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Low Water Levels Disrupt European River Cruises, a Favorite of U.S. Tourists

As the continent faces a severe drought, companies have had to use buses to transport passengers along parts of the Rhine and the Danube, where water levels have become too low for riverboats.

By Jenny Gross

• Aug. 29, 2022

Mark Farmer’s two-week river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest got off to a bad start. For the first four days, there were no luxurious dinners overlooking the Rhine River or views from the top-deck balcony room that he and his wife had booked.

In fact, there was no boat at all. He and the other 150 or so passengers were shuttled around the Netherlands and Germany on buses, queuing up in long lines for bathrooms at highway rest stops and cramming into small restaurants.

“We were not happy,” said Mr. Farmer, a sales manager for a waste and recycling company. He and his wife, who live in Arizona, had booked the August trip, which had cost $18,000 including business-class flights, to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary.

One of Europe’s worst droughts in decades has left the water level of parts of the Rhine and the Danube Rivers too low for ships to pass, paralyzing commerce and causing disruptions for companies that transport goods and commodities like oil and coal. The drought has also affected river cruises, forcing passengers to cope with last-minute changes to their itineraries, long bus rides and missed excursions.

River cruising is a multibillion-dollar industry, with 1.6 million travelers, many of whom were over the age of 55, cruising European rivers in 2018, a number that had nearly doubled from 2013, according to Statista , a provider of market and consumer data. Cruise Lines International Association, a trade group, said the largest group of passengers come from North America.

Nearly 65 percent of European Union territory is currently under some degree of drought warning, according to the European Drought Observatory , which aims to improve drought resilience. Droughts are likely to become more frequent, researchers say, even as hurricanes and other large storms bring flooding to other places around the globe. Climate change from the burning of fossil fuels and other human behavior can play out differently, according to scientists, but the common theme is that extreme weather is becoming more frequent and intense.

Rudi Schreiner, the president and co-owner of AmaWaterways, a river cruise company with a fleet of 26 ships, said that when water levels in the Lower Rhine are too low, cruise passengers are taken on an excursion to a nearby town by bus and then brought back to a spot on the river where water levels are higher. For each day that the cruise itinerary differs from what was scheduled, a passenger receives a voucher for 15 percent off the next seven-night cruise, he said.

Rainfall in Germany last week has provided relief, but the reprieve may be temporary. “The question is how long it will last,” Mr. Schreiner said. AmaWaterways is looking for new technologies to lower the draft of its ships so they can pass through shallower waters. “I don’t see any death of river cruising ,” he said. “I see adjustments.”

Even ships that are able to pass through the Rhine have had to reduce the capacity of their loads, since heavy cargo weighs down ships and causes difficulties in shallow waters.

For Mr. Farmer, the last straw came on day three of his trip, when Viking, the operator, arranged for the guests to stay in a hotel that Mr. Farmer described as subpar, with a man in a building next to the hotel staring into their room when he and his wife walked in.

“That night, my wife and I had had enough. I wanted to go home,” he said. But after two hours on hold with customer service, it became apparent that Viking wouldn’t be giving him a refund. So, he said, he and his wife decided they would change their attitudes. They boarded the ship the next day, and the trip improved significantly.

Viking, which offers trips in Europe, said the circumstances that affected that trip were “highly unusual,” with the Rhine and the Danube Rivers experiencing historically low levels. “We recognized that this was not the experience that our guests expected, which is why we provided all guests with a 15 percent credit toward their next Viking voyage, in the form of a voucher good for one year,” a spokesman said. Customer ratings during the dry period have been “highly satisfactory,” he added.

The company also said in a statement last week that the vast majority of its trips faced no interruptions, even though water levels on the Danube remained unusually low. “Our nautical team is continually monitoring the situation,” the company said. “Guests and their travel advisers will continue to be notified directly by Viking customer relations if we think that their itinerary might be impacted.”

Another passenger on a different Viking cruise this month, Scott Myers, said he and his wife loved their trip, despite viewing one of the most picturesque stretches of the Rhine from a bus.

“It wasn’t as good as if you were sitting on top of the boat as you were floating through, but we were still able to see all the castles,” said Mr. Myers, the director of a county park district in Troy, Ohio. He and his wife were able to spend all but one day of their trip on the cruise they had originally booked. That one day on land involved six or seven hours on a bus, traveling from Cologne, Germany, to Strasbourg, France, with stops, he said.

The pace of climate change has affected other aspects of summer tourism in Europe. With heat waves expected to intensify because of global warming, it is expected that travelers will shift their summer itineraries to destinations further north or on the coasts from destinations like Rome or Tuscany, according to travel agents.

Ellen Bettridge, the president and chief executive of Uniworld, a river cruise company, said that in response to the changing weather in Europe, the company last year expanded into luxury train travel, with itineraries that include both cruise and rail components.

“While we cannot predict future weather changes, we are preparing for it,” she said in a statement. “Our longstanding history and unparalleled relationships within the travel industry have allowed us to be flexible in creating alternate itineraries.” She said most trips had been unaffected, and that the company has had to cancel 7 percent of its cruises.

Lisa Wheeler-Pollington, who had booked a cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest with her husband, said low water levels in the Rhine caused Uniworld to cancel their trip nine days before they were scheduled to depart for Europe.

“My heart just fell,” said Ms. Wheeler-Pollington, a retired real estate worker, who lives in Sarasota, Fla. She and her husband could not reschedule because they had already arranged care for their two Labradors, Cruiser and Scooby-Doo, and contractors were scheduled to do repair work at the house. So Ms. Wheeler-Pollington and her husband accepted a refund and made their way from Amsterdam to Budapest by rail.

It ended up being the best trip of their lives. “Sometimes the unexpected is a lot more fun than things you’ve planned for a year,” she said.

Mr. Farmer, the sales manager from Arizona, said he wished that he and his wife had been offered a refund. On the second-to-last day of their trip, the cruise had to dock in a town far outside Budapest because of shallow waters in the Danube. Passengers then were back on the bus for a 90-minute drive to the city, he said.

The group toured the city by bus and then drove back to the boat for their final night, before waking up at 3 a.m. to get back on the bus to the Budapest airport for their departing flights.

