Rhine water levels 2018 and similar topics

i would be interested to hear about your progress! enjoy your journey.

yes, keep us updated, thanks, and good luck

Smooth cruising so far. Planned excursion stops in Rotterdam and Kinderdijk this morning plus an unexpected stop at Gorinchem due to an unfortunate medical event. Entered the Rhine from the Waal about an hour ago. Sailing overnight to stop in Cologne tomorrow. No discussion of any changes to itinerary.

Thanks histiomom, please keep us informed, and good luck!

Which cruise line histiomom?

Which cruise line histiomom?

We are on Viking

Slight delay (approximately 45 minutes) in arriving at our drop off of Zons to be taken by bus to Cologne this morning (advanced plan of bus trip—not related to water level). The 45 minute delay was attributed to slower speed due to water level. The ship continued to cruise to Cologne and arrived with no issues by the time the walking tour was completed.

As this is our first cruise on the Rhine I am unsure exactly how the banks should look. Nevertheless thought I would post a couple of pics and perhaps ones more knowledgeable could provide more info. First pic is of the area in Cologne across from river ship dock. Second is of bank area around Druten.

Have not yet done a River Cruise and am considering one for next year. Are there months of year that are best to travel the Rhine and not have problems with water levels?? If so, what months?

Thank you. Barbara

Current river levels: Maxau 366cm, Kaub 77cm, Koblenz 72cm. Perhaps the rain tomorrow will temporarily halt the slight downward trend.

histiomon,

thank you for the photos. They are a good indicator of what it looks like along the Rhine. The first photo shows a lot of exposed sand and I think I can make out people walking on it. That would normally not be possible to that extent. I do not know the area where the second photo was taken but it is typical of exposed sand (the beige/brownish colour) of which you would normally not see that much. The man-made structure of stone with grass growing on it is a breakwater (or groyne) that is built to alter the flow of water according to what is desired in that specific spot of river. The ones in my region also stick out of the water more - like this one - than they normally would.

I hope you have had a great time in Cologne. Next up for you: Koblenz! If you take the excursion up to Marksburg castle you will probably see a lot of exposed riverbed, too. Depending on where you look out of along the battlements/walls.

Both the Crystal Debussy and the Crystal Bach are safely in Koblenz ready for their amended itineraries. Kittykat52, of course you can still post in this thread if you like. :) Missing my comments? You make me blush. Thank you for your kind words. I was just thinking that for further reference for anyone travelling later or those wanting to compare river cruise lines they would like to read about your adventure in the thread that KathyK13 has started. But that is entirely up to you. First and foremost, enjoy your trip!

notamermaid

I hope that all of you that are travelling now and in the near future have a wonderful vacation and that you see most of the sights you were hoping to. We’re travelling on Scenic Jewel on Sept. 2 from Basel to Amsterdam and I’ve been reading this thread with great interest so thank you.

Hi Candf - we are travelling on the Scenic Opal from Basel on September 5. Hoping the river rises a bit. It looks like the Jewel is stalled near Baden Baden right now. I will be monitoring your comments once you begin.

I'm a little worried - we are sailing from Basel to Amsterdam on Sept 5 on the Scenic Opal. If the position on Cruisemapper is correct the Opal is not even to Weisbaden yet on its trip to Budapest where it should be on August 16. It then has to return to Amsterdam and then sail to Basel by Sept 5th.

Does anyone know if Cruisemapper is accurate?

Have any Scenic trips been cancelled?

thp and candf, we are doing Amsterdam to Budapest next year. I think we are on Scenic Pearl, although that could well change.

Hopefully you will post plenty of information and pictures. There seems to be very little about Scenic on these forums.

I do hope the water levels rise for you (but not too much) and you all have a wonderful trip.

I'm a little worried - we are sailing from Basel to Amsterdam on Sept 5 on the Scenic Opal. If the position on Cruisemapper is correct the Opal is not even to Weisbaden yet on its trip to Budapest where it should be on August 16. It then has to return to Amsterdam and then sail to Basel by Sept 5th.

Does anyone know if Cruisemapper is accurate?

Have any Scenic trips been cancelled?

Hello thp,

it looks as if the cruisemapper site was about accurate yesterday (morning) as the Scenic Opal is now well on her way on the Main river. She probably sailed all through the night. With the current low water on the Danube though I doubt she will make it to Budapest. It hardly works anyway, three days for roughly a thousand kilometres? Sounds like an amended itinerary to me. Following that she could be back to where she needs to be in time to pick you up for your cruise. River levels on the Rhine permitting...

notamermaid

Does anyone know if Cruisemapper is accurate?

Have any Scenic trips been cancelled?

I haven't heard of any being cancelled.

