Gate 1 Monarch Baroness Danube July 22

for those interested!!!

We just got back from this cruise!

I will try to do a full review later but been gone 15 days, so lots to catch up on!

But briefly

Would do it again in a heartbeat

Crew was outstanding

Customer service outstanding

Food was good to very good

Ports were great. ( in love with Budapest)

If you have any questions, please ask away!

We had the same opinion about the Monarch Empress

Hi grandcayman,

I posted on the other Gate 1 thread but have copied here to cover all bases.

Happy to hear that you are safely home - sounds like you had a wonderful time!

I have tons of questions if you don't mind my asking.

Would it be possible to email? My email is included in my signature at the bottom of my posts.

To get started:

1) Do you recall about what time you arrived in Vienna on your first afternoon/evening? I would like to book dinner reservations in the city & would like an idea as to a safe time to book. Did you dock near the Nusdorf train station?

2) On your full day in Vienna - how would you rate the included tour? Did you actually visit inside any venues (such as St. Stephen's Cathedral). About what time did the tour start and end?

I am thinking of ditching the tour on our full day in Vienna if the start time is later in the morning. There is so much to see there that we might see more if we get an early a.m. start on our own.

3) Linz - great minds must think alike. I was also considering taking the train to Salzburg in lieu of the optional tour offered by Gate 1. Did you purchase your train ticket at the train station using the automatic machines?

4) Are taxi's readily available at the Linz dock in order to get to the train station?

5) What time did you need to be back onboard ship in Linz - do you remember what time the ship sailed?

6) Salzburg - so, you are also a DIYer. What did you see/do in Salzburg? By chance, did you visit the Mozart house (not the residence, the one where he was born)?

Ok - sorry for so many questions (I have more, yikes) and thanks for your generous offer to answer questions. If possible, it may make more sense to continue discussions via email but ... whatever is more comfortable for you.

Grancayman, thanks for checking in. If you would be so kind to answer dogs4fun questions here, I would love to know all those things as well.

And did you have any trouble with the low water levels? I'm reading in other threads about cancelled cruises, ship swaps and bus tours. Should we be worried?

Also how did you handle gratuities for 1) local guides, 2) bus drivers, 3) cruise tour director? I understand that Gate 1 handles crew and staff grats like ocean cruises, at the end of the trip and with the option of putting it on your account or paying cash. Is that right?

Thanks again for posting!

Currently on the Monarch Queen in Cologne and ending our Basel to Amsterdam cruise Sunday. We have had a terrifically time and would use Gate 1 again. Service and food have been very good. Water levels are low in places but has it has not disrupted our cruise.

Booking from Australia our gratuities were included in the price.

I have another question for those who have done a Gate 1 Danube cruise. What is the timing for the ship's half-day Prague City Tour? Do they bring you back to the ship or leave you in town to find your own lunch and way back? We have set up a private Terezin tour for the afternoon and I'm wondering when we can start and where we should meet our guide.

Thank you!

I have another question for those who have done a Gate 1 Danube cruise. What is the timing for the ship's half-day Prague City Tour? Do they bring you back to the ship or leave you in town to find your own lunch and way back? We have set up a private Terezin tour for the afternoon and I'm wondering when we can start and where we should meet our guide.!