Viking Cruises: Update on Central Europe Flood Impact

[nana541]

We are already in Europe for this cruise. Need to know by Friday whether we should cancel the train ride and hotel room in Nuremburg on Saturday. Sure, ok, I guess I will call the 800 number.

 

The status has not changed in days for this cruise and it is ambiguous at best. To a first time cruiser, it sounds like 'we don't know if we can get a boat there, and even if we do expect to be bussed around for a few days.'

 

Call call call.... However I doubt the 800# will work from Europe! Do you have a TA handling this or did you book directly with Viking?? Your TA should be handling this for you!

 

Brownant look in your travel documents you should have a local phone number in those papers... Or hopefully Vikings is reading this and can reach out with a better phone number as I suspect the 800 number is for calling within the US.

Edited June 12, 2013 by nana541

[Viking Cruises]

Hi brownant,

 

We hope you’re currently enjoying Europe! Please accept our apologies for the missed connections. We understand your concern about your upcoming trip and whether or not it will be canceled. As we’re sure you’ve noticed from the lengthy and frequent updates here and on our website, we haven’t shied away from canceling cruises where conditions prevented us from being able to provide a modified itinerary that we believed would be worthwhile. Your June 16th cruise is still scheduled to proceed, meaning that we do not anticipate you needing to change your other travel arrangements.

 

Should conditions change within the next few days and our projection for your cruise therefore change, we would alert our guests first via email and then with a phone call. We would also update the website and Cruise Critic again, too. Seeing as you are already in Europe, we would want to make sure that we had the email address on file that you would be sure to access. Please do email us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com so that we can make sure that you are contacted promptly if anything changes before Friday.

 

We are already in Europe for this cruise. Need to know by Friday whether we should cancel the train ride and hotel room in Nuremburg on Saturday. Sure, ok, I guess I will call the 800 number.

 

The status has not changed in days for this cruise and it is ambiguous at best. To a first time cruiser, it sounds like 'we don't know if we can get a boat there, and even if we do expect to be bussed around for a few days.'

 

 

 

And dear nana541…

 

You make a great point, and it didn’t go without notice that brownant’s departure date and likely date of air travel were quickly approaching. We phrased it that way as there are multiple email addresses that connect to various departments within the company and without knowing which email address a guest sends their communication to, or without knowing any identifying information about a guest, we’re unable to help track down the email or ensure that the proper Viking team member contacts him.

 

We do always encourage guests & Cruise Critic members to contact TellUs@vikingcruises.com – but you already know that! Thanks for being such a great advocate for your fellow Cruise Critic members.

 

Viking.... We love your responses but in this case Brownant is scheduled on this Sundays sailing June 16!! I suspect he is leaving for Europe on Thur or Fri so to get back to him in a "Few Days" is likely not going to work!

 

Seems like both you and Brownant need to be a bit more proactive and reach out to each other!!

 

JMHO

 

Best wishes to both of you,

Viking Cruises

[nana541]

We are already in Europe for this cruise. Need to know by Friday whether we should cancel the train ride and hotel room in Nuremburg on Saturday. Sure, ok, I guess I will call the 800 number.

 

The status has not changed in days for this cruise and it is ambiguous at best. To a first time cruiser, it sounds like 'we don't know if we can get a boat there, and even if we do expect to be bussed around for a few days.'

 

All guests (and their travel agents) on canceled sailings have been contacted by Viking. If you have questions or concerns about your canceled sailing, please contact Customer Relations at 1.877.523.0579, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PDT. For after hours and weekends you can email us at customerrelations@vikingrivercruises.com.

*

[bobandjo]

Just heard from friends who are on Viking's Amsterdam - Budapest Jun 8 sailing and they're having a fantastic time. Hopefully it continues that way as they will soon be getting to the Danube area. We're heading for airport a week tomorrow for same trip but with Avalon. I'm sure we'll have some great discussions when we get home comparing trips. We pass in Amsterdam airport same day as we arrive and they're heading back.

