As Seen in “Cruise Critic”: Monarch Baroness Review
In Case You Missed It: Recently, we were featured in Cruise Critic. After experiencing one of our European River Cruises, Cruise Critic‘s Marilyn Borth shared her thoughts and review of the trip. Read on to see what she had to say about our ship the Monarch Baroness.
Monarch Baroness Review
by Marilyn Borth | Cruise Critic
Editor Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 – Very Good
First built in 2013 and partially renovated in 2018, Monarch Baroness boasts Gate 1 Travel’s tagline in dramatic crimson letters on its white hull: “More of the World for Less.” The slogan acts as both a welcome and a reassurance to all who embark, an implication that the ship is no outlier to Gate 1’s unwavering mission to provide affordable travel without sacrificing immersive experiences, comfort and enjoyment.
Gate 1 was first founded in 1981 as a land-based tour company, and has since placed emphasis on the destinations visited and the people who are along for the journey. With over 40 years of experience, it’s really no surprise that they pivoted into the river cruising industry as well — and now offer a well-oiled river product. Monarch Baroness, which is one of six vessels in Gate 1’s river fleet, is no exception. The line’s full fleet includes the river ships Monarch Empress, Monarch Princess, Monarch Governess, Monarch Countess, Monarch Duchess, and Monarch Baroness.
The 172-passenger Monarch Baroness transports guests along idyllic European waterways, like the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers, in a comfortable manner while offering organized daily shore excursions (mostly walking or coach tours) along with fun onboard activities. Gate 1 has a strict policy of only employing local guides, a major selling point for most die-hard Gate 1 travelers. These local guides only augment experiences in ports of call, adding a local’s perspective, something that, to guests, is irreplicable.
But the ship itself offers plenty to do — or not to do — while sailing between ports of call. Activities on board Monarch Baroness vary from trivia and open mic night to game shows like Who Want to Be a Millionaire and Family Feud. The ship also offers plenty of destination-themed enrichment, which typically includes performances from local speakers and artists, like a German zither player and Frank Sinatra duo band who came onboard the ship.
Monarch Baroness may not be the most youthful of the Gate 1 pack, but it appears to have aged very well. There’s little to no wear and tear; furniture is in impeccable condition in cabins and public spaces, no carpets are fraying and rust was never visible. All of this is thanks to the partial renovation, yes, but mostly to the meticulous staff who maintain the ship around the clock.
Staff clean the ship almost constantly, and can be seen wiping down handrails, mopping the stairs, cleaning the sliding glass doors and leaving no tables with dirty martini glasses or crumbs from snacks. The staff and crew are unequivocally professional, but they also quickly become popular members on the ship. One particularly admired staff member even sang karaoke on open mic night, to which the crowd roared with applause and chanted his name.
Monarch Baroness may not be labeled luxury, but it does curiously supply some impressive luxurious touches.
Monarch Baroness may not be labeled luxury, but it does curiously supply some impressive luxurious touches. Guests are welcome to drink unlimited sparkling wine with breakfast, which is typical of mostly luxury river lines like Avalon Waterways, and staff members pay close attention to every individual onboard, memorizing dietary restrictions, drink preferences, first names and nearly anything and everything else.
Free tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cookies are available 24/7 in both coffee stations on board for those feeling peckish between meals. And yes, we tried the cookies and, while they reminded us of simple packaged cookies from the supermarket, tasted delicious — and consistently so during the many tastings we indulged in throughout our nine days on board. Basic Wi-Fi was available throughout the ship, too, and if you needed to use it for more than one device, the front desk could provide you a second password free of charge.
There are some “old school” touches on Monarch Baroness that warrant some head-tilting. These flairs are ubiquitous, including wood paneling in every area, dated upholstery patterns and the overused “waves” on corridor carpeting. Even the dishware in the dining room is ho-hum. But, for a ship that aims to emphasize experiences over the transportation’s glam, Monarch Baroness’ decor is more than fine for its passengers.
The mostly American passengers on board, who range from late 40s to late 70s, are new to river cruising but have typically done several land-based tours with Gate 1 in the past. Guests are like-minded and active, sharing an eagerness to explore the world and meet new people along the way without a hint of pretension. And don’t let the age range lead you to assumptions — these folks know how to have a good time and many stay up to drink or indulge in the on board activities in the Panorama Lounge post-dinner.
