River Cruise Update Center

Last updated: 16:40, 20 August 2026

This page brings together the latest information for guests and anyone looking for a more detailed update on current river conditions across Europe.

Thursday's river conditions across Europe

Encouragingly, we have now seen further rainfall across parts of the Alpine and upland catchments that feed both the Rhine and Danube, with additional showers moving through some of these areas. These are important source regions where rainfall drains into tributaries before gradually making its way into the main rivers.

River levels do not respond immediately or evenly to rainfall. Water can take several days to move through the catchment system and conditions can vary considerably from one stretch of river to another. Our teams are therefore continually assessing every sailing individually, using the latest weather modelling, river level data from 52 official gauges and first-hand information from our captains and operational partners.

Where conditions allow, our cruises will continue to operate as planned. In some cases, changes to an itinerary or a ship swap may be necessary. Where we do not believe we can deliver the Riviera experience our guests expect, we will not compromise on that experience and cancellation may be necessary. 

Our river outlook – next 72 hours 

Rhine: We are seeing some encouraging signs across sections of the river, with recent and forecast rainfall across parts of the Upper Rhine and Alpine catchments providing some support to water levels. Düsseldorf, Cologne and the northern Rhine remain better positioned, while conditions through the Rhine Gorge continue to require particularly close monitoring.

Danube: The outlook is also showing some positive signs, with rainfall across parts of the Austrian and upper Danube catchments expected to provide further support to river levels over the coming days. We will be watching closely how this progresses downstream through Austria towards Bratislava, Komárom and Budapest, as both the timing and scale of any improvement will vary by location.

The recent rainfall is welcome, but the river system has experienced a prolonged dry period and conditions remain finely balanced in some areas. We therefore continue to monitor developments twice daily, combining multiple weather forecasts across the river catchments, more than 50 official water level gauges and first-hand reports from our captains and partners.

Our Riviera five-point promise 

1. The Riviera experience comes first 

Your vacation is about far more than simply getting from one destination to the next. We will continue to deliver the Riviera experience you booked: exceptional dining, all-inclusive drinks, local entertainment, immersive experiences ashore and the personal service of our dedicated Cruise Directors and Cruise Hosts. Whatever the river conditions, our focus remains on delivering a vacation that feels unmistakably Riviera. 

2. We will not turn your river cruise into a coach vacation 

As with any river cruise, some coach travel may be included as part of excursions and transfers. We will always do everything possible to keep coach journeys to a minimum,even if plans need to change while you are on vacation. What we will not do is replace significant sections of your planned river journey with repeated, long-distance coach journeys simply to keep an itinerary running. If river conditions mean we cannot deliver a genuine river cruise experience, we will take a different course of action and give you clear options. 

3. We will communicate clearly and personally 

You will receive structured updates at key points before you travel. If your cruise may be affected, we will speak to you personally so you understand the latest position, what we are doing and what happens next. If you booked through a travel agent, we will work closely with them to ensure you receive the same clear information and support. 

4. You will always have a choice 

If we need to make a significant change to your cruise, we will explain clearly what has changed and the options available to you. We will give you the information you need to make the decision that is right for you, without pressure. 

5. We will never compromise on what Riviera stands for 

Riviera stands for exceptional river cruising, and we will never compromise on that. We will only operate a cruise when we are confident we can deliver a great itinerary and the quality of experience our guests expect from us. If we do not believe we can do that, we will act, explain why and give you clear alternatives.

Keeping you updated every step of the way

If you’re travelling on the Rhine, Moselle, Danube or Main, we’ll stay in touch in the lead-up to your vacation and share the latest updates as soon as they’re available.

15+ days before departure – We’ll let you know if your sailing is being monitored due to river conditions.

Around 14 days before departure – You’ll receive an update with the latest information available for your sailing.

Around 7 days before departure – We’ll share a further update as plans continue to develop.

No later than 72 hours before departure – Irrespective of whether your vacation is affected, we will contact you by telephone 72 hours before departure to confirm your travel arrangements.

We understand many guests are looking for updates on upcoming cruise departures, whether travelling soon or later in the year. We are currently reviewing all itineraries scheduled up to and including 8 September 2026 and will contact guests directly, in line with our structured communication plan, with updates relating to their individual cruise.

For departures after 8 September 2026, it is currently too early to say with certainty whether a sailing will be affected. We have a dedicated team monitoring individual river water level gauges, river conditions and local weather forecasts on a daily basis, and we will continue to provide updates as each departure moves closer. 

We understand guests may wish to call us for an update on the conditions but we’d be very grateful if, where possible, you could wait for us to reach out to you via our structured communication plan. We will endeavour to update this section of the website on a daily basis with all the latest information we have.

Thank you for your patience, understanding and continued support as we work closely with all of our guests on an individual basis.

Latest Departure Status

1. Departures Operating with Revised Itineraries

The following itineraries are currently operating with revised itineraries. We have contacted impacted guests and continue to monitor river conditions closely should any further changes be required along the way.

2. Canceled Cruises

On the cruises below, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the planned cruise. After careful review, we have concluded that there is no viable alternative itinerary that can be delivered. We have contacted all affected guests to discuss their options, including a full refund should they wish.

What are my options?

3. Departures Under Review

The following sailings are currently under review. If your vacation is affected, we'll keep you informed every step of the way, with email updates at 14 and 7 days before departure. As water levels continue to change, we aim to make a final assessment as close to departure as possible and will contact you personally by telephone no later than 72 hours before departure. Please be assured that we'll be in touch as soon as we have an update to share.

4. Departures Operating as Planned

Conditions remain favorable across the following rivers, and we do not currently expect any disruption to imminent departures. We are pleased to confirm that all itineraries on these rivers are operating as planned:

• Douro
• Rhône
• Seine
• Dutch & Belgian waterways 
   

We hope this guidance is helpful. If you have an urgent query that is not covered here, please call our Guest Services team. UK customers: 01283 688 220; Irish customers: 00441283688220; and North American customers: 888-838-8820.