European Waterways says its luxury hotel barge program remains fully operational despite low water levels affecting parts of Europe, with just four vessels requiring minor itinerary adjustments.
The operator expects no cruise cancellations for the remainder of the season, providing reassurance for travel advisors with clients booked on European canal holidays.
Cruises in Scotland, Ireland, England and Italy remain unaffected, while most French itineraries are also operating as scheduled, including sailings in the Canal du Midi, Champagne, Alsace and Brittany.
Burgundy itineraries adjusted
In Burgundy, European Waterways has repositioned a small number of vessels onto nearby waterways, generally within about 50 kilometres of their original routes.
The company said the changes have allowed it to retain most planned excursions and guest experiences.
Unlike free-flowing rivers, many European canals are managed using reservoirs and other water-control systems. This can provide greater stability during extended periods of dry weather and gives operators additional flexibility when conditions change.
European Waterways Co-founder and Director John Wood-Dow said the impact on the company’s operations had so far been limited.
“The impact of Europe’s low water levels on our canal cruises has been limited,” Wood-Dow said.
“All of our vessels remain operational and where we have needed to adjust a route, the changes have not altered the overall experience with most of the usual excursions being retained.”
Hotel barges offer greater flexibility
European Waterways said the small scale of its hotel barges and the extensive network of canals available had enabled it to respond quickly to changing conditions.
“One of the real advantages of hotel barging is the flexibility that comes with travelling on canals and smaller waterways,” Wood-Dow said.
“With 50 years of experience operating on Europe’s waterways, we have strong local partnerships and know these regions extremely well. That means we can react quickly, move vessels when needed and if required, introduce high-quality alternative experiences that we know will deliver for our guests.”
The update comes amid very limited rainfall in parts of Europe, but European Waterways said all of its vessels remain operational.
