Gate 1 TravelReviews of gate1travel.com

Due to historically low water levels on Danube Gate1 essentially replaced river cruising with bussing, with no option for change, cancelation, future credits. Friends with cruises from competition all given these options. Regret putting our trust in Gate1.

What went right? Do not know what is wrong with these people lately. My prior review I detailed my horrific Germany experience after 32 prior trips. I filed credit card disputes on the last trip, cancelled (3) active trips, and they emailed me…if I cancel my credit card disputes they will review the situation? Just received an email thanking me for my positive review - are they kidding?

Please be sure to read every single thing before you book a tour with Gate1, regardless of reviews. CFAR - Do not pay for Cancel For Any Reason. The vast majority of your money is gone, regardless of the reason for the need to cancel. There are no refunds. I have no idea what the purpose is to pay for CFAR if it simply means, "Yes, you can cancel, but you lose all your money." What's the difference between that and just not showing up? Be sure you understand what this means - you lose your initial deposit, even though it's REQUIRED to pay to book the tour. "CFAR must be purchased at the same time as the Travel Protection Plan. Independent or escorted tour reservations will be eligible for a future travel credit equal to the full cost of your trip, less the cost of initial deposit, airline-assessed fees, amendment fees, and insurance premium."

I became ill on the third day of my river trip. The next day I asked to see a doctor, they gave us directions to a pharmacy that supposedly had a doctor. I had to walk up two long flights of steps and then walk 4 blocks. When we go there they said they didn’t have a doctor. Round trip it was 1 mile walk. I wasn’t sure I could make it, as I was extremely weak. Next day the director walked several people that were sick 5 blocks to a pharamacy that had a doctor. This “doctor” tested me for Covid and flu. I had the flu. He didn’t check my lungs, heart, oxygen level or temperature. Just gave me over the counter meds. I later looked it up and he was not a doctor . He is a pharmacist that has a license to check minor illnesses and suggest over the counter drugs. I have never felt this sick ,I am 77 years old. I was sleeping all the time, had a constant cough and hurt all over. After seeing “the doctor” no one from the ship came to see if I was doing ok or if I needed anything. I never did get to see a an actual doctor. I believe when someone is sick enough to ask to see a doctor that service should be provided. I will never use gate 1 again or recommend it to my friends, knowing my health concerns were not taken seriously. At my age access to health care is important to me.

Attempted to gain info on size of groups and type of transportation between sites on a particular trip but could not obtain the info unless I provided additional personal info such as email, etc. Just wanted some basic info to decide if I wanted to continue to explore their services without being subsequently bombarded by unwanted email.

I would not travel with Gate 1 again. My biggest concern is not that the company has policies. Every tour company does. My concern is how rigidly those policies are enforced and how little room there appears to be for individual circumstances, particularly when medical issues or reasonable accommodation requests are involved. Before and during my tour, I repeatedly raised concerns about seating because of a legitimate medical concern. Although both the guide and the company were aware of this from the beginning, I was only voluntarily given a front-row seat once, on the second-to-last day of the trip. That demonstrated that flexibility was possible, but it came only after I had spent nearly the entire tour feeling anxious about where I would be seated each day. A simple adjustment on the first day could have provided reassurance that my concerns had been heard and allowed me to enjoy the tour rather than continually worrying about the issue. What disappointed me most was not the seating itself, but the response. Rather than acknowledging my concerns or discussing whether any reasonable flexibility was possible, I repeatedly received explanations of the policy. When I contacted customer service after the trip, the response was more of the same: references to the policy and the terms and conditions I had signed. I understood the policy. My feedback was about how that policy was implemented and how it affected my experience. Repeating the policy is not the same as listening to customer feedback. Even my conversation with a supervisor reinforced this impression. As I was trying to explain my concerns, I was interrupted and told, “Can you let me speak now?” Rather than feeling like the company wanted to understand my experience, I felt the goal was to explain why Gate 1 believed its actions were appropriate. Another disappointment was traveling during my birthday. I understand that no company is obligated to celebrate birthdays, but many tour companies recognize special occasions with a simple acknowledgment. There was no recognition at all, which further reinforced my impression that Gate 1 prioritizes treating every traveler exactly the same over creating memorable, individualized experiences. Consistency appears to be valued more than flexibility, personalization, or thoughtful customer care. While the itinerary included many worthwhile destinations, the hotels were generally good, and the logistics of the trip were well organized, those positives were overshadowed by an experience that left me feeling unheard. Good customer service is not about saying yes to every request. It is about making customers feel heard, considering reasonable accommodations when appropriate, and treating feedback as an opportunity to improve rather than something to defend against. If you are looking for a company that follows policies consistently, Gate 1 may meet your expectations. However, if you value flexibility, empathy, individualized attention, and a willingness to consider unique circumstances, my experience suggests you may want to consider other tour companies.

Just. Started 14 dat trip, venice hotel had fixtures that have not been updated since 2008. Ac worked ok but it was 96 outside.we then went to Lucca and on to hotel plaza del popplo. Weather is 96 degrees and room ac really doesn't put out ac. Fells like it's just a fan. Give it one day but. I will never book gate1 again they have go6ne down hill

Was sent a discount code. For 2 of us amounted to $1600 for a rivercruise in Portugal. Found a travel group that was also going as well so I compared prices and both were the same with and without the discount code. 16 months later, Gate1 now said the discount code now was ineligible for the discount and I must pay $1600 more. I cannot backout now since I brought other sonto this cruise. Very disgusted abd feel "bait and switched". The cruise is not cheap and the error was theirs. Will not use this sub=par company again. Sub-par travel but not the sub-par price they claim.