As Seen in “Cruise Critic”: I Sailed on the Cheapest European River Cruise. Here’s Why I’d Do It Again
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 her experience sailing down the Rhine with Gate 1 Travel.
I Sailed on the Cheapest European River Cruise. Here’s Why I’d Do It Again
by Marilyn Borth | Cruise Critic
Castles, wine, fresh food, cobblestone streets, lush countryside, captivating history, more wine. The list of things to love about cruising along European rivers appears endless. But one point that doesn’t land on this list is the hefty price tag. Most European river cruises start at around $250 per person, per night — and that’s not even dipping into luxury lines, which can cost as much as $1,500 per person, per night.
As a savvy, budget-friendly traveler, I wanted to sail the European rivers without feeling that proverbial hole burning in my pocket. And, with a little help from Gate 1 Travel, I made it happen.
Gate 1 Travel was first founded in 1981 as a land-based tour company and expanded into chartering river cruises in the early 2000s. It now offers several itineraries along the Danube, Rhine, Douro and Seine. The line also dips into other more far-flung river destinations, including the Nile, Amazon, Yangtze and Ganges.
Gate 1 has an impressive following — more than two-thirds of Gate 1 travelers are loyal repeat customers — and just one reason for their popularity is their price point. According to Martin Kratkoczky, a cruise director with Gate 1 Travel, the line is “generally 20-40 percent less expensive when comparing the same itinerary, cabin type and travel season.” And with a tagline of “More of the World for Less,” it’s safe to say that the line leans into one of their most compelling draws.
But this all raises a question as old as time: Do you get what you pay for?
I discovered firsthand that, yes, you do — but you also get so much more. Here’s what it was like sailing with the least-expensive European river cruise line – and why I would absolutely do it again.
Do you get what you pay for? I discovered firsthand that, yes, you do — but you also get so much more.
European river cruises don’t come cheap, so being able to coast along romantic European waterways without feeling the financial ache is a welcomed rarity. Gate 1 Travel offers some of the most affordable river cruise itineraries, and their base-fare-then-everything-else-is-a-la-carte tactic assists them in doing so.
My Summer 2024, 11-day Rhine river cruise fare with a pre-cruise extension cost $4,150, making it $377 per person, per night. But, I also booked this cruise a few months prior to the sailing date, which is later than most other cruisers do, making my fare more expensive.
If I had opted for the nine-day sailing instead (the same itinerary sans pre-cruise extension) and booked it in a more timely manner, it would’ve cost a total of $2,499 or $277 per night. Not bad at all for a European river cruise.
Everything else was a la carte, including roundtrip flights, optional shore excursions, gratuities and drinks on board. The mentality behind “a la carte” (sometimes called “unbundled pricing”) is that you get to choose what you pay for generally on the spot instead of everything being included up-front; you’re not paying for anything you’re not using.
Gate 1 occasionally has cruise promotions available, like waiving the single supplement fee for solo cruisers or having heavy discounts when booking well in advance. So not only does this line already have affordable fares, they sometimes make them even more so.
The ship was spotless…. My room was cleaned twice daily and always left in pristine condition.
Monarch Baroness, Our Cruise Ship, Was Well-Kept, Comfortable and Impressively Clean
The ship was spotless. I never witnessed crumbs or dirty glasses left for long stretches of time in the Main Lounge or in other public spaces on Monarch Baroness. My room was cleaned twice daily and always left in pristine condition. Staff were constantly cleaning public spaces and arranging furniture to be just so, ensuring everything was in top condition at all times.
The Main Lounge, Back Lounge and Sun Deck in particular were great places for guests to gather while sailing. Chairs were comfortable, no one was ever on top of each other as there was ample room for the passenger capacity, and there was no shortage of board games to play.
Cabins were certainly nothing to sneeze at either. The Deluxe Suites and Owner’s Suite had bathtubs, and 72 out of the 90 cabins on board had French balconies. I stayed in a Deluxe Suite and was more than pleased with my bathtub, sofa and lounge chair, large bathroom and king-sized bed — and my French balcony for pristine views.
Guides were not only highly knowledgeable, but were lighthearted and entertaining. On top of all that, they were also very in tune with guests and their needs.
But the Focus Was More So on the Destinations, Not So Much the Mode of Transportation
While Gate 1’s ships have commendable qualities, they also aren’t as lavish as some other river cruise lines you may find in Europe. Shipboard decor is rather simple and even a little dated (the nearly ubiquitous wood paneling throughout Monarch Baroness alone speaks to this). The exterior of the ship boasts their slogan and name in a jarring font size as well, making it appear rather kitschy.
But that is all perfectly fine for the Gate 1 crowd. Since the company is primarily a land-based tour company, those who try out their river cruises bring with them their wanderlust and down-to-earth attitudes. Our ship served its purpose and wasn’t ostentatious, all of which jived well with this laidback crowd, who were more concerned about the places visited than the way they got there.
Because Gate 1 knows their audience so well — being mostly relatively active Americans who are 50 to 75 years old — they emphasize the destinations, meaning the excursions, guides, time available in port and even “port talks” are in-depth. The cruise director in particular provides ample things for guests to do after their excursions of ports visited, and the ship almost always stayed several hours in each port so guests could make the most out of each one.
