This was our first time traveling with Gate 1. We had a wonderful time on our Tulip Time river cruise and wanted to take a moment to name a few people who we feel went above and beyond. Maarten, the cruise director is a real asset to your company, very knowledgeable and personable. Nico the activities director arranged for some very good local entertainment on board, we really enjoyed the Musicdream Streetband. Suzanna the hotel manager and our room attendant Tunde made our accommodations perfect. The Monarch Queen is in EXCELLENT condition. Our room was large, had lots of storage and was absolutely spotless. We loved our waiters Dika and Mon who always greeted us with huge smiles. Our hats are off to Chef Florin. We have been on 25 cruises with Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian, MSC, Disney and Carnival and this is the BEST FOOD by far that we have had on any cruise we've taken. Our cruise encountered some rough water and had some minor flooding. The staff handled the situation very well and we were incredibly impressed with how they made sure we were all safe and immediately cleaned up the dining room. Literally, they were serving food again in less that 10 minutes. We will definitely cruise with Gate 1 again.

This was our first time traveling with Gate 1. We had a wonderful time on our Tulip Time river cruise and wanted to take a moment to name a few people who we feel went above and beyond. Maarten, the cruise director is a real asset to your company, very knowledgeable and personable. Nico the activities director arranged for some very good local entertainment on board, we really enjoyed the Musicdream Streetband. Suzanna the hotel manager and our room attendant Tunde made our accommodations perfect. The Monarch Queen is in EXCELLENT condition. Our room was large, had lots of storage and was absolutely spotless. We loved our waiters Dika and Mon who always greeted us with huge smiles. Our hats are off to Chef Florin. We have been on 25 cruises with Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian, MSC, Disney and Carnival and this is the BEST FOOD by far that we have had on any cruise we've taken. Our cruise encountered some rough water and had some minor flooding. The staff handled the situation very well and we were incredibly impressed with how they made sure we were all safe and immediately cleaned up the dining room. Literally, they were serving food again in less that 10 minutes. We will definitely cruise with Gate 1 again.

The trip was fantastic! We enjoyed the river boat, the ports, the guides and last but not least, the amazing crew and staff on the Monarch Queen. We would definitely book another river cruise.

My friends and I had an amazing time visiting Netherlands and Belgium. Cruise Director Matt and activity Host Laura were great, attentive to our needs and adjusted schedule based on weather conditions. Meals were great thanks to Chef Irwan. Staff were fabulous. We made new friends and loved our trip fulfilled by the blossoming tulips at Keukenhof Garden. My friends and I, all first timers for a river cruise, will plan another river cruise, when the price is right.

My first solo trip with Gate 1 was amazing! This was my second trip with Gate 1, first trip was with my travel ladies (8), so quite different travelling solo but I enjoyed every minute of the trip. Also, loved the last minute booking sale price.

My China tour was memorable and it exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed seeing and learning the cultural sights in Beijing like The Tienenman Square, Great Wall, Temple of Heavens, etc. The technology behind the Three Gorges, locks and dams were impressive. Shanghai gave me a new perspective of how progressive China is. The sky scrapers were amazing and the roads and highways were very advanced. We were also lucky to have an exceptional tour guide Eric who is organized, caring and very knowledgeable. He went beyond the call of duty to make sure that we have the best time. The care he had given the tour group was unbelievable and everyone complimented him for his excellent service. We were happily surprised that he wrote everyone a very nice letter. He also gave us a personalized stamp with our names written in Chinese along with our animal year. For him to take the time to do this is very touching. He made our trip extraordinarily special.

My brother and I just completed our tour in China. It was an 11-day trip with the four-day cruise included. It was the best tour that either of us had ever been on with gate 1. I have been on 11 tours with gate one and 13 total and my brother has been on 12. Everything was first class. We loved the whole tour, however the best part of it was the tour guide Melinda. She was easily the best guide we've ever had, and she went above and beyond in everything she did to ensure that we had a great time. She is a real credit to your company, and she is a fantastic human being. She showed great concern for the whole group. This was truly the journey of a lifetime, and we will never forget her or this trip. There were no negatives in the entire trip. Thank you gate 1 travel.

My trip was amazing! I really enjoyed the Christmas markets and the local tours. The time on the ship was also wonderful. The crews on your ships are really the best! So friendly, professional, helpful...we miss them when we get home! The food is also amazing. Thank you for another wonderful Gate1 trip!!