[phoebecat]

We are already in Europe for this cruise. Need to know by Friday whether we should cancel the train ride and hotel room in Nuremburg on Saturday. Sure, ok, I guess I will call the 800 number.

 

The status has not changed in days for this cruise and it is ambiguous at best. To a first time cruiser, it sounds like 'we don't know if we can get a boat there, and even if we do expect to be bussed around for a few days.'

 

Anything to share? Just wondered if you had heard from Viking, and whether your cruise is going ahead. Do hope so, as we are on the next week's sailing!

Best of luck.

[deec]

Bobandjo,

What were the deciding factors that helped you choose Avalon over your friends' choice of Viking?

 

Trying to make sure I am comparing apples to apples. Don't want to spend more $$$ for the same product but if one is superior in some way...it will be worth it.

thanks,

Dee

[bobandjo]

Bobandjo' date='

What were the deciding factors that helped you choose Avalon over your friends' choice of Viking?

 

Trying to make sure I am comparing apples to apples. Don't want to spend more $$$ for the same product but if one is superior in some way...it will be worth it.

thanks,

Dee[/quote']

 

Liked the "suite ships" rooms being larger. I was a little turned off with Viking's heavy tv advertising, everytime we turned the tv on their ad was on. Bit of an exaggeration. A bit more in $ but not as much as some of the others. And ours was a last second decision, didn't even think we'd get a cruise this year, went into t.a. in Feb and said has to be Avalon or Ama, Amsterdam to Budapest, French balcony and this summer. Think we might have got last suite left.

[brownant]

PhoebeCat, have a good cruise. River traffic will probably be less disrupted by then.

 

No, we only received the one email with the text copied from the press release. The only other response was here on CruiseCritic. I only found the 1-800 and 1-877 numbers. My emails were to customerrelations@vikingrivercruises.com like the press release suggested. I just don't get the excuse that they are not able to triage email in this situation. That is basic business in 2013, especially in a difficult situation like this.

 

Text for today's status for this cruise was unchanged from the last four days or so. I guess the ship will sail.

[phoebecat]

I reckon they will be going ahead and you might end up with a boat swap. Watching the river levels come down, things are definitely back in the right direction. Try this website, and you can see the individual stations where they measure the height, and you can get an idea of the trend.

 

http://www.hnd.bayern.de/

 

Meantime, Dad and I are just determined to have a good trip no matter what. As long as I get my fair share of German and Austrian cake, and lots of strudel in Prague, Ill be happy!

[pablor24]

I'm feeling that Viking is being really disingenious. I'm sailing in a couple of days and when you call they offer no insight into back-up plans. Yes, this is once in 500 years flooding. But these cruises get changed almost yearly for low- or high-water levels. Which hotels would we be staying at? Where will we be going? I've asked all of these questions by phone and the customer service reps refuse to disclose anything or inform where this information can be obtained. It seriously feels like a bait-and-switch where I'm being forced to go to a port and maybe or maybe not board. And to do all of this in a foreign country where I have far less recourse.

 

All in all, it's clear that Viking has decided that my money is more important than my satisfaction. I'll never cruise with them again, and I would strongly warn others from doing so. Otherwise, you might be looking at what I'm looking at (and trip changes like I said seem to happen for various reasons every year): a $5000 per person bus trip from unknown hotels to unknown destinations without any idea what my vacation will be.

 

And yes, they will reply to this: pablor24, please contact us so we can sort things out.

 

But seriously, I have multiple times. Their posts here are just for their own PR --they are nothing but fake lip service.

[Herbaru]

I feel your pain, pablor24! I am in the same boat as you. Sailing Viking Legend Budapest - Passau June 16. We have gotten the same company line at you.

 

I'm feeling that Viking is being really disingenious. I'm sailing in a couple of days and when you call they offer no insight into back-up plans. Yes, this is once in 500 years flooding. But these cruises get changed almost yearly for low- or high-water levels. Which hotels would we be staying at? Where will we be going? I've asked all of these questions by phone and the customer service reps refuse to disclose anything or inform where this information can be obtained. It seriously feels like a bait-and-switch where I'm being forced to go to a port and maybe or maybe not board. And to do all of this in a foreign country where I have far less recourse.

