friends of mine were going on a long-planned Danube Cruise and received out of blue notice that the trip wa cancelled due to low water. Just two days before were ready to fly out - got full refund of course but still seems rather abrupt - anyway warning to anyone doing a cruise on Danube this could happen - not surprising with hot dry weather this year - guess main problem is docks being too high out of water?

Says record low levels now: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-e...-idUSKCN1L71DH

That info is provided on every river cruise (that changes or cancellations can happen at any time). It is in their terms and conditions.

Yes I understand that and not faulting cruise company just a warning to others that trips could be cancelled on short notice.

There is a drought in Europe. The Rhine is at a record low level as it enters the Netherlands.
Freight shipping has priority and the ships can carry only a half load.
Look up hunger stones, an interesting story.
If I had booked a river cruise I would have been keeping an eye on the news and weather.

Yes but you are experienced in such scenarios and nove travelers like my friend probably never dreamt that could happen. Cruise lines must be losing a fortune.

Same thing happened to my SIL/BIL a few years ago. I don't know how the notice to travelers could be anything but abrupt. The cruise companies desperately want the water level to be high enough and will wait as long as possible to avoid cancellation, but they can't control the weather.

Other family members had the opposite cancellation cause. Water levels became too high for boats to safely sail under bridges. Also abrupt notice in that event as well.

I'm reminded of those people who made hard-to-get lodging reservations a year ago and traveled halfway around the world only to arrive in California and be told Yosemite was closed due to smoke from nearby fires.

I guess these are all arguments in favor of trip insurance, although you'd have to read the fine print on the terms and conditions.

The news has been very full of drought news. One would think someone going on a cruise in the affected areas would be at least aware of the possibility. Unfortunate it happened though

I'm taking a river cruise over Christmas and am fully prepared to have a plan B just in case the rivers are too high.

>>friends of mine were going on a long-planned Danube Cruise <<. >>Yes but you are experienced in such scenarios<<. Since you are 'experienced', did you mention to them the possibilities?

jan I heard that from another friend not them - I have no idea if they had an inkling - just posted to warn others - gee sometimes...

It's always a risk. In the spring the water can be too high and the ships can't get under the bridges. In autumn it's often too low. This year it has been very low all year.
The cruise companies explain all that before you book. It is of course very disappointing when your longed for cruise is cancelled. The company could easily have given them more notice.
Yes the companies are taking a hit but they will survive.
The freight ship owners may not.

Frankly, I do not see the need for any "warnings." The whole low water thing has been happening off and on for years.

I would hope there is a clause in the contract stating just that and that cruises could be cancelled on short notice - seems a very real possibility. And high water too - climate change is wreaking havoc in so many ways.

Probably not meant for a travel forum, but might be of interest to some.
Starting at page 42 is a list of Danube "choke points".

lb-na-28374-en-n_.pdf

Human greed and stupidity probably play a larger part that changing climate.

https://wwf.panda.org/our_work/water...anube_threats/

>>I would hope there is a clause in the contract stating just that and that cruises could be cancelled on short notice - <<

There is -- all the i's are dotted and t's crossed. Every cruise line spells it out.