Danube water levels 2023 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[rmandmm]

Just FYI, We were to board Uniworld’s Maria Theresa in Budapest this Sunday but they let us know Tuesday night that we would be having a hotel night In Budapest Sunday then be driven to Vienna to pick up the normal schedule there on Monday, including the option of being driven to  Bratislava if we wanted. The hotel they offer is nice and it’s really moot because we were already in Prague pre-cruise and also because I’m in the come hell or low water camp of vacation! 
 

Anyway, wouldn’t have canceled but just letting you know what I experienced with Uniworld. 🙂

Edited October 12, 2023 by rmandmm
Grammar

[Barb at Maple Lane]

I just saw on Marine Traffic - Cruising Earth that the Amadeus Riva and the Thomas Hardy were able to leave Budapest towards Passau.  Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Edited October 12, 2023 by Barb at Maple Lane

[notamermaid]

Welcome to Cruisecritic.

1 hour ago, Barb at Maple Lane said:

I just saw on Marine Traffic - Cruising Earth that the Amadeus Riva and the Thomas Hardy were able to leave Budapest towards Passau.  Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Thank you for the info. That is good to know as both ships are 135m long so while the river low around the Danube Bend at least some of the large ships can still sail there.

 

Levels this morning: Komarno 91cm, Budapest 80cm.

Level at Pfelling at midnight 248cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The Vikings at Passau:

 

The TUI Maya with her 135m has left Passau and has just gone through Kachlet lock as I write. Question is: will she sail to Vilshofen and turn or go to Regensburg?

 

notamermaid

 

[wlucas]

Well... Viking said yesterday that we depart from airport to Komarom instead of Budapest. I didn't feature a 1.5-hour ride after 14 hours transit. And then another 1.5 hours to join the tours in Budapest next day where I should have been in the first place. So I got a room to spend the afternoon chilling, followed by dinner and an evening cruise.  Then rendezvous with the group next morning.  It's all good. 

 

Even better if we can actually go upriver after all like Barb suggests. Just have to cancel in time. 

[reeves35]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

The Vikings at Passau:

 

The TUI Maya with her 135m has left Passau and has just gone through Kachlet lock as I write. Question is: will she sail to Vilshofen and turn or go to Regensburg?

 

notamermaid

 

Viking's docking location in Passau is a fair way out of town.  Most ships, except Viking, dock along the promenade so are right on the edge of the city.

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 minutes ago, reeves35 said:

Viking's docking location in Passau is a fair way out of town.  Most ships, except Viking, dock along the promenade so are right on the edge of the city.

 

One of the unique things about Viking is that they started by buying both ships (now replaced) and their own docking stages.  In the early days this was a real benefit, as Viking knew exactly where they would be while everyone else was subject to the port authorities (and the inconvenience of rafting with ships of different designs).  But as the number of Viking ships has exploded, I think it may become a limitation as Viking has to raft more and more ships side by side on their proprietary stages.

[notamermaid]

Pfelling at 248cm.

 

The problems for river cruise ships are being reported on BR, Bayerischer Rundfunk, the regional radio and TV station.

 

The authorities have issued the 11th update on low water levels and the report says that the low levels are here to stay, now having - as I have noted in the respective thread - to the Rhine.

 

notamermaid

 

[Steerpike58]

Not sure if there's a better place to discuss this.  We're in Bucharest about to join our cruise in Constanta but just heard the water level is too low and we get an extra night in bucharest.

 

We are now going to join the cruise in Turnu Magurele, which looks awfully close to the second scheduled stop in Pleven!  

 

This is for Viking danube cruise, Constanta to Vienna.  

 

Not looking forward to an extra day in bucharest!

[Izengolf]

13 minutes ago, Steerpike58 said:

Not looking forward to an extra day in bucharest!

I live in Romania and there is plenty to see and do in Bucharest due to its long and interesting history. I'm sure Viking will have excellent tours lined up. A lot of Romanian wine is delicious and not available outside the country, I hope they have some onboard for your dinners!

 

If they offer you a tour to Peleș Castle / Sinaia, although it is a long bus ride, Peleș is unlike anything I've ever seen and worth a look IMHO. 

[Steerpike58]

8 minutes ago, Izengolf said:

I live in Romania and there is plenty to see and do in Bucharest due to its long and interesting history. I'm sure Viking will have excellent tours lined up. A lot of Romanian wine is delicious and not available outside the country, I hope they have some onboard for your dinners!

 

If they offer you a tour to Peleș Castle / Sinaia, although it is a long bus ride, Peleș is unlike anything I've ever seen and worth a look IMHO. 

We took the 3 day extension for Transylvania so already saw Peles castle, Brasov, and many more fortified towns in Transylvania so very familiar! 

 

Viking are offering a tour to the village museum as an extra.  We already have a full day in bucharest as part of the main cruise and will see old town and more.  One extra day isn't too appealing but we'll make the most of it.  