Mr. Farmer and his wife received a $500 voucher each toward their next Viking cruise, but he said he was not rushing back for another river cruise any time soon. “I literally saw Budapest through a bus window.”

Jenny Gross is a general assignment reporter. Before joining The Times, she covered British politics for the The Wall Street Journal. More about Jenny Gross

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Rhine water levels 2024 and similar topics

By notamermaid , January 14 in River Cruising

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notamermaid

Greetings from the Rhine valley. Here is the thread for 2024 for everything related to the water levels of the Rhine and bits of information on the river. Join us again with your comments and share your excitement about upcoming trips on this major European river.

Safe travels.

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Let us kind of bring forward the flooding topic from December and have a look how that went. Koblenz:

River traffic was halted when the level went over the HSW line. With the Middle Rhine valley on substantial flooding there was the risk of a ban being issued at Cologne. This is the timeline at Cologne:

You can see that the HSW line is not there, the level stayed just below it, peaking at 823cm. Seven centimetres only, the ban happens at 830cm.

So the two Viking ships, the Alruna and the Tialfi both were able to complete the inaugural winter itinerary for Viking.

By the way, I find the itinerary a touch more appealing than the standard "Rhine Getaway".

We now have cold weather, snow, and, as you can see, favourable water level. The hills are covered with dusting of white, that must look nice in the Rhine Gorge.

So both those ships are running on itineraries throughout winter but they will pass other river cruise ships along the way. A few.

Oh, and not all have returned to their winter harbours yet. Two Viking ships may have even been delayed in getting to Cologne-Niehl due to that lock incident on the Main. But they have arrived and the dock looks quite full...

Currently the Avalon Imagery II is in Cologne and passing the Viking Alruna as I write:

Treacherous conditions today for driving and no way would I try and go up a hill to a castle today. And sun deck staircases are not the best place to be right now either I should think. Yes, I am still not convinced that winter sailings are a good idea.

The lock at Iffezheim will be closed almost a full day tomorrow. The reason is that the right chamber is not usable due to the accident last year. The left chamber now needs work doing so there will be no river traffic through that lock tomorrow. According to a local newspaper the lock at Gambsheim  is also closed tomorrow but I have no details on that.

Edit: If you are interested, this is the notification for skippers as issued by the German authorities:

Oh, and the farmers are still busy with protests, a few days ago Alsatian farmers crossed the river and joined the German farmers in solidarity. But as of now I have not heard about disruptions that would directly impact cruising, just road blocks and demonstrations on a minor scale so excursions should be okay as well. There have been solidarity protests by commercial river traffic (it is about Diesel subsidies) but so far this sounds to have been minor.

There is the hint of flooding again from Basel coming via a few tributaries, indicated also at Maxau gauge. But for now it looks to be a minor one, no big deal. We will look at that again tomorrow or so.

At Maxau gauge we can now see the steep rise of the river's level. It will cross the line of navigational flood mark I before midnight most likely. By tomorrow morning this rise should bring the graph above the figure that will put Maxau on official flooding status, 650cm. This is a regular occurrence in the course of winters, and does not mean an automatic impact on river cruising. However, flood mark I is important for navigation as regulations kick in and instruct river traffic how to navigate during the higher levels.

The Rhine valley is covered in snow. A lovely sight.

Glad to see your 2024 Rhine Water levels!  We are on the Viking Tialfi on February 18th so watching everything carefully. We are hoping for the best.  I totally agree no hill climbing/castle visiting in the snow. I know only too well how easy it is to fall and Hubby is on a cane.  Canes DO NOT like the snow. Once again, thanks for your new thread.  Yours, Claudia

18 minutes ago, Novakc said: Once again, thanks for your new thread. 

My pleasure. Thank you for coming to this year's thread. Exciting weeks for you in anticipation. The Viking Tialfi is in Koblenz right now. Will get back to that later.

I have been out and about today in boots. That worked well. I am steady on my feet and still nimble but it is good to have those thick soles, especially on some modern pavement in my neighbourhood that is surprisingly more slippery than cobblestones.

I wonder what excursion Viking offers in Koblenz. Marksburg Castle is only an optional one these days. Not sure that Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is that exciting after 5pm now. Guess it is just a walk through town? Or does the ship dock overnight?

Cleopatra99

hello notamermaid and thank you for your invaluable contributions to this forum.

We will be in Koblenz in June with Scenic (Amsterdam - Zurich) and the options for the day are Walking Tour of Koblenz, a visit to Marksburg Castle, or a Walking Tour of Limburg. The ship stays overnight in Koblenz so we are thinking of going to Limburg, then coming back to visit Ehrenbreitstein, then a self guided walk around Koblenz in the evening after dinner.

I'm interested in your comment about Ehrenbreitstein 'after 5pm'. We would be mainly going for the cable car ride and the views. Are you able to elaborate about 'after 5pm' ? (and what do you think of Limburg ??).

Thank you for saying hello.

29 minutes ago, Cleopatra99 said: I'm interested in your comment about Ehrenbreitstein 'after 5pm'.

This was just referring to going up to Ehrenbreitstein in winter. It is dark by 5.30pm now, so with the cold and the darkness I do not find it an attractive place to be. It will be great in June! Coming from Australia, if you have not seen a castle before, Marksburg Castle is a very attractive option. It is great, but you need to be aware that the area within the castle is not good for those with mobility issues. It is a little strenuous. If you are not sure about that one, check youtube for videos. A river cruise company has put together a nice video I find: https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/video/destination-insights/iconic-marksburg-castle/play.html

A walking tour of Koblenz is certainly nice but having been so close to it for much of my life I cannot be enthusiastic about it. When all this is new to you it is great to just wander around. There is fascinating history to learn and the city has got nice squares with some good shops. Lovely to sit in a café in warm temperatures.

