Furious river cruise passenger says itinerary on $15,500 trip was changed last minute to less desirable locations... and that he has been refused a refund
A Canadian man who spent $22,000 CAD (around $15,400 USD) on a high-end European river cruise has been left furious that his entire itinerary was changed with less than a 24-hour notice.
Published: 22:01 BST, 8 October 2026 | Updated: 22:09 BST, 8 October 2026
A Canadian man who spent $22,000 CAD (around $15,400 USD) on a high-end European river cruise has been left furious that his entire itinerary was changed with less than a 24-hour notice.
Brian Lobaskie, who hails from Ontario, and his partner had spent over a year planning an 11-day European river cruise with AmaWaterways. The cruise was set to dock in Amsterdam and take them all the way to Switzerland.
However, just 24 hours before their scheduled flight, Lobaskie was notified that they could not go ahead as planned with the original cruise route.
Instead, the cruise line offered an alternate route through the Netherlands and Belgium.
Lobaskie was disinterested in the substitute itinerary, which did not align with the couple's plans or what they had paid for, so as a result, the fully-packed couple decided not to go.
'Unfortunately, I got a 24-hour notice before I was scheduled to fly that the cruise company could not operate the river cruise in its entirety,' Lobaskie told CTV News .
Lobaskie claimed that he was encouraged to purchase excursions and a rail pass.
AmaWaterways explained to CTV News that extreme weather and fluctuating water levels require sudden route adjustments.
Brian Lobaskie, who hails from Ontario, and his partner had spent over a year planning an 11-day European river cruise with AmaWaterways. The cruise was set to dock in Amsterdam and take them all the way to Switzerland
A Canadian man who spent $22,000 CAD (around $15,400 USD) on a high-end European river cruise has been left furious that his entire itinerary was changed with less than a 24-hour notice
Instead, the cruise line offered an alternate route through the Netherlands and Belgium
AmaWaterways decided not to cancel the cruise itself and instead reroute, as it would provide more safety.
Since the ship still sailed, the company policy determined that the cash refunds could not be applied.
Instead, AmaWaterways offered two options to guests who were affected by the change of plans.
'Guests who chose to go on the changed itinerary, they were offered a credit on future trips equal to 50 per cent of their cruise fare,' a spokesperson for AmaWaterways told CTV News .
'Those who opted out of the revised itinerary, the company offered an option to postpone the trip and would receive a credit “equal to 100 per cent of their cruise fare."'
Travel expert Loren Christie, said the heatwaves and droughts in Europe have made river cruise alterations increasingly common due to low water levels
Lobaskie argued that when an entire itinerary is replaced, customers should be entitled to a full cash refund rather than travel credits.
Although he received a $22,000 credit, he noted that the ever-rising cruise prices mean he would have to fork out extra cash if he wants to take the same trip next year.
He also voiced concern over unpredictable river conditions and uncertainty about whether the company would be able to operate the original route in the future.
'I’d have to pay even more to do next year, what I couldn’t do this year,' he said.
Travel expert Loren Christie, said the heatwaves and droughts in Europe have made river cruise alterations increasingly common due to low water levels.
'This is not an usual situation because of the heat in Europe. A lot of the river levels are low, and that is causing changes to people’s itineraries,' she said.
Christie added that cruise contracts typically contain standard waiver clauses allowing operators to modify routes without issuing cash refunds during weather-related disruptions
The Daily Mail has reached out to AmaWaterways for further comment.
