you heard of any other ports Viking has had a problem. We haven't decided on a specific cruise yet. We did two with AMA and loved them. Trying to decide on something for next year. Thank you for your response.

I've been on the oldest AMA boat as well as their new boats. The day to day itineraries outline when they overnight in port and where they dock. That should provide what you need.

No idea about Viking as we would not cruise with them.

I actually think it the Draft (?) on the Longboats. In other words how much or how deep the water still needs to be to be able to continue sailing. The Longboats from my understand is that they need more water than other boats to sail. I could have this wrong but that is how I understand it.

AMA - the two newest boats are 443 feet versus the 360 feet. It was probably Viking I read about. Have you heard of any other ports Viking has had a problem. We haven't decided on a specific cruise yet. We did two with AMA and loved them. Trying to decide on something for next year. Thank you for your response.

443 feet is 135 meters, which is the standard size for new river ships [older ones were 110 m], as confirmed by our local expert notamermaid:

the standard sizes are 110 m or 135 m (some older vessels still happily sailing are shorter).

I don't recall seeing any reports that this length is a problem, and if so it would affect almost all the river cruise llines.

The length of any river cruise vessel is governed by the length of the locks it has to navigate likewise the width. Note that Scenic Gem and Scenic Azure are much shorter than their other ships. The draft is another consideration the shallower the draft the lower water levels they can navigate, I did read somewhere that Scenic was building their craft with a shallower draft. I also read that another cruise company have a side wheeler as that can cruise on much shallower rivers. I hope that throws some light on the subject.

Happy cruising CA

The only problems I've seen reported here was with Viking's longboats and it is because of the draft. As noted before, the locks on the Main Danube Canal are what really limits the length and width of river boats.

The Main Danube Canal is limiting the ships to a 11.40 m width and a length of 135 m (due to the lock chambers). The bridges there limit the height of a river cruise ship.

There are some ships wider than 11.40 m but they can only run from Passau downriver. The lock chambers in Austria are wider.

The Viking longships draw a bit more water than other river cruise ships and usually are the first ones to get "stuck" in a low water situation.

I´ve never heard about any problems regarding the docking areas and the length of a river cruise ship besides the fact that there is not enough docking space for the continiously raising number of river cruise ships so packaging will be more and more common.

steamboats

I agree steamboats,

from what I have seen and heard the rivers are getting fuller and incorporating the crusie companies - and their vessels needs - can be a logistical problem. Talk of supplies, fresh water, waste water, and in some places not equipped for the large boats low water can reduce the safety when docking. It is the rocks on the embankment, then, that are an issue.

The thing which might be a problem is when two of the long 135m-boats dock at two adjacent docking stations. A bit like parking lots that are small, because they were built when cars were small. But large towns will have already reacted to this and local authorities try to make alterations to embankments and built new docking station. Quite a bit of money to be made out of river cruise tourists. ;)

notamermaid

Congestion at some ports has reached saturation point, although I have not heard of any cruise line planning to tender passengers (as yet).

Some cruise lines are side stepping the conjestion by embarking / disembarking at small ports. Arosa has now decided insead of Passau they will embark /disembark from Engelhartszell (about an hour's drive) down stream from Passau. This is also to avoid the conjestion at the first set of locks at Jockenstein.

On the Seine a few companies (GCCL, Vantage, CroisiEurope that I know of) dock in Honfleur. I know the first two mentioned companies are using 110m boats, and I assume CroisiEurope is also. I think that the turning basin in Honfleur harbor is restricted to no more than 110m. A number of the other companies turn their cruise in Rouen, and it is almost twice as far from Rouen to the Normandy beaches as from Honfleur to the beaches.

Thom

Congestion at some ports has reached saturation point, although I have not heard of any cruise line planning to tender passengers (as yet).

Tenders from a river boat would be fun! But I think the cruise lines need to start including a retractable slide option off the back the ships. That would be a really fun way to disembark!

Ohhh I like the slide option! Think slides off house boats, we could pretend to be kids again!

That would go really well in the 100 degree heat lately! People might decide to stay in the river and forget the shore excursion.

As this thread includes several points raised lately I am pushing this up again and would also like to add some new info.

I have mentioned the 110m versus 135m vessel design, the width is usually ca. 11.40m. On the Elbe the situation is quite different, vessels are adapted in size and design to the low water levels. On the Loire CroisiEurope with the Loire Princess is plowing the waters using the special (actually old and upgraded to modern standards) paddle wheel design.

The Seine has two special authority regulations in the ports of Honfleur and Paris. Honfleur only allows ships of up to 110m into the dock and now it looks as if the 135m longships of Viking will be permanently out in LePecq (technically still part of Paris) not close to the city centre.

Arosa announced earlier this month that they will be doing the Seine from next year. That will give us the opportunity to see where Arosa will be allowed to dock. They will move a ship of 135m length from the Rhine onto the Seine.

notamermaid

Tenders from a river boat would be fun! But I think the cruise lines need to start including a retractable slide option off the back the ships. That would be a really fun way to disembark!

They tender in some areas of the Mekong, no slide though. :D