Holland & Belgium, April 13, 2007

[joek]

We booked on Gate1 Travel for a 9 day Holland & Belgium cruise 4/13/07. Ship is the MS Bolero, built 2004, 180 passengers, cabins 150 SF.

 

http://www.gate1travel.com

[steamboats]

Hi Joek,

 

Obviously Gate1 is mainly offering German operated boats which usually do not sell on the US market. The MS BOLERO is usually operated by the German cruise company Nicko Tours. The boat might be owned by Premicon AG (German investment company leasing / chartering the boats to German cruise companies). On the Nicko Tours website there is no schedule available for 2007 yet. In 2006 the boat is mainly operating out of Passau on the Danube River starting in early March. As Nicko Tours is a German cruise company plying the German market only they usually do not offer any English announcements / tours or anything else. Nicko is a more casual cruise company. Prices are reasonable.

 

I assume that Gate1 is doing a charter. So you will have English speaking staff, announcements, tours and all. I saw that prices at Gate1 are really low. I´d ask them if that´s a complete charter for US passengers or not or if there´s a special English speaking tour cruise for you. Again, other than Deilmann Nicko is not plying the English speaking market but only the German market!!

 

steamboats

[joek]

steamboats,

 

Thank you for the information and advice. I definitely will check with my TA and Gate1 whether it will be an English speaking cruise.

[joek]

Further on the operation of the MS Bolero....I called Gate1 and was lucky enough to talk to one of the managers. He explained that Gate1 for 2007 has chartered several of the ships that had previously been used by Nicko Tours. They are expanding their river cruise program, and said that the ships will cater exclusively to the American market and will have appropriate staff, guides and tour directors.

 

We would love to join a mixed group of travelers, but it wouldn't be so pleasant if we couldn't understand the announcements, guides and staff.

 

Anyway, thank you again, steamboat, for bringing this to our attention.

 

Joe