Pre-cruise extension in Budapest transfer question

[CPAMom]

Hi all, 

 

We are doing a 2 day pre-cruise extension in Budapest on a Viking cruise in July.  This is our first river cruise.  I'm trying to get a handle on what our embarkation day will look like.  Based on our itinerary and what I can find on Viking's website, we will have access to our cabin at 3 pm.  But it appears that we "can" be on the boat much earlier than that.

 

I want to maximize our time in Budapest - yet still take advantage of Viking transferring us and our luggage to the boat. Can anyone shed light on when we would be transported to the boat, what happens with our luggage if we want to get off and do other things for a while before 3 pm?

 

Our hotel in in Buda, which is one of the reasons I want to stick with Viking's transfers.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[CDNPolar]

9 hours ago, CPAMom said:

Hi all, 

 

We are doing a 2 day pre-cruise extension in Budapest on a Viking cruise in July.  This is our first river cruise.  I'm trying to get a handle on what our embarkation day will look like.  Based on our itinerary and what I can find on Viking's website, we will have access to our cabin at 3 pm.  But it appears that we "can" be on the boat much earlier than that.

 

I want to maximize our time in Budapest - yet still take advantage of Viking transferring us and our luggage to the boat. Can anyone shed light on when we would be transported to the boat, what happens with our luggage if we want to get off and do other things for a while before 3 pm?

 

Our hotel in in Buda, which is one of the reasons I want to stick with Viking's transfers.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Only Viking can tell you when the transfer to the ship will take place from the hotel in Buda.

 

Email tellus@vikingcruises.com and give them your booking number and ask.

 

Here is my experience with this sort of thing.

 

If you are in Buda, you are not far from the ship as it will be docked on the Pest side of the river.

 

You can board earlier than your embarkation time and have a light (limited) buffet lunch usually starting at Noon.  You can use the lounge and the sundeck at your leisure.

 

Generally if you are boarding earlier than your cabin is ready, my experience is that they give you a card with your cabin number on it and you are asked to keep that on your table in the lounge, or dining room face up.  As cabins are ready they walk through the common areas looking for you and then escort you to your cabin.

 

You can also leave the ship at anytime and return later.  You don't have to stay on the ship if your cabin is not ready.

 

If there are multiple people at your hotel, Viking will likely arrange your transfer in the early afternoon but more likely right after checkout time.  It does not make sense to transport people to the ship earlier.  If your checkout is 11am, then transport at Noon.  If Noon then transport at 1pm.

 

Email tellus@vikingcruises.com and ask and chances are they have a firm time as this transport is always pre-arranged.

[pontac]

10 hours ago, CPAMom said:

We are doing a 2 day pre-cruise extension in Budapest on a Viking cruise in July.  This is our first river cruise.  I'm trying to get a handle on what our embarkation day will look like.  Based on our itinerary and what I can find on Viking's website, we will have access to our cabin at 3 pm.  But it appears that we "can" be on the boat much earlier than that

 

I stayed two nights in a hotel in Budapest at the start of a Viking Eastern Europe cruise in 2019; it wasn't an option pre-extension, it was part of the cruise.

 

I have a copy of the information sheet given on our arrival in Budapest; here's the relevant part -

 

We left our luggage outside the room as instructed and didn't see it again till we entered our cabin. It was a lovely day and we made our own way to the boat.

 

Your cabin may be ready anytime. Viking say that it will be ready by 3pm.  If it's ready sooner, you'll be taken to it. We've never had to wait to 3pm, but I suppose the 3pm time allows them leeway.

You can board any time. There is an embarkation/disembarkation lunch served 12:00 to 3pm. You are at liberty to leave and board the boat any time. Just ensure you are back before the boat cruises off to its next destination ( according to the newssheet below, before 9pm). Just to give an idea, this is the first of the daily newsletters that was waiting in our cabin

 

Have a great trip.

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 11:26 AM by pontac

[CPAMom]

Hi - thanks @pontac and @CDNPolar for the information and suggestions.  This is just what I was looking for.  I will email as suggested and the itinerary is hugely helpful. 

 

I really don't want to get on the boat any earlier than needed, but do want to have our luggage get there without us schlepping it.  

 

Thanks!

[CDNPolar]

3 hours ago, CPAMom said:

Hi - thanks @pontac and @CDNPolar for the information and suggestions.  This is just what I was looking for.  I will email as suggested and the itinerary is hugely helpful. 

 

I really don't want to get on the boat any earlier than needed, but do want to have our luggage get there without us schlepping it.  

 

Thanks!

 

You will not have to schlep any luggage if you are on a Viking pre or post.

[CPAMom]

@CDNPolar Right!  But I also don't want to spend the entire morning on the "transfer" and sit around on the boat for a couple hours. We'll have plenty of time on the boat.

 

I realize part of my struggle is that I am a DIY traveler and like to keep busy and see as much as possible.  I rarely do tours - so part of this is trying to plan for the available "free time" to see as much as we can, while not having Every Single Detail of the trip available to me (yet).  🤪

 

I have no doubt Viking will do what they are supposed to - I just want to know the exact when and how - now!  We've made a variety of reservations and arrangements for the pre-cruise excursion days - it's just nailing down embarkation day that is giving me a challenge.  I had called Viking and asked our travel agent - but only got vague replies from both.

 

Ultimately, I don't want to board early.  I want to board just in time.  And I want my luggage to be on the boat.  So if they do a luggage porter like Pontac showed - that would be great.  Hadn't even considered that we wouldn't transfer with the luggage.  But the question is whether that actually is the practice (since this is an extension), an option, or advisable.  Certainly want to make sure our bags do land on the right boat!

 

But now I know the questions to ask in the email and I hope I can get a more precise answer from Viking.

 

Thanks!

 

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, CPAMom said:

@CDNPolar Right!  But I also don't want to spend the entire morning on the "transfer" and sit around on the boat for a couple hours. We'll have plenty of time on the boat.

 

I realize part of my struggle is that I am a DIY traveler and like to keep busy and see as much as possible.  I rarely do tours - so part of this is trying to plan for the available "free time" to see as much as we can, while not having Every Single Detail of the trip available to me (yet).  🤪

 

I have no doubt Viking will do what they are supposed to - I just want to know the exact when and how - now!  We've made a variety of reservations and arrangements for the pre-cruise excursion days - it's just nailing down embarkation day that is giving me a challenge.  I had called Viking and asked our travel agent - but only got vague replies from both.

 

Ultimately, I don't want to board early.  I want to board just in time.  And I want my luggage to be on the boat.  So if they do a luggage porter like Pontac showed - that would be great.  Hadn't even considered that we wouldn't transfer with the