Thank you for checking in and for putting together such a memorable experience. Our trip was truly wonderful from start to finish. The planning, coordination, and attention to detail made the journey feel seamless, allowing us to fully enjoy each destination without stress. The Christmas markets, river cruise experience, and overall itinerary exceeded our expectations, and it was clear how thoughtfully everything was arranged. We're very grateful for the experience and wouldn't hesitate to travel with Gate1 again or recommend your services to others. Thank you for helping make this trip so special.

Absolutely wonderful! Gate 1 will be my go-to travel company from now on! The staff, service, food, activities, were all exceptional. Thank you so much for exceeding my expectations. See you again soon!

I wanted to drop a quick comment about Alina, our restaurant manager on our river boat cruise. She worked so hard to make sure I got an allergy free meal at every meal! She also made sure that there was a variety of meals. I was so impressed with what an excellent job she did. I wanted to let you know ow so other passengers with severe food allergies and celiac don't have to worry about it. The rest of the cruise staff was wonderful! I can't wait to go on another Gate1 River cruise.

Thank you very much. We enjoyed the vacation tremendously. The Cruise Director Melissa was very professional, caring, gracious and fun, I loved the daily treats she provided to the whole group. Laura, in charge for guests activities, was also so humorous and pleasant! All the staff on board were super accurate and polite. We found the quality of the meals on board above our expectations, also there was a lot of variety and everything was nicely presented, with a prompt, attentive service. The cabin suite we booked was spacious, very clean, very comfortable. I loved looking at the banks of the Seine passing before my eyes, while I was comfortably laying on my bed. The activities were perfectly organized, the pace was smooth, relaxed, and yet rich and diverse: just what I needed. It's been a wonderful trip, I already suggested it to friends and colleagues.

Amy at Front Desk was amazing! So helpful, friendly and just joyful. Great 1st impression for all guests boarding ship. Activity Director and Cruise Director were great! Fun onboard activities and additional entertainment from servers was a bonus Everyone was on point! Can't wait to cruise again on Gate 1

This was my first Gate1 tour and my first river cruise. It was wonderful. Special kudos to Eva and Nial who both made the trip run seamlessly. Also thank you to the chefs and wait staff who made mealtimes special. Thank you to the captain for being welcoming to guests and for providing safe travels. Also enjoyed the bar staff who interacted with all of us, the lobby staff were always available to assist or answer questions, and the housekeeping staff did an excellent job making up the room each day and keeping the ship extremely clean. Thank you to all as they truly are the ones who made the trip so successful.

Our trip was fantastic! George was a really good leader for the group. He is very organized, knowledgeable of all the cities we visited, willing to do more than was expected. The hotel in Vienna was very nice, centrally located and food was delicious. Thank you for the upgrade on the river cruise. We were surprised and very appreciative. We love traveling with Gate 1. The Ship was so nice, clean, staff were so nice and helpful. Food was delicious I cannot wait to travel with Gate 1 again.

My trip was wonderful. I especially liked the smaller ship where it was easier to meet people and get to know the staff. The scenery was very nice and the atmosphere on the ship was laid back. It was relaxing. The food was delicious and well prepared. The meat is so tender you could cut it with a fork. I enjoyed the presentation of the appetizers, entrees, and desserts. I liked seeing the countryside as I traveled to the different excursions. It showed me the picture of Portugal as a country that I wanted to know Overall, I enjoyed the sights and have recommended Gate 1 to my family and friends for a Douro River cruise.

We have traveled with Gate1 many times, but this was our first river cruise experience with Gate1. We have sailed with Viking and AMA previously. I have to say I really enjoyed the Gate1 experience. The boat was nice, Martin our cruise director was very good and quite pleasant and always organized and fun to be around. The activity host, Danny was SO much fun - just a joy to be around and kept everyone involved. The food was great for all meals - everything was delicious. I liked the way the excursions were run - you just pick a color and get on that designated bus. No fuss or thought! The crew was outstanding! EVERYONE was fun and pleasant to be around and no "stuffiness". Great trip and will definitely do another river cruise with Gate1!

This was our first Gate 1 trip, and we were thoroughly pleased with the quality and staff. We want to pass along how great our cruise director Carmen was. We have done many trips and have had many directors along the way. Carmen was outstanding and a credit to the quality of your tour, based on our experience we will look to Gate 1 for a future trip.

We loved our Douro River Cruise from start to finish - even on rainy days! The ship was truly a home away from home, with much better service. Our tour director, Gisella, was wonderful - friendly, approachable and incredibly organized. We really enjoyed getting to know her. Entertainment director, Eva, was fun and a perfect fit in her role. The food was amazing! I can't recall how many times we said that the meals were incredible.

