Low water levels on the Rhine continued to disrupt river cruise itineraries in September 2026, forcing ships that could no longer navigate parts of the river to divert to Antwerp in Belgium. The city recorded 154 river cruises carrying 20,823 passengers during the month, while demand for tour guides remained exceptionally high, Gazet van Antwerpen reports.
The effects of the Rhine drought extended well beyond the river itself. Ships normally operating routes between destinations such as Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Basel in Switzerland were unable to pass some shallow sections of the Rhine, forcing operators to alter itineraries and find alternative ports. Antwerp became one of the main diversion destinations because shipping on the Scheldt was not affected by the same restrictions and the city had sufficient berthing capacity.
The result was a major increase in tourist arrivals and additional pressure on Antwerpās tourism sector, particularly its city guides.
According to Tour Management Belgium (TMB), the organisation recorded 1,011 guided tours in Antwerp during the year, compared with 289 over the same period in 2025. That was almost three and a half times as many.
Across Antwerp, Brussels, and Maastricht in Dutch Limburg combined, the number of guided tours rose from 432 to 1,614, or almost four times the previous yearās level.
Questioned by GvA, TMB CEO Wim Helderweert said the exceptional demand had continued because Rhine water levels remained low and cruise operators were still being forced to divert vessels. He described the situation as a ādeviation seasonā, with shipping companies repeatedly adapting their routes according to water levels.
Antwerp unlikely to become permanent Rhine alternative
Despite the scale of the influx, TMB did not expect Antwerp to become a structural replacement for the traditional Rhine cruise routes.
Helderweert said most river cruises were sold years in advance, meaning operators were likely to retain their established itineraries. Antwerp was primarily serving as a diversion port when water levels or other circumstances made the normal routes impossible.
The exceptionally busy cruise season nevertheless brought Antwerp to a new milestone in late September, when the city welcomed its 1,000th river cruise of the year at Het Steen, a figure that had never previously been reached.
For September, Antwerp recorded 154 scheduled river cruises carrying 20,823 passengers.
Looking at the period from July through December, 672 river cruises were scheduled to call at Antwerp, compared with 424 during the same period in 2025. Passenger numbers for the same period were expected to rise from just over 60,000 to almost 97,000.
The figures underline how a drought on the Rhine has had a knock-on effect far downstream, turning Antwerp into a major temporary destination for river cruise ships and their passengers.
