We're getting ready to travel from Budapest to Prague. Any recent info on the river water levels? Any difficulties sailing? I'd appreciate any feedback? Thanks.
Looks like it is lower than usual but OK. You may have a slight uphill climb on the gangway as you disembark each day. Better than high levels! This is the web site we checked periodically before our trip last October: http://rivercruiseinfo.com/content/river-levels
Calkat, we are doing the cruise this October. What kind of weather can we expect? Did you think October good time to go? Too late for us to change but interested in your perspective. Anything you could suggest about what to bring or not?
You can never know what weather you will get, you can only look at historical norms. Go to the Before You Go section on the page for your tour and look for the scroll down on weather where you will see the normal temperatures ranges in the area you are visiting or go to Weather.com or similar sites to find average temps and rainfall for anywhere on the planet. Clothing layers are the key word for just about any travel.
Calkat, we are doing the cruise this October. What kind of weather can we expect? Did you think October good time to go? Too late for us to change but interested in your perspective. Anything you could suggest about what to bring or not?
We did this trip (westbound)13-24 October 2016. It was cool during the day (50's and 60's) and cold at night, and the fall colors were marvelous. We didn't spend much time outside on deck because it was cool. My primaloft quilted jacket was perfect. Don't forget to bring some light gloves--I wore mine 4-5 times, mostly at night, but once during the day in Cesky Krumlov.
The rivercruiseinfo site is useful but I wish they'd actually tell you if low or high levels actually impact the river ships. Our entire Rhine/Moselle cruise had the rivers listed as lower than normal but it didn't effect anything. I was surprised when the captain told us how little water they needed to navigate - only a few feet.
If the water level is high, the riverboat may not be able to get under some of the bridges. That happened to us on our Danube Christmas Market cruise in 2010. We took buses to a couple of cities and were well compensated later by the non Tauck tour company. I feel sure that Tauck responded equally as well.
We depart next week from Prague for the Danube cruise. I’ve read that some riverboat Cruise lines had to transport their passengers by bus out of Passau. Any news on the river Elle’s from Regensburg to Budapest? Any bets as to whether Tauck will have to bus passengers on the Aug 30 Cruise? Wondering if the hot spell caused this - the weather is now cooling off - perhaps the water Elle’s will rise?
We just returned home Saturday evening, August 18th from that area on a GCCL riverboat cruise. The water level was very low, but we were o.k. till we got to Vienna. When we left Vienna, we proceeded slowly to Budapest. We made it there around midnight, having left Vienna early in the afternoon. I'm not sure how long that should normally have taken. Our boat has a shallow draw of just under 5 feet. We were in six feet of water. I don't know the draw of Tauck's riverboats, but it could be greater than our's was, which could be a problem. The water level can change daily. Viking's riverboats are larger and right now their ships are basically acting as hotels with passengers being bused from one stop to the next to a new riverboat hotel. For at least the next two weeks boats can only operate during daylight hours. We saw very, very few other riverboats or barges during the last couple of days of our cruise. We also heard that the river was closed between Regensburg and Passau. We took a riverboat Christmas Market cruise in December of 2010. That area was closed then because the water was too high to get under the bridges. What a difference the weather and too much or too little water can make!
RIVER CRUISES
Tauck Homepage : Water Levels on the Danube River
WATER LEVELS ON THE DANUBE RIVER
(8/20/19) The Danube River is currently experiencing low water levels in some areas due to Europe’s exceedingly hot and dry summer, and these low-water conditions have the potential to impact our upcoming cruises along the river. Conditions along the Danube are subject to change with short notice, and to varying degrees, select itineraries may be affected through August. Itinerary alterations could be minimal, or more material including additional motor coach travel or other tour adjustments.
Please know that in conjunction with our European office and our wide network of trusted partners, we are continuously and carefully monitoring conditions along the Danube, and we will inform impacted guests of any itinerary alterations as soon as those changes are known and confirmed. All Tauck cruises on Europe’s other rivers are operating normally.
We will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.
I just noticed the above travel alert on the Tauck main web page
In reviewing many websites regarding the Danube River water levels, I found a site that states " no river travel beyond Vienna. You can not get to Budapest at this time. Anyone else finding this information? I guess Tauck must be busing you from Vienna to Slovakia & Budapest? Train would be quicker? Have emailed Tauck a couple of times, but no updates. A friend showed us an updated email from Viking explaining their issues as well.
We're getting ready to travel from Budapest to Prague. Any recent info on the river water levels? Any difficulties sailing? I'd appreciate any feedback? Thanks.
