Exceptionally low water levels on the Danube have disrupted river cruise operations across Central Europe, leaving several vessels unable to continue their voyages and forcing operators to modify schedules, cancel departures and introduce alternative travel arrangements. The situation follows an extended period of high temperatures and limited rainfall, with similarly low water conditions also affecting the Rhine.
The Danube, Europe's second-longest river, carries ~600,000 river cruise passengers each year and is a key tourism corridor linking ten countries from Germany to Romania. Water levels in Budapest recently fell to within a few centimetres of the record low recorded in 2018, disrupting both commercial navigation and the river cruise sector.
MAHART-PassNave, one of Hungary's principal river cruise operators, reported that although international cruise vessels are still able to enter the country, several ships have become stranded or have been forced to remain in port because of insufficient water depth. The company also indicated that bookings had declined by ~18% during July, attributing the decrease to reduced cruise activity caused by the low water levels.
The impact has extended beyond Hungary. Avalon Waterways confirmed the cancellation of a limited number of departures on both the Danube and the Rhine, while other river cruise operators, including AmaWaterways, Riviera Travel River Cruises and Viking Cruises, have adjusted itineraries, substituted vessels, arranged coach transfers or cancelled selected sailings to minimise disruption for guests.
Navigation on the Rhine has also been affected, with shallow sections restricting vessel movements and increasing operational challenges for inland shipping. Across both waterways, cruise companies continue to monitor river conditions closely while implementing contingency measures until water levels recover. Forecasts indicate that rainfall could lead to modest improvements during the coming days, although operators remain cautious as exceptionally dry conditions continue to affect Europe's inland waterways.