Speaking of excursions, the guides, who were always locals per Gate 1’s strict guide requirements, and shore excursions furthered this professional yet fun atmosphere. Guides were not only highly knowledgeable, but were lighthearted and entertaining. On top of all that, they were also very in tune with guests and their needs. It was as if they all had a sixth sense about when guests needed a short rest, a bathroom break, and even when we wanted further information on a specific landmark or piece of history.
Staff had two main goals: professionalism and fun. And they hit the nail on the head.
Gate 1 Staff and Overall Service Was Personalized and Exceptional
“We love to have fun on board, and we love to share that fun with you,” said the ship’s hotel manager during our orientation happy hour. This notion set the tone which reverberated throughout our sailing, from beginning to end. Staff had two main goals: professionalism and fun. And they hit the nail on the head.
First, professionalism. No matter the request, staff were benevolent and quick to assist. One couple stated that their cabin’s safe wasn’t locking properly, so staff all but ran to rectify the issue. That one moment stood out to those guests, and they felt they were in good hands the remainder of the sailing.
The crew’s attention to detail was reminiscent of a boutique hotel or ship. Gate 1 staff remembered every guest’s name, dining preferences or dietary restrictions, and even their favorite wine or beer choices with dinner. Hats off to Dika, my server the entire sailing, who always had my white wine ready upon my arrival at dinner — and always with a smile on the side.
Alongside such great service, staff perfectly balanced their professional selves and true selves. Everyone was friends on board, including the staff, who were often cracking jokes with guests and sharing aspects of their personal lives when prompted. One staff member in particular felt comfortable enough to sing during the open mic with guests, even though he was visibly nervous — and you can bet he was rewarded with a standing ovation from us all.
“We remind our guests that, no matter where they come from, their shared love of travel connects them in meaningful ways.”
Gate 1 Guests Were Like-Minded, Gracious and Highly Welcoming
While Gate 1 guests are mainly couples and groups of friends with some sprinklings of solo travelers thrown into the mix, they all skew towards being lively, active and simply “happy to be there.” They want to experience the world, and aren’t too uptight about their mode of transportation or other particulars; their focus is the travel experiences themselves.
These cruisers are well-traveled (most of them have at least done land tours with Gate 1 in the past, if not other cruises) and are welcoming to all. Even if they came aboard as a group or couple, they were all open to conversing with anyone and everyone else. This mindset is engrained in the Gate 1 culture, as Martin, our cruise director, stated, “We remind our guests that, no matter where they come from, their shared love of travel connects them in meaningful ways.”
Maybe that’s why guests were more often found chatting away about the day’s gallavants with other travelers on board instead of withdrawing to their cabins.
The wines served with dinner were always local.
The Food On Board Was Delicious, and Staff Took Every Dietary Restriction to Heart
The staff was always cognizant of dietary restrictions or preferences. They had memorized every guest’s individual dietary requirements, even going in so far as to provide laminated cards with cabin numbers and specific dietary restrictions (“Vegan,” “Gluten Free,” “Pescatarian,” etc.) to those who needed, which they then placed at their table setting for easy viewing. After a couple of dinners, though, the card was no longer needed as staff already had them memorized.
Breakfasts were buffet style, while dinners were five-course meals. Every bit was delectable, but it was German Night that was crowned the fan favorite. German Night was one buffet dinner held while we sailed through the country and consisted of specialties like whole suckling pig, fresh sauerkraut, sausages of every type, and other German staples. The dining room was even adorned with small German flags on the ceiling and the activity host was even so kind as to wear lederhosen for the occasion.
Drinks Were Affordable, Too, and Wines Were Local
While there was no option to add a drink package (this is typical for most river cruises), the drinks on board were the most affordable I’ve experienced on a river ship. A glass of wine was six Euros and a typical cocktail ran about 10 Euros.
Speaking of wine, the wines served with dinner were always local, being from either Germany or Switzerland specifically.
Our ship had varied events and activities aplenty, which were welcomed by the active and fun-seeking crowd.
Activities and Enrichment on the Ship Were Abundant and Varied Greatly
It’s commonplace in river cruising to have activities and forms of enrichment on board, especially right before or after dinner. Our ship had varied events and activities aplenty, which were welcomed by the active and fun-seeking crowd.
Trivia, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” Family Feud, Swiss shuffleboard (called “Sjoelen”) competition, darts competition — you name a game, the activity host probably held it. As an added bonus, guests who won were gifted a bottle of wine or box of chocolates — or both. The activity host also hosted other exciting events, like an open mic night, karaoke night and a couple of dance nights.
There were also wonderful performances held by a German zither player and a Frank Sinatra duo band, along with a couple of lectures, like a German language lesson with our cruise director and a “Germany Today” talk from a local speaker. The sailing wasn’t short of things to do, experience, compete in and learn, even while traveling from port to port.
I would, without hesitation, take another river cruise with Gate 1 Travel.
My Gate 1 Travel Rhine River Cruise Was One for the Books
I would, without hesitation, take another river cruise with Gate 1 Travel. The line truly embodies their “More of the World for Less,” slogan — and that’s not something every cruise line can claim.
We visited the same ports, sailed on the same river, and even had similar shore excursions as other, far more expensive cruise lines, but we were able to have the river cruise experience we wanted without feeling anxious about how much we spent. Plus, we even had extra money left over to purchase Swiss chocolates all the while laughing, learning and quite simply making memories for a lifetime. What else could you ask for in a vacation?
Want to follow Marilyn’s footsteps and have your own European River Cruise adventure?
Browse our full catalogue of options online and book your Gate 1 European River Cruise today!