 

All in all, it's clear that Viking has decided that my money is more important than my satisfaction. I'll never cruise with them again, and I would strongly warn others from doing so. Otherwise, you might be looking at what I'm looking at (and trip changes like I said seem to happen for various reasons every year): a $5000 per person bus trip from unknown hotels to unknown destinations without any idea what my vacation will be.

 

And yes, they will reply to this: pablor24, please contact us so we can sort things out.

 

But seriously, I have multiple times. Their posts here are just for their own PR --they are nothing but fake lip service.

[bobandjo]

Oops! They just hit a bridge at the 252km mark. Backed out and now sitting waiting to see what to do.

[Mr. Fudd]

I feel your pain, pablor24! I am in the same boat as you. Sailing Viking Legend Budapest - Passau June 16. We have gotten the same company line at you.

The Viking experience, in the most recent circumstance, involved hours and hours of bus rides and excuses galore. Captain Mueller, it seems to us, knew that we should never have boarded the boat at all in Budapest; and, our entire "sailing experience" was a few hours to a port from which we loaded onto buses! And, we had to abandon ship in a very big hurry as the water almost made it impossible for us to leave at all. However, perhaps Viking will pay attention will the legal actions commence and complaints are filed with the authorities. Who knows?

[franski]

Oops! They just hit a bridge at the 252km mark. Backed out and now sitting waiting to see what to do.

 

 

Who hit the bridge? Where is the 252 km mark?

 

Fran

[Mr. Fudd]

What bridge? We were never on the boat sailing long enough, on the Danube last week, to get to a bridge! Just want an entire cash refund as do so many of our fellow passengers. No one should have to bear a 12 hour bus ride! That is not a pleasure cruise!

[bobandjo]

It was on the Viking Kvasir which was on the Amsterdam - Budapest sailing which started June 8. So I guess 252 kms from Amsterdam. That's two Viking ships in 2 weeks that have hit a bridge. see post #29.

Edited June 14, 2013 by bobandjo

[newfirsttimer]

I feel your pain, pablor24! I am in the same boat as you. Sailing Viking Legend Budapest - Passau June 16. We have gotten the same company line at you.

On the Uniworld posting, they say the lock between Budapest and Bratislava is under repair so that no traffic can pass through in either direction. If you are sailing from Budapest, my guess is that there will be some disruption. You would need to have a ship on either side of the lock. So downstream they would dock near Bratislava and upstream maybe in Budapest and bus in between?

[Viking Cruises]

Dear Viking Guests & Cruise Critic members,

 

Please see below for new information regarding Austria’s Altenwörth lock and a section of the Danube River in Germany where water levels remain comparatively high. You’ll also find updated information on many of the modified itineraries – as much detail as we are able to provide at this time. Now, for anyone who may not have read our previous posts, we’ll first state (again) some important messages:

 

• The safety of our guests and crew have always been, and will always be, our top priority. We commend the many crews of our fleet in central Europe for the ways in which they have gone above and beyond for our guests during this unprecedented situation. We are incredibly proud of these members of our Viking family.
  *
  
