Low European river levels prompt cruise itinerary changes
Shallow sections of the Rhine and Danube have led operators to swap ships, add bus travel and revise routes.
Falling water levels on European rivers have forced cruise lines to make last-minute itinerary changes, according to the report. Bespoke Amsterdam Experiences, which has monitored regional conditions throughout the summer, said portions of the Rhine and Danube remained too shallow for vessels to navigate.
Operators have responded with measures including ship swaps, bus excursions and other travel adjustments. The disruptions may also activate some travel insurance benefits, depending on the policy and the specific changes made.
Travel Guard’s Trip Cancellation coverage includes insufficient or excessive water levels in the body of water where a cruise is scheduled to operate. Daniel Durazo, Allianz’s director of external communications in the United States, said records showing that a cruise line changed an itinerary because of high or low water could be accepted as evidence that the original cruise was canceled.
Travelers may qualify for Trip Interruption benefits when a cruise line does not offer a substitute itinerary. Allianz defines that substitute as an alternate route to the planned destinations using the same form of transportation. Under that definition, its Trip Interruption coverage applies when a cruise segment is replaced by land transportation, scheduled ports are dropped or different ports are substituted.