We appreciate your Customer Service booking of our flights. We gave Courtney the days we wanted to fly and our wanting to have a minimum 2-hour layover at each airport. She quickly found flights for us and booked them within our cruise package. That was very helpful. The dining room and lounge wait staff were exceptionally helpful. The Activity Director Nick brought us passengers together with activities from early morning to late at night. He is very knowledgeable about music. Nick was a good catalyst. The Cruise Director Dijan worked well in each of the five countries we visited from Romania to Hungary. He explained each step and seemed to be popping up everywhere during our tours. Dijan's explaining the history and nature of the countries in his talks during the day were very interesting. He filled in between what we learned when we walked and rode around with the tour guides outside during the days. Overall, we enjoyed learning about Eastern Europe on this Eastern Danube Cruise. Your 27-page Travel Documents packet was well prepared. I liked the details given for each country in terms of currency, being courteous, and watching what we ate and drank. We appreciated the casual nature of the cruise, no smoking, no jewelry and art sale, no casino, and interesting daily tours.

This was our first Gate 1 trip and my wife, and I had a fantastic experience! I would like to make specific mention of the individuals (besides cruise director Adrien), who helped greatly make our vacation so special: Zsuzsanna - she was in complete control of every minute detail and did an amazing job managing the entire crew and operations. Wait staff in the restaurant - Amr, Yee & Milos, all of whom were very attentive and took care of our every need, often without being asked. Other outstanding staff who enhanced our overall service experience and deserve special recognition - Amelia at Reception and Kellen in Housekeeping Finally, I'd like to reiterate that this was one of the best vacations we have been on, and we have every intention of making Gate 1 our primary go to in the future.

The Eastern Danube River Cruise with Romania was wonderful. We feel that we learned so much from the beautiful countries that we visited along the Danube. We were very surprised by the beauty of each country. The scenery on the river was fantastic also. The crew of the Monarch Baroness were top notch and very helpful and friendly. Gate 1 did not disappoint.

I just returned from a Seine River cruise with Paris and London extensions . Kate was the tour director and she was amazing! She's a true professional, but does it all with a fantastic sense of humor. She really maximized my enjoyment of this fantastic trip. Well done !

The travel through the Seine River was fantastic. Starting in Amsterdam with our travel guide Kristina we experienced a new part of Holland and Brussels going to Edam then on to Bruges. She was knowledgeable, adding her expertise to the beautiful area. After arriving in Paris to meet our ship Monarch Countess we visited Normandy then back to the ship to sail the Seine with travel manager Kate and our entertainment host Nad. What a duo!! The ship and crew were top notch. Overall, the 15-day excursion met all our expectations.

This was the first river cruise my husband and I had ever taken, and we had a wonderful time. It was better than we had expected. Our cruise director, Mick, was outstanding. He kept us well informed and was patient, kind, fun, and genuinely concerned about the welfare of the passengers. Daniele, the activity host, also made the cruise fun. And we were blown away by the crew. They were extremely hard-working and always greeted us with a smile. Our room was kept spotless (thank you, Yoga) and the service in the restaurant and bar was over the top. Special thanks to Milos, Andreas, Mon, and Kris for the exceptional service. We will be recommending Gate One river cruises to our friends and hope to take another one in the future.

My Prague/Danube Cruise was so much fun. It was my first cruise of any kind and I'm so glad that I went with Gate 1. What a beautiful, comfortable, and delicious way to travel. Every staff member on the Monarch Queen was kind, efficient, and happy. I felt like I was traveling with family.

The trip was terrific. It truly exceeded our expectations. Everything ran smoothly.... transfers, the ship, guides, tour manager, excursions...could not have been better. The cabin was comfortable; the meals were excellent.... staff friendly.... really a "well run ship." Buses looked brand new.... comfortable and clean. We were very happy with the itinerary.... wonderful sites. We were particularly impressed with the level of organization required to handle so many people going to different locations after the trip....and it was so interesting to hear how many Gate1 trips our fellow travelers had been on. One couple had been on 25!

The Monarch Princess is a beautiful riverboat, very comfortable and convenient for social exchanges. The food was outstanding. Each meal was delicious with a variety of options. The buffets were carefully attended to keep them attractive and well supplied. The officers and crew exceeded every expectation in terms of professionalism, friendliness, and genuinely great customer service. Jutta and Ellie are an outstanding cruise and activity team. We especially enjoyed the zither performance. Thanks for continuing to provide outstanding travel experiences.