• We understand that it can be difficult to imagine how a cruise might proceed with minor alterations when there are reports of such high water levels throughout certain areas of central Europe. We have an in-house nautical and operations team in Switzerland who are experts in everything from shore excursions to navigating the rivers of Europe. We also have the largest fleet of vessels and through careful planning—and operating sister ships on the same itinerary in opposite directions—we are able to continue operating our itineraries. In our updates we continue to provide as much detail as possible about individual itineraries, including if we think that a sister ship may be used for a particular cruise.
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• Even with our advantages of fleet size and the expertise of our Swiss team, this flood has presented a number of instances where conditions specific to a sailing prevented us from being able to provide a modified itinerary that we believed would be worthwhile. We have canceled those cruises.
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• We expect cruises after June 21 to operate as they were originally planned. We’ve seen concern over whether or not some of the affected cities will be ready for visitors. Again, we rely on our Swiss operations team to plan shore excursions and ports of call, and when a city was hit particularly hard, as Passau was, we will substitute a visit to the Bavarian capital of Munich as long as Passau is dealing with the cleanup. We are encouraged by on-the-ground reports from other Cruise Critic members, like G.M.T. who has posted photos and updates of Passau’s remarkably quick turnaround, and H2Otstr who during the peak of the water levels in Budapest, reported “We had a wonderful, relaxing day just walking, shopping and eating a nice lunch. Tomorrow we will have a city tour and explore both Pest and Buda.” Our hope is that these encouraging reports combined with our consistent updates will help to alleviate some of your concerns.
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• If an upcoming departure has been modified—and not canceled—it is because we anticipate being able to provide a worthwhile experience. In some instances we anticipate the possibility of a few modifications, such as the substitution of Munich for Passau, or sailing on a sister ship, as mentioned above. In some instances we don’t anticipate that modifications will be necessary.
  

 

 

Austria: Altenwörth Lock

 

According to the Austrian authorities, the Altenwörth lock, which is located on the Danube River between the cities of Vienna and Melk, was damaged during the recent flood. The lock is currently closed for repairs and is scheduled to reopen on June 20, 2013. Depending on sailing schedules, this closure may cause delays for those who are scheduled to be sailing in the area around June 20th, or may require switching of sister ships for those who are scheduled to be in the area before it reopens.

 

Germany: Danube River Between Regensburg and Passau

 

Conditions continue to improve along the Rhine, Main, Main-Danube Canal, and most areas of the Danube. In Germany, between the cities of Regensburg and Passau, the water levels of the Danube River are still comparatively high. Depending on sailing schedules, this many cause some possible delays in the coming days and we will continue to monitor the situation and make any minor itinerary alterations, as needed.

 

 

 

Please note: Below is a complete list of affected upcoming sailings as of June 13, 2013

 

Itinerary Modifications

 

1. June 14th Cities of Light (Prague to Paris) aboard Viking Prestige — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

2. June 15th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Njord — This cruise will now begin on sister ship Viking Bragi (Longship, built 2013). The ship will not be able to reach Budapest, but will be waiting for guests in Esztergom, approximately 30 miles away. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to the ship. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation near the Chain Bridge in Budapest, along with transportation to the ship’s current docking location. Aside from the necessary change of embarkation port, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary. Viking is contacting guests of this cruise to alert them of these changes.

 

3. June 15th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Idun — Guests will embark Viking Idun in Nuremberg, as scheduled. Depending on water levels there is a possibility that switching to a sister Longship may be necessary later in the week. Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

4. June 15th Passage to Eastern Europe (Budapest to Bucharest) aboard Viking Aegir — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

5. June 16th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Bragi — This cruise will now begin on sister ship Viking Tor (Longship, built 2013). Embarkation in Amsterdam and sailing along the Rhine River will proceed as originally planned. Guests will then spend two nights in a hotel in Nuremberg, Germany before being transferred to their original ship, Viking Bragi. The cruise will then again proceed as scheduled. Viking is contacting guests of this cruise to alert them of the anticipated itinerary modifications.

 

6. June 16th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Skadi — This cruise will now begin on sister ship Viking Embla (Longship, built 2013). There is a possibility that the Altenwörth lock will affect Viking Skadi’s ability to continue sailing on the Danube River. It is expected that a ship switch will take place with Viking Skadi on June 26. After which the cruise itinerary will continue as originally planned. We anticipate that a full-day excursion to Heidelberg will take the place of originally scheduled sailing time. While guests are in Heidelberg, their belongings will be transferred to Viking Skadi, to which they will return after the excursion

 

7. June 16th Danube Waltz (Budapest to Passau) aboard Viking Legend — This itinerary may experience some delays due to the Altenwörth Lock closure. If so, some minor itinerary alterations may be necessary.

