German lock strike again..

Sorry folks, I don't want to ruin your weekend, but the strike seems to be back on next week. Shortly before the german national elections, Ver.di will intensify the strike again: http://www.mainpost.de/ueberregional/wirtschaft/topthemen/Verdi-verschaerft-Schleusen-Streiks;art30838,7662213

According to this interview, they are going to close down all german locks (Regionen = regions) simultaneously from Monday 9th until Sunday 15th.

If this really happens, it would stall ALL cruises but the Elbe river.

Geez, they had better have this fixed up and under control by September 30th when I'm supposed to be cruising!!!

Not good news with September being one of the busiest months.

Good news: They are talking again and the week long strike has been postponed! There might be some single strikes on Monday / Tuesday which can´t be postponed anymore.

steamboats

We are on the Avalon Panorama now and expecting some lock action at and beyond Wurzbburg. Hoping that it is limited, but there is a contingency plan in place and our cruise director seems to have it on hand at the moment. Will advise if it gets ugly.

Currently on the Scenic Diamond.... Supposed to be sailing to Regensburg at this time but got caught below Passau because of the strikes. Staff were told the lock would be open this AM - and we sailed up to the lock only to discover that the lock was NOT open, and there were a number of boats (cruise and cargo) waiting there. We have sailed back to Schloegen (? sp) and are waiting for an update.

Our cruise ends tomorrow, so doubt we will get to Regensburg at all. Won't go if they offer a bus trip there.... Sausages will have to wait for another time.

Fran

Below Wurzburg, trying to get to Bamberg. Avalon crew will bus us to Bamberg. Not a real problem and crew is handling everything with aplomb.

Just makes their lives a bit chaotic and frayed. Passengers so far are handling with equanimity.

Hoping to get thou a few locks towards Nurenberg tomorrow, heading toward Budapest, ultimately. If we get trapped, we may switch ships with another stuck on the other side. We have contingency plans so feel confident we will get all our sights seen. :)

Just received email that we have to meet at Nuremberg train station and be directed to Bamberg instead of meeting ship in Nuremberg. Ship can't make it to Nuremberg. This is for the Amadolce. My question is will they be skipping Nuremberg? We are there now having come in a day early. Knowing this answer will affect our sightseeing of Nuremberg.

Just received email that we have to meet at Nuremberg train station and be directed to Bamberg instead of meeting ship in Nuremberg. Ship can't make it to Nuremberg. This is for the Amadolce. My question is will they be skipping Nuremberg? We are there now having come in a day early. Knowing this answer will affect our sightseeing of Nuremberg.

Well, usually the ship will stay in Bamberg one day longer (as the whole itinerary has to be timed), and you are going to be transferred by bus to Nuremberg - takes 45 minutes on the motorway.

Original Itinerary..

Day1: Nuremberg, Tour of Nuremberg

Day2: Bamberg, Tour of Bamberg..

Modified Itinerary:

Day1: Bamberg, Tour of Nuremberg

Day2: Bamberg, Tour of Bamberg..

Thats how it usually done, in order to make sure all other tours can take place as planned.. But if you really want to be on the safe side, ask AMA ;)

We lived in Germany for four years and loved the country and its people. Since we have seen most of Germany, river cruising there is probably not in our future.

However, knowing how powerful the German unions can be, it would definitely keep me from booking a river cruise going through Germany.

We loved the Smokey Beer in Bamberg we wouldn't mind being stuck there for a couple of days!!!

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Our cruise ends tomorrow' date=' so doubt we will get to Regensburg at all. Won't go if they offer a bus trip there.... Sausages will have to wait for another time.

Fran[/quote]

Great sense of humor and a GREAT attitude!....stay safe and enjoy

We loved the Smokey Beer in Bamberg we wouldn't mind being stuck there for a couple of days!!!

After my in-laws' first trip to Bamberg, my FIL came home and asked my husband to brew him a batch of rauchbier so he made some. I'm not a fan, but my FIL and husband did manage to drink both of the kegs he brewed:p

I can't stand the smoked beer. However, there are around 300 other breweries here in northern bavaria :)

We were bussed to Bamberg and cruised back to Nuremburg(see my previous post above) overnite. Since then it's been smooth sailing. Wish we had better weather as it is cool and often rainy. Enjoying meeting new people and sightseeing. The ship and crew on the Amadolce couldn't be better.

Regensburg today with morning sunshine!

I can't stand the smoked beer. However, there are around 300 other breweries here in northern bavaria :)

My husband (the homebrewer) chose our itinerary to get the best beer experience. It's pretty much the entire reason he wants to do a river cruise in Germany. The beers his dad has brought him back over the years piqued his interest for sure! (I lived in Belgium many years ago and prefer a saison but I will certainly be trying as many different beers as we come across:p) Beer is also the reason we booked a cabin with a teeny fridge. And I just ordered the book Prost about the history of German beer. Hopefully I'll be well-prepared:D

Great sense of humor and a GREAT attitude!....stay safe and enjoy

Thanks... I am a "make lemonade" type of traveler - so looks for the positive when ever possible.

Just as a follow-up - we did make it to Regensburg. They offered to bus us there - and said up front it was 2 hours. DH wanted to go to a toy store... (long story) and I figured I was willing to do the trip for the sausages.

I did sort of an impromptu short walking tour for a few people who also wanted to get sausages (cathedral, bridge etc) and then 5 of us went for "6 mit kraut" --> and it was SO worth the drive. Also bought mustard to bring home.

Fran

Fran - I just knew that in the end the temptation of the sausages would be too much for you. Did you go to Wurstkuchl near the bridge for the bratwursts?

Fran - I just knew that in the end the temptation of the sausages would be too much for you. Did you go to Wurstkuchl near the bridge for the bratwursts?

Yes - and it was so worth it.

We stayed 2 extra days in Nuremberg at the end - so had sausages there as well. Nurembergers feel their sausages are superior - so had them twice - at two different restaurants - just to say I could do a good comparison!!! :D

Sausages are slightly different.... Can't say I prefer one over the other. But the sauerkraut and mustard in Regensburg beat the Nuremberg offerings hands down... (IMHO).

Fran

We were on the River Melody sailing the Mosel on Sunday a week ago when it was announced that the lock strikes would close the Mosel. Our captain and program directors made the decision to leave a day early and get back on the Rhine. Good choice. We were the last boat out that day and finished our trip to Basel uneventfully.

I'm hearing conflicting information. Are the locks on the Rhine affected by the strike, or not?

Tracy,

Currently there are no strikes.

steamboats

Currently there are no strikes.

Tracy,

 

Currently there are no strikes.

 

steamboats

Steamboats - does there appear to have been progress in negotiations? Is the atmosphere between the union and the government improving?

Sorry, but I didn´t see anything about the negotiations in our media.

steamboats