Riviera Travel does not expect to resume normal Rhine sailings until mid-October at the earliest, as low water continues to disrupt river cruises on the Rhine and the Danube.
A spokesperson said there was not enough rain forecast to give the operator confidence of an earlier return.
“It’s looking like the Rhine won’t be saleable until mid-October if the weather forecast is correct, though we don’t know for certain,” they said.
In the meantime, Rhine customers are being offered an alternative itinerary, sailing north from Düsseldorf into the Netherlands and Belgium instead of south towards France and Switzerland.
Those who accept the altered itinerary receive a future cruise credit or they can cancel for a full refund. So far, about 75% of customers have chosen the alternative, Riviera said.
On the Danube, the drought means Riviera cannot start cruises in Budapest. Instead, guests spend one night in the city on board Gloria, a ship owned by Riviera’s charter partner Scylla, before travelling by train to join their cruise in Vienna, under three hours away.
“We are taking it day by day and contacting guests about a week in advance,” said the spokesperson. “Water levels change literally by the hour, especially on the stretch between Vienna and Budapest, where there are no locks to control the flow.
“The good news is that more and more guests are opting to take the train, and the feedback is positive.”
Rain is forecast for the region, but operators do not know how much will be needed to stabilise levels. According to Riviera, the situation is complicated further by a power station near Budapest that draws water from the river on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The spokesperson said the biggest priority now was ‘educating the trade about how rivers can change, with both high and low waters, so agents know how to approach customers and reassure them’.
The drought does not appear to have deterred bookings, with the ‘Blue Danube’ itinerary still Riviera’s top-seller for 2027.
“I think they are seeing this as a one-off historic event,” said the spokesperson. “Also, now we have gone through this, we are well prepared for next year and already have back-up itineraries we can put in place.”
Riviera remains committed to European river cruising but hinted it could add a ship on the Nile as part of a long-term strategy to grow its long-haul programme. The Riviera Alba is due to launch on the Mekong in September 2027.