 

8. June 16th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard MS Vienna — Guests will embark MS Vienna in Nuremberg, as originally planned. There is a possibility that this cruise may experience some minor sailing delays and/or itinerary alterations due water levels still being comparatively high along the stretch of the Danube between Regensburg and Passau.

 

9. June 16th Vineyards & Vistas (Nuremberg to Trier) aboard Viking Prestige — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

10. June 16th Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam to Basel) aboard Viking Sun — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

11. June 16th Rhine Getaway (Basel to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Helvetia — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

12. June 19th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Odin — This cruise will now begin on sister ship, Viking Bragi (Longship, built 2013). In Vienna, guests will be transferred to another sister ship, Viking Freya (Longship, built 2012). After this ship switch the cruise is anticipated to proceed without any further alterations.

 

13. June 19th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Freya — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Odin (Longship, built 2012) and is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

 

The following sailings have been canceled

 

• June 15th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Fontane

• June 15th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Schumann

 

 

Contacting Us About a Sailing Listed Above

• All guests (and their travel agents) on canceled sailings have been contacted by Viking. If you have questions or concerns about your canceled sailing, please contact Customer Relations at 1.877.523.0579, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PDT. For after hours and weekends you can email us at customerrelations@vikingrivercruises.com.
  *
  
• For questions about the Modified Itineraries listed, guests can call our Customer Service team at 1.800.706.1483.
  *
  
• Please understand that we are experiencing high call volumes and your wait time to speak to a Viking consultant may be longer than usual.
  

 

Up-to-Date Information

 

Other guests scheduled to sail in Europe during the summer should assume that their cruise is still scheduled for departure and anticipated to operate the planned itinerary. If there is a need to alter or cancel any sailings, guests will be notified by Viking via email as soon as we are aware of any necessary changes.

 

We will continue to update our website with information as it is available. Please visit http://www.vrc.com/weatherupdate

 

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

Edited June 14, 2013 by Viking Cruises

[Ozjohnno]

On the Uniworld posting, they say the lock between Budapest and Bratislava is under repair so that no traffic can pass through in either direction. If you are sailing from Budapest, my guess is that there will be some disruption. You would need to have a ship on either side of the lock. So downstream they would dock near Bratislava and upstream maybe in Budapest and bus in between?

 

My argument over the years has been that these river cruise companies must know all this. We do so why wouldn't they. BUT it's a business and they want to get you onboard then pretend that this situation just happened without warning so onto the busses you go. They'll probably throw in a future cruise credit voucher, take the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune from their passengers but all the time they're safe in the knowledge that they have your money in their bank. Before someone suggests this is an attack on just one river cruise company, it's not. It refers to them all.

[Herbaru]

Mr Fudd, I am confused. I thought the June 9th Danube Waltz (Passau to Budapest) aboard Viking Legend was canceled?

 

What bridge? We were never on the boat sailing long enough, on the Danube last week, to get to a bridge! Just want an entire cash refund as do so many of our fellow passengers. No one should have to bear a 12 hour bus ride! That is not a pleasure cruise!

[Herbaru]

Oh no! Is the the trip your friends are on? Hope everyone is okay. How did you get this information?

 

>

It was on the Viking Kvasir which was on the Amsterdam - Budapest sailing which started June 8. So I guess 252 kms from Amsterdam. That's two Viking ships in 2 weeks that have hit a bridge. see post #29.

[Herbaru]

Viking can you please respond to this posting?

Is this another lock closed that will effect the June 16 Danube Waltz Cruise???

As stated on Uniwords website;

"closure of the Gabcikovo Lock between Budapest and Bratislava for repairs. The lock is expected to reopen on June 19. "

 

On the Uniworld posting, they say the lock between Budapest and Bratislava is under repair so that no traffic can pass through in either direction. If you are sailing from Budapest, my guess is that there will be some disruption. You would need to have a ship on either side of the lock. So downstream they would dock near Bratislava and upstream maybe in Budapest and bus in between?

[bobandjo]

Oh no! Is the the trip your friends are on? Hope everyone is okay. How did you get this information?