RIVER CRUISES
Tauck Homepage : Water Levels on the Danube River
WATER LEVELS ON THE DANUBE RIVER
(8/20/19) The Danube River is currently experiencing low water levels in some areas due to Europe’s exceedingly hot and dry summer, and these low-water conditions have the potential to impact our upcoming cruises along the river. Conditions along the Danube are subject to change with short notice, and to varying degrees, select itineraries may be affected through August. Itinerary alterations could be minimal, or more material including additional motor coach travel or other tour adjustments.
Please know that in conjunction with our European office and our wide network of trusted partners, we are continuously and carefully monitoring conditions along the Danube, and we will inform impacted guests of any itinerary alterations as soon as those changes are known and confirmed. All Tauck cruises on Europe’s other rivers are operating normally.
We will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.
When we left Vienna, we proceeded slowly to Budapest. We made it there around midnight, having left Vienna early in the afternoon. I'm not sure how long that should normally have taken.
That is about how long it took us to go from Bratislava, which is east of but not far from Vienna, to Budapest on the Blue Danube this past April with normal water conditions.
We were on the tour two weeks ago, had to be bussed from Budapest to Vienna. On the next day, we were bussed to Bratislava for the day. We used the boat in Vienna for sleeping, etc.
Tauck personnel were very accommodating and helpful. While it was a drag to take the bus, everything was done correctly and professionally. The only issue was the rest break on the highway, about 10 busses were stopped at the rest area, and there were tremendous lines, but you can't blame Tauck for that.e
Alan, you were right. We left for Budapest from Bratislava, not from Vienna. Even so, the water level was still terribly low! Our TD has indicated that our boat was the last one to get all the way through from Vienna to Budapest on the river.l
I read the other comments and it was really amazing to know Danube River water levels.
If you'd love to know where the Greece's world-renowned resort town here in the Philippines just visit the San Fernando La Union Hotels ( https://thunderbird-asia.com/poro-point/rooms-and-villas/ ).
Please feel free to leave any comments or feedback you have below. Have a nice day!
Comments
We did this trip (westbound)13-24 October 2016. It was cool during the day (50's and 60's) and cold at night, and the fall colors were marvelous. We didn't spend much time outside on deck because it was cool. My primaloft quilted jacket was perfect. Don't forget to bring some light gloves--I wore mine 4-5 times, mostly at night, but once during the day in Cesky Krumlov.
Have a great trip!
You can check river levels here: http://rivercruiseinfo.com/content/river-levels
RIVER CRUISES
Tauck Homepage : Water Levels on the Danube River
WATER LEVELS ON THE DANUBE RIVER
(8/20/19) The Danube River is currently experiencing low water levels in some areas due to Europe’s exceedingly hot and dry summer, and these low-water conditions have the potential to impact our upcoming cruises along the river. Conditions along the Danube are subject to change with short notice, and to varying degrees, select itineraries may be affected through August. Itinerary alterations could be minimal, or more material including additional motor coach travel or other tour adjustments.
Please know that in conjunction with our European office and our wide network of trusted partners, we are continuously and carefully monitoring conditions along the Danube, and we will inform impacted guests of any itinerary alterations as soon as those changes are known and confirmed. All Tauck cruises on Europe’s other rivers are operating normally.
We will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.
I just noticed the above travel alert on the Tauck main web page
RIVER CRUISES
Tauck Homepage : Water Levels on the Danube River
WATER LEVELS ON THE DANUBE RIVER
(8/20/19) The Danube River is currently experiencing low water levels in some areas due to Europe’s exceedingly hot and dry summer, and these low-water conditions have the potential to impact our upcoming cruises along the river. Conditions along the Danube are subject to change with short notice, and to varying degrees, select itineraries may be affected through August. Itinerary alterations could be minimal, or more material including additional motor coach travel or other tour adjustments.
Please know that in conjunction with our European office and our wide network of trusted partners, we are continuously and carefully monitoring conditions along the Danube, and we will inform impacted guests of any itinerary alterations as soon as those changes are known and confirmed. All Tauck cruises on Europe’s other rivers are operating normally.
We will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.
That is about how long it took us to go from Bratislava, which is east of but not far from Vienna, to Budapest on the Blue Danube this past April with normal water conditions.
Tauck personnel were very accommodating and helpful. While it was a drag to take the bus, everything was done correctly and professionally. The only issue was the rest break on the highway, about 10 busses were stopped at the rest area, and there were tremendous lines, but you can't blame Tauck for that.e
If you'd love to know where the Greece's world-renowned resort town here in the Philippines just visit the San Fernando La Union Hotels ( https://thunderbird-asia.com/poro-point/rooms-and-villas/ ).
Please feel free to leave any comments or feedback you have below. Have a nice day!