September 30 2026 Amsterdam to Basel
We are on the 9/30 cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, but please feel free to post info about trips this month on the Rhine.
I have been following the forum discussions, watching cruisemappers, watching the river levels, etc. and am starting to worry about our trip being cancelled or altered beyond what we would find enjoyable. (For context, we are loyal Tauck fans. This would be our 11th trip with Tauck.)
The water levels seem to be getting worse, with the projections for two and three weeks being “too low to sail” at Kaub. https://amsterdamexperiences.nl/rhine-river-cruise-water-levels/
I assume we won’t be hearing from Tauck until one week before our trip, but would love to hear from any of you who hear anything about this or other Rhine voyages.
Thanks.
Comments
We are on this same cruise 10/14 and end in Milan(Rhine Enchantment). Like you I am also following river levels and getting concerned about alterations. We have done 10 land tours but this is our first river cruise with Tauck. I’m ok with the ship swap but hoping there won’t be too many other changes.🤞🏻
NJcolleen
This would be our third river cruise. We enjoyed the first two a lot.
Hms
We are also on that tour (our 14th) and are patiently waiting to hear anything at all from Tauck. I think it is safe to say it will not be exactly as advertised but how different is the question. We signed up specifically to not pack and unpack every few days BUT Tauck cannot control the weather. We would appreciate any word.
anyone have any idea what they have been doing on previous cruises?
Tauck has announced we can cancel. Received a letter at 1:22 AM about trip modifications and the right to cancel. Regrettably, my wife and I will cancel and will hope our Xmas Danube cruise in 2027 will go as planned. It's been a tough few weeks for us all, but if are not flexible, we break!
sandman,
Is that for the 9/30 trip?
Thanks
Hms
Howard, Sorry, I posted this on the wrong thread. It is the September 20, 2026 cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam that i was noticing on. I know nothing about the 9/30 trip.
Sandman,
Thanks for the clarification.
Hms
just got this email from Tauck. Doesn’t say anything.
We are looking forward to welcoming you soon on your upcoming Tauck river cruise. We are reaching out today because certain areas of Europe’s rivers are experiencing critical low-water conditions resulting from warm, dry weather. River navigation can depend on differences of just a few inches in water level, and conditions can rise or fall from one day to the next. For that reason, the impact on a particular departure often cannot be determined with confidence until closer to the time of travel.
As we prepare for your upcoming cruise, we want you to be aware that some adjustments to your itinerary should be anticipated. Depending on conditions, adjustments could range from a change in the order of your excursions to portions of travel by motor coach in place of cruising, and in some cases may include hotel stays ashore. We want you to have a clear understanding of the situation and the potential for adjustments to your itinerary, even as we work toward the best outcome.
At this time, no action is required on your part. We understand that you may have questions, and we want you to know that the information shared here is the most current available to our teams, including our Reservations team. Because river conditions can change from day to day, more specific information about your departure may not be available until closer to your journey. There is no need to contact us for an update; should there be any significant developments prior to your journey, we will make every effort to communicate them to you directly before you depart.
Please know that you are in experienced hands: our river cruise team is monitoring conditions closely, and your Tauck Directors — working directly with your ship's captain and nautical team — will be available to answer questions and provide the most current information throughout your journey. They will share any updates with you as soon as they are confirmed.
What is certain, however, is that Tauck has navigated low-water situations along Europe’s rivers many times in the past, and we have tried-and-tested contingency plans in place. With more than a century of experience leading guided land journeys, combined with our extensive network of partners throughout Europe, we are well prepared to adjust plans while preserving the experiences you've been looking forward to.
Thank you in advance for your flexibility and understanding. Once again, we look forward to welcoming you on your upcoming journey.
That is an excellent letter. Informative and straightforward.