Limburg!!! I am excited as it is the first time that I have read about a company offering this. I mentioned the town - not sure - three years ago as a place that a company may consider as it is interesting, just a bit far away for a short excursion. I like Limburg, the Cathedral is lovely to look at. The town is still nicely Medieval (not wow Medieval but really nice) and if there is no such other place offered on the cruise a good place to go to. I like it also for the ride, the scenery is hilly with much forest. Not sure if there is enough time to go up the Lahn in the coach for a bit, they may take you mostly over the hill autobahn. Limburg is on the Lahn river but going along the undulating valley road would take quite a bit of time. This is quite a nice private video which gives you an idea of what to expect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Qh6OzewZQ

I like your schedule, in spring and summer this sounds very doable. Castle or Medieval town? Difficult to decide but Limburg is a unique excursion (I believe) so on Marksburg Castle you will be among foreign tourists most likely while Limburg is a bit more off the beaten track for foreigners.

Have fun planning.

The Viking Tialfi is at her usual dock in Koblenz and I am sure the passengers enjoyed the snow-covered hills of the Rhine Gorge this afternoon and the lovely sunset. I did not see the hills but very much enjoyed the sunset.

I did a bit of online ship spotting and found the Viking Tialfi at this time stamp approaching Bingen and Rüdesheim:

The jetties are part of Bingen harbour, Rüdesheim is on the other bank of the river. This itinerary does not have a port stop at Rüdesheim and the ship sailed straight into the Rhine Gorge. Ten minutes later, approaching Mouse Tower:

That is the entrance to the Rhine Gorge.

The Viking Tialfi was caught on camera just after sunset when she arrived at Koblenz and her captain turned her to dock:

It will get warmer soon so just a couple more days to enjoy the snow in the valley.

3 hours ago, notamermaid said: That worked well. I am steady on my feet and still nimble but it is good to have those thick soles,

I agree about having the correct foot ware. I live on a small horse farm, and it was -11c when I went to the barn this morning.  About a week ago, we had 46cm of snow and had another 7cm yesterday. We are used to the cold and snow.  I am unsure of what Viking has planned for Koblenz since nothing is listed in shore excursions. We are not doing some of the excursions such as Heidelburg since we have stayed there, and I have little desire to sit on a bus. Our goal is to relax and enjoy.  Yours, Claudia     

I totally loved the pictures that you just posted!  Thank you greatly.  Yours, Claudia

27 minutes ago, Novakc said: I agree about having the correct foot ware. I live on a small horse farm, and it was -11c when I went to the barn this morning.  About a week ago, we had 46cm of snow and had another 7cm yesterday.

50 minutes ago, notamermaid said:   This was just referring to going up to Ehrenbreitstein in winter. It is dark by 5.30pm now, so with the cold and the darkness I do not find it an attractive place to be.    

Ah, yes of course. Thanks for clarifying.

We've been to Europe several times so we do have some experience with castles - although not Marksburg. We will probably stay with our original plan and go to Limburg and then to the fortress after we return.

This is the description of the excursion;

Medieval Limburg: From Koblenz, travel by coach to the charming medieval town of Limburg an der Lahn. Here you will have the chance to walk the historic cobblestone streets lined with perfectly preserved half-timbered houses. Make your way up to the Cathedral that overlooks the city as well as the Alte Lahnbrucke, the Old Bridge that straddles the Lahn river.

It's not actually clear if you are accompanied by a guide - but we are fine with self-guided if that's what it is. I'm not sure which route they will take, but hopefully less than an hour each way - which we can cope with.

We actually fly into Frankfurt - but are being met at the airport and being taken to Mainz which looks much nicer than central Frankfurt (no offence intended). We stay overnight in Mainz then go by train to Amsterdam (for reasons I can't explain Emirates flights to Frankfurt were much less than anything we could find for Amsterdam - and we get to spend the afternoon and evening in the lovely town of Mainz, so it's a good option for us).

Kind regards 

15 minutes ago, Cleopatra99 said: We've been to Europe several times so we do have some experience with castles - although not Marksburg. We will probably stay with our original plan and go to Limburg and then to the fortress after we return.

Ah, yes. Then Limburg will most likely please you more than Marksburg. I think it is about 50 minutes one way in a coach. Probably a bit over an hour if you go along a few Lahn river bends along the way.

Mainz  Lovely! A good alternative to Frankfurt. And the overall more attractive city in my opinion.

JD Lake Life

Do you know if the Viking ships are able to dock near town in Cologne right now? Summer of 2022 we had to dock in the Viking shipyard (low river level) & they bussed us into town. We are to meet a friend in town so I was just wondering about needing transportation or being able to walk. Thanks

6 hours ago, JD Lake Life said: Do you know if the Viking ships are able to dock near town in Cologne right now? Summer of 2022 we had to dock in the Viking shipyard (low river level) & they bussed us into town. We are to meet a friend in town so I was just wondering about needing transportation or being able to walk. Thanks

If you wind up in WInterhaven (we were there due to high water), you can walk (a little over an hour to Dom), Uber, or about a 10 minute walk from the industrial gate is a tram stop.  Tram 18 will drop you right next to Dom.  Tram was really easy to figure out.

Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

7 hours ago, JD Lake Life said: Do you know if the Viking ships are able to dock near town in Cologne right now?

I cannot know that for sure. But I can say that with few ships sailing and the river being at a good level, Viking is very likely to be able to dock near the Cathedral.

You can check where the Viking Tialfi is today: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:7.1/centery:51.0/zoom:11

2 hours ago, notamermaid said: I cannot know that for sure. But I can say that with few ships sailing and the river being at a good level, Viking is very likely to be able to dock near the Cathedral.   You can check where the Viking Tialfi is today: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:7.1/centery:51.0/zoom:11   notamermaid  

The link is awesome. I never would have found it. It looks like our boat is in Cologne now & docked very near the Cathedral. Thank you so much!

18 minutes ago, JD Lake Life said: The link is awesome. I never would have found it. It looks like our boat is in Cologne now & docked very near the Cathedral. Thank you so much!

Good. Where the cluster of Viking ships appears with blue dots is the winter harbour that ural guy mentioned. So you were also in Niehl during your particular cruise. I see that the Tialfi is indeed near the Dom.

Welcome to Cruisecritic. Missed that it was your first post.

Have a great cruise.

The level at Maxau has jumped, the gauge now shows 679cm. 650cm denotes official flooding. It is unlikely to reach 700cm. Which is good news for the Middle Rhine valley.

As expected, the level at Maxau has stayed under 700cm. The next seven days will see ups and downs but no real problems. The Middle Rhine valley will likely go to navigational flood mark I but that is usually nothing to worry about. A few problems may arise with landing stages not being accessible but with so few river cruise ships on the river I do not see this as a big deal.

