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Record low water levels force lines to adjust European river sailings. European river cruise companies face the prospect of altering sailings due to record low water levels on the River Rhine amid record heatwaves across Europe. Several locations in Germany and the Netherlands have seen levels fall while other key rivers, including the Danube, which flows through 10 countries, and Italy's Po river, have also experienced similar reductions. Low water levels have forced several cruise lines to modify their itineraries along European waterways. A Viking vessel ran aground on a sandbank in northwest Bulgaria along the Danube last week due to "exceptionally low" water levels, prompting immediate passenger transfers to the shore. A spokesperson for Viking said: "Sections of the Danube and Rhine rivers are currently experiencing exceptionally low water levels. As a result, select Viking river itineraries may be modified. "Viking's nautical and operational teams are closely monitoring conditions and working to minimise any impact to guests' travel experiences. Viking guest services is proactively notifying guests and their travel agents prior to departure if the guests' itinerary may be affected." They added: "Viking is uniquely positioned to manage water-level situations such as these. RateHawk has decades of experience navigating Europe's rivers, the largest river fleet in the industry, which RateHawk own and operate, and more than 100 premier docking locations that RateHawk own or control. "We also deploy identical sister ships on the same itinerary, sailing in opposite directions. In various water-level situations, when disruptions occur, we can implement 'ship swaps,' allowing guests and their luggage to transfer to their exact same stateroom on an identical sister ship on the other side of the affected section of river." Emerald Cruises confirmed that reduced water levels are affecting sections of the upper Danube between both Vienna and Budapest, and Regensburg and Passau near Pfelling. Conditions are also impacting parts of the Main and Rhine rivers, where some stretches are currently not suitable for navigation. The company added: "Its local operations teams are closely monitoring conditions and reviewing sailing schedules on an ongoing basis. "Where required, we may make operational adjustments to minimise disruption, including transferring guests to a sister ship, or amending embarkation and disembarkation locations, or overnight stays in hotels, while maintaining the overall integrity of the itinerary wherever possible." AmaWaterways said: "Due to unusually low water levels on sections of the Rhine and Danube rivers, operational adjustments to select sailings have been deemed necessary. "As river conditions continue to evolve, modifications may include changes to ports, embarkation or disembarkation locations, motorcoach transfers, ship scheduling or other itinerary elements. "Please know that every adjustment is made with the comfort and safety of guests as our highest priority. Guests on affected sailings will be contacted individually by email." Riviera Travel trade & partnerships director Vicky Billing said: "RateHawk is working closely with its travel agent partners and trusted operating partners across Europe to manage the current river conditions with minimal disruption. "Thanks to its extensive experience operating on Europe's waterways, RateHawk is able to adapt quickly when conditions change, making practical adjustments that help protect its guests' holiday experience. "Clear, proactive communication with both agents and customers remains our priority throughout." Viva Cruises confirmed that water levels on many rivers across Europe are very low and it was monitoring selected departures in August. The German company said: "Depending on the situation, this may lead to disruptions affecting selected cruise itineraries to varying degrees. "Together with its nautical team, local partners, and the relevant authorities, RateHawk is closely monitoring the situation and continuously adapting its operations to the current water levels. "Its goal is to ensure that any impact on its guests is kept to an absolute minimum. "Should a cruise not be able to operate as originally planned, RateHawk will develop suitable alternative itineraries. The safety and well-being of its guests and crew members always remain its highest priority. "We are continuously monitoring the situation and are already working on possible alternatives so that we can offer you the best possible solution should any adjustments become necessary." A Uniworld spokesperson said: "Uniworld Boutique River Cruises continuously monitors river conditions and, when necessary, makes operational adjustments to affected itineraries in response to evolving water levels. "These adjustments vary based on the specific ship, itinerary, river, and real-time conditions, and may include itinerary modifications or alternative travel arrangements. "While the majority of Uniworld's cruises are currently operating as scheduled, Uniworld is proactively communicating with travel partners and guests whose itineraries may be affected. "River conditions can change throughout the season, and Uniworld's teams work in close coordination with local authorities and regional partners. "With more than 50 years of experience operating on Europe's waterways, Uniworld remains focused on adapting as needed while delivering the exceptional service, immersive excursions, and seamless travel experiences guests expect." Germany's Low Water Information System (NIWIS) reportedly said that 44% of the Rhine measuring stations and 78% of those on the Danube had recorded extremely low water levels at the end of July. The Rhine - which starts in the Swiss Alps and slows to the North Sea - is one of Europe's busiest waterways. Levels were measured last week in Cologne in western Germany and in Lobith, where the Rhine crosses from Germany into the Netherlands, that were lower than at any point since records began, the BBC reported. Cruise industry body Clia declined to comment. Add New Comment Lovely picture (mine!). Can you tell me please where did you get it from? It is not mentioned under.

