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What happens when the River is Low?


pete_coach
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Can you tell us who is telling you? The resource I normally use to monitor river level indicates that levels are low but not too low for transit.

 

 

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I am aboard the Avalon Panorama right now. Info is from the cruise director and captain. It sounds like one or more of the shallower draft ships going downstream are getting through.

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Correction:

 

We are told that the blockage due to the accident was cleared by June 30-July 1. The current blockage is due to low water downstream of the Main-Danube Canal, which obviously can only happen due to low water entering from the headwaters. The Inn River, which enters the Danube at Passau, appeared to have plenty of water, more than the Danube. But that is obviously a different catchment area than the Danube.



 

We are told as of today the stretch between Regensburg and the Main-Danube Canal is still impassible due to low water.

 

According to the ELWIS page which is the official website for navigation information the blockage was still on after July 1st. The notice was still up when I posted.

 

The Danube river is not navigable upstream of Kelheim (where the canal starts on the Danube side) except for excurison boats.

 

I´m totally aware where the Inn river joins the Danube river ;). There are three more rivers joining the Danube river from the South and we did have lots of rain. Actually we do have currently. I had to hurry inside due to hail and a thunderstorm.

 

steamboats

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I am aboard the Avalon Panorama right now. Info is from the cruise director and captain. It sounds like one or more of the shallower draft ships going downstream are getting through.
''

 

Thank you

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You can check out this website for low water in Bavaria.

 

 

The shallow area is close to Straubing. That´s because there´s no dam/lock close by. They are discussing this situations for more than 30 years.

 

 

The notice about the closure is now deleted in ELWIS.

 

 

Currently the Danube river is mainly on "low" and only one river gauge is showing "very low". But in that area it shouldn´t be a problem.

 

 

The Isar river here in Munich is still on "normal" and the water we had is going to the Danube river now. The Isar river joins the Danube river near Deggendorf.

 

 

steamboats

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I spoke to the Captain this morning. He said some traffic is now getting through, but a cargo ship grounded in the German section of the Danube yesterday. He felt confident that he would be able to get through on his return trip from Budapest next week.

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I spoke to the Captain this morning. He said some traffic is now getting through, but a cargo ship grounded in the German section of the Danube yesterday. He felt confident that he would be able to get through on his return trip from Budapest next week.

 

There´s nothing in ELWIS about this and no news in any media.

 

steamboats

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I spoke to the Captain this morning. He said some traffic is now getting through, but a cargo ship grounded in the German section of the Danube yesterday. He felt confident that he would be able to get through on his return trip from Budapest next week.

 

 

 

Hi Sopwith, I was just checking the location of the Panorama on some ship tracking websites and according to them you are in Vienna or Regensburg. The majority say Vienna.

 

So I was just wondering, where is the ship actually? Also are you on your way to or from the shallow stretch? I would love to hear whether you made/make it through.

 

 

 

 

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Hi Sopwith, I was just checking the location of the Panorama on some ship tracking websites and according to them you are in Vienna or Regensburg. The majority say Vienna.

 

So I was just wondering, where is the ship actually? Also are you on your way to or from the shallow stretch? I would love to hear whether you made/make it through.

 

 

 

 

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We arrived in Vienna late afternoon Tuesday, departed 5:00 pm Wednesday for Budapest, ETA 9:00 am Thursday.

 

The ship did not make it through the shallow stretch. We were supposed to board the Expression in Nuremburg, but because neither ship could get through we were diverted to the Panorama in Passau.

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I was scheduled to board an ama waterways cruise on the Danube on Sunday July 15 in Nuremberg. They just contacted me saying that we will be bussed from Nuremberg on Sunday to Vilsofen to embark there due to low water.

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Thank you for the updates, not really what any of us are wanting to hear or experience and sorry you are having to go through it and hopefully it becomes a minor inconvenience and your trip was wonderful.

