MS Bolero, 4/13/07

[marycang]

Joe K

So, did you get tour docs snail mail or e-mail? As I posted earlier the Gate 1 website says docs are e-mailed 21 days B4 the cruise. Interested to know why yours weren't e-mailed 21 days before your cruise.

Thanks Mary

[joek]

Mary,

We booked with a TA and had no contact with Gate1. I did call Gate1 to confirm our reservations and again when the docs didn't arrive. I was told that they normally send e-documents 2 weeks before departure date, but they have been backed-up badly. If you make rez directly with them, they're sent to you, if by TA, sent to TA. The Gate1 e-mail has a link to the documents.

 

I picked up the docs from the TA who had printed them. I then asked the TA to forward the Gate1 e-mail to me and I sent it on to my son and DIL (they're going with us) so they could have a copy of everything. Alls well that ends well.

 

I remember that one time, years ago (in ancient times), we didn't get tour and airline tickets until 2 days before our flight. We sat in a TA's office for several hours while he made many calls to the tour company, screaming at them. They finally were brought by messenger.

[CBHinkle]

We have received our docs via e-mail. Everything seems to be in order. My question involves luggage. The docs say that we can bring one piece per person on the bus (we're doing Warsaw and Krakow before we board the boat at Budapest) along with a carry-on. We were planning to use our roller-board carry-ons, but our experience with tour busses leaves us to think that there might not be room in the overhead for much more than a big purse. What has been the experience of all of you. If we have more luggage they will charge us "up to $100". Of course I'll follow up with our travel agent, but wanted advice "from the trenches". This is a Gate1 tour on the MS Bolero.

[thefish]

My Wife and I will be doing our first river cruise on the MS Bolero's Thanksgiving Cruise with two days in Budapest through Gate1. We are looking forward to it.

 

During the transfer from Budapest to the boat in Vienna we are supposed to stop in Bratislava for lunch. Does anyone know if this transfer from Budapest to Vienna is is by bus, train or hydrofoil? It seems strange that we would be going from Hungary to Austria via Slovakia.

 

thanks

Duane

[joek]

We just got home from the 4/13 cruise (actually 4/14 when we boarded). We left 4/12 for an extra day in Amsterdam. There were severe storms in Miami, Miami to Atlanta Delta flight was 4 hours late so we missed the Atlanta to Amsterdam flight. We were lucky to get a flight to Venice and after a long layover there, a flight to Amsterdam, getting us in 11 hours later than we planned. Oh well! The joys of travel.

 

Weather in Holland and Belgium was beautiful, the flowers in Keukenhof Gardens were out in all their glory.

 

The Gate1 cruise was excellent, tour directors Roland, Rohl and Monique were funny, efficient, and very professional. Food onboard was as described in other posts, fish and vegetarian were fine, we found the meat courses not so good, but a duck entre was super. Ship is new (2004) very clean, with good size cabins. Ship staff was great, Reception desk, Hotel Manager, waiters, bartenders, stewards all pleasant and helpful.

 

CBHinkle, I think that you personally can put your carry-on into the bus luggage bins, not with the bags that are handled by the porters and driver. I know that Grand Circle allows that.

[CBHinkle]

Glad you had a good time. I called Gate1 last week to inquire about carry-on luggage. Karen assured me that anything the airlines accepted as carry-on, Gate1 would accept as well. I'm still a little unclear about soap and shampoo--are they provided on the boat?

How early did your tours leave the boat? Did you usually return to Bolero for lunch?

Did your wife or others think the dining room was cold? So often restaurants are chilly and we need a sweater, etc.

I'm sure you're still decompressing--

P.S. Your surname seems normal to me--I grew up in Southern Indiana in a village called Darmstadt. Needless to say, German surnames were the norm. I remember when we had German Communion at least once monthly.

[LunaSeaRetreat]

Joek,

Glad to hear you had a good time. We're not going until October but I'm excited already. When we went on our Viking China trip, we missed the first day of the tour because of weather in Chicago so I really feel badly about your delay.

 

CBHinkle,

I hope you will post about your trip when you return. Hopefully , you will report that the food has improved. Although, maybe I'd be better off if it didn't.:)

 

Cynthia

[joek]

The Bolero, like most river boats, has a dispenser in the shower and at the sink, mix of soap and shampoo. I think that the stuff is biodegradable and we're not supposed to use our own soap and shampoo. Cabin service was excellent, towels changed morning and evening, the usual turned-down beds, chocolates and towel animals. The mini-bar is small but they will empty it if you want to store your own libations. Drinks in the lounge or at lunch cost for beer (draft wartshteiner) 3 euros, wine or spirits 4-5 euros. We brought a bottle of White Zinfandel, carefully packed in our checked bag, because some ships don't stock it. The Bolero does. The white or red wines at dinner were pretty good.

