I cannot remember water levels ever being as bad as this. Last week one of my colleagues was on the Rhine river and she said she could see the riverbed. She had never seen anything like it in 20 years of river cruising. We're now well into October and the repeated heatwaves seen all over Europe last summer are still wreaking havoc.
I've got so much respect for the river lines for how they're handling the crisis. We sell 12 river lines and although they are losing millions of pounds over this, they're still supporting Blue Water Holidays and still want to invest in joint marketing.
Agency boss: 'Water levels rise and fall but there's another crisis that concerns me more'
Opinion
Juliet Archer
8 October 2026
Juliet Archer, Managing Director of specialist agency Blue Water Holidays, has waved apprehensive river cruise customers off all summer while water levels have been dangerously low. Writing for TTG, she heaps praise on river lines for their efforts in a challenging environment before revealing she has a greater concern weighing on her mind
Sara Macefield
Uniworld's new SS Emilie ship is currently operating a Vineyards and Palaces of the Danube itinerary
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