One more day of snow and then I think we will see it disappear soon in the valley.

The closure of the lock at Iffezheim has actually not been the first problem for commercial traffic this year. Last week a barge attachment, a lighter, drifted off after ropes had snapped and the river had to be closed to traffic for safety reasons for several hours. It happened near Karlsruhe. A few days ago another accident happened in the area but I did not read of a river traffic ban.

So where are all the ships right now, apart from the Viking ships in NIehl, which we I have mentioned already? There are standard harbours and harbours away from the city centres, like the industrial one in Niehl which is a winter harbour but also a working commercial harbour. Compared to commercial traffic, remember that river cruising makes up a small portion of river traffic on the Rhine. But the river cruise ships all need a place to stay in winter and for that they are sailed to various locations along the Rhine and Waal. The Waal is the more important arm of the Rhine in the Netherlands.

One harbour made it into the local headlines the other day as it is rarely used but appears to have attracted a couple more ships this winter. I cannot say any more as the article is behind a "give me your data" wall. It is Neuss near Düsseldorf. Which reminds me - the Avalon Imagery II which passed the Viking Alruna in Cologne (see screenshot above) was of course on her way to the winter harbour. She joined other Avalonwaterways ships and a few others in Dodewaard in the Netherlands:

Other harbours are Strasbourg for CroisiEurope where the company is based, Duisburg and Arnhem.

5 hours ago, notamermaid said: Other harbours are Strasbourg for CroisiEurope where the company is based, Duisburg and Arnhem.  

Just for kicks, I just took a quick look at the current locations of the Scenic ships. A couple of them are in Arnhem (one of the locations mentioned above), but the bulk are in Budapest! Wasn't expecting that...

Canal archive

Interesting Scenic in the past have been near Cologne in Leverkusen where there are quite a few Viking vessels moored at the moment.

Linz is another large harbour on the Danube. I had expected to see a few ships on the Lower Main. But I can spot no large river cruise ships at Frankfurt Osthafen, Offenbach or Hanau.

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River Cruise Lines Prepare to Deal with Low Water Levels on the Rhine

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Update 8/11: Water Levels on the Rhine Are Expected to Reach Critical Levels This Week

A heatwave in Europe is causing major issues along the Rhine River, which is experiencing some of its lowest levels in over a decade. 

According to RhineForecast.com, a website that tracks water levels at various stations along the Rhine River, water levels have been dropping since earlier in July and some forecasts expect them to drop even further at most points, including at Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Kaub, and Bonn. 

The German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration , as of Friday, is reporting low levels along the Rhine in cities including Oberwinter, Andernach, Sankt Goar, and Kaub, all cities along the Middle Rein, along with Worms and Nierstein-Oppenheim in the upper Rhine. 

The low levels are the lowest seasonal levels in at least 15 years, according to Bloomberg . 

River cruise lines, some of which are finally operating their first full summer season since the pandemic shut down the industry in 2020, speaking to TMR this week said they are preparing for disruptions. However, contingency plans should low levels prevent sailings from moving ahead as planned, differ based on how each line is operating. 

A spokesperson for The Scenic Group, which includes both Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises, confirmed that some stretches of the Rhine are experiencing low water levels and said that some routes may be “revised” to deal with the issue.  

"As river conditions can change relatively quickly, and to ensure as little disruption as possible to our guests' experience, we are closely monitoring the situation and proactively planning to revise the routes of some cruises,” the spokesperson said, adding that the team is “working hard to find the best possible solution for each individual cruise.”

Ellen Bettridge, president, and CEO of river cruise company Uniworld, also said that it expects to make adjustments, with daily itineraries possibility being impacted. However, Bettridge added, “we will still be operating.”  

“The nature of rivers is that they ebb and flow with the seasons, and we will make adjustments as necessary with current low water levels caused by the staggering summer heat,” she said. 

“Our guests are always our first priority, and we continuously monitor water levels along all of our routes and proactively share updates to our impacted guests and travel partners when available. While we may have to make adjustments to our daily itineraries, guests can be assured that we will still be operating,” she said. 

Uniworld’s Travel Information page tracks any significant changes from schedules and promised to “keep you posted on significant deviations.” Uniworld also promises email notifications if there are any major changes prior to sailing. 

Avalon Waterways told TMR that so far, guests have only experienced minor alterations, but there are plans in place should the situation get worse—“ship swaps.” 

“Should any portion of the Rhine become impassible, we have contingency plans that include ship swaps for our guests,” Pam Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways said. 

The ship swaps allow for guests to be moved to another ship, past the low point of the river, with identical accommodations, and for the sailing to resume, almost uninterrupted, from there. 

Aside from the ship swaps, Hoffee also said that guests on cruises that are “greatly impacted” are given other options “to ensure the quality of their vacation.” 

Tauck’s river cruises have yet to be impacted—a spokesperson told TMR that it is currently operating normally on the river. However, the company is monitoring the situation, but how it would respond to a low-level situation depends on where it takes place. 

“Our goal is to always do right by our guests while doing all that we can to preserve their travel experience.  Like other river cruise lines, we’ve dealt successfully with low-water situations in the past, and we have a variety of strategies that we can deploy as necessary,” the spokesperson said. 

Tauck, unlike some other lines, is also operating land tours in the area, which could come in handy should river sailings be thwarted by low levels. 

“We’re very fortunate that we also operate numerous land tours throughout the region, so we have a fantastic network of local supplier-partners that we can leverage as necessary should alternate arrangements become necessary.”

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• River Cruising

Rhine water levels 2023 and similar topics

By notamermaid , January 24, 2023 in River Cruising

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notamermaid

Greetings from the Rhine valley. Here is the thread for 2023 for everything related to the water levels of the Rhine and bits of information on the river.

Through the year we will look at the river's levels and what else may be happening that could be of interest to river cruisers. Join us again with your comments and share your excitement about upcoming trips on this major European river.

Where ever your trips may take you this year  - safe travels.

