Europe’s river cruise season this summer has been anything but smooth due to the severe drought on the continent. The level of the Danube, the Rhine, the Main, and some French waterways has dropped considerably, leaving some of them partially or completely impassable.
Despite the challenges, cruise companies attempt to keep their ships on the water. The companies come up with all manner of solutions, from substitutions to itinerary changes, overnight stays in hotels, and coach tours to compensate for the low water levels. Such measures may allow for the resumption of a journey but entail significant deviations from the original plan.
France: A Mixed Picture for Narrow and Wide Waterways
Voies navigables de France (VNF) is aware of the delicate situation and does not exaggerate the extent of the damage. According to VNF’s statement updated on 13 August, 97.5 percent of the wide waterways are open to traffic. The figure is significantly lower (71.5 percent) for the narrow-gauge network, which has a considerable impact on nautical tourism.
Indeed, the current situation is most affecting leisure cruises, private boat rentals, and some forms of hotel barges.
The situation in terms of water levels in France has deteriorated since the beginning of summer. On 15 August, the reservoirs monitored by VNF stood at 35 percent, on average, compared to 42 percent at the beginning of the month and 58 percent on average over the last decade for the same period. Burgundy canal and the Loire lateral canal are closed to traffic due to low water levels; north-south connections are limited. Obstructed by low water levels are the canal linking Champagne and Burgundy, the Yonne, Seille, and Ardennes canals.
An Issue Across Europe
The situation is similar to that in the rest of Europe. According to experts, this year, Europe has experienced an «exceptionally dry» summer. In Romania, the Danube has reached its lowest water level in thirty years – and the rivers Rhine, Main, and Upper Danube are all below the seasonal average.
Viking River Cruises reports exceptionally low water levels in parts of the Rhine and Danube, with potential itinerary changes for some of its cruises.
The «Ship Swap» Solution
To minimize the impact on travelers, companies offering river cruises are ready to go to great lengths. One of the tricks is called «ship swap» and involves sending two ships along the same route on opposite sides of an obstacle. During a scheduled shore excursion, passengers on board transfer to the other ship – with their luggage, which has already been transferred to identical staterooms on board.
A similar option is available at Viking – the company uses its identical sister ships to make up for the lack of space on the waterways. Passengers remain in the same category, only on the opposite side of the river. Such a solution, nevertheless, requires a sufficient reserve of ships.
Preserving the Experience Beyond Navigation
If a «ship swap» is not available, companies offering river cruises find other ways to keep passengers on board.
For example, AmaWaterways has a variety of options: from the complete reversal of the itinerary to an additional overnight stay in a city, coach transfers to inaccessible ports, or an entirely new route. The company’s representative says that so far this summer, they have canceled «none of the sailings» due to low water levels. The company emphasizes that it is possible to deviate significantly from the planned route while retaining the tourist experience.
It is reported that in Budapest, some of the boats were forced to dock at Komárom, located about 120 km from the capital, which entails a transfer to buses for the convenience of the passengers. In a similar situation, 186 tourists in Vidin, Bulgaria, had to be evacuated from the boat. For example, 120 passengers who had booked a Danube cruise could only expect to make «1500 kilometers by bus» instead of enjoying scenic views of the river.
Not All River Cruise Operators Are Equally Affected
Each company handles the situation according to its means. CroisiEurope, for its part, announced at the beginning of August that it had canceled three voyages but continued to operate the rest. For its part, the Alsatian company pointed out that the draft of its ships is small, which allows them to navigate the waterways more freely than their competitors.
Moreover, recent rains have brought good news for the Danube and the Rhine: water levels in the upper Danube have risen to a satisfactory level. However, the situation remains critical in other places. Saga River Cruises is developing alternative itineraries for its Dutch inland waterways, the Main, and the Danube, continuing to operate under the promise that it will not turn cruises into coach tours – but keeping the boats on the water as much as possible.
Thus, in Europe, the river cruise season continues with minimal disruptions to itineraries. Despite the obstacles on the water, most companies manage to keep their passengers on board, often at the price of considerable deviations from the planned routes.
