Low water levels force Riviera to pause Rhine & Danube sales

Riviera Travel has temporarily stopped selling cruises on the Rhine and Danube as low water levels continue to disrupt river cruise operations in Europe.

According to UK-based TTG Media, the river cruise line has paused sales of affected itineraries through Sept. 13, adopting what it describes as a cautious approach aimed at protecting the guest experience.

Riviera told the outlet that it introduced the stop-sale measure to “ensure we're only selling holidays that can deliver the authentic Riviera experience our guests expect”.

The company believes it is “one of the very few operators” to have stopped selling certain river cruises because of the low water levels.

As previously reported, river cruise operators sailing the Rhine and Danube have faced operational challenges throughout the peak summer season, with low water levels forcing companies to modify or cancel itineraries.

READ MORE: Europe's low river levels disrupt river cruise operations

This past summer, the Danube River dropped to its lowest level in Romania in nearly 30 years, dealing another blow to the region's tourism industry.

The Rhine, another major waterway, has also been experiencing low water levels.

The situation unfolds as Europe endures a summer of rolling heat waves, drying up rivers and threatening water supplies.

In situations like this, river cruise operators closely monitor water levels and adjust itineraries in real time, often swapping ships or using motorcoaches to transport passengers around sections of river that are no longer navigable.

Several river cruise lines, such as Scenic, Avalon, AmaWaterways and Viking, have been posting travel advisories to alert their customers.

Riviera has so far cancelled 17 sailings on the two rivers, while other itineraries have been adjusted in response to conditions.

Signs of improvement?

There are indications that the situation on the Rhine may be improving, but Riviera said uncertainty remains.

“While water levels on the Rhine are showing signs of improvement, there remains uncertainty, and we feel it's important to be transparent with both customers and travel agent partners,” Riviera said.

“Our priority is always to deliver the best possible holiday experience. Taking a cautious approach now means we can continue to operate with the honesty, trust and guest-first mindset that Riviera is known for.”

Viking, on August 25, echoed a similar update regarding water levels.

“Recent rainfall has significantly improved conditions in some areas, and several itineraries are once again operating normally,” the company wrote in a statement on its website. “However, water levels remain below normal in certain sections of the rivers, and some itinerary adjustments may still be necessary.”

Viking said it deployed an identical sister ships on same itineraries, sailing in opposite directions.

“In various water-level situations, when disruptions occur, we can implement "ship swaps," allowing guests and their luggage to transfer to their exact same stateroom on an identical sister ship on the other side of the affected section of river,” the company said.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.