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Notmermaid, I have been looking for you to start up a 2023 water level board. Your posts on the water levels and many other topics are always so informative. I certainly enjoyed participating in discussions on the 2022 board, but now is getting even more interesting with just over 70 days to go until we embark the ship in Amsterdam.    

On 1/30/2023 at 1:17 AM, RDVIK2016 said: I certainly enjoyed participating in discussions on the 2022 board, but now is getting even more interesting with just over 70 days to go until we embark the ship in Amsterdam.    

It is quiet here and the river is calm with little of note to report. In January there was an odd accident of a barge breaking in two while being loaded in Kehl. A few days ago we had a short scare as a tanker loaded with Diesel ran aground at Spay in the Rhine Gorge. Water got into the hull but no Diesel leaked into the Rhine.

Hopefully February brings no excitement of that kind and sticks to Carnival excitement.

Let us see what river levels were like for those very few cruises that ran over New Year and at the end of the past month. Here is the graph at Kaub for January :

The month started well above the mean and after a decline the graph shows the peak following substantial rain at the middle of January. After a relatively sharp drop the level is in slow decline still and the month finished with a level that is considered slightly low for barge traffic, meaning potentially reducing cargo.

But the forecast shows another return to levels closer to the mean.

Well, the month started with unpleasant excitement unfortunately at Monheim, a town between Cologne and Düsseldorf. A barge hit the newly installed landing stage for excursion boats. It is bent and not usuable right now but fortunately at least did not drift off: https://www.monheim.de/stadtleben-aktuelles/news/nachrichten/baumberger-steiger-nach-kollision-mit-einem-schiff-schwer-beschaedigt-12051

I must admit that I have never been to Monheim. Big question is: have they got a docking area for river cruise ships? I will explore that and see what else I can find out about the place.

A phone call has revealed that the landing stage that was damaged is the out of town one. A very friendly tourism assistant told me that the modern big one at the town centre embankment is fine. Apparently there is also a very nice park at the river and a Roman fort near by. Sounds inviting to me. The town being accessible with a river cruise ship means it is eligible for inclusion in my series of lesser known ports. So I will write a little about Monheim some time. This is the thread I mean: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2516698-rhine-beyond-the-standard-ports/

The river is rising and falling with the rain, it looks to have reached a peak at Kaub this afternoon, now slightly falling again. All very normal so I will move to more pressing matters. A tiny "crisis" is occurring in the Rhineland, to revellers' shock the rise in cost of living has reached Carnival! Fewer "Kamelle" may be thrown this year, oh no!! Only half joking... Although Carnival is so much fun, for some the costs are a serious problem. So what are Kamelle? They are sweets, boiled sweets, originally all caramel, hence the Karamelle having morphed linguistically in the Rhineland to Kamelle. I have no statistics but imagine hundreds of kilos being thrown from the floats in street carnival to the people watching a parade. If you want to reduce the cost of staging such an event and preparing a float, get costumes, etc.., the Kamelle are an easy item on the list that you can save money on.

Talking of sweet food, I think it is time for a couple of photos or a video on other Carnival treats. Coming soon.

Here we go, Muzemandeln: https://www.dw.com/en/sweet-carnival-treats-from-cologne-muzemandeln/video-52468540

I prefer the Muzeblätter.

All very well you may say, cannot go on a river cruise to experience Carnival as it is off season. Well, you can actually. Viva Cruises offers a Rhine cruise Düsseldorf return on the Viva One: https://www.viva-*****/en/cruisedetail?id=358&adults=2

Come a day earlier and stay a day longer and you are in the area for most of street Carnival.

Or for those who feel comfortable on a Swiss-German and German language ship, there is the Thurgau Travel Edelweiss in Basel for the Fasnacht, which is during the week after Rhenish Carnival: https://www.thurgautravel.ch/angebote/fasnacht/

As it is quiet, I wasn't going to write anything in this thread in the next few days, but then I spotted something...

You can see it underneath the graph I posted above, but I have blown it up from the website for you:

The parameter for GlW (gleichwertiger Wasserstand) has changed. Kaub now has 77cm instead of 78cm. A slight adjustment only but important to remember for me, you know, before any of you say to me "but last year..." . The TuGlW remains the same, so our calculations will not change much in low water.

For those I have completely baffled with this post, perhaps you would like to look in 2022, post #308: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2827571-rhine-water-levels-2022-and-similar-topics/page/13/

Alaaf and helau to you! Or any other "rallying cry", I mean greeting, you may encounter or use at this time of year. Today is Weiberfastnacht here, my office is closed, time to get cheeky and annoying, girls! Or just joyous. Or legless if you feel the need to... It is the day for the ladies traditionally, so all men watch out! 😁

They say the tradition started in Bonn, in the district of Beuel, with the washer women. https://www.bonn.de/microsite/en/events-calendar/events/main-calendar/eigene/womens-carnival-day.php

Not in Bonn, but closer to home, I hope to be able to watch a storming of the town hall. It is time for the folk to capture the mayor and fools to take over the administration of the place for a few days. Now I will bite my tongue, you know, who are the actual fools, those in the street or those sitting on office chairs...

P.S.: Still think Germans are efficient, humourless, etc.? Come at Carnival to the Rhineland and prepare to be amazed.

Canal archive

Maybe that’s why DH wouldn’t go to Germany at this time of year, I’ll have to ask him!

5 hours ago, Canal archive said: Maybe that’s why DH wouldn’t go to Germany at this time of year, I’ll have to ask him!

Talking of Bonn. I am quite fond of the city, I know it is not for everyone and not as big or busy, full of old walls, as Cologne, but has an interesting old church and Baroque town hall. If I had the choice of a river cruise port being either Cologne or Bonn for four hours, I would go for Bonn. For a whole day I would choose Cologne.

I have been to the Eifel again, near Laacher See, the volcanic lake. So I spent a good extra hour in a large village and had a nice surprise. More on that later.

No I have not had anything to drink yet, but I missed out the word soldier in this sentence. Sorry.

1 hour ago, notamermaid said: in the tunnel towards the underground a "Prussian" early 19th century walking passed me.

