Record Lows on Danube & Rhine Disrupt European River Cruises
Intense heat and prolonged drought have driven the Danube and Rhine rivers to dangerously low water levels. This summer, thousands of river cruise passengers across Europe face disrupted itineraries as major cruise lines are forced to reroute, bus guests overland, and swap vessels.
Data from Hungary’s Water Authority reveals that the Danube in Budapest fell to within just 3.15 inches of its all-time record low set in 2018. In Romania, the Danube reached its lowest levels since 1996, effectively halting normal navigation in key stretches of the river.
Major operators including Viking Cruises, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Riviera Travel River Cruises, and Uniworld have all cancelled departures or modified itineraries. Uniworld’s flagship vessel, the S.S. Emilie, was unable to dock in Spitz for a scheduled excursion and will skip stops at Regensburg and Nuremberg entirely, diverting to Linz, Austria instead. AmaWaterways disembarked guests above Budapest from its double-width ship, the AmaMagna, and relocated them to hotels and coaches.
The Danube, which carries approximately 600,000 cruise passengers annually and links 10 countries from Germany to Romania, is facing one of the most significant tourism crises on Europe’s inland waterways this decade due to these disruptions. Although modest improvements are expected as rainfall gradually returns, travelers on upcoming sailings are advised to confirm embarkation cities and reprotect terms with their cruise line or advisor before departure.
Source: Travel Weekly | Cruise Critic