Water levels are lower than usual this season due to excessive heat and little to no snow and rainfall earlier in the year. In fact, there was no boat at all. While American Cruise Lines has resumed sailings there, to Oregon ports only, American Queen president Shawn Bierdz said it won't start sailing the Columbia and Snake rivers until mid-June, to allow a cushion for Washington state to reopen to cruising. Cruise tours in Portugal and France will restart on June 27 and July 4, respectively. Oceania Cruises plans to restart operations in the Mediterranean on Aug. 29 with just one of its six ships, the 1,250-passenger Marina. The ships turn back to their point of origin with their 'new' passengers who simply continue their journey without too much interruption.". The problem with river cruises is that they are affected by both high and low water levels. Royal Caribbean restarted limited sailings out of Singapore for Singapore residents only on Dec. 1 and added cruises out of Nassau in the Bahamas on June 12. Still, there's renewed optimism about getting Americans back on Europe's waterways this summer, and possibly sooner than was widely predicted just a month ago. "If the need arises, often only small adjustments to an itinerary are required to allow the cruise to continue.". On board Jane Austen each cabin is naturally en suite.Doubtful that any are accessible for disabled persons.Eurostar however may cater.Worth enquiring.Hope this is helpful. This site is for entertainment purposes only. Will Politics and Hate Rain on Florida Tourism? Two more vessels -- Zuiderdam and Koningsdam -- will begin sailings from San Diego to Mexico, the California coast, Hawaii and the Panama Canal on Sept. 18 and Oct. 10, respectively. Read more about entry requirements for travel to the Netherlands. Before I even got to the ship, to fly to the Netherlands, I needed to produce either a negative COVID test or vaccine card, as was required by the Dutch government. OutTraveler on your favorite social platforms!Facebook But don't cancel your trip just yet. Editors note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information. Not that they're much better. Nearly 65 percent of European Union territory is currently under some degree of drought warning, according to the European Drought Observatory, which aims to improve drought resilience. Barborini says that he's worried for the Po this fall. This year, she says, has shown us that "climate change isn't just about heat, but also about water. "Drought and high temperatures are straining Middle Europe's water balance," BfG said in a statement. French Canals - Canal Barging is a more intimate cousin of River Cruising, and available all over France. POST-TRIP EXTENSION: Nice, France. The line has said it will have eight vessels operating out of three U.S. ports -- Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale -- starting between Sept. 25 and Nov. 28. A view of the Rhine River in Rudesheim, Germany, in early August 2022. Europe is in the midst of one of its worst droughts in recent historyhow will that affect summer cruising? Cruise Lines International Association, a trade group, said the largest group of passengers come from North America. Germany travel rules: At press time, Germany is no longer allowing unvaccinated Americans to enter for leisure travel after removing the United States from its list of unrestricted countries. Two more Celebrity ships (Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Equinox) will restart sailings out of Fort Lauderdale on June 26 and July 25, respectively. MSC Cruises has restarted sailings out of Italy with two ships and sailings out of the U.K. (for U.K. passengers only) with one ship. ", Helen Prochilo of cruise specialistPromal Vacationscalls European river cruising "the hottest thing we are selling this year.". Paul Gauguin Cruises initially resumed sailings in French Polynesia on July 11 but has since suspended the trips in the wake of travel restrictions for French overseas territories. Holland America cruises in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and South America have been canceled through the end of 2021. I see adjustments.. Star Clippers has canceled all sailings through at least early August. This was a question that I asked myself before booking my Rhine River cruise. A third Windstar vessel, Wind Spirit, is due back in service on July 15. Although the more moderately priced ships focus on providing great value for money, their cruises do still offer great levels of comfort and service. UNIWORLD Boutique River Cruises Zurich & the Rhine River Valley He and the other 150 or so passengers were shuttled around the Netherlands and Germany on buses, queuing up in long lines for bathrooms at highway rest stops and cramming into small restaurants. More vessels are scheduled to resume service on a staggered basis in the coming months. Two UK Cruise Lines First to Restart Cruising in the UK, Costa Cruises Becomes First Carnival Corp. Railings, furniture and even the captain's bridge are designed to be lowered, while passing under bridges in high water, adds Rob Clabbers, president ofQ Cruise + Travel, a Virtuoso member agency in Chicago. The situation on Europe's other prime tourism river is looking blue, too. Celebrity Cruises restarted operations on June 5 with a single ship, Celebrity Millennium, sailing out of the Dutch side of the island of St. Martin (known as St. Maarten), and a second Celebrity ship (Celebrity Apex) began sailing out of Piraeus, Greece, on June 19. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. "CroisiEurope's ships have a small draft and ballast which means they are able to cope with lower water levels.". When will cruises resume? A little too hot: Although none of her clients have been affected yet, she says that among her fellow agents, one had a client's cruise canceled this week, and another had their itinerary adjusted. Sailings on other European rivers, including the Danube, Rhine and Rhone, will resume toward the end of July, with various ships returning on a staggered basis. AmaWaterways plans to restart cruises in Europe on July 3 with sailings on the Douro River in Portugal. Please view our privacy policy for details about the information we share with our partners. The current issues are affecting the German stretch of the Rhine. Lake Garda water levels have plummeted in places like Sirmione. Temperatures were to be taken before boarding and at breakfast. A growing number of cruise ships also are restarting operations in Europe and other destinations around the world, and small vessels have resumed operations on U.S. rivers and intracoastal waterways. My mission, from there: a Rhine River cruise, traveling from the Netherlands to Germany, then France, Germany (again), before ending in Switzerland. Viking in May started U.K.-only sailings for local residents out of Portsmouth, England. Here's a look at when major river, ocean and expedition cruise brands that market to North Americans say they'll resume operations: Adventure Canada has canceled sailings on Ocean Endeavour until 2022. Switzerland travel rules: At press time, as of September 20, travelers aged over 16 entering Switzerland who have not been vaccinated or have not recovered from COVID-19 will have to present a negative test result (PCR or antigen) and be tested again after four to seven days. A view from above of the water level of the Rhine River near Dsseldorf, Germany, between 2021 and 2022. Anyone using a boat in the Po needs to be extremely experienced right now -- even professional fishermen are not able to navigate, he says. Hurtigruten in July 2020 resumed sailings to the Arctic with two ships after resuming limited cruises from Hamburg, Germany, to Norway with one ship in June. Costa Cruises resumed operations in the Mediterranean on May 1 with a single vessel, Costa Smeralda, and has since added a second vessel (Costa Luminosa) to Mediterranean sailings. Germany's Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), the scientific institution responsible for thecountry's waterways infederalownership, warns that water levels are continuing to fall. Dancing? May 24, 2021 Viking will resume select European river cruises beginning in July 2021. Credit: 2021 Viking Just days after christening its newest ocean ship, Viking Venus, Viking has revealed its return to European river operations. Out on a limb: The Rhine is a popular river cruise, but its future is now in doubt. And though we were just two miles from the German border, the rules were different: You were not allowed entry into a restaurant or bareven if you were sitting outdoorswithout showing proof of a negative COVID test or physical vaccine card. After previously disembarking their passengers, the Ocean Explorer and the Ocean Odyssey recently arrived at the French port of Caen, where they are now docked side by side. Atlas Ocean Voyages, a new start-up line specializing in "luxe adventure," will operate its first cruise on Aug. 4 in Europe. Brand to Restart Cruising, Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Ship Returns To New York: We Chat With NCL President Harry Sommer, Emerald Cruises Officially Launches in Australia, Rhine River Cruise Tips (ID: 1638) (Photo: Igor Plotnikov/Shutterstock). The river still "looks large and majestic -- it doesn't really give the image of a dried-up river," she says. Disney Cruise Line will operate a short series of cruises around the U.K. (open to U.K. residents only) with one ship, Disney Magic, starting on July 15. While fairway depths are reduced at some stretches, Germany's complete waterway network is still navigable. I uploaded my proof of vaccination, and then received a QR code that I could show to officials in case anyone asked. It's not just rivers. They will move and find new areas for river cruises beyond the traditional European ones," she says. Anyone can read what you share. It ended up being the best trip of their lives. Other than that, the line has canceled all previously announced sailings through the end of July. So, he said, he and his wife decided they would change their attitudes. I dont see any death of river cruising, he said. Can a River Cruise Still be Fun in the Age of Covid-19? 8 Days from $3,499. "On a Uniworld cruise a few years ago, high water kept the ship in Vienna for three days, and the company did a fantastic job in setting up additional tours that showed us sights that were not included in our original schedule.". The next indicator of river flow problems is the Thames River in England. (Our tour guides in Kln and Breisach told us they were required to wear them, even outdoors.) Crystal River Cruise managing director Walter Littlejohn, on the other hand, said the line has canceled all cruises through Aug. 28 and has no plans to change those dates. ", "Travel has a front row seat as climate change unfolds in the destinations we visit and, if this becomes a standard summer, it will massively impact our industry. For that reason, the Rhine River is feeling greater effects of river flow and sooner than compared with the Danube. My anxiety over what I needed to produce was quickly eased: Before arrival in each new country, AmaWaterways staff would brief us on what was required in each destination and share links to paperwork to complete (and in some cases, physical documents). We're confident we'll be back on the water this summer and anticipate more good news on openings within the coming weeks.". Windstar Cruises restarted sailings in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean in June with a single ship (Star Breeze and Wind Star) in each destination. A waiter handed out mimosas, and as we nosed toward Germany and left the Netherlands behind, city gave way to green pastures and grazing sheep. Katherine LaGrave is a deputy editor at AFAR focused on features and essays. Silversea restarted operations in June with one ship (Silver Moon) sailing to the Eastern Mediterranean out of Piraeus, Greece, and one ship (Silver Origin) sailing in the Galpagos.
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