Ship swaps and missed stops: How river cruise lines are dealing with low water levels

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in The summer heatwave may have ceased, but cruise lines are still struggling with low water levels, which has led to disrupted itineraries for passengers. Droughts and heatwaves across Europe reduced water levels in some of the continent’s rivers during the summer months, restricting where cruise ships could visit. Levels of the Danube River were close to the lowest they have been around Budapest in August, and hit the lowest levels since 1996 in Romania. Other European rivers such as the Rhine are facing similar issues. A lack of rain means water levels are yet to recover, making it harder for cruise ships to dock. Tui River Cruises passengers complained last month about having to travel by coach and stay in hotels rather than sail, due to low water levels on the Danube. The cruise line has apologised and said guests were informed about disruptions. Low water levels is an issue that continues to affect European river cruise lines such as Tui as well as Uniworld, Viking, Travelmarvel, AmaWaterways and Riviera Travel. James Golding, Riviera Travel’s chief guest experience officer, told The Independent that some Danube itineraries were cancelled in recent weeks while Rhine routes had been revised. Low levels on the Rhine Gorge section of the river meant that, rather than visiting destinations further south such as Rüdesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg and Breisach, the itinerary was redesigned around the Moselle, with calls in destinations including Cochem, Bernkastel, Trier and Koblenz. Mr Golding said: “ 2026 has been an unprecedented year for low water on parts of Europe’s rivers. In recent weeks, nine Riviera Travel Rhine departures have operated with revised itineraries, while three Danube departures in October have been cancelled because we did not believe we could deliver the guest experience to Riviera Travel standards. Guests travelling on significantly revised itineraries have also received a future travel voucher in recognition of the changes to their holiday. “We don’t expect this year’s conditions to become commonplace, but the experience has made us even better prepared. Our new Riviera Holiday Guarantee gives guests additional reassurance when booking, including personal contact and clear choices if significant changes are needed, with the option to move their holiday or cancel for a refund.” open image in gallery Uniworld’s SS Emilie is among ships affected by low water levels on the Danube ( Uniworld ) Read more: The best river cruises around the world How cruise lines are responding to low water levels Cruise lines are used to navigating different water levels but the prolonged heatwave has created extra challenges this summer. Chris Pitchford, founder of the World of Cruising research site, told The Independent : “This year is certainly worse than usual. Cancellations have so far been kept to a minimum, and cruise lines have reacted with itinerary and ship changes to keep disruption to a minimum. “Budapest – a main starting point for Danube cruises – is currently a problem area, with ships struggling to dock in the city. “In some cases, guests have been told that their cruises will start at a nearby port where water levels are higher or that they will begin their trips with a hotel stay in Budapest before being transferred to their ship by coach.” A Uniworld statement to The Independent said adjustments may include itinerary modifications or alternative travel arrangements to help passengers continue with their route. The statement said: "River conditions can change throughout the season, and Uniworld's teams work in close coordination with local authorities and regional partners. With more than 50 years of experience operating on Europe's waterways, Uniworld remains focused on adapting as needed while delivering the exceptional service, immersive excursions and seamless travel experiences guests expect." The cruise line highlighted that sailings in France, Italy and Portugal are operating as scheduled. open image in gallery People stand on the usually-submerged banks of the Danube in Romania ( AP ) Another way that cruise lines tackle changing water levels is through ship swaps. Cruise lines such as Viking and Riviera Travel position ships across different stretches of affected rivers to ensure passengers can complete their journeys. In June, guests on Viking’s Rhine Getaway from Amsterdam to Basel had to swap ships due to low water levels. This involved a 24-hour stay on the ship in Koblenz before a five-hour bus to Strasbourg to embark on another river ship. A spokesperson for Viking said its captains monitor water levels and implement operational adjustments as needed, adding: “Viking strategically deploys sister ships on the same itineraries in opposite directions. “When river conditions require it, Viking may implement a ship swap, allowing guests and their luggage to transfer to their exact same stateroom on an identical sister ship positioned on the other side of the affected section of river. This approach helps preserve itineraries and reduce disruptions to the guest experience.” Cancelling a cruise is always a last resort, said Riviera Travel. A statement said: “To give our on board teams and guests extra support, members of our head office team are also flying out to join sailings where needed. “We are keeping guests updated daily, and thanks to the extraordinary dedication of our teams on the water and our guests’ fantastic spirit of adventure, feedback from those currently travelling remains overwhelmingly positive.” open image in gallery Low water levels have also affected traffic on the Danube in Serbia ( AP ) Passengers should keep an eye on changes to their cruise before and during the sailing. Paul Melinis, a managing director at Travelmarvel , highlights that river cruise itineraries are always subject to navigational conditions. He said it is important to choose an experienced brand that can cope with changes, adding: “Extreme weather is something the industry has always had to manage and, with hotter summers becoming more frequent, being prepared and able to adapt quickly is more important than ever. “The best advice I could share with anyone due to travel is to stay in close contact with their river cruise operator or travel agent.” What are your rights if a river cruise is disrupted? A cruise line will typically offer refunds or credit to rebook if a sailing is cancelled. However, changes during the sailing may be covered by the booking’s terms and conditions, meaning itinerary changes will not necessarily be claimable against. Taking out travel insurance that includes cruise cover can be useful in this situation as it may cover you for prepaid activities that you can no longer attend or if you miss a flight due to a delay. Some cruise travel insurance policies may even let you pay for extras such as insufficient or excessive water levels. Jacqueline Mondelli, chief marketing officer for insurance platform Squaremouth, said: “There are key differences in the level of protection offered by the cruise line you have booked with, standard travel insurance policies and a cruise insurance plan. A cruise insurance plan offers the most protection in this case, as it covers factors such as insufficient water levels.” Is it safe to book a river cruise? Persistently low water levels, and even high ones, are unusual. But Jamie Loizou of AmaWaterways admits they are becoming more frequent and require proactive planning and guest communication from cruise lines. The good news is that cruise ships are well-prepared. Mr Loizou told The Independent that ship deployment is typically planned two years ahead so there are always spare ships around if needed. He added that costs such as for coach travel or extra hotel stays won’t be passed on to clients. If you are concerned about disruption, there are also rivers that have not faced these issues such as the Seine , the Douro , the Mekong and the Nile . Industry body the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says there is growing demand for long-haul holidays beyond Europe's traditional rivers to explore destinations in Asia and South America. Read more: The best European river cruises