I do see rain in the forecast, not sure if it is enough to change the situation any time soon but hope it does. We will be in that area around the 23rd on Scenic. I have cruised from Budapest to Passau and was hoping to get to Nuremberg without issue fingers crossed.

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According to the "low water information service" (I translated this for you) the river levels are now down to "very low" (orange dots) between the Canal and Deggendorf. Further downriver it´s still "low" (yellow dots).

 

 

We are supposed to have a pretty hot weekend (90ies) and no rain exept for maybe some thunderstorms.

 

 

steamboats

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We fly out to Prague early tomorrow morning for a Viking "Passage to Eastern Europe" cruise...3 nights in Prague, two nights in Budapest, then board the ship for 7 nights followed by one night in Bucharest...

Was supposed to be on Viking Aegir...

A few minutes ago, we received an email from Viking (slightly edited to keep it short):

 

"Dear Viking Guest,

Thank you for choosing Viking for your upcoming European voyage. This message is to let you know that the Danube River is currently experiencing low water levels. As a consequence, your ship, Viking Aegir, is unable to reach Budapest for your departure.

As a consequence, you will not embark Viking Aegir ... You will instead be welcomed on board identical sister ship Viking Embla.

Please accept our apologies for this change so close to your departure, but rest assured it will not alter your cruise experience in any way. Like Viking Aegir, Viking Embla is a state-of-the-art Longship, featuring all the same comforts and style as the rest of the Viking Longship fleet...

We look forward to welcoming you on board and wish you a wonderful journey.

Sincerely,

Customer Relations--Viking"

 

Sounds like they are saying everything will be the same--just a different ship???

Edited by Bruin Steve
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Sounds like they are saying everything will be the same--just a different ship???

Some ships are getting stuck on the wrong side of the shallows between Nuremburg and Passau so they are switching people between ships. That is what happened to us. My understanding is that the river is passable downstream of Passau, so I expect you will be okay headed for Bucharest.

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We are supposed to be on the Viking Gullveig (Romantic Danube) leaving from Nuremburg July 28. Any update on the current situation on the Danube/Danube Main Canal between Nuremburg and Passau? Any news as to how cruise lines are handling things?

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We are in Prague RIGHT NOW. We are on our pre-cruise, but many with us in the hotel are post-cruise. Some had to switch ships...BUT at least on one ship, people have reported they were stuck in Passau, docked in an ugly, inconvenient industrial area for three days and were bused for several hours each day to their tours. Those folks all seem a bit angry...

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We are supposed to be on the Viking Gullveig (Romantic Danube) leaving from Nuremburg July 28. Any update on the current situation on the Danube/Danube Main Canal between Nuremburg and Passau? Any news as to how cruise lines are handling things?

 

The Canal is not the problem.The Canal has a constant water level. The problem is the Danube river which is missing a lock and dam in the Straubing area.

 

Viking usually swaps ships as the longships are all identical (except for the decoration/design).

 

steamboats

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Thank you for the update Bruin Steve! Any word yet on what will happen with your own cruise?

Since ours goes in the other direction from the low section—from Budapest to Bucharest—we should be okay...but they have told us they can’t get the Aegir to Budapest due to the blockage, so they’ll put us on the Embla instead...switching identical ships with some other scheduled cruise...

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This thread had me concerned so I contacted Scenic. We are on it next week, Budapest to Amsterdam and they said my ship is on its way to Budapest and has not encountered any issue and they don't anticipate any on the reverse trip.

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This thread had me concerned so I contacted Scenic. We are on it next week, Budapest to Amsterdam and they said my ship is on its way to Budapest and has not encountered any issue and they don't anticipate any on the reverse trip.

 

This is purely a marketing ploy to stop passengers asking awkward questions. Have you asked Scenic what their contingency plans are if traffic is stopped on the Danube, i.e. bussing, ship swap etc?

 

You will hit the shallows above Passau in about 10 - 14 days, no one can predict that far in advance, even if they have polished their Crystal Ball (this is not a sister ship to Crystal Mozart).

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