It was wonderful. Our tour guide Patricia was amazing. She was organized and prepared, a wealth of knowledge. She was so friendly and available to us at all times. All the staff on the Douro Cruiser were awesome. So friendly, kind and helpful. The food was delicious and our cabin was perfectly cleaned by Liliana. We had a waitperson in the dining room who made us feel like family, her name was Elsa. We had a member in our party with food allergies and Elsa worked diligently to make sure her food needs were met. I greatly appreciate the cooks who assisted with the special food preparation. Eva our activities director always had a fun activity planned. And I participated in many of the activities. The captain Fernando and his staff were experienced and I felt very safe with their navigator of the ship. Danny the bartender always made sure we were served the tastiest beverages and Ariel did the same at meals. Gate One has the best teams in the world. Everyone on the ship made sure I was well taken care of and enjoying myself. I cannot praise the entire staff enough and I know there were many crew members working hard to allow me this awesome experience. I would name all 35 in this email if I could. I also loved the excursions and the local guides and drivers. Thank you Gate One for another exciting adventure! Can't wait for my next one!

The Rhine cruise from Basel to Amsterdam had a well-planned itinerary, excellent food, and warm crew. Highlights included Breisach, Strasbourg, Heidelberg Castle, Koblenz and Cologne with its impressive cathedral. The Hotel in Baveno was fantastic and the town of Brugge was memorable, and we could have stayed there longer. Our guides were well informed, providing cultural immersion in those historic towns. Overall, we had a memorable trip.

This was my first river cruise. It exceeded my expectations in every way. I thought the dining room staff did a superb job at every meal. I can't think of anything they could improve upon. Our room steward Tugeh was excellent. Again, everything was perfect. Now to Ellie the activity director extraordinaire. I had assumed there was nothing to do onboard a river cruise but how wrong I was. Ellie had such fun activities and because of her game where you have to find your match, I met a new lifelong friend. The bartenders in the lounge were also very fun and there was such a feeling of camaraderie in our group. We will definitely be taking another river cruise going forward. We already have 2 land trips scheduled and are leaving next Saturday for Greece. We are Gate 1 Travelers for life now.

We want to express our deepest appreciation & gratitude for ALL the staff involved in our trip...onboard as well as the tours. We all just fell in love with Daniel, he was like traveling along with a beloved son, as well as Matt & Altone, our guide in The Salt Mines & Auschwitz. Their knowledge, compassion & love for sharing their country's history by far exceeded anything we could have asked for. Also, the housekeeping, waitstaff, bartenders, etc. aboard the Monarch Queen were exceptional & delightful. Thank you.

We loved, loved, loved our first Gate 1 experience! From the beauty of the Baroness with its ever attentive staff, to its Michelin quality food offering, scenic excursions with professorial tour guides, & our super tour director Kristina, we were blown away! Details & suggestions available by phone. BTW The new Bunker Tour in Budapest was spectacular!

The trip was great!!! I am always so impressed with how Gate 1 handles all the interruptions that can happen on a trip. The planning is wonderful. On our trip we had to be bused to one location because of low water. It was handled with the upmost care for all of us ! Thank you Gate 1! This was my fourth trip you!

It was absolutely wonderful! Much to my surprise, I was fortunate to have the same tour guide I had last year on the Tulip River Cruise! Martin is definitely one of the best tour guides I've ever had (& that is many as this was my 38th trip with Gate1) if not the BEST!! Once again, the best trip ever thanks to all the superb staff at Gate1!!

My recent trip on the Danube, from Regensburg to Budapest, was outstanding. The housekeeping staff were very friendly and accommodating to special requests. The front desk staff were always available, very professional, and friendly. The food was outstanding in service, delivery, and taste. We had great meals on the entire trip, that is, no disappointing food of any sort. Nico, the entertainment director, did a great job. He was very funny and kept the programs moving and on time. Adrien also did a great job as cruise director. It was impressive how she looked out for the welfare of the participants on walking tours. She constantly was looking for potential pickpockets as the tour was moving on. On two occasions, she identified probable pickpockets and warned the tour guides about their presence. That really showed me that she cared deeply about making sure the tour guests had a positive experience. She gets an A+ in my book!

I cannot say enough good things about our wonderful Danube River Cruise with Budapest extension. It truly was a perfect vacation. Adrien and Nico are warm, kind people who made this trip so enjoyable. In fact, EVERY employee on the Monarch Queen made us feel at home. I miss them!!! Adrien is an outstanding tour manager. She is organized and detail oriented. She was full of helpful information and cared about our safety. Just one small example of her excellence, on our morning of departure from The Budapest Hilton, (excellent hotel and location!), she whisked us out at the back door of the hotel to meet our driver at the airport. Why? because the President of Albania was arriving to the hotel and the streets were closed off. We never would have known that and left to our own devices; we surely would have missed our flight!