Could there be other disruptions along the Danube or are things looking good, level-wise?

[Izengolf]

If you go back a couple posts to the one by wlucas, they report that Viking is boarding at Komárom instead of Budapest.

[Steerpike58]

25 minutes ago, Izengolf said:

If you go back a couple posts to the one by wlucas, they report that Viking is boarding at Komárom instead of Budapest.

I saw that but didn't understand it ... We aren't "boarding".  So does that mean we won't be docking in Budapest, but will still pass through on the Danube 

... Just getting off / on in a different location?  

 

Edit ... We have limited access to Internet so looking stuff up is not so easy on my phone!

Edited October 13, 2023 by Steerpike58

[Steerpike58]

1 hour ago, Steerpike58 said:

I saw that but didn't understand it ... We aren't "boarding".  So does that mean we won't be docking in Budapest, but will still pass through on the Danube 

... Just getting off / on in a different location?  

 

Edit ... We have limited access to Internet so looking stuff up is not so easy on my phone!

To clarify ... Now we are back at the hotel in Bucharest ... We are scheduled to sail through Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, then through Hungary, with stops in Mohacs and Budapest and onwards to Vienna. 

 

I understand that people starting northbound cruises in Hungary are now boarding in Komarom rather than Budapest, but how is our cruise affected ... Do we have to get off the ship, and bypass Budapest? Do we get a replacement ship upstream? Or is the issue only with docking, not sailing?  This is our first ever river cruise so very unfamiliar with the practices!

[Barb at Maple Lane]

Edited October 13, 2023 by Barb at Maple Lane

[Barb at Maple Lane]

2 minutes ago, Barb at Maple Lane said:

Viking ships making the trip from Passau to Regensberg last night

[notamermaid]

19 hours ago, notamermaid said:

The TUI Maya with her 135m has left Passau and has just gone through Kachlet lock as I write.

The TUI Maya is still in Vilshofen and has not sailed further towards Regensburg.

 

vesselfinder says the Viking Magni is retracing her route, i.e. has sailed to Passau and is now going back towards Linz although ETA is Amsterdam 21 October:

marinetraffic.com basically confirms the track.

 

notamermaid

 

[rcaruso]

58 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

The TUI Maya is still in Vilshofen and has not sailed further towards Regensburg.

 

vesselfinder says the Viking Magni is retracing her route, i.e. has sailed to Passau and is now going back towards Linz although ETA is Amsterdam 21 October:

marinetraffic.com basically confirms the track.

 

notamermaid

 

Yes, no Viking ship made it through last night.  5 sitting in Racklau the Alta went to Vilshofen and now is headed to Engelharzell, I suspect because Racklau is full of ships.

 

I also thought the Gymir might make it to Budapest as they passed Komaro, but they just stopped up river.

[TomSwift]

Just got word tonight that Avalon Envision cannot make it to Budapest due to low water, and that we will be bused from Bratislava to Budapest on Monday. We were so close to being able to go all the way by water to Budapest. Avalon is comping a lot of previously additional excursions as compensation for the change in schedule.

[notamermaid]

Wanted to check if a smaller ship is getting through at Pfelling. I have found one for that purpose. The MS Treasures sailing for Tauck. She is 110m long. Her track:

 

She is now docked near Straubing which I find unusual. We will see what happens to her tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

[kfs]

Currently on Amaverde heading towards Budapest, which was meant to be our finishing point on Monday. We were told yesterday in Belgrade that, due to low water, we would be leaving Belgrade at lunchtime and miss our afternoon excursions, and would not be calling at Novi Sad. We called at Vukovar this morning instead of this afternoon, and are now en route for an as yet unnamed Hungarian port on Monday, which I assume will be Komarom. We will be stopping at Budapest at 6 pm for what they tell us is 30 mins only tomorrow Sunday to drop off passengers who have an early flight on Monday, where they will be put into a hotel overnight. Others being bussed to BUD on Monday morning. Tomorrow’s call at Mohacs also cancelled, we are told due to the Hungarian authorities not allowing vessels to dock there. Not looking good for cruises now about to start. We will cope with over 36 hrs onboard with no stops, but it’s not what we’ve paid a lot of money for.

[notamermaid]

The Treasures is still signalling near Straubing.

 

Pfelling gauge at 249cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[Vailguy]

Nota. We are on a cruise from Regensburg to Budapest starting Oct 18. Do you think the current rains and predicted precipitation over the next week will have enough impact to raise the water levels? It's our first cruise and hoping to avoid busing.

Thanks - we really enjoy your posts.

[Barb at Maple Lane]

 

Viking Gymir enroute from Komarom to Budapest

[rcaruso]

1 hour ago, Barb at Maple Lane said:

 

Viking Gymir enroute from Komarom to Budapest

It's been stopped there almost 1 day and has not moved.  I think it is docked there are too many ships docked in Komaron, it is not able to get to Budapest. It debarks and embarks passengers today.

Edited October 14, 2023 by rcaruso
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