Low water on the Danube and Rhine forces river cruise cancellations
Low water on the Danube and Rhine is still forcing river cruise lines to cancel or change trips, The Independent and Travel Weekly reported. Riviera Travel has canceled Danube sailings in October. Other lines are swapping ships, moving stops or using coaches to get guests around.
Low water on the Danube and Rhine rivers is still forcing cruise lines to cancel or change trips, The Independent and Travel Weekly reported. A dry summer and heat waves left the rivers low, and there has been little rain to refill them, the two news groups reported.
The Danube hit its lowest level since 1996 in Romania this summer, The Independent reported. Budapest, a main starting point for Danube cruises, has been a problem area, The Independent and Travel Weekly reported.
Riviera Travel has canceled Danube sailings in October, The Independent, Travel Weekly and TTG reported. Its Rhine trips have been changed or are under review, the three news groups reported. James Golding, Riviera's chief guest experience officer, said the line would not turn a river cruise into a coach holiday, Travel Weekly reported.
Other lines are swapping ships, changing the order of stops or moving guests by coach, The Independent and TTG reported. Some cruises have started at another port, or with a first night in a hotel, The Independent reported. Uniworld said its trips in France, Italy and Portugal are running as planned, The Independent reported.
AmaWaterways said it is "getting closer" to offering its regular trips, Travel Weekly and TTG reported. Jamie Loizou, a managing director at the line, said changes are made one voyage at a time, the two outlets reported.
Demand is mixed, Travel Weekly reported. One travel agent group said river cruise sales are up 29% from last year, but another seller said late bookings have been slow this autumn as people wait to see what happens with the rivers, Travel Weekly reported.
What we know: Low water on the Danube and Rhine has led to canceled and changed river cruises this autumn.
What we don't: When the rivers will rise again, and how many more trips will be changed or canceled.
Where outlets agree The Independent and Travel Weekly report that low water on the Danube and Rhine is forcing river cruise lines to cancel or change trips.
Where they differ The Independent quotes Riviera Travel as saying three of its October Danube departures were canceled, while Travel Weekly and TTG say two were canceled.