Avalon in Budapest

[jccruiser]

Has anyone embarked on Avalon in Budapest? If so, where was the boat docked, on the Buda or the Pest side?

 

Thanks for any information:)

[letsgo39]

The ship was docked on the Pest side about even with the Central Market.

 

We had arrived a few days early and made our own hotel reservations at the Marriot Millenium Court Executive Apartments and were able to walk to the ship from our hotel. We actually walked over the day before our cruise and checked out the ship while the previous passengers were still on it.We had been shopping at the Central Market and were delighted to see that the ship was in port at the end of the prior cruise.

[cbb]

jccruiser-

we took Avalon from Prague to Amsterdam late Aug last year and it was wonderful. The ship was docked exactly where letsgo said it was. We took a Globus/Monogram trip the week before in Budapest, Vienna, Prague and then returned to Budapest to board the ship. The cruise was outstanding and we loved everything about it (although dinner begins at 7:00 which was later than we are used to but when in Europe....) There were ~140 passengers and ~100 were from Australia, the next highest group was from NZealand, then Brits, Canadians, and 6 from the US. Australians and NZ people are THE BEST to travel with! Have a wonderful time!

[newmexone]

We will be ending up in Budapest at the end of our Avalon Poetry cruise. Can you tell me how long it will take to get to the airport. I know that we are scheduled to disembark at 5:00AM and we are on an 8:25 flight.

 

Thanks, Ellen and MaryLynn

[webfoot]

If you didn't book your airfare through Avalon, or purchased an Avalon transfer, the front desk will arrange for a cab, which is a set price, and will have your scheduled so that you are at the airport in plenty of time.

 

We were headed to the train station instead of the airport. Our taxi driver went out of the way to go into the train station with us, show us where we could store our luggage until closer time for our train, and was very gracious about helping us.

 

Good luck and enjoy your trip!

[Realtor at Sea]

when are you going on the Avalon Poetry? We'll be on the Aug. 22nd sailing from Amsterdam.

[boards]

It is about a 20 - 30 minute ride to the airport in Budapest from the Danube River. Just curious letsgo39 when you were staying at the Millenium did you a problem with the elevator. Several times we got in and put our card in the slot, which you have to do for the elevator to work, but the elevator wouldn't move. We got off it several times and then got back on it finally worked. The last day we finally told the desk and apparently this is a common occurence, you just keep trying with the card till it works. What scary thought, it did work, but still scary. Sorry to change the subject matter of this thread.

[steamboats]

It depends on how many boats are in on a certain day. In early May I saw the Artistry docked right above the Liberty Bridge close to the Central Market while the Tranquility was docked way up river opposite Margaret Island on the Pest side (far away from anything). Since Dec 21st, 2007 ships can dock on both sides of the river (that´s when Hungary became a full Schengen member).

 

steamboats

[boards]

Uniworld (River Beatrice) docked directly in front of the Parliament Building (on the Buda side) and there was a ferry right there to take you to the Pest side of Budapest. Fact it turned out our Hotel the Marriot Millenium was right there too. (on the Pest side). The street that Leads to the Market is only a block away from the river. It was great walk to the market street. There is even a "burger-king" there.

[floater42]

I'm very new to Cruise Critic so I hope I'm doing this right. We'll be disembarking (Budapest) from an Amsterdam-Budapest Avalon cruise on 09 May, 2010. We're staying (two nights) at the Boutique Zara, apparently very near Liberty Bridge on the Pest side. Does anybody know whether our final dock will be anywhere near our hotel - and how we might best get to the hotel? Thanks!

[usavvy2]

I'm very new to Cruise Critic so I hope I'm doing this right. We'll be disembarking (Budapest) from an Amsterdam-Budapest Avalon cruise on 09 May, 2010. We're staying (two nights) at the Boutique Zara, apparently very near Liberty Bridge on the Pest side. Does anybody know whether our final dock will be anywhere near our hotel - and how we might best get to the hotel? Thanks!

 

I suppose anything can happen between October and May but we boarded the Tapestry on 9/25/09 near the Great Market Hall on the Pest side. Not sure if it's a standard "committed" docking space or if it all depends on how many ships are in at one time. If they stay where they were a few weeks ago, then you'd be very close to the Liberty Bridge and on the Pest side. "IF." Re getting to your hotel, the day prior to debarkation they will ask for your final arrangements; at that time they will arrange for a taxi to take you to your hotel and you will pay in Hungarian Forints (unless they convert to the Euro by then but I have no knowledge of that). As an alternative, you could always email the Boutique Zara and ask them to arrange the hotel and see if they can just add it to your hotel charges which you'd pay at checkout (that way you could potentially pay with credit card rather than needing Forints in your pocket at debarkation).

 

As mentioned by a PP, ABSOLUTELY do NOT hail a taxi from the streets - get Avalon or the hotel to call one for you.

[usavvy2]

We will be ending up in Budapest at the end of our Avalon Poetry cruise. Can you tell me how long it will take to get to the airport. I know that we are scheduled to disembark at 5:00AM and we are on an 8:25 flight.

 

Thanks, Ellen and MaryLynn

 

We took a taxi from BUD airport to the Intercontinental (Pest riverside close to the embarkation point for the Avalon Tapestry) on a Thursday - 9/24/09. It took us about 30 minutes to get to the airport. I contacted the hotel in advance and they arranged the car service for us and added the charge onto our hotel bill (we were staying an extra night). Our arrival time was late morning (~11:30am if I recall correctly); not sure what traffic's like at 5am though or on the day of the week you're traveling so those issues would need to be factored in as well but the cruise director will have a good handle on what you need to do to get to the airport on time.