Low water levels on the Danube and Rhine rivers have forced river cruise operators to cancel some sailings, make itinerary changes, swap ships or use coach transfers on some sections.
The Danube has fallen close to record water lows this week, leaving several cruise ships unable to continue journeys north of Budapest and forcing the suspension of some excursions.
Hungary’s Water Authority says water levels in Budapest have dropped to within eight centimetres of the record low recorded eight years ago.
Hungarian sightseeing operator MAHART-PassNave said several vessels have been stranded or waiting in ports due to the conditions, according to The Independent.
It said bookings have dropped 18% this month, due to cancellations, with sightseeing trips to cities north of Budapest suspended this week.
River cruise lines operating in the area have said some Danube and Rhine itineraries have been impacted.
Avalon Waterways, which has cancelled some sailings, said: “The nature of rivers is to ebb and flow. At this time, portions of the Danube and Rhine Rivers are experiencing lower than average water levels, and as a result, some Avalon Waterways itineraries have been impacted, including select cruise cancellations.”
Due to low water levels, Avalon Impression is unable to reach the embarkation location for several upcoming sailings, resulting in the cancellation of departures of ‘Danube Dreams’ and ‘Danube from Romania to Germany’.
Avalon said it is contacting affected guests and their agents to discuss options and will provide further updates if additional cancellations are required as conditions change.
Other operators have also introduced changes to manage the conditions.
Agents have reported adjustments across AmaWaterways, Viking, Uniworld and Tauck sailings, including revised embarkation points, hotel stays, coach transfers and ship swaps, Travel Market Report said.
Scenic Cruises has also confirmed it is monitoring the impact of low water levels across Europe’s rivers.
The luxury operator said: “Europe is currently experiencing an extended period of dry weather, with above-average temperatures and limited rainfall across many regions. As a result, water levels on parts of the Danube, Rhine and Main rivers are lower than usual.
“At present, reduced water levels are affecting sections of the upper Danube, including Budapest and areas between Regensburg and Passau near Pfelling. Conditions are also impacting parts of the Main and Rhine rivers, where some stretches are currently not suitable for navigation.”
It is monitoring conditions and reviewing sailing schedules, with potential adjustments including transfers to sister ships or amended embarkation and disembarkation points to minimise disruption ‘while maintaining the overall integrity of the itinerary wherever possible’.
Some passengers have also reported disruption to their sailings on social media.
One guest in an AmaWaterways passenger group said their AmaSonata Danube cruise, which ended on 7 July, was not cancelled but was affected by low water levels. They said the departure point was changed from Nuremberg to Vilshofen, requiring a coach transfer, and that the ship was unable to reach its first ports due to water levels.
They added: “Our planned stay in Budapest was interrupted very abruptly (again due to water levels) and we lost our full day in Budapest.”
The disruption comes during a period of extreme heat across Europe, with high temperatures contributing to falling river levels.