15 hours ago, notamermaid said: Alaaf and helau to you! Or any other "rallying cry", I mean greeting, you may encounter or use at this time of year. Today is Weiberfastnacht here, my office is closed, time to get cheeky and annoying, girls! Or just joyous. Or legless if you feel the need to... It is the day for the ladies traditionally, so all men watch out! 😁   They say the tradition started in Bonn, in the district of Beuel, with the washer women. https://www.bonn.de/microsite/en/events-calendar/events/main-calendar/eigene/womens-carnival-day.php  

I am getting a Server Fehler 404 at the url you posted.  Was it supposed to link to a story about the Beueler Weiberfastnacht? 

Try search for Calendar of events in Bonn Germany 2023, it worked for me.

6 hours ago, RDVIK2016 said: I am getting a Server Fehler 404 at the url you posted.  Was it supposed to link to a story about the Beueler Weiberfastnacht?   

Yes, sorry, the link does not work it seems.

2 hours ago, Canal archive said: Try search for Calendar of events in Bonn Germany 2023, it worked for me.

Good idea, thanks. This is what I can find: https://www.bonn.de/microsite/en/highlights/events-calendar/carnival.php

While the capital of Germany is Berlin, Bonn has retained several international institutions. That means many anglophone (and other nation's) expats still live and work in Bonn. Hence the fact that the English website goes far beyond standard tourism and business topics. By the way, the "language" in Bonn is Bönnsch, a Rhenish dialect similar to Cologne's, but more pleasing to the ear I find.

Right, I am off to do some shopping and try and find Mutzen(leaves). Had a Berliner yesterday (not the person but the doughnut), really nice. I preferred the dark jam in it to the lighter jam that others contain.

It is Ash Wednesday, Carnival has been "buried", today it was eating fish, as is tradition. Herring, that is. Not for me though, not my taste. I was able to get Mutzen, both the leaves and the almond shaped ones. I tried the Mutzen again but next year I will only get the leaves. Eating them side by side on a plate showed me that my preferences of years past are still the same.

If you would like to read about Carnival - which is not over yet actually, in Switzerland it is later than in Germany - have a look here: https://www.german-way.com/history-and-culture/holidays-and-celebrations/fasching-and-karneval/

Before we move on to other topics, here is one of my favourite odd things of Rhenish Carnival, the "Schwellköpp" in Mainz: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Mainzer_Schwellkopf_Fastnacht2.jpg

These are larger than life size heads (the Mainz dialect word literally means swollen heads) of Mainz personalities, ordinary folk very often, and are made of papier-maché.  If you want to look deeper into Carnival traditions when on holiday, you can go to one of the Carnival museums. This is the website of the one in Mainz (German only): https://mainzer-fastnachtsmuseum.de/html/museum.html

Pancakes successfully constructed tossed and eaten. My daughters and my senior Guides ’Rangers’  used to take over my kitchen for the evening and we would definitely get over pancaked.

I was in England one year over Carnival and was taught how to make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. I make pancakes occasionally.

So what happens when someone from another continent encounters Carnival? Can it work, can they join in? Of course! And this Australian man was invited to do it fully and properly: https://www.dw.com/en/an-australian-visits-colognes-carnival/video-64742923

Notamermaid fantastich now I have some idea of what my man got up to on his many trips to Germany. I’ve heard about the buxom German wenches carrying their many large beer steins (spelling). I know he enjoyed himself maybe sometimes a bit over the top but he reciprocated by showing his German colleagues a special time in London.

While most of the river cruise ships of CroisiEurope and the German companies have a break from cruising until well into March, it looks as if Viking starts the season in earnest a week earlier. I see a Swiss Alps to Paris itinerary leaving from 10 March if I have calculated the departure date correctly. So let us have a look well ahead into March in a very tentative way as regards river levels. The Rhine is so low that "my favourite fear mongerer" Bloomberg may well have written another article about it... But it is actually not good for barge traffic. Unusually so at this time of year, especially as not much precipitation has been retained as snow. It is too warm.

Kaub is at 121cm, which is below what it should be for shipping companies but poses no problem for river cruise ships. Looking ahead, we see the level rise and then drop to a level that is, well, not good. So far in advance, we look at this in probability terms. So on 6 March the level at Kaub will almost certainly be under 110cm and very likely be under 97cm (!). Am I worried? No. But a bit surprised and will look at this again earlier than I thought I would this early in the year,

It has cooled down and yesterday's rain came down as snow in the mountains. After a short rise the level is going to fall, in part due to the cold weather keeping the snow. According to the probability chart we are still going to see a first real low this year. On the 8th of March the level will almost certainly be under 110cm and most likely under 97cm, it is possible that the level falls to 77cm. I will leave it at that and return to the subject when summarizing February.

And now for something completely different - a quarrel about a ship and its protected status. It is a special "workhorse", the diving bell ship called "Carl Straat". Modern technology has superseded the old, so the Federal Waterways people now have a new one. What to do with the old? Some want it protected, others think it should be scrapped. I personally think it should go to the museum in Duisburg. As of 23 February a court has confirmed that it is correct that it is on the "protected" list. Is the decision final? I hope so. The new diving bell ship was given a propulsion system built by the company Schottel, based in Spay near Koblenz. Since this press release  https://www.schottel.de/en/media-events/press-releases/press-detail/new-diving-bell-ship-for-the-rhine-and-its-tributaries-fitted-with-schottel-propulsion-units was written the ship has been delivered, it is called Archimedes and was built by the Dutch shipyard Damen for 24.57 million euros. Should you see something highly unusual on the water during your river cruise...

Schottel GmbH builds propulsion for ships worldwide, they have a big portfolio, really impressive. The founder of the company named it after a shallows in the river at kilometre 576.5, which is somewhere here at the end of the Bopparder Hamm (vineyard):

From ship technology we move onto - old stones in the Eifel. In this volcanic region of Germany I came across Roman "antiquities" where I had never expected them.

We have in our archive a 1760 book it’s a treatise on how to build a canal translated from the French the plates at the back are completely Heath Robinson so will try to scan as if you see anything similar along the rivers of Europe, you’ll know, yes design has changed but you can usually tell where the original idea originated from. Archimedes invented the screw we have  few on display that are now about 200 years old but modern ones working in exactly the same way are still in use. What a brain that man had!

8 hours ago, Canal archive said: Archimedes invented the screw we have  few on display that are now about 200 years old but modern ones working in exactly the same way are still in use.