 

The food wasn't that bad. I've found the meats aren't as good as they used to be, even on the ocean ships. The river ships tend to have meat dishes with sauces, or braised. Breads were excellent, soups were very good, salads had less lettuce and more shredded cabbages and other veggies.

 

The schedule was full, very little free time. Most of the tours left around 8am, I think only 1 at 9am, almost all got us back to the ship for lunch. I have to warn you, very little shopping time on the tours. The pace of the walking tours was faster than those with Grand Circle, which are geared to older travelers. The mix on the Bolero was from mostly 50s to 60s to some 70s and a few 80s...like us...but we kept up. The guides Ro, Mo and Ro, and local guides did halt the groups if there were some falling behind. Wear good shoes....those cobblestone walks and streets are rough.

 

The public areas were quite cool, cabin control was good. We had only one day in the upper 70s, the rest were upper 40s to 60s. Esther wore jogging suits with jackets or sweater most of the time. She always takes silk long-johns....and wears them, when the temp is 70 or below.

 

The dress was strictly casual, most people wore their day clothes in the evening but many did change. Some dressed up for the welcome and farewell drinks and dinners, men with jackets, some with ties, ladies with fancy pants suits, a few skirts. Some men wore just collared shirts, didn't see any tees.

[H2Otstr]

Just curious as to what is in the mini bar? How much money are the drinks from there? How do you pay for what you consume?

[joek]

H2Otstr,

 

Mini bar drinks are the same costs as in the lounge, 3 to 5 euros. Three small bottles of champagne, white wine & red wine, I guess around 8 oz size. One 12 oz bottle of beer, some fruit juice & sodas, and a few individual snack packets. The cabin steward evidently checks every day, refills it and turns in the tally to the desk.

 

Charges for mini bar and lounge drinks go on your shipboard account. You have your card swiped on the first day. You can also pay in cash on the last day, if desired. Tips for the ship staff can also be put on the account (they suggested $8 to $10 per day per passenger for ship staff). Be aware that most credit cards charge a 3% fee for a foreign transaction, but changing USD into Euros in a Money Exchange has a fee also. The ship charges no fee and has a better exchange rate, 1 Euro= $1.35 USD on our cruise. I wished I had known, I wouldn't have changed money at the airport.

 

Suggested tip for your guide was $5 to $7 pd/pp. (Cash, can't put this on account). They split the passengers into groups, one guide for about 40. Ship holds 160, we only had 120 so there were 3 guides on our cruise. As I said before, they were super.

[H2Otstr]

Thanks for the quick reply. We are taking the Thanksgiving cruise on the MS Bolero.

[crazycruiselady]

I noticed there were several postings from people going on the Gate 1 MS Bolero Danube River Cruise starting on Thanksgiving 2007 so I decided to start our own board.

A year and a half ago my daughter and I went on a Thanksgiving Danube River Cruise on the Amadeus Poetry. We had a wonderful time even though the weather was exceptionally cold for that time of year. The whole experience was wonderful. The Christmas markets were very interesting and I bought many souveniers and gifts.

This time my husband and I are going, but because of the great price, we decided to try the Bolero. Hopefully it will be just as good.

[marycang]

Joe K

Thank you for all that info re: the Bolero. We will be on the Danube cruise from Regensburg to Budapest on May 19. It just adds to the anticipation and excitement to hear from someone who has been on the same boat.

Mary

 

P.S. We did receive our e-mail docs on April 18, for anyone else who is wondering about that.

[Picky]

We are considering a Bolero Christmas Market Cruise. We have cruised on Carnival, Princess, NCL, etc, but never something this small.

 

My question is food. I am a diabetic, and have food allergies. However, I am reluctant to ask for special treatment, as I do not want to feel "different"

 

In the case of buffets or multi item menus, I seldom have a problem working around my needs. However "set menus" can be a problem. On Bolero, I understand breakfast is buffet, but lunch and dinner is not. My question, for the entre is it "one size fits all" or do you have at least two or three choices?

 

Some prior posts allude to this but I am not completely clear.

[joek]

Picky

 

For dinner, there was a choice of meat, fish or vegetarian. also, broiled chicken breast was always available. I believe that if any particular needs were required, the Hotel Manager should be consulted and he would take care of it. I recall that some table-mates asked for no-sugar desserts and they usually had something. Some lunches had a choice, almost every lunch and dinner had a choice of soup or salad.

