Recap of Low Water Situation

Cruise Critic has posted an article titled Low Water Levels Force European River Cruise Lines to Cancel, Monitor Sailings

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6450

 

It includes updates from Avalon, Viking, Uniworld and Scenic, and indicates that water levels are low on the Rhine, Main and Danube.

 

Good news: Scenic Cruises said that the ship on its Jewels of Europe itinerary passed the critical area on the river last night without incident.

Cruise Critic has posted an article titled Low Water Levels Force European River Cruise Lines to Cancel, Monitor Sailings

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6450

The article says in part "Avalon Waterways has canceled the departure of its "Highlights of Germany" river cruise on Avalon Affinity, due to low water on a stretch of the Danube River between Regensburg and Nuremberg."

 

Perhaps we could chip in and buy the Cruise Critic editors an atlas. Nuremberg is on the Pegnitz River (and the Main-Danube Canal), and is almost 100 km from the Danube. The Avalon announcement I have seen mentioned "low waters on a stretch of the Danube River in Germany" with no mention of Nuremberg, so Avalon seems blameless.

Regardless of geography issues, I am impressed with Avalon's customer service. The article notes several cruise lines that have been affected and we are starting to get reports from passengers about bus trips and ship swaps, but only Avalon has pro-actively posted on Cruise Critic.

Regardless of geography issues, I am impressed with Avalon's customer service. The article notes several cruise lines that have been affected and we are starting to get reports from passengers about bus trips and ship swaps, but only Avalon has pro-actively posted on Cruise Critic.

 

Yes! Totally agree! Communication is key! It doesn't cost anything and means so much to those of us with upcoming trips!

I would much prefer to be notified further in advance than any of the lines are doing, since I would already be in Europe a week or two before a river cruise and would be able to switch plans to a DIY trip rather than any chance of a bus trip.

I don't think any of the river cruise lines could predict what would happen a few weeks ago, so yes it would be inconvenient however, what can they do?

 

I too think communication is key and applaud Avalon, once again, for taking a stance and advising of changes. I don't think anyone that has booked a river cruise wants it to turn into a land/bus tour but unfortunately we are at the mercy of Mother Nature. My views come from someone who has had disruption to a river cruise due to low water levels, not perfect but it's a risk we take.

Regardless of geography issues, I am impressed with Avalon's customer service. The article notes several cruise lines that have been affected and we are starting to get reports from passengers about bus trips and ship swaps, but only Avalon has pro-actively posted on Cruise Critic.

I also am impressed with Avalon pro-actively reaching out. Avalon is actually reporting:

WATER LEVELS ON THE DANUBE: AN AVALON UPDATE...water levels between Regensburg and Passau are low...

Passau is EAST of Regensburg (ie downstream from Regensburg). To reach Kelhiem and the Main-Danube Canal toward Nuremberg you travel WEST (upstream) from Regensburg. I may have missed it, but I have not seen Avalon detailing problems specifically between Regensburg and Nuremberg (although obviously water levels problems in one stretch of the river can cause traffic backup further afield). It would be a lot less confusing if the people who write the news articles checked their facts before they post.

We were booked on Avalon's Highlights of Germany that was cancelled. I received a phone call on Thursday afternoon. We were due to depart on Saturday. Until then we were clueless on the low rivers. I look at Cruise Critic daily and saw nothing about water issues.

 

We were due to depart for Munich 2 days after the cancellation. Avalon offered a Paris-Normandy cruise we could get on. We declined. They offered a Monograms tour Munich-Berlin. We declined. They offered a Frankfurt-Frankfurt round Germany tour with too many one night hotel stays. It would have cost us $2600 to change the air tix that I had booked myself, with no insurance.

 

We did not want to tour independently. We loved our Avalon cruise in2013. This is so disappointing.

 

We are staying home and taking a stay cation and will use our air tix with the additional costs probably in the fall.

 

Avalon is giving us a full refund and a $500 voucher for travel thru 2016. Nervous about booking another cruise that could possibly be cancelled.

... Nervous about booking another cruise that could possibly be cancelled.

