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Join Which? TravelYour rights if your river cruise itinerary changes
The summer’s drought conditions on the Rhine and Danube could continue through autumn
Jo is an award-winning travel journalist and hiking holiday enthusiast. Her specialisms include sustainable travel and money-saving advice.
Record-low water levels are continuing to cause widespread disruption to European river cruises.
Droughts have affected the Rhine and Danube in particular. This week water levels sank to an all-time low of 40cm in Cologne, with vessels at risk of running aground.
All summer, river cruise passengers have been hit with cancellations and major itinerary changes. This has resulted in missed excursions, ship swaps or long, unscheduled coach journeys.
The disruption is expected to continue into mid-October with no significant rainfall forecast in affected regions until then.
What can you do if your river cruise is disrupted?
Cruise lines have a clause in their T&Cs that allows them to make itinerary changes. But you still have rights under the Package Travel Regulations if a significant proportion of your holiday can’t go ahead as planned.
If this happens before departure, you should get the option to cancel for a full refund or switch to an alternative trip.
Cruise line Riviera Travel has been offering Rhine customers an alternative itinerary, sailing north from Düsseldorf into the Netherlands and Belgium instead of south towards France and Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Danube passengers are spending one night on board a ship owned by Riviera’s charter partner Scylla in Budapest, before travelling by train to join their cruise in Vienna.
Those who accept the altered itinerary receive a future cruise credit or they can cancel for a full refund.
See more on your rights if your cruise goes wrong
What if the itinerary changes after you set sail?
If you’re already onboard, the cruise line must make suitable alternative arrangements – and offer a partial refund if these are of a lower quality than originally promised.
You can rest assured that all of our Which? Recommended cruise lines have decent policies on itinerary changes.
The best river cruise lines for 2026
River cruises and extreme weather events
Some 9% of survey respondents told us that they’d been subject to itinerary changes: making it the most frequently encountered problem for river cruise passengers.
Extreme weather events are only going to make this scenario more common. An increase in wet and stormy conditions are expected during late autumn and early winter due to the effects of El Niño.
Flash flooding and high water levels can also disrupt river cruises with vessels unable to pass under historic bridges.
If you’re worried your river cruise could be impacted, contact your provider as soon as possible to talk through your options.
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