Main River and Rhine/Danube canal water levels

[Queen of my Heart]

I am booked on a river cruise at the end of this month starting in Nurnberg and finishing at Mainz. I have read all the comments about water levels on the Rhine and Danube but the Main and the link canal is rarely mentioned. Does anyone have any info on whether the Main is affected? I have emailed the cruise company but just got a generic reply about them watching the situation carefully.

Many thanks for any info/thoughts.

[notamermaid]

Aren't you lucky! 🙂 You have chosen one of the few river cruise itineraries that will hardly be affected by low water. The Main in its entire navigable waterway is controlled by locks (I am with this comment leaving out a short bit that is only for leisure boats anyway). Deep enough and in all likelihood the authorities are able to maintain the depth necessary for river cruise ships. The Main Danube Canal is an artificial waterway anyway, all with lock and dam and enough depth.

 

Here comes the problem: Mainz. At Gustavsburg on the Main you leave the last lock and the controlled waterway behind. The mouth of the Main and the short section to Mainz on the Rhine rely on free flowing water so that could be tricky. If that is the case, in all likelihood you will embark in Frankfurt. Or at least that I imagine the company will go for as an alternative port. It is a short stretch:

The orange marker is Mainz, where the Main looks double wide is the lock. Not a big distance at all.

 

So I dare say, unless something goes very wrong, should be a pleasant journey. Remember though that the sun deck may be closed due to the low bridges, depending on ship design and "company policy".

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

 

[greydog]

45 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Aren't you lucky! 🙂 You have chosen one of the few river cruise itineraries that will hardly be affected by low water. The Main in its entire navigable waterway is controlled by locks (I am with this comment leaving out a short bit that is only for leisure boats anyway).

Hi Notamermaid - are we 'lucky' too navigationally if taking Moselle from Trier (Sep.3), ending Bamberg? (Viking Cties of Light)  Thx

[notamermaid]

The Cities of Light is a very nice itinerary and I prefer that offer of Viking to the Basel to Amsterdam itinerary by them (from an armchair perspective). Unfortunately, while the Moselle and Main are the comfortable rivers to sail, you need to get through the bottleneck that is the Rhine Gorge. So whether you go Amsterdam to Budapest or Amsterdam to Basel or Trier to Bamberg you all need to get past the Lorelei rock.

 

No idea if Viking operates that itinerary with ship swaps.

 

notamermaid

 

[Queen of my Heart]

Thank you for the heads up about the Main. Actually, finishing at Frankfurt wouldn't be such a chore as I fly home from there! But I would hate to miss Mainz as I have promised myself a revisit to the church with the blue Chagall stained glass windows. They are superb and not to be missed. Plus there's a cake and coffee shop I would like to go to as it brings me back memories of my late husband.

[milling73]

As of yesterday the Viking cruise we are on, stopped near Mainz, and we all had to leave boat. 
We did sail the Rhine Gorge on a  small sightseeing boat, chartered by Viking. We got to that by bus. We lost 4 days of river cruise to bus trip. 
 

Also when on the Main canal - top deck is closed sailing. 
 

[Canal archive]

With this weather sitting in an air conditioned lounge is most probably preferable!

[gentlemancruiser]

13 minutes ago, milling73 said:

 

Also when on the Main canal - top deck is closed sailing. 
 

again it depends upon which cruise line.   I've been on the top deck with Avalon on the main, however they made us kneel down leaving a couple of locks which was great.  1 crew member watched out for guests while others watched the ship sides.    

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by gentlemancruiser

[Canal archive]

Not long before ‘C’ there was an horrific accident on the Main, the cruise companies are right to be extremely careful.

[happyyaya]

Million 73:  which Viking River Cruise are you on? We’re scheduled on the Sept 20 Cities of Light from Paris to Prague. Thoughts on how much of that will actually be on rivers? This trip includes the Rhine, Moselle and Main. 

[CRUISINGFORFUN!]

How about tomorrow?!  WE are supposed to leave tomrorrw.  Thank you Greydog for information you sent about links to boards.  I guess I am not good at nagivigating boards.  Still trying to talk to someone who is scheduled to go on City of LIghts trip on 15 of August.

[greydog]

17 hours ago, CRUISINGFORFUN! said:

How about tomorrow?!  WE are supposed to leave tomrorrw.  Still trying to talk to someone who is scheduled to go on City of LIghts trip on 15 of August.

Hi again - safe travels.  If V was NOW already doing extensive bussing/hotels this board (primarily the Roll Call area for C-Light would have a number of reports about it.  Of course, things could be worse next week.  When I spoke with a V agent 3 days ago, he said they had not as of then been notified of major trip changes.  Fingers crossed

[notamermaid]

On 8/10/2022 at 2:20 PM, Queen of my Heart said:

But I would hate to miss Mainz as I have promised myself a revisit to the church with the blue Chagall stained glass windows.

Ah, the famous windows in St. Stephen. Apparently they have audio guides in English, too:

https://bistummainz.de/pfarrei/mainz-st-stephan/gotteshaus/Besucherservice/

 

Frankfurt to Mainz is easy to do on public transport. If you are informed on the ship that they will not go to Mainz do tell the CD of your wishes. I am sure they will try to help you with that.

 

notamermaid