“We love to have fun onboard,” said our hotel manager during our orientation happy hour, which perfectly set the tone for the duration of our sailing.
“We love to have fun onboard,” said our hotel manager during our orientation happy hour, which perfectly set the tone for the duration of our sailing. The atmosphere is light-hearted, friendly, laidback and fun-centric. There are no formal nights and no dress codes. Guests can expect to step on board and simply have fun with old and new friends on a ship built for comfort — sans pretentiousness — and to get you to your must-see destinations.
Monarch Baroness sails the Rhine, Danube and Main Rivers in Europe, calling on a variety of ports from 15 countries. Itineraries can last anywhere from nine to 16 days, but those that are longer in length typically include a pre- or post-cruise land extension or sometimes both.
Our 11-day itinerary began with a pre-cruise extension, which included two and a half days in two places the ship couldn’t reach: Zurich and Lucerne in Switzerland. We boarded Monarch Baroness in Basel afterwards, then the remaining nine days were spent snaking through mostly Germany, stopping at only one small town in France (Strasbourg), and capping at Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
According to our cruise director, “More than 70 percent of our river cruise customers book one of the longer versions of our cruise sailings with pre- or post-cruise land tour experiences.”
These two- or three-night additions cost roughly $500 to $700 per person, but offer even more on top of the cruise itself, often visiting places not included in shore excursions or river cruise itineraries. And since most cruisers are already seasoned land tourists with Gate 1, it seems only fitting for most that they have the best of both worlds: land and river.
Monarch Baroness fares are some of the most affordable available on European rivers, being 20 to 40 percent less expensive than other major European-based river cruise lines.
Monarch Baroness fares are some of the most affordable available on European rivers, being 20 to 40 percent less expensive than other major European-based river cruise lines when comparing the same itinerary, cabin type and travel season.
Monarch Baroness’ four decks are easy to navigate and laid out in a straightforward way, and their arguably overliteral names are reflections of this: Main Deck (first or bottom deck), Middle Deck (second), Upper Deck (third) and Sun Deck (top or fourth). Middle Deck holds reception, the tour guide office and the sole restaurant onboard. Main Deck is the only deck with a contradictory title, implying a gathering place or public room, yet it only holds the fitness center and 18 cabins. The decks where passengers truly congregate aboard Monarch Baroness are Sun Deck and Upper Deck.
The beating heart of the ship is unequivocally the main lounge, called the Panorama Lounge but more colloquially referred to on board as simply “The Lounge,” on the Upper Deck where daily port talks are held along with all lectures, performances, games and events. The library and main bar are located here as well, the latter of which closes around 11 p.m. most nights, and where guests gravitate when they’re looking to pair a chat with a cold one. Drinks are affordable, too (there are no drink packages for purchase), with a glass of wine being six Euros and a typical cocktail landing at about 10 Euros.
Guests gather while sailing and the weather is agreeable to gaze at the panoramic views of European waterways and surrounding landscapes.
The Lido Terrace, found just outside the Panorama Lounge forward, allows guests a front row seat to the bow along with an outdoor staircase up to the Sun Deck, which is where guests gather while sailing and the weather is agreeable, to gaze at the panoramic views of European waterways and surrounding landscapes.
Sun Deck provides plenty of seating options, most of which have “sun sails,” a.k.a. large umbrellas to block out the sun and rain. These sails are raised and lowered depending on bridge clearances. No outdoor plush couches are available like on Avalon Imagery II, for example, but again, this is not a premium or luxury river cruise; simple tables and chairs here do just fine.
There’s also no hot tub or pool available (there once was a jacuzzi on the Sun Deck, but that was removed during a refurbishment). A giant chess set is available for entertainment, but that’s about it.
One miss that stood out was the walking path, which is nothing more than a small circle on the very front third of the Sun Deck. During our sailing, guests were seen walking around the entire deck instead of limiting themselves to the small walking circle.
Sun Deck aft’s staircase leads down to the indoor Back Lounge, located on Upper Deck, a popular location mid-sailing for guests looking to read, play board or card games with a small group of friends or converse quietly with fellow travelers.
The Back Lounge has nice touches, like a 24/7 coffee station, an ice maker, various board games, comfortable seating, floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides and even a large sky light. There’s also a small seating area outside the Back Lounge aft, which is the main smoking area on board, but ship fumes are the most pungent here amongst all outdoor spaces.