 

The staff repeatedly told us that they were there for us, we were their guests....and they really were very helpful. So....do not feel that your are asking for special treatment.

[Felschurch]

One website describing the ship says "24 Hour room service". Is this true and if not how will i get coffee at 6am? What time is breakfast?

[Picky]

Actually, what time are all the meals. If we do the cruise, the flight they offer us gets to Nuremburg at about 6 PM. Should not be at the ship before 7, jet lagged as all get out. They also mention going to a Christmas Market that night. A bit much for old folks.

[Felschurch]

Dinner at 7pm I believe

[Kindlychap]

During the transfer from Budapest to the boat in Vienna we are supposed to stop in Bratislava for lunch. Does anyone know if this transfer from Budapest to Vienna is is by bus, train or hydrofoil? It seems strange that we would be going from Hungary to Austria via Slovakia.

 

thanks

Duane

 

The Danube itself follows the course Hungary, Slovakia, Austria when travelling upstream from Budapest.

 

So if you go by any means that follows the course of the river - and there is a railway beside the river for a lot of the time - then you'll take the same course.

 

Matthew

[Picky]

Well, we did it after reviewing all your posts. We put down a deposit on the December 8th-15th Christmas Market Cruise, Nurnburg to Vienna.

[mediaman]

Hi everyone;

 

I will give a brief trip review here and if you need any other details, please ask. This is a Gate1 trip and I purchased the river portion only. Previous reviews have already given many good notes.

 

The Amsterdam arrival was good with a delay to get to the hotel reception area. The tour staff was great in answering and solving many questions. It would be recommended to add a pre-night in Amsterdam for more time to catch up and see the city. It was the time of the Queens' Birthday and added much activity. Ending the trip in Budapest was on the second day aboard ship. Transfers were well arranged. Those staying for an extra night in a hotel did so more to help with erratic airline schedules or for extra, European touring.

 

The ship is of good quality and mid-range in luxury. Next year Gate1 will use better ships, I hear. My single cabin was a regular double and well-sized. There was reasonable storage space and the bathroom is good for one at a time. Large french windows gave a good view but also let insects in at night. 110v. was in the bathroom (on the switch) and 220v. elsewhere. The Reception had some adapters. The TV got European channels (multiple languages) and also had an information spot and local film showings. Towels were to be changed only when left on the floor. Suitcases could go under the bed. A single, all-purpose lotion was for washing and shampoo. The top cabins were not directly accessible from the rest of the top deck (dining & lounge) and required a stair climb down and up or a run along the outside deck or over the open deck (when availible). Bottom cabins might be claustrophobic to some, with smaller portholes and a close waterline.

 

Breakfast was a buffet with a good selection and an American-European style. Lunch and dinner were service meals with wine or beer at dinner. Dinner usually had an appetizer, salad/soup. entree and dessert with breads. Portions were fair sized and extras were often availible. Alternate items such as burgers, chicken breast or more were also offerred. The meals had options for meat, seafood, and vegetarian. Special needs could be met by previous arrangement. Cold ice-water was availible on the tables. Soft drinks and such were extra in the dining room, the Lunge Bar and in the cabin mini-bar. "Cookie Time" was small treats about 4:30pm many days.

 

The Lounge was often full because the ship was full: about 180-186 passengers. It was often cold in the morning. Light evening music or programs kept you going more. The crew really worked hard with many from Hungary and Slovakia and the rest from the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and other European sources. These were our tour countries, too. The centrum was a passage point with a small boutique behind a glass wall display, the Reception and posting areas. The tour staff (4) worked on the upper deck between the dining room and the lounge. A small coffee-tea-treat area was also nearby with a tiny library in the lounge passage.

 

The included tours were active and frequent. The extra tours are better obtained before the trip but it's okay to wait if you're not sure. No refunds on unused items. The tours by the staff were fine and fun. Other stops had outside guides and busses as needed with some more "talky" than others. Also be prepared for extra tipping, then.The tours went off regardless of weather. Those not wanting an included or optional tour could remain aboard. You can also do as you wish, when ashore. Please note that the ship often moves along while many are away. Because the docking was often at a spot with stairs, gravel, grass, ramps, etc. OR with multiple ships in a row; I would not suggest this trip for the handicapped. Local streets were often rough and hilly. A "choo-choo train" was avavilible in asome stops to carry from the ship into a special point.

