For the record, I am keeping my fingers crossed that Germany will get some rain soon. I am scheduled to go on Tauck's "Christmas Markets along the Rhine - Northbound" too on 2 December 2018. However, my recent Tauck Rhine riverboat cruise, "Rhine & Moselle" (from Amsterdam to Basel) (11-23 October 2018), a planned 13 day cruise, only went 9 out of the 13 days due to the very low levels of water on the Rhine (we missed the last 3 days, Baden- Baden, Strasbourg, Rhine Falls due to the bad stretch of water up to Basel). I know that the Northbound tour is suppose to begin in Basel with Strasbourg being one of the first Christmas Markets stops along the way. Hopefully, things will improve in the next month water-wise over there and the water levels can change for the better, but it will be a challenge if the Rhine Christmas Markets cruise can go forward. We will probably not know for sure until shortly before these cruises are to begin. Time will tell. :-).
For the record, I am keeping my fingers crossed that Germany will get some rain soon. I am scheduled to go on Tauck's "Christmas Markets along the Rhine - Northbound" too on 2 December 2018. However, my recent Tauck Rhine riverboat cruise, "Rhine & Moselle" (from Amsterdam to Basel) (11-23 October 2018), a planned 13 day cruise, only went 9 out of the 13 days due to the very low levels of water on the Rhine (we missed the last 3 days, Baden- Baden, Strasbourg, Rhine Falls due to the bad stretch of water up to Basel). I know that the Northbound tour is suppose to begin in Basel with Strasbourg being one of the first Christmas Markets stops along the way. Hopefully, things will improve in the next month water-wise over there and the water levels can change for the better, but it will be a challenge if the Rhine Christmas Markets cruise can go forward. We will probably not know for sure until shortly before these cruises are to begin. Time will tell. :-).
I notice Tauck has taken down the banner warning on the Danube/Rhine water levels so maybe it's already solved.
It's a bummer you missed Strasbourg (one of my favorites) and the Rhine Falls. Baden Baden was boring although their Christmas market might be ok.
Claudia, I had been to Baden Baden earlier a few years ago on Tauck's Germany tour; I agree, I found not much of interest there to me then. I am really hoping that the Christmas Markets on the Rhine goes forward as Strasbourg is one of the stops/Christmas Markets we will visit on that tour, too. The big thing for me is that there are several Christmas Market stops in the Alsace region (Colmar, Riquewhir), which I know are quite beautiful during the Christmas season there and which I have never been to before now.. :-)
I notice Tauck has taken down the banner warning on the Danube/Rhine water levels so maybe it's already solved.
It's a bummer you missed Strasbourg (one of my favorites) and the Rhine Falls. Baden Baden was boring although their Christmas market might be ok.
My wife and I will be on the Danube Christmas Market River Cruise beginning on December 2nd starting in Vienna. I noticed the water level alert was taken down as well. I decided to call Tauck and find out why the alert was removed. From what I understood the alert was removed since all their fall cruises had been completed and it was no indication that the water levels had improved. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the river levels improve over the next few weeks. I've been following weather forecasts for the area for a while now and I'm not so sure their recent rains will have much of an impact. There are boats navigating the river and for fun I've followed a few boats over the last few days using the following website.
I believe the above link will zoom you in on the Danube. The website covers vessels worldwide. If interested you could zoom in on the Rhine. No doubt there are boats navigating the river. How far they are able to travel without being impacted by low water levels is anyones guess.
When I took Tauck's "Rhine & Moselle" 13 day riverboat cruise last month (11-23 Oct 2018), the cruise was cut short 3 days due to the low levels of water on the Rhine at certain points of the river and our riverboat could no longer travel that portion of the river then. The riverboat could not make it from o/a the Heidelberg area up to out final destination of Basel; so we missed seeing Strasbourg, Baden Baden, and Rhine Falls up to Basel. I am assuming that it was that stretch of the Rhine from Heidelberg to Basel that made it impossible for the boat to go any further (we were bused then for 1 day up to Basel). It seems that things can change quickly on both the Danube and the Rhine, but so far as I am aware there has not been any positive change over there in the last month. Sigh.
Comments
Dan
Have you been keeping up to date with the ALERTS about the Rhine water levels?
Guess we may have some changes as we proceed.
I notice Tauck has taken down the banner warning on the Danube/Rhine water levels so maybe it's already solved.
It's a bummer you missed Strasbourg (one of my favorites) and the Rhine Falls. Baden Baden was boring although their Christmas market might be ok.
My wife and I will be on the Danube Christmas Market River Cruise beginning on December 2nd starting in Vienna. I noticed the water level alert was taken down as well. I decided to call Tauck and find out why the alert was removed. From what I understood the alert was removed since all their fall cruises had been completed and it was no indication that the water levels had improved. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the river levels improve over the next few weeks. I've been following weather forecasts for the area for a while now and I'm not so sure their recent rains will have much of an impact. There are boats navigating the river and for fun I've followed a few boats over the last few days using the following website.
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:16.2/centery:48.3/zoom:10
I believe the above link will zoom you in on the Danube. The website covers vessels worldwide. If interested you could zoom in on the Rhine. No doubt there are boats navigating the river. How far they are able to travel without being impacted by low water levels is anyones guess.