A good place to keep track of Scenic's European ships is http://www.anyoverip.de/scenic/

 

I haven't heard of any being cancelled.

To the OP

It is, however, quite possible that you will be on a different ship than the one you originally booked on (or more than one ship for that matter).

We're crusiing on Avalon this friday from Budapest to Nuremburg, our boat (Impression) was not able to get past Regensburg, so Avalon has changed our boat.

Question, It seems the boats were not able to get from Deggendorf to Regensburg, is that sitll true? Has there been any rain to improve the situations? Thanks!

We're crusiing on Avalon this friday from Budapest to Nuremburg, our boat (Impression) was not able to get past Regensburg, so Avalon has changed our boat.

 

Question, It seems the boats were not able to get from Deggendorf to Regensburg, is that sitll true? Has there been any rain to improve the situations? Thanks!

The Danube is not naviable to Regensburg, the culprit being near Straubing, although it seems that AMA boats can make it (sometimes) because of their shallow draught.

No rain and none in sight.

PS. You are cruising on the Danube, this is a Rhine thread - there is a Danube equivalent thread - chance of more answers.

Rain in the Rhine valley!

It is too early to show what impact it will have on the water levels. Currently the figures do not look too good: Maxau 368cm, Kaub 69cm, Koblenz 73cm.

The Rhine has a huge catchment area that comprises Alsace and Lorraine in France, parts of Luxembourg, reaches into Bavaria i.e. the Main brings the Rhine the water from there, and a great part of Switzerland.

The map, by the way, shows much rain around Munich and some along the Upper Danube. The former is helpful for the stretch downstream from Deggendorf (via the Isar river), the latter will also help the stretch from Regensburg, of course.

notamermaid

Any updates for Avalon on the Rhine? We are scheduled too leave Basil on Sat 8/19 going northbound on Affinity.

magbol99,

Today being the 14th your cruise is now within the time frame where it is possible to predict water levels (but not forecast yet) so if you are worried why not send an email to Avalon and find out how the ship is doing?

Hope all goes well with your cruise.

notamermaid

For those interested in the details of why there are so many problems with sailing on the Rhine right now and would like to know a bit of theory, here is a bit of background information (that also helps to explain further some of my posts). Of course, sailing is impaired because it is hot and it has hardly rained which is not unusual in Summer. But this Summer is extreme and for August there is far too little water in that commercially most important inland waterway in Europe, the Rhine. So here is a bit of theory on navigation channel, water and gauges.

First: Navigation channel, depth, etc. Here is a pdf-file to show you the depth of the river:

http://www.wsd-west.wsv.de/wasserstrassen/dateien/2011/Rhein_Fahrinnentiefe_und-breite2011_2.pdf

Do not worry, it is not as complicated as it looks. It is the Rhine from Basel at kilometre 165 to the border with the Netherlands at the respective kilometre(s). You can follow these kilometre signs as you sail along the river and put what you read in the file into practice. Up to 334 at Iffezheim the Rhine is regulated by locks, after that it is free-flowing. Look at the line with a red marking that has the figure 1,90m written above it. That is the trickiest bit and in that section you find the Lorelei rock for example.

More to follow.

The water level figures: Maxau 379cm, Kaub 71cm, Koblenz 73cm. A rise, yes, but it more is needed.

notamermaid

Notamermaid, your input is very much appreciated. Fingers crossed for all the folks including us who have spent a great deal of time & $$$ on planning our river cruises. It sounds like the Rhine gorge may be the most critical point for our cruise with Viking Sept 24 from Trier to Basel.

Look at the line with a red marking that has the figure 1,90m written above it. That is the trickiest bit and in that section you find the Lorelei rock for example.

Very interesting. So the shallowest part of the river is between 508 and 557? And the current depth on that stretch is 1,90m?

We awoke yesterday in Koblenz to significant rain and storms. They were short lived but hopefully providing some bit of relief. In the afternoon we cruised the middle Rhine (Rhine River gorge) viewing the many castles. While it was made known that it was super tricky navigation due to the water level we were able to safely but slowly make it through to Rüdesheim in the early evening. We navigated through to Mannheim this morning where we departed the ship by bus for a day in Heidelberg to meet up with the ship this evening in Speyer. Now sailing on to Strasbourg. Again other than a few minutes delay here and there we have had no interruption to the planned itinerary.

We are currently on Avalon Tranquility II having departed Amsterdam on August 11th. We transited the Rhine Gorge today.

Have had a couple of changes along the way to recognize the reality of the water levels.

Tomorrow, we were to go to Heidelburg and dock there. The water at the planned dock does not exist so the plan now is to be bused from Mainz to Heidelburg, do our excursion while the ship sails to a docking place beyond Heidleburg.

Avalon is revising on the fly and doing a great job.

More updates later if neceßary.

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