 

>

 

They emailed us. They're fine, just waiting to see when they can move again. Maybe already on their way.

[Viking Cruises]

Hi Herbaru,

 

We do understand your concern. Here’s what we can tell you tonight: there is not, as of yet, an official statement from the Slovak authorities on the lock at Gabcikovo. Apparently, the electrical system has sustained some damage and the closure and its duration have not been officially confirmed. Right now it’s late at night here in the States and very early in the morning in Slovakia, so our expectation is that by tomorrow afternoon (in the States) an official statement will be issued and we will know better what, if any, affect it will have on some of our itineraries (including yours).

 

We will provide another update here on this situation as soon as there is new information to share. And will maintain the regular updates on our website, too: http://www.vrc.com/weatherupdate. If you have any additional questions or concerns before your departure, you can also contact us directly at TellUs@vikingcruises.com.

 

Most sincerely,

Viking Cruises

 

 

Viking can you please respond to this posting?

Is this another lock closed that will effect the June 16 Danube Waltz Cruise???

As stated on Uniwords website;

"closure of the Gabcikovo Lock between Budapest and Bratislava for repairs. The lock is expected to reopen on June 19. "

[Viking Cruises]

Hi bobandjo,

 

First, we hope that your friends sailing our Grand European Tour aboard Viking Forseti are continuing to have a great time. It must be an interesting and fun experience to have friends go before you like this, even though on different cruise lines!

 

Based on your post that implies they emailed to say that they hit a bridge, we contacted our operations and nautical teams in Switzerland to check-on the status of Viking Forseti, letting them know that we were hearing there may have been an accident. What they reported back, and what will be shared with the guests on board, is this:

 

Yesterday the ship was unable to move under a bridge in Wuerzburg, because river levels had not come down far enough yet to make that possible. At this moment we’re told that they are awaiting water levels to recede a bit more so that they can receive the green light and be on the move again, in the direction of Bamberg. Due to this delay we will need to use motorcoaches a little bit more in the next day or two, but we will keep drives to a minimum – and land distances in this particular area tend to be rather short. We understand that some guests may have worried that the ship had hit something and was unable to move, but we’re pleased to let you (and them) know that this was not the case. Sometimes on the Main River, where the locks are particularly narrow, we do touch the walls of the locks on occasion, but the ships, including Viking Forseti, are made to withstand these bumps.

 

Bobandjo, we hope your friends continue to enjoy their cruise. And we sincerely wish you a wonderful trip on Avalon!

 

Now, as long as we’re posting, we’d like to help clarify some other mentions we’ve seen on this thread today…

 

1) The ship that departed from Amsterdam, for Budapest, on June 8 – and mentioned above as having had a misunderstood incident – was Viking Forseti. Viking Kvasir, which was mentioned as being the ship in question, is not yet a member of the Viking Longship fleet, but we look forward to welcoming her in her 2014 maiden season.

 

2) No ship in the Viking fleet has had an accident with a bridge in 2013. It has been implied on this thread that there have been 2 such accidents within the past few weeks, but we’re pleased to set that record straight. As we’ve mentioned above, Viking Forseti most certainly did not hit a bridge and is expected to start sailing again within the next few hours. A few weeks ago Viking Legend temporarily lost power, but never had any kind of significant accident. This occurrence did happen around the same time that the MS Serenity, a ship which is operated by a company called Nicko Tours, did have an accident involving a bridge in Passau. The two incidents were reported together in some local publications and blogs, and we suspect that they may have unintentionally blended together and been confused with each other in the minds of others.

 

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to join this conversation. If any guests or members of Cruise Critic have questions or concerns about ships within the Viking fleet, safety, or possible incidents that have been reported in whatever outlet, we encourage you to contact us directly at TellUs@vikingcruises.com.

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

 

 

It was on the Viking Kvasir which was on the Amsterdam - Budapest sailing which started June 8. So I guess 252 kms from Amsterdam. That's two Viking ships in 2 weeks that have hit a bridge. see post #29.