Europe’s river cruise industry, back in its first full season since the start of the pandemic, is now braced for possible disruptions caused by low water levels as much of Europe suffers from heat and drought.
The two rivers most affected are the Rhine and the Danube, primarily because they account for the vast majority of the river cruise traffic. Water levels at Kaub, in a German section of the Rhine near the famed Lorelei Rock, were reported earlier in the week as having dropped to 28″, a level that raises warning flags.
A quick survey of recent statements from the river cruise companies indicates that they are all in a ‘watching and waiting’ mode and have a variety of plans in place short of being forced to cancel altogether.
Past low-water-level years have included replacing parts of itineraries with parallel bus tours, lightening the draft through shallow areas by dumping onboard water tanks and busing passengers around the area, and occasionally parking two identical vessels at opposite ends of the low-water area and swapping passengers between the upbound and downbound ships.