Ah yes, him. Fitting name for a specialist ship. Forgot to mention the museum properly. It is the German Inland Waterways Museum (for those who have read the 2022 thread, yes, I mentioned it in connection with the "Oscar Huber" ship last year): https://www.duisburg.de/tourismus/stadt_erleben/museen/museum-der-deutschen-binnenschifffahrt.php#/

By the way, Schottel propellers are also installed in river cruise ships. It is mentioned for a couple on their website and you can possibly read it online in the description of the odd ship in the technical details.

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Germany's Rhine is at one of its lowest levels. That's trouble for the top EU economy

Rob Schmitz

A boat is pictured on the shallow Rhine river near Oestrich Winkel, western Germany, on Aug. 12, as the water level passed below 40 centimeters, making ship transport increasingly difficult. Yann Schreiber/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A boat is pictured on the shallow Rhine river near Oestrich Winkel, western Germany, on Aug. 12, as the water level passed below 40 centimeters, making ship transport increasingly difficult.

KOBLENZ, Germany — As ship captain Stefan Merkelbach navigates his tour boat down the Rhine River through the town of Koblenz, passengers take pictures of medieval castles and fortresses along the banks. Merkelbach's got his eye, though, on the ship's depth gauge, which hovers at around 5 feet deep. In a normal year, this stretch of the river is between 10 and 20 feet deep.

"We can still sail from Koblenz, but we've got several moorings we can no longer stop at because the water is too shallow," he says. "If it continues like this, parts of the river will be shut to shipping, something I've never experienced."

Europe's hot, dry summer means that the water level on the Rhine, Western Europe's most important waterway, is at a record low, making it too shallow for many ships to pass — a problem for a country that depends on the river for 80% of its water freight. Millions of tons of commodities are moved through the Rhine and shipping disruptions are certain to further impact Germany's economy, already reeling from global supply chain disruptions and record high energy costs stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Tourist boats along the shore of the Rhine in the German city of Koblenz are still operating with the low water levels on the river, but they've had to stop mooring at several locations due to the lack of water. Rob Schmitz/NPR hide caption

Tourist boats along the shore of the Rhine in the German city of Koblenz are still operating with the low water levels on the river, but they've had to stop mooring at several locations due to the lack of water.

"It's less of a problem for us pleasure cruises, but freight ships and tankers are having problems," says Merkelbach. "Ships that usually take 2,400 metric tons of freight are now taking only 500 tons so they don't run aground — that's a massive reduction in load."

Shallow Rhine River has a devastating effect on commercial traffic

For this stretch of the river, that means more ships carrying fewer goods, drifting by a rapidly receding shore of brown rocks topped by dead grass and withering trees.

"Normally you see these huge container ships carrying goods from Rotterdam," says Adrian Schmid-Breton of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine. "But I haven't seen those ships on the river in weeks."

Adrian Schmid-Breton is a scientist at the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine. He says the low water level on the Rhine this year happens, on average, once every 20 years. But the last time this happened was four years ago. Rob Schmitz/NPR hide caption

Adrian Schmid-Breton is a scientist at the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine. He says the low water level on the Rhine this year happens, on average, once every 20 years. But the last time this happened was four years ago.

Instead, says Schmid-Breton, companies are opting to send fewer goods on more ships, leading to a more congested river. His commission estimates that low water levels happen, on average, once every 20 years. But the last time the Rhine was this low was just four years ago, in 2018. That year, Schmid-Breton says, German industry lost nearly $3 billion as goods weren't able to reach their destinations. Frankfurt Airport, one of the world's busiest, saw reduced jet fuel deliveries that year because companies weren't able to deliver fuel by boat.

This year, companies are scrambling to carry freight aboard trucks instead. But it's not enough: It would take 40 trucks to carry the grain that one barge normally could.

The Koblenz city gauge house shows the point at which the water rose to during an historic flood in the year 651. This year, there is only 5 feet of water at the deepest point in the river near Koblenz. Rob Schmitz/NPR hide caption

The Koblenz city gauge house shows the point at which the water rose to during an historic flood in the year 651. This year, there is only 5 feet of water at the deepest point in the river near Koblenz.

The flow of one of the most vital commodities, coal, is in jeopardy, and that could have severe consequences for Europe's biggest economy. "If there are problems transporting coal on the Rhine, we'll see shortages at coal-fired power plants in September, and they may not be able to generate electricity," says Guido Baldi, a researcher with the German Institute for Economic Research.

He predicts a coal shortage — in addition to ongoing global supply chain problems — will lead to Germany's economic output falling 0.5% in the third quarter. "This is particularly problematic now, as Germany attempts to wean itself off Russian gas and needs coal plants as a backup," Baldi says. "If the transport of coal is hindered, we'll see electricity shortages starting in September."

Baldi says drought, war and supply chain bottlenecks are sending Europe's biggest economy into a nosedive toward recession.

Schmid-Breton, of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine, says the environmental impact of this drought is equally bad. He says less water, that is heating up to warmer temperatures, is trouble for fish like Atlantic salmon, which were just reintroduced to the river. "Because of low water, they cannot reach their spawning sites," he says. "So they have to do emergency spawning. That means they will lose their eggs."

And with less water in the river, the concentration of pollutants rises, he adds, which will have an additional impact on every animal that lives along the river.

Schmid-Breton is encouraged by rain in the forecast this week, but he says the region will need two to three weeks of heavy, steady rain for the Rhine to return to normal — not likely, as this region heads into what is typically its driest season.

A container ship passes Pfalzgrafenstein Castle in the middle of the Rhine River in Kaub, Germany, Aug. 12. The Rhine carries low water after a long drought period. Michael Probst/AP hide caption

A container ship passes Pfalzgrafenstein Castle in the middle of the Rhine River in Kaub, Germany, Aug. 12. The Rhine carries low water after a long drought period.

Esme Nicholson contributed to this report from Berlin.

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FILE PHOTO: A vessel cruises past the partially dried riverbed of the Rhine river in Bingen, Germany, August 9, 2022. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo

Rhine River Crisis Shows Signs Abating as Water Levels Set to Rise

Share this article, related news, rhine barge rates soar as chokepoint water level at seasonal low, low water hampers rhine river shipping in germany, summer just started, but the rhine river is already starting to dry up, europe’s parched lifeline flashes trade disruption warning, a warm winter reduces lng demand and threatens inland shipping in europe.