I understand your nervousness, but like it or not, River cruises are cancelled (or worse IMO turned into bus tours) for both low and high water beyond the control of the company. I have done cruises (most longer than a week) on many rivers (Yangtze, Nile, Amazon, Volga, Dnepr, Rhine, Danube, Seine, etc.) and the FIRST port and first day of sailing I have missed was one day / one port (which we did get to by bus) on the Rhone this Spring. I admit, I've probably been lucky (and may have now jinxed myself:eek:), but stuff can happen anywhere at anytime. Over the years, I have missed many ocean cruise ports, had Caribbean land vacations cancelled when the hotel was destroyed in a hurricane, been caught in the middle of the 1968 student riots in Paris, been in countries in the middle of coups, etc. Might be safer to stay home, but a meteorite could come through the ceiling and kill me. All of us would like life to run perfectly, but life is full of risks. Enjoy it while you can (and be thankful that Avalon at least gave you options - that is better than many companies who would have turned the cruise into a bus tour on a like it or lump it basis).

 

Thom

I found this on Viking's web site http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/my-trip/about-my-cruise/current-sailings.html

I found this on Viking's web site http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/my-trip/about-my-cruise/current-sailings.html

Good to know Francis. Certainly helps that Viking has so many ships and usually one going each direction so they can arrange change of ships around a low water level. We aren't doing a Danube cruise but will be on the Rhine end of August so will be closely monitoring what happens.

Low water and high water are always a consideration when booking a river cruise. It's the nature of the beast. There's no getting around it unless you have the power to create, or take away, water. It's not any one cruise line's fault but HOW they handle it is. Communication is key but they cannot predict a river's water level two weeks in advance! Even a couple days in advance is not possible at times.

 

When this *stuff* happens, you realize the true value of the river cruise company you booked with.

In my opinion - the most important communication about changes/cancellations of cruises belongs between the river cruise company and the travel agents/clients. This is and should continue to be their primary way of corresponding with the clients ->Directly. From what I can tell - this is what they are doing.

 

I don't see kudos for posting on CC or any other cruise boards or social media sites. I think it is fine they post here but I don't think it is that important in the scope of correspondence. The people on these sites represent such a small percentage of people on the river cruises. I think the year I went on my trip, there were 2 other couples who went after I did that summer. No one on my ship had heard of any of the cruise message boards. People should hear from the river boat company and not a message board about cancellations.

 

What is most important is that the cruise line and/or travel agent you are working with knows how to get a hold of you, especially if you are doing a pre-cruise trip and/or independent traveling before your scheduled cruise.

 

I actually find the Europeans who post on this board about the river status quite helpful.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Coral

Of course the cruise lines are contacting agents and those who booked directly. That is obviously the first step. Personally, I appreciate them posting on the board because it gives those of us who are sailing close to the dates of the others a little 'heads-up' so we're aware of what's going on in the region. It's transparency. Any company willing to be transparent and pro-active deserves praise IMO.

Of course the cruise lines are contacting agents and those who booked directly. That is obviously the first step. Personally, I appreciate them posting on the board because it gives those of us who are sailing close to the dates of the others a little 'heads-up' so we're aware of what's going on in the region. It's transparency. Any company willing to be transparent and pro-active deserves praise IMO.

 

 

Ditto!!!

Of course the cruise lines are contacting agents and those who booked directly. That is obviously the first step. Personally, I appreciate them posting on the board because it gives those of us who are sailing close to the dates of the others a little 'heads-up' so we're aware of what's going on in the region. It's transparency. Any company willing to be transparent and pro-active deserves praise IMO.

 

I don't think the companies are hiding that they are canceling cruises due to conditions. It is on their websites and they are notifying people directly. That is transparency. Posting to CC does not make them "transparent".

Edited July 19, 2015 by Coral

Good to know Francis. Certainly helps that Viking has so many ships and usually one going each direction so they can arrange change of ships around a low water level. We aren't doing a Danube cruise but will be on the Rhine end of August so will be closely monitoring what happens.

 

I agree Betty - I think Viking has 6 ships on the Rhine Getaway itinerary. We're off a week or so in front of you and getting very excited.

