Uniworld Enchanted Danube -- Noisy Locks at night???

[antipodean99]

according to Wikipedia:

 

"The length of the canal is 171 km; the summit altitude (between the Hilpoltstein and Bachhausen locks) is 406 m above sea level. This is the highest point on Earth that can be reached by watercraft from the sea. Along the course of the canal are 16 lock with lifting heights of up to 25 meters, of which thirteen are designed to conserve water.

The height difference along the north ramp of the canal — from the Main at Bamberg to the crest attitude — is 175 m, with 11 locks. From the crest attitude down to the Altmühl at Dietfurt is a drop of 51 m in altitude, through three locks. The further difference in altitude of 17 m along the Altmühl, with two more locks, makes a total of 68 m for the south ramp. This means that the Danube end of the canal is 107.3 m above the level of the Main end.

The 16 locks are managed from four remote control centers (Neuses since 2007, Kriegenbrunn, Hilpoltstein, and Dietfurt from the beginning of 2007). These centers are manned with one (night shift) and two (day shift) employees. The locks were modernized from 2001 to 2007, replacing the outdated relay technology with computers and a PLC. The cost is approximately $ 1.3 million per lock.'

 

 

and btw - there is hardly any noise when you go through the locks.

[Jesterscourt]

I was on The Enchanting Danube trip last year and was never awakened by going through any lock. The main issue with a lock is if you are lying in your underwear with your french balcony or state room shades open, and suddenly there are local lock staff strolling by!

[Baybear]

I was on The Enchanting Danube trip last year and was never awakened by going through any lock. The main issue with a lock is if you are lying in your underwear with your french balcony or state room shades open, and suddenly there are local lock staff strolling by!

 

That sounds like a whole new topic!

[Yggdrasil98]

I've slept through lots Bud to Ams, and sometimes woken. I don't really understand how important it is? To me all the boat stuff is part of River or small ship cruising.

 

We have another Christmas cruise and often the people on the lower deck last time lost a fair bit of sleep because of the crunching through the ice at night. We didn't hear it much on level 2, and they didn't seem to mind.

 

I find the locks comforting too, it's like someone is looking after everything at night :)

[globie]

To swamp1sg

Are you booked on the Avalon Tranquility Dec 15 to 22, Nuremburg to Frankfurt? My wife and I would enjoy meeting you. We arrive Prague a few days early. -globie

 

Bob & Merry Grisak

[jklc123]

We greatly enjoyed Passau to Budapest in 2010. We don't remember being awakened more than maybe once or twice passing thru the locks. Fabulous trip!

[twinkletoes4445]

I am a very light sleeper and I, nor my husband, heard any noises at night on our River Beatrice cruise. We did the Passau to Budapest route this past summer.

[Talisker92]

Seems to me that I read somewhere that the Europeans don't like Uniworld and force their ships to go through locks along the rivers.

 

All of the other lines cruise right past the locks with no noise.

 

Unfortunately, this is a problem with posting on a board. The poster has said something that is totally incorrect, and it may confuse others.

We have taken the cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, and there is absolutely NO WAY around the locks.

[newlondon]

Talisker92, I didn't see that post. As you said it couldn't be more inaccurate. How did the poster think any river boat dealt with a dam across the river:confused:

The question, however, is noise going through the locks. Two comments; we have done river cruises twice with many locks: the skill of the officer guiding the boat can make a huge difference in noise levels; and, if the lock is only olding your boat as opposed to others also matters. It doesn't have to be noisy, but it can be.

Let me add, however, it didn't always wake us up. Might have had something to do with the free wine at dinner:D