Gate 1 vs Viking

[GreekIrish]

Hello.

 

I am currently planning a river cruise for next year and I'm stuck between Gate 1 and Viking.  Even though I want to go on Viking, the dates/prices don't really work well enough to sign right up.  So now I'm looking at a cheaper Gate 1 cruise with better dates and cheaper pricing.

 

My question for people who have ridden both or at least have ridden Gate 1 is simple.  How is the food compared to Viking, or if you have only ridden Gate 1, how would you rate the food in general?

 

The destinations are the same, it's really just going to come down to this one thing us and whether or not we sail Viking and pick the less favorable dates.

[JordanF]

I have never been on Viking, but I have been on Avalon and Gate 1.  I found the food on Gate 1 to be very good and generally equivalent to Avalon.  There were always plenty of choices, especially for the entrees.  I think Gate 1 does an excellent job all around (I have been on four Gate 1 trips, including the Danube last year, so I am a fan).  FWIW, here is a link to my review of our trip last year.

 

 

[GreekIrish]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I saw Viking's food menu on a YouTube video and was really intrigued by how they had multiple regional appetizers and entrees each dinner, and was hoping that Gate 1 matched that.

 

I wouldn't call myself a picky eater but there are some things I'm not crazy about and I think I'd be disappointed if the only regional appetizer was potato salad for example.

Edited September 19 by GreekIrish

[sharkster77]

On Viking the regional aspects of menus are certainly more creative than potato salad, unless it was a 'very fancy' one, for lack of a better term.  Also you can mix and match regional items with others, or if you want both soup AND salad, that's OK, or two starters (we would do this and share the extra one, just to have a taste)

[CielBleu]

We haven't cruised on either Gate 1 or Viking (we use Avalon and CroisiEurope), but I can share with you what friends and acquaintances have told us. One group cruised on Viking and two of them are "foodies." The foodies were very unhappy with Viking's food, but the rest of the group was fine with it. Friends who cruised Gate 1 said the breakfasts and lunches were excellent but they were disappointed in the dinners. I think a lot depends on what chef is on your particular ship. On Avalon we had a chef who specialized in fish and seafood, and it was wonderful. To us, the meat was nothing special, however. We did have some nice regional cuisine. So it can vary from ship to ship, not just company. One other thing I will mention is to make sure you are aware of the payment policies, add-on fees, etc. for both lines you are considering.

[pontac]

I've not travelled with Gate 1 as they don't sell cruises in the UK but I have cruised many times with Viking.

 

I have photographs of Viking's lunch and dinner menus in my trip reports, see my most recent here Trip Report - Tulips & Windmills cruise on Viking Ve 27 March – 5 April 2024 - River Cruising - Cruise Critic Community 

 

We are wine drinkers and Viking includes wines, beers and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, which I understand Gate 1 don't - which is one reason for them being cheaper.

 

You may also be interested in this Cruise Critic article highlighting plus and minus points of Gate 1 river cruises:

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles/why-gate-1-travel-is-the-river-cruise-line-for-you

 

[pontac]

1 minute ago, CielBleu said:

I think a lot depends on what chef is on your particular ship.  So it can vary from ship to ship, not just company.

 

Fully agree about the chef, and would go further than it varying between ships as chefs have time off when their place on a ship is taken by another chef. 

 

As a frequent cruiser with Viking I also see how different chefs interpret the same dish, as menus are determined by HQ and some of the popular dishes appear across several years.

 

Also, I suppose on the quality of ingredients local suppliers deliver.

[GreekIrish]

I was fully prepared to continue teetering between the two, but I got an awesome deal for $1,600 per person with Gate 1 and had to jump on it.

 

There doesn't seem to be a ton of coverage or reviews of Gate 1 river cruises online, so I will post my thoughts on it (including food thoughts) one year from now 🙂

 

 

[pontac]

Enjoy your cruise.

 

As the cook, I really enjoy cruising because I don't have to choose the meals, or buy the ingredients, or prepare and cook them, or lay the table, open and pour the wine, and then clear the table, wash the pots & pans, and stack the dishwasher.

 

Instead it's all done for me. I can relax with a glass of Champagne beforehand, walk into the restaurant and decide what to pick from the menu to eat and drink. Then walk out when finished, and someone else will clean up while I watch the scenery going by.

 

Bliss