I have the utmost faith in old Father Rhine to keep the boats floating along.

Frank

I don't think the companies are hiding that they are canceling cruises due to conditions. It is on their websites and they are notifying people directly. That is transparency. Posting to CC does not make them "transparent".

 

Notifying any/all who may be interested and may have a stake in the news is being transparent.

 

I thought the board was a place to discuss all information relating to river cruising. I must be wrong. Although the information may not be important to you, it is to many others.

 

And Jazzbeau, thank you for posting this thread. As you can see, many of us are interested.

Edited July 19, 2015 by DrivesLikeMario

Notifying any/all who may be interested and may have a stake in the news is being transparent.

 

I thought the board was a place to discuss all information relating to river cruising. I must be wrong. Although the information may not be important to you, it is to many others.

 

And Jazzbeau, thank you for posting this thread. As you can see, many of us are interested.

 

It is a place to discuss it. But if a line doesn't post here, that doesn't make them a bad line or non-transparent. That is my point.

Notifying any/all who may be interested and may have a stake in the news is being transparent.

 

I thought the board was a place to discuss all information relating to river cruising. I must be wrong. Although the information may not be important to you, it is to many others.

 

And Jazzbeau, thank you for posting this thread. As you can see, many of us are interested.

 

Agreed, the heads up give an opportunity to consider "What if" scenarios and think about Plan B or C

I also find in odd that a river line would post here. If you look at the major cruise lines -- they do not post on Cruise Critic if a cruise is cancelled due to weather or mechanical failure. Even the best lines with the best reputations. They may participate in interviews with Cruise Critic reporters but I think that is in response to Cruise Critic reporter asking for interviews.

All the River Cruise companies have a history of posting and interacting on this board. Some post on a regular basis, while others post during times of difficult travel or river conditions (think rivers floods a couple years ago).

I also find in odd that a river line would post here. If you look at the major cruise lines -- they do not post on Cruise Critic if a cruise is cancelled due to weather or mechanical failure. Even the best lines with the best reputations. They may participate in interviews with Cruise Critic reporters but I think that is in response to Cruise Critic reporter asking for interviews.

 

That may be true of the mega-ship lines, but some of the more upscale lines have a regular presence on their respective CC forums. I'm thinking of Azamara, which has long had an officer assigned to monitor its forum and post regularly. It is much appreciated by the Azamara CC community. I can't think of an example of a post about a cruise being cancelled by low water levels in the ocean [!], but they did explain about charter situations and itinerary changes [ship does happen on the ocean, just in different ways].

I would much prefer to be notified further in advance than any of the lines are doing, since I would already be in Europe a week or two before a river cruise and would be able to switch plans to a DIY trip rather than any chance of a bus trip.

 

Well, often they do not know in advance how a situation is going to develop. The long term high water during May 2013 (+ the time it took to repair all the locks in June 2013) was the total exception from the rule. Rather often it is a question of a few cm clearance height IF a boat can pass a bridge or if the water is already too high. Usually PAX stay on their boat and do one or two cities per bus, while the boat catches up asap.

 

Keep in mind, about 1-2 weeks after the river levels are better and everything is back to normal, there will be another 'wave' of ship switches. Because of the delay atm the ships are not where they are supposed to be, so the companies will get them back on schedule. So another 'sideeffect' of a low / high water situation is, it might also affect PAX on the next cruises.

we have experienced both high/low water on different cruises. sometimes it just means the ships travel slower between ports, or ports are changed, and left in 1 spot for longer and bussed.

on 1 we had to vacate the ship early and bus to a hotel for the last 2 nights. the final cruise we did not know until we travelled to the embarkation point, despite attempts to get current info, that we would be bussed from Zurich to Strasberg rather than leave from Basel.

 

we do not mind being on the ship and then choosing whether to bus to places or doing what we like. we did not like bussing to a hotel. it was not of the same standard in terms of accommodation, amenities/meals etc.

 

we did get a goodwill payment about 8 weeks after we arrived home.

communication is important and needs to be timely and unambiguous. no issue with cruise lines using social media to get messages out but not everyone is engaged. it is good PR however.