Question re Sun Deck closure on Danube/Main

Although veteran ocean cruisers, we are river cruise newbies and still learning.

I have just read a recent review on a 15 day Amaverde Budapest to Amsterdam itinerary and the writer said this:

The Sun deck was closed for 4 days while passing through the Danube - Main canal.

We are booked on the same itinerary, same direction and same ship in October, and although we expected some closures for low bridges, did not expect to have it closed for potentially four days.

Is this normal for a reason we do not know, or is it to do with water levels on the particular dates you are passing this section?

The bridges over the canal are pretty low and usually the ships close down the sun deck for the whole canal stretch. It´s not just "closed down" but everything has to be flattened, sun chairs, sun shades, tables, railings. As this is quite a work and you can´t put it up and down every other hour they leave it down.

It has nothing to do with water levels as the canal has a constant water level all over the year.

steamboats

My goodness, that was quick!

Thanks for explaining it.

As I mentioned, we are river cruise newbies and thought we had researched enough so we knew what to expect....obviously not!

What we did not appreciate was that there would be SO many low bridges on that particular section that closure for several days would be necessary. We usually spend as much time outdoors as possible but on this occasion we will be inside...or off the ship on tours for most of the time anyway.

AMA Prague to Budapest,,and at NO TIME,,was Sun Deck closed...maybe more of a problem after Prague? Perhaps lots of rain in last few weeks.??

There are places below that to get outside,,and hope you got room with some sort of balcony,,we always do for this ,,,had that happen a few yrs.ago from Nuremburg to Amsterdam,,,was SO disappointed.

Hope you have better luck,,,and you re right,,always think of river cruise as seen in pics..with top deck open...:(

On their Amsterdam to Vienna cruises, the GCT ships close down the rear sun deck but the large area in front of the pilot house remains open the entire trip. The most enjoyable part of my many river cruises is being on the sun deck while cruising. I was on a AMA ship a few years ago and was very disappointed that the entire sun deck was closed for 5 days.

alexandra cruiser,

I wonder how you got from Prague to Budapest by river as there is no connection between the Moldau and the Danube river :D!

Usually you are bussed from Prague to Nuremberg. Nuremberg is on the canal. Depending on what time you´ve left Nuremberg I don´t think you even realized that the sun deck was closed. It´s a couple of hours from Nuremberg to Kelheim until you reach the Danube river. And assuming you left Nuremberg in the evening you´ve passed this part at nighttime. But on this stretch you have the lowest bridge and no river cruise ship can pass this one without a closed sun deck.

steamboats

we were bussed,,did NOT get on in Prague...but guess we were lucky it was open all the way to Budapest,,,and very lovely country.;)

Thanks for additional info.

It appears that the design of the boat can impact on some more than others.

Thanks for additional info.

 

It appears that the design of the boat can impact on some more than others.

I think you hit the nail on the head there. With new boats being built bigger to accommodate more passengers I see their drafts have gotten deeper and this would effect their height under those bridges. This time last year we were cruising the canal on the MS Treasures and the sun deck was not closed on any days.