Travelers booking a Gate 1 escorted river package who want a mid-size ship where most cabins have French balconies.
Think twice if: Gate 1 warns that ships often double- or triple-dock, so you may walk through other ships and lose your view.
See her Europe sailings ↓ · Where is she now? → · Gate 1 Travel (river)'s page for this ship →
What she's like
Docks close to the town centre in most ports. Under 200 guests, so no lines and no tender boats.
English official; all announcements and tours in English
Our judgment, from $ (budget) to $$$$$ (ultra-luxury).
Shore excursions per itinerary, entrance fees, local guides, wine and beer with dinners, Wi-Fi in public areas, river port charges ($190 on the Seine sample); Air & Land prices include airfare
The line doesn't say.
The line doesn't say.
Where she sails in Europe
Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Seine
We don't have her sailing-by-sailing schedule yet. See the line's site for dates.
What it costs beyond the fare
| Tips for the crew | Not included except tips for porters, wait staff and local guides on included services; no recommended amount published; Added to your bill automatically? No |
|---|---|
| Drinks package | not offered † |
| Wifi | included (basic satellite; no streaming) |
| Specialty restaurants | none |
† From an independent source, not the line itself. Confirm with the line or your travel agent before you book.
How tipping and money work on a European cruise → · Build a full trip budget →
Her restaurants · 0 included, 0 extra
| Where to eat | Cost |
|---|---|
| Restaurant | Not stated |
Which cabin to book, and which to avoid
| Cabin type | Size | Decks |
|---|---|---|
| Suite with French Balcony | 210 sq ft | 3, 2 |
| Outside Cabin with French Balcony | 170 or 150 sq ft | 3, 2 |
| Outside Cabin with Window (Cat. E) | 140 sq ft | 1 |
Good to know before you pick
- The lift does not reach the lowest cabin deck. Guests in those cabins use the stairs.
- The lift does not reach the sun deck.
- Empress Deck cabins sit below the Sun Deck, per plan positions
- Gate 1's 'French balcony' is a sliding glass door with a railing; you cannot step outside.
- Cabins with windows that don't open: 1 (Duchess Deck): Outside Cabin with Window, 140 sq ft (ship page).
If you use a wheelchair or walk with difficulty
No elevator listed in the ship amenities on the Gate 1 page. "Not recommended for people who have difficulty walking" Our accessibility guide →
Find your way around
Our own deck plans, drawn from the line's official plan: tap a deck to see it from above, with what's at the front, middle and back of the ship. Use “Find on board” to light up every deck with a pool, a bar or a restaurant. Not to scale.
- Deck 4 · Sun Deck , Sun Deck
- Deck 3 · Empress Deck , Rear Lounge; Cat. B cabins; Cat. A cabins; Suites (303-306); Reception; Lounge
- Deck 2 · Countess Deck , Cat. D cabins; Cat. C cabins and suites (203-206); Restaurant
- Deck 1 · Duchess Deck , Cat. E window cabins
What to book, and when
Booking, check-in and reservations
Final payment 90 days before departure; documents about 21 days before
Paying and cancelling
Penalties vary; optional Cancel For Any Reason waiver must be bought within 21 days of booking
Tips for her Europe sailings
Paris docking confirmed about 25 days before departure.
Where she docks
Double docking possible
If the river is too high or too low
May run partly or entirely by motor coach with hotel nights; no money back
How much walking on the included tours
3-4 hours walking on included sightseeing days
Low bridges and the sun deck
Not addressed. Sun deck can be closed by crew under low bridges. †
The ship in numbers
- Cruise line
- Gate 1 Travel (river)
- Kind of ship
- River
- Built
- 2015
- Guests
- 140
- Cabins
- 70
- Guest decks
- 4
- Class
- Gate 1 Monarch Empress (140 guests)
- In Europe 2026–27
- Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Seine
- Rivers
- Danube
Highlights
- Built 2015/16 (Gate 1 page); sails the Danube.
- 70 outside cabins, 56 with French balcony.
- Putting green and fitness center.
More pictures
Sources & what we could not confirm · 5 sources · checked 2026-11
- Monarch Empress: Gate 1 Travel ship page (amenities, cabin details, deck plan)
- Monarch Empress deck plan (Gate 1 static file)
- Gate 1 FAQ
- Gate 1 12-Day Seine River Cruise page
- Cruise Critic: Why Gate 1 (secondary, Oct 2024)
- Length and beam not published.
- Crew count not published by Gate 1.
- Flag not confirmed.
- Gate 1 Travel (river): Deposit and cancellation penalty amounts not found.
- Deck plan: No elevator shown on the plan or listed in ship amenities
- Deck plan: Which French-balcony categories are 170 vs 150 sq ft is not stated