Escorted tours from Gate 1 river cruises-----question

[ontheweb]

We have used Gate 1 twice for escorted tours, both times they were limited to 40 people. At that point they were sold out.

 

Our ship obviously holds more then 40 passengers. I asked and was told that the tours were 40 at the most. Could anyone who has sailed on a Gate 1 River cruise tell me if you are touring ports with the same 40 or less passengers, or do the groups change every day, sort of first come, first serve. I know over the course of our escorted tours with Gate 1, we bonded with others on the tour, and would hope they are doing it the same way on their river cruises.

[twototravel]

@ontheweb On my last three Gate 1 European river cruises, the ship would set out colored tokens - a different color for how many local guides there were going to be. It is your choice each and every time to pick whatever color you want. Usually, the groups had around 25 people each. Sometimes we would all (the entire ship) get in 3 buses and then be broken up into groups once we were at our destination for the day. 

[ontheweb]

43 minutes ago, twototravel said:

@ontheweb On my last three Gate 1 European river cruises, the ship would set out colored tokens - a different color for how many local guides there were going to be. It is your choice each and every time to pick whatever color you want. Usually, the groups had around 25 people each. Sometimes we would all (the entire ship) get in 3 buses and then be broken up into groups once we were at our destination for the day. 

OK, so is there one overall tour director? I was thinking there might be several, each leading a group.

 

I guess it is obvious that I am going to by our experiences with Gate 1 land escorted trips. Sometimes there were local guides, but also our overall director/guide.

Edited January 14 by ontheweb
added second paragraph

[JordanF]

49 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

OK, so is there one overall tour director? I was thinking there might be several, each leading a group.

 

I guess it is obvious that I am going to by our experiences with Gate 1 land escorted trips. Sometimes there were local guides, but also our overall director/guide.

Based upon the Gate 1 river cruise we took last May, there is one Tour Manager.  However, at each stop there are local tour guides, and the groups are determined as described above by twototravel.  Our boat was not totally full, and we had about 100 passengers.  There would therefore be about three of four (I can't recall) colors to pick from.  If you wanted to be with particular people, just grab the same color.  Mainly though, it doesn't make all that much difference since most tours are a an hour or two using the earphones, and then you are on your own for a while anyway.  It's all pretty relaxed.  

 

FWIW, here is a link to my review:

 

 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, JordanF said:

Based upon the Gate 1 river cruise we took last May, there is one Tour Manager.  However, at each stop there are local tour guides, and the groups are determined as described above by twototravel.  Our boat was not totally full, and we had about 100 passengers.  There would therefore be about three of four (I can't recall) colors to pick from.  If you wanted to be with particular people, just grab the same color.  Mainly though, it doesn't make all that much difference since most tours are a an hour or two using the earphones, and then you are on your own for a while anyway.  It's all pretty relaxed.  

 

FWIW, here is a link to my review:

 

 

Thanks, I actually already read your review as someone else cited it.

 

Glad they are still using the earphones as they did on our land tours (Central Europe in 2017 for our 40th anniversary and Peru including Machu Picchu in 2019 as my hearing is shot.

 

We were looking at river cruises, and DW said March. I started looking at 2025, but she picked a specific date this March. I was pleasantly surprised to see it not sold out.

 

[ontheweb]

OP here, just back from our Gate 1 river cruise. The had colored ticket stubs and those determined which bus you took.

 

There was 1 overall cruise director (Jorn) and the entertainment person, Laura, (I forget her exact title) accompanied buses.