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Could not believe Frankfurt's Christmas Market went on forever and we thought it was larger than Nuremburg's (which we had been to several times before). Overall, it definitely was a great vacation and service aboard the Monarch Governess was excellent. Other than losing a gold earring trying on hats, it was a wonderful vacation. Walking Tours by Gate 1 is our newest way to see More of the World for Less! Gate 1 Travel's target market is a traveler seeking high quality, affordable travel ranging from a superior tourist class to moderate deluxe class level of accommodations with the highest level of service.
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Gate 1 Travel is unbeatable as a value-for-money line that provides a good cruise experience on quality ships but with fewer inclusions. Viking is great for travelers who are happy to pay higher fares to get more for their money, including drinks with lunch, additional menu options and dining venues, and a greater choice of excursions. Both lines are firmly aimed at the English-speaking markets. On Viking, U.S. passengers can expect the majority of their shipmates to be from North America, with a smattering of Brits, Canadians and travelers from other countries.
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She worked tirelessly each and every day and was clearly visible at all hours. Her daily port talks were informative and easy to understand. Adrien went above and beyond to help us with the challenges of navigating in foreign places. In addition to being exceptionally competent at her job, she was pleasant, approachable and it was just a delight to be in her company. We felt extremely fortunate to have been entrusted to her care.We throughly enjoyed, Daniele, our activity director.
Portugal in 13 days - Cultural Treasures & Algarve Escape - Superior
We booked a trip to Europe with them, and it was a mess from start to finish. Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Gate 1 Travel. Germany’s wine country comes to life as you drift along “Father Rhine,” lined with vineyard-laden sloping hills, welcoming wine-making villages and storybook hamlets. You’ll follow the Rhine where it forms the border of Germany and France, exploring French Strasbourg and its charming Old Town. Or add time in Lake Como, Lucerne, Bruges, or Paris.
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Both lines use local guides and passengers are issued personal audio headset systems so they don't miss a word or have to cluster around the guide to hear what is being said. Both lines offer additional excursions, such as theater performances, for an additional fee. Just some special recognition for several individuals that always seemed to go out of their way to make this a wonderful experience. But, Miklos, our tour director was superb in every way.
Cruise manager/trip leader was excellent, and waiters and all service people were excellent, very friendly and caring.Low water did keep us from sailing all the way to the last port, but that was not Gate 1's fault. Again - not Gate 1's fault.Would we do another Gate 1 river cruise? Absolutely - though we might opt for a more predictably cooler time of year.Finally - thanks for all of the support and info you provided, the questions you answered, leading up to the trip. Philadelphia-based Gate 1 Travel was founded in 1981 as a tour operator, but only hit the river cruising market in 2016 with the building of their own ship Monarch Empress. Their goal is to allow guests to see “More of the World for Less” by offering affordable vacations to fit almost any budget.
Danube River Cruises
In addition to being very comfortable, the ships are filled with lots of thoughtful design details and amenities that you might expect from a more expensive line. For example, there are alarms, bathroom nightlights, robes and phones conveniently located by the bed in most cabins. We had a great time on our 9-Day Danube River Cruise- Aug 31- Sep 8, 2023.We went to very beautiful places, lucky to have good weather every day.

The tourist crowds have long gone home as a chill in the air arrives, so you’ll feel less rushed as you explore. Downriver, Regensburg graces the river’s banks. This is a true European gem, one of the continent’s best-preserved medieval cities thanks to its escape from World War II bombing.
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Sometimes both the appetizer and soup are veggie, but on many days vegetarians will struggle and either have to go without, nibble on the bread basket or settle for a rather uninteresting green salad. Here are 10 reasons to love Gate 1 Travel for a river cruise -- and a few that might mean it's not the right company for you. Explore Nuremberg, an energetic city with a visible history, and discover the delights of Regensburg, one of Germany’s largest and best-preserved medieval cities. See the charm of the world-famous Christmas markets and explore the village of Durnstein, one of the prettiest towns on the Danube.
The dining rooms on most river ships are usually dominated by a large central buffet station, with lots of people milling around at breakfast and lunch and then not being used during evening waiter-served meals. On Gate 1 Travel's purpose-built vessel Monarch Empress, the restaurant is divided up by a number of screens and the buffet station is tucked away out of sight near the entrance to the galley. This makes the room feel much more like a restaurant on dry land, and it's also much less hectic as you don't have to navigate your way around passengers circling the buffet during breakfast and lunch sittings. With Gate 1 Travel, there is just one main dining room. Lunchtime features a buffet along with one soup, hot sandwich and dessert that can be ordered from the menu, but there is no choice.
With Gate 1 Travel, there is never more than one included excursion per day, and all of them last approximately two to four hours. This is regarding the 12 days Danube river cruise Oct 29 to Nov 11 on the Monarch Queen instead of the Monarch Empress.Thank you so so much for such a great experience. We were so impressed with the level of service and how organized everyone was.We had such a great time and a lasting memory of the trip. My first gate 1 trip with my fiancé who had traveled many times with gate 1.
They went out of their way not only to help, but to entertain and made all feel that we were part of a large close knit family. My thanks for providing an exceptional experience. I will recommend Gate One to anyone and most certainly come back. The river was spectacular, the stops very historical and informative, the ricver boat was comfortable, food was outstanding, and activities on board fun. I just want to say that our Hospitality/Activity Director onboard the Douro Cruiser, Eva, was fabulous. She really motivated and encouraged participation in activities and we all had a lot of fun joining in.
Our son had a separate cabin and the staff made it easy for us both to be kept together in every aspect of the trip. The ship was nice, the food was very good and the entertainment onboard was fun. The director arranged for us to tour Durnstein early in the morning, which was the absolute best time for photography of the lovely village before more tourists arrived.
The Gate One representative, Mira, at the Cosmopolitan hotel in Prague was exceptionally helpful with every detail for our group staying there several days. I want to especially thank the tour guide we had for the Salzburg excursion. I did not keep her name, but she was a delight. She was dressed in the traditional Austrian ladies dress.