 

The ports were all fine and many times one could walk into town. Other times a walk might be 10-30 minutes and a tram ride in some places. Tours that had busses met us a closely as possible. The overall impression was of a cruise and a land tour, combined. Do not try to compare the river ships with the larger ocean cruises. They are two different items! This trip was almost all Americans with ages about 50-75 +/-. Most were couples. No young children were seen. Some groups that booked as a "group" wanted to be together more and tended to try to reserve lounge and dining spots. About 180 got on in Amsterdam and about 80 left midway for departure and/or Prague with another 86 arriving for the Danube portion. The passengers were divided into four groups for excursions. Tips could be charged for the ship crew but cash was needed for the tour staff and amounts varied by what was given in pre-documents, to later information. The tour staff accepted cash-tips, mostly, at the end. Most people were pleased to tip well with the good service and help. I would consider Gate1 again and it is an excellant value!

 

So, I hope that this was helpful. Ask about anything confusing, that I missed and/or port notes. I have about 200 images posted with Kodak Easyshare but, I think, that I need your email address in order for them to send you an "invitation" by my arrangements? The scenes are mostly of ports. Thanks for your attention.

[Picky]

Thanks, Mediaman.

 

We are going on the Christmas Cruise from Nurnburg to Vienna, and found your post extremely informative.

[Picky]

Fiasco

 

Avoid any dealings with Gate1Travel.

 

We just returned from what was to have been a week cruise on the Bolero from Nuremberg to Vienna. It cost thousands, and was a long time dream.

 

We bought a cruise that we did not get.

 

The Bolero is a good vessel, clean, with friendly and competent crew.

 

So what am I unhappy about?

 

The totally unethical behaviour of Gate1Travel.

 

We arrived on a Sunday night, Dec 8. A welcome aboard briefing informed us that the Danube was up and there was a bridge we probably could not get under. They knew then. They told us that if we could not make it to Vienna, they would BUS us there and would stop at the Christmas markets.

We only made it by boat to the first port, Reginsberg. We got there at noon on Monday, and the Bolero tied up there permanently. The rest of the week was a BUS tour, with rides of from 3 to 5 hours, using the Bolero as a hotel. The last night we were bussed to Vienna for our return to the states.

 

Off the record, the crew told us that 3 out of the last 5 cruises had been like this.

 

Now, the Bolero is a good boat, with a good crew, and if the water was high there was nothing they could do about that.

 

But Gate1Travel in Pennsylvania had to know that customers were not getting a river cruise but a bus tour.

 

They should have communicated with us BEFORE we flew, told us that in all likelihood there would be no cruise, and offered us a reschedule or refund. Not to do so in my opinion constitutes fraud and was simple bait and switch.

 

So I am out the money, had a long time dream thwarted, and my advice is not EVER to deal in any way with Gate1Travel.

[mediaman]

Re: A poor cruise via Gate1

 

It's sad to have a "dream" vacation planned and things do not go well. The river levels fluctuate and change rapidly in fairly short times. Of course most all river-cruise ships are hindered by the changes as they are built to the same basic model. My cruise was worried about low water conditions. A small rainy day in Vienna made a big change for the next days on the Danube.

 

If Gate1 could have informed you of the changes it would not probably be enough time for any meaningful change. They can also use the fine print in the Cruise Contract to justify many rules and actions. Gate1 made arrangements for their cruises expecting all to be well. Their reservations, hirings, supply orders and staffing were planned well in advance. I don't know if personal travel insurance would even cover a poor cruise due to weather/water conditions?

 

Certainly I can sympathize as I just returned from an Asian cruise that went through two typhoons and a tropical storm. It resulted in a schedule that missed four ports and two Countries out of about nine ports. The passengers were mostly upset. We were able to recover a small shipboard compensation credit as well as a discount on the next cruise. Maybe something can be done as a goodwill gesture with a company contact? Also, I think that Gate1 is using another ship in 2008?

 

Please don't blame Gate1, only, for your dissatisfaction. It is difficult to say if they should or could have done something better or different? Yet, I know that you are upset, now.

[Picky]

Well, I am sorry, but I DO blame Gate1. Three out of five should give them a clue.

 

Comparison: A year or two ago, we booked an India/Nepal trip with Friendly Planet. There was unrest in Nepal, and Friendly Planet notified us, said they might have to cancel that part of the trip, and gave us options, including a refund, reschedule, or alternate destination. The unrest eased, we went to Nepal, and all was well.

 

I see NO reason why Gate1 could not have done that, and I hold them accountable.

 

I know there are plenty of "weasel words" in their contract to let them get away with this. The most I can do is hope to hurt their business in the future by blogs such as this one.

 

BTW, an attorney in our group plans to look into legal action against Gate1. If they do, I asked to be a part of it.