Moving deck to deck is possible via uncarpeted stairs or elevator/stairlift. The elevator is available midship on the Main Deck, Middle Deck and Upper Deck. Between the Upper Deck and Sun Deck, there is a stairlift on one of the outdoor staircases. The stairlift is not shielded from the elements.
The 90 cabins on board are spread out on the Main Deck, Middle Deck and Upper Deck, with five cabin types: single cabins, outside cabins with windows, outside cabins with French balconies, Deluxe Suites and the Owner’s Suite.
The Main Deck holds all eight single cabins and 10 outside cabins with windows. The single cabins make for excellent options for solo travelers as they are the only cabins on board that don’t come with a hefty single supplement fee — and come with a good amount of space to boot at 118 square feet.
Outside cabins with windows, which measure 125 square feet, are great options for couples or other duos traveling together who don’t want to shell out extra money for outside cabins with a French balcony. Both single cabins and outside cabins with windows feature two small windows at the top of the wall just above the waterline.
The 59 total outside cabins with French balconies on Monarch Baroness are split on the Middle Deck (39 cabins) and Upper Deck (20 cabins). With a square footage of 165, outside cabins with French balconies are the best of both worlds: comfortable living spaces with private views of lush landscapes and quaint towns.
The Upper Deck, alongside the chunk of outside cabins with French balconies, also holds all of the suites on board, including the one Owner’s Suite, which is at a whopping 330 square feet, and the 12 Deluxe Suites with French balconies, which are 250 square feet.
We found the Deluxe Suites to be the most pleasurable cabins to stay in on board, as they’re complete with large beds, impressive storage space (closet, four drawers, four cabinets and space beneath the bed), a French balcony accompanied by a floor-to-ceiling window, a quaint living area with a table, sofa and chair, and a large bathroom with a bathtub (smaller cabins only come with a shower). They’re also placed strategically where little noise can be caught from larger public spaces.
All cabins on Monarch Baroness have the following amenities regardless of their size: a flat screen TV, a telephone, built-in safe in the closet, hairdryer and individual climate control. bathrooms all feature high-end L’Occitane bath products. Cabins in the Upper Deck also come with a mini-fridge.
Cabins are cleaned twice daily and make excellent use of the space.
Cabins are cleaned twice daily and make excellent use of the space, but they aren’t free from the “dated” elements mentioned earlier, including upholstery patterns, wood-paneling and dark, moody curtains.
As is typical for a majority of river cruise ships, there is only one restaurant aboard Monarch Baroness, located on the Middle Deck forward. Guests can eat a buffet-style breakfast, buffet-style lunch and a five-course dinner here.
Breakfast always has a special of the day, some of which during our sailing included eggs benedict, French toast and waffles. One designated cook is on standby with two pans to cook up any egg requests on the spot, whether they be a complicated omelet or simple over easy eggs. If guests have early morning excursions (prior to 7 a.m. when breakfast opens), staff prepares packaged breakfast for them to bring along.
The buffet breakfast offers both American and European classic breakfast staples, such as scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, a variety of sliced cheeses, sliced cured meats, several types of bread (complete with a toaster), and even smoked salmon and capers. There’s also Chinese-style rice congee with all the fixings available.
Lunch is also buffet-style with American and European flair, although many guests on our sailing chose to have their lunch at their visited port of call to make the most of their stop. Dinner is the more widely anticipated meal, being that it has five courses and is the only one with table service. The five courses entail a cold appetizer, soup, hot appetizer, entree and dessert. Wine and beer were included in the meal — and our grinning servers always kept the wine flowing.
And everything was delectable…. The staff was impressively cognizant of dietary restrictions and preferences.
“German Night” was the only dinner served that was without service and five courses — and that was perfectly fine with all on board because of how unique a dinner it was. “German Night” was a buffet served while we coasted through the country on the Rhine, and was complete with German staples, like bratwurst, sausages galore, sauerkraut, and even a whole suckling pig.
And everything was delectable. The decorations were an added bonus, including the multiple German flags hanging from the ceiling and the activity host’s festive lederhosen (and the bottle of local German liqueur in the front pocket).
The staff was impressively cognizant of dietary restrictions and preferences, even insofar to supply laminated cards, clearly displaying restrictions (Vegan, Gluten Free, etc.) for guests to lay on their table top at meals.
Cookies, coffee and tea were available in the two coffee stations between meals. Occasionally, there would be a “tea time” in the Panorama Lounge, serving small treats typical of afternoon tea.