By Jack Wittels and Brian Wingfield (Bloomberg) —

Water levels on the Rhine are set to rise over the weekend, potentially providing some respite to a crisis that has upended the shipment of energy products and other goods along one of Europe’s most important rivers.

The marker at Kaub, a narrow and shallow waypoint west of Frankfurt, is set to rise to 67 centimeters (26.4 inches) by Aug. 22, German government  data  show. That compares with a current level of about 36 centimeters.

The level is not the actual depth of the water, which can be several feet deeper, but rather a measure for navigability. At 40 centimeters or below, many barges find it uneconomic to transit that stretch of the waterway.

To be sure, the crisis is far from over, with at least some vessels having to restrict loads if passing through the chokepoint. The low water, the result of hot and dry weather, is exacerbating a historic energy-supply crunch that is fanning inflation across the European Union and threatening to tip some of the region’s largest economies into recession. 

Energy prices in the region and barge rates along the river remain near record highs. Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday that it has curbed barge loads from Cologne — from where it sends vehicles to ports in Belgium and the Netherlands — by as much as 30% due to the low water, but it has also increased the frequency of shipments.

The Rhine , which runs from Switzerland to the North Sea, is a key waterway for moving goods through some of the most industry-heavy parts of the continent. In 2020, that included roughly 28 million tons of mineral oil products, 19 tons of chemicals and 17 tons of coal, according to the most recent  report  from the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine.

Volatile Prices

Huge price fluctuations and varying volumes make it exceptionally difficult to put a current value on all the goods shipped along the Rhine, according the secretariat of the CCNR. Energy prices are highly volatile, with futures for coal soaring to a record this week amid Russia’s cuts to natural gas supplies.

Moscow’s war in Ukraine is worsening the impact of the low-water crisis by tying up some barges for the transport of grain from Ukraine to central and western Europe, the organization said. 

Rain is forecast in Germany in the coming days, though the relief may be short-lived. Temperatures in the country are set to climb next week, according to forecaster Maxar Technologies Inc.

“Within the next few days, the water levels will rise again in the entire Rhine catchment area due to the announced precipitation,” the Rhine Waterways and Shipping Authority, known as the WSA, said in a  statement , referring to the middle and lower parts of the river. 

“The 14-day forecast further suggests that water levels will rise by about 50 centimeters by the end of next week, but will subside after the wave has passed,” it added. 

Even after the weekend, the marker at Kaub is set to be far below the five-year average of about 1.7 meters. 

Separately, the Rhine is  now open  in both directions after a vessel that suffered a fault on Wednesday was towed away, a spokesman for the WSA said. The incident, which wasn’t related to low water, temporarily blocked traffic between St. Goar and Oberwesel, near Kaub. 

–With assistance from Rachel Graham.

© 2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Europe drought: Images show extremely low water levels along Rhine River as officials warn transport of goods could be affected

The waterway is a key trade route for several European countries, including Germany. It is used to ship grains, chemicals and coal by Germany.

News reporter @Amarjournalist_

Wednesday 10 August 2022 18:09, UK

Images show critically low water levels on one of Europe's biggest rivers as officials warned drought conditions could affect the transport of goods including coal and petrol.

Weeks of dry weather across Europe have drastically hit water levels on major waterways.

The drought poses a significant headache for German factories and power plants which rely on deliveries by ship along the key 1,232 km (766 mile) Rhine River.

Oxfordshire village runs dry - UK Weather latest

The waterway - one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe - runs from the Swiss Alps through Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, France and the Netherlands.

Tim Alexandrin, a spokesman for Germany's transport ministry, said: "This is particularly the case for the Rhine, whose nautical bottleneck at Kaub has very low water levels but which remains navigable for ships with small drafts."

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Authorities predict water levels at Kaub could dip below 40 centimetres on Friday and could continue to drop over the weekend.

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That is higher than the record low of 27cm in October 2018, but would mean many large ships would struggle to pass safely through the location - mid-way along the Rhine between Koblenz and Mainz.

Christian Lorenz, a spokesman for Germany logistics company HGK, said: "The situation is quite dramatic, but not as dramatic yet as in 2018."

He added that due to the lack of water, ships bringing salt from Heilbronn to Cologne that would typically carry 2,200 tonnes of cargo can only currently transport 600 tonnes.

"Of course we hope that shipping won't be halted, but we saw in 2018 that when water levels got very low the gas stations suddenly had no more fuel because ships couldn't get through."

"Normally you have more than two metres under the ship but now you only have 40 centimetres in some places," the Servia's captain Peter Claereboets said.

"And then for us the challenge is to get past those points without touching, without damaging the ship.

"Because of the low water levels, the sailing route gets narrower, and we actually start travelling like trains, in a convoy."

German authorities have begun taking steps to shift more goods traffic on to railways, Mr Alexandrin said.

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HGK and other logistics firms are having to prepare for a "new normal" when low water levels become more common.

Mr Lorenz said new ships ordered by his company will be built with a view to make them suitable for lower water levels on the Rhine.

Images show vessels stranded along sections of the river bed exposed due to the low levels of water, with people able to walk in areas that would have been underwater.

Read more from Sky News: Drought hitting nearly half of Europe Europe's drought on course to be worst for 500 years Rivers to run 'exceptionally' low in central and southern England​​​​​

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Depleted Rhine water level in Germany holds above crisis lows

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• River Rhine in Germany closed to shipping after rain raises water level

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Parts of the river Rhine in southern Germany were closed to cargo shipping on Monday after heavy rains raised water levels, navigation authorities said.

Rhine river shipping stopped around Maxau and Mannheim in south Germany, the German inland waterways navigation agency WSA said.

The high levels of water leave vessels insufficient overhead space to sail under bridges, and prevents vessels sailing to Switzerland.

Shipping on northern sections of the river is operating normally, including the important points of Duisburg and Cologne.

The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities including minerals, coal and oil products such as heating oil, grains and animal feed.

(Reporting by Michael Hogan, Editing by Bernadette Baum)

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