Cruises Disrupted by Drought Conditions in Europe
If you're booked on a Danube or Rhine river cruise with Avalon Waterways or AmaWaterways, check with your operator about possible itinerary changes, since low water levels have already forced some passengers into multi-hour bus transfers between ships. Pack in a way that allows for quick repacking, as travelers reported having to unpack and repack when switching vessels. Be aware that castle-viewing segments of these routes, a highlight for many bookings, may be cut if water stays too shallow to navigate.
The numbers here tell the story: minus 42 inches on the Danube at Paks is a record, per the plant's own July 27 report, and that's not a one-off blip given the EDO's drought map shows "alert" conditions from France to Romania. My read is Avalon Waterways and AmaWaterways are managing this the only way they can — busing passengers around impassable stretches — and the Reddit accounts back that up, including one five-hour bus transfer that cost a traveler their prepaid excursions. The losers are the passengers who booked specifically for castle views on the Rhine and Danube, since that's the part becoming too shallow to run. Winners, relatively, are travelers with flexible expectations; several commenters said their cruise lines still delivered a good trip despite the reroutes. If I had a Danube or Rhine sailing booked this summer, I'd call my line now and ask directly whether the castle segments are still in play.