The Douro River Cruise proved to be an exceptional journey. The thoughtfully arranged excursions offered a perfect balance of culture and leisure. Special praise goes to our guide, Dejan, whose engaging commentary and warm personality made every moment richer. His ability to combine entertainment with valuable insights ensured we could also appreciate each destination independently. An unforgettable experience. Entertainment Host Eva was very good.

This was my first River cruise and I loved everything about it. I loved the idea that all of my meals were provided. The dinners were special.....fine dining with fabulous presentation. I loved the social activities in the big lounge where people gathered and chatted with each other. I loved the ship and all the nooks and crannies and the location of room 303. I loved the caring staff on board and Had's energy and Bart's personality. I enjoyed the tours I went on. I did not love the crowds of tourist but that is the world today. I picked this tour on purpose because it was not going to big cities. I loved seeing the countryside and I was fascinated with the cows in the fields.....I come from Wisconsin. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

Let me start by saying I had a wonderful time. Many thanks to Bartel our cruise director/ tour manager. He works so hard to assure everyone had an exceptional experience. He is caring, responsive, thoughtful, funny, has superb planning skills and very knowledgeable about the ports and what we will see and do. I enjoyed his port talks every night where we got clarity on our day ahead. Entertainment director Nad was wonderful and very entertaining. I have never been part of an opening show and Nad was right it was so much fun. Every night there was fun entertainment planned for us and I am glad I was part of it. Also a shout out to George, Monica and Gia who took excellent care of us everyday in the dining room. They are so friendly and we had a great time with them. To Pasquale, our captain, and all the other members of the crew thanks so much for a memorable and fun vacation!

I recently returned from a River Cruise to France on the Monarch Countess. It was a trip to remember. We had a wonderful tour guide, Bartel, entertainment host Nad, plus a crew and staff who were always willing to assist. Although we have taken many trips with Gate1, this was our first River Cruise. We enjoyed the leisure time and the ability to socialize with passengers and staff. Evenings were always packed with things to do - many laughs were had by all. It was a different and most memorable experience. Thank you to Bartel, Nad and the entire staff/crew of the Monarch Countess.

My wonderful trip began with Vicki, my travel agent. She possesses excellent customer service skills, attention to details and is always so kind and helpful. The 14-day Danube River Cruise with Prague and Budapest was perfect trip in every way. The tour managers Barbora and Adrein are very kind, hardworking and made us feel so welcome and special. They attended to our every need always offering us their full attention. They are huge assets to the Gate 1 Team. Nico on the River Cruise was very helpful too. The entire staff worked well together as a cohesive team and provided a very enjoyable trip. The food was so delicious. The port talks, city tours, optional tours were all so much fun. This was our 12th Gate! Trip. I have recommended Gate! to family and friends and all have been as happy as we are.

I recently returned from the 13 days Douro River cruise that took place rom August 30 2025. I would like to take a moment to recognize our tour director, Patricia for providing an exceptional experience. From the start, she demonstrated professionalism, deep knowledge of the destinations, and genuine care for every traveler in our group. She went above and beyond to ensure that everyone felt comfortable, informed, and well taken care of. What impressed me most was that Patricia handled unexpected schedule changes smoothly," "how clearly She explained the history and culture at each stop," and the kindness and patience shown to every member of the group Because of Patricia , this tour exceeded my expectations, and I truly believe She deserves recognition for their outstanding service. Thank you for organizing such a memorable trip, and please be sure to share my appreciation with Patricia and her management team.

This was my first Gate 1 trip, but it will definitely not be my last!! I have been on ship cruises before, but this was much better than anything I have experienced before. The Monarch Baroness was a beautiful ship and the service on board was exceptional. The meals were spectacular, and the entertainment provided by Nick and guest speakers was excellent. Bettina was a wonderful person who was extremely helpful and joyous. Mercedes was responsible for maintaining our cabin and every time we went back to it, it was more than "ship shape". The captain was friendly and made great headway up the Rhein and through the locks. All the ports of call were beautiful and exciting, as well as the extended land trip to Lucerne and Bevino. The Dino Hotel in Bevino was much grander than I had expected and was more like a resort than a mere hotel. In summary, this was one of the best trips I have ever taken, and I will absolutely travel with Gate 1 again!! Thank you for such a wonderful experience!!

The Monarch Baroness & the entire staff did not disappoint. Benny & Bart made our first river cruise so enjoyable with their knowledge & sense of humor. Benny is so talented! What a great singer/entertainer. The food was delicious & I loved how one of our bartenders would ask "how can I make your day better". Looking forward to our Gate1 "Stay & Explore" Switzerland in just a few days.