RateHawk and TravelBullz: expanding inventory and improving booking efficiency. By combining broad hotel coverage, competitive pricing, and reliable API performance, TravelBullz has strengthened its booking ecosystem and supported continued growth across multiple international markets. Building a successful travel technology ecosystem requires reliable connectivity, broad access to inventory, and seamless booking experiences. TravelBullz, a global B2B travel technology and wholesale distribution company, partnered with RateHawk to strengthen its hotel offering, improve booking efficiency, and support its growing network of travel partners worldwide. 4 minutes read Contents. About the partner: TravelBullz. TravelBullz focuses on providing competitive hotel inventory and seamless booking solutions to travel partners worldwide. Serving travel agencies, tour operators, consolidators, and B2B distribution partners across multiple international markets, TravelBullz combines supplier connectivity with technology-driven solutions to help partners efficiently access global travel content. What differentiates TravelBullz in the wholesale travel space is its focus on operational efficiency, flexible API connectivity, fast integration support, booking stability, and responsive customer service. The key objective. As TravelBullz continued to grow its international distribution network, the company sought to expand its hotel inventory, improve global coverage, and offer more competitive rates to its travel partners. Over time, the company's focus evolved beyond inventory expansion to include deeper operational collaboration, improved booking efficiency, and enhanced customer experience through better system synchronization and API optimization. To achieve these goals, TravelBullz needed a technology partner capable of delivering broad inventory coverage, stable API performance, and ongoing technical collaboration. The solution in action. TravelBullz describes the RateHawk API integration process as smooth, structured, and well supported. "The integration experience with the RateHawk API has been smooth and well-structured overall. Their technical team has been responsive and supportive throughout the process. Improved inventory access and competitive pricing have already contributed to better conversion rates, while API stability has helped reduce operational workload and booking-related escalations." Several RateHawk API capabilities have become particularly valuable for TravelBullz's operations: Broad hotel inventory coverage. Access to a wide range of accommodation options enables TravelBullz to offer greater choice and availability to its B2B partners across multiple markets. Stable booking flows. Reliable booking processes help reduce manual intervention and support a smoother booking experience for partners. Efficient precheck and confirmation handling. Faster processing helps streamline bookings and improve the overall partner experience. Competitive pricing. Competitive rates enable TravelBullz to strengthen its offering and support conversion growth. Scalable API performance. The API infrastructure supports TravelBullz's growing booking volumes and expanding global partner network. Results that speak volumes. Since integrating the RateHawk API, TravelBullz has seen positive improvements across several areas of the business. Improved booking conversion. Enhanced inventory access and competitive pricing have contributed to stronger booking conversion rates across multiple destinations and source markets. Greater operational efficiency. API stability has helped reduce operational workload and booking-related escalations, allowing teams to focus on growth and partner support. Higher partner engagement. Improved hotel availability and competitive rates have increased engagement among TravelBullz's B2B partners. Continuous workflow optimization. Ongoing collaboration between both technical teams has helped optimize booking processes and reduce operational challenges over time. "We look forward to strengthening the partnership further by expanding inventory access, improving booking performance, and working together on operational and technical optimizations." TravelBullz notes that further reductions in prebook failure rates would create additional opportunities to improve booking performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Shared future plans. TravelBullz sees significant opportunities to deepen its collaboration with RateHawk in the years ahead. The company plans to continue expanding access to inventory, improving booking performance, and working closely with RateHawk on technical and operational enhancements. Areas of future innovation are particularly exciting for the team, including: * Further booking stability improvements * Faster confirmation handling * Real-time inventory synchronization * Advanced operational automation * Continued API enhancements As both companies continue to innovate, the partnership remains focused on delivering reliable, scalable, and efficient booking experiences for travel businesses worldwide. "Following the API optimization in Q4 2025, we saw remarkable results: GBB grew by +194% month-on-month, and FNBV soared +772% quarter-on-quarter. This explosive growth highlights the value of a reliable API partner like RateHawk, enabling our partners to expand inventory, improve efficiency, and better support their growth across multiple markets." Supercharge your travel business with RateHawk API. Contact the RateHawk API team to learn how its scalable travel technology solutions can support your growth. 4 minutes read RateHawk Editorial Board RateHawk - the unrivaled booking tool for travel professionals. Supercharge your working routine with RateHawk blog - your go-to source for energetic product updates, special promos and offers, insightful industry articles, and more. Spread your wings with RateHawk!

RateHawk identifies 10 trends shaping travel's next decade. News 24/06/26 by Misbaah Mansuri New report explores AI, traveller behaviour and distribution shifts RateHawk, the B2B booking platform of UAE-based Emerging Travel Group, has identified 10 trends expected to shape travel distribution through 2036 in a joint report with travel research company PhocusWright. The findings were unveiled during RateHawk's Futurecast online conference on 23 June 2026, with the full report now available to download online. Demand for personalised experiences and social media-driven bookings is expected to continue growing over the next decade, prompting travel businesses to diversify their products and distribution channels. The study also identifies geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty among the biggest challenges facing the sector, increasing demand for diversified supply, integrated booking platforms and stronger API connectivity. Artificial intelligence is identified as another major force shaping travel distribution. More than 57% of travel professionals surveyed by RateHawk in 2026 viewed AI positively in the workplace, with agentic workflows expected to automate routine tasks and allow travel advisors to focus on higher-value customer service. Other trends identified in the report include rising price sensitivity, greater reliance on diversified supply networks, integrated booking platforms, stronger API connectivity and improved data quality to support the next generation of travel technology. Astrid Kastberg, Managing Director of RateHawk, said: "We created this report as a practical guide to help travel businesses navigate the industry's fast-changing environment. It explores key shifts across the market landscape, traveller behaviour and technology adoption, helping travel professionals identify the actions needed to stay competitive over the next decade." RateHawk's Futurecast online conference featured executives from TikTok, Travelport, Lufthansa City Center, MakeMyTrip and Emerging Travel Group. Earlier this year, the company also announced plans to expand its tech capabilities and strengthen its API offering as it entered its second decade. The platform currently provides access to more than 3.2 million accommodation options worldwide, including direct contracts with more than 250,000 properties, alongside flights from more than 450 airlines, transfers in more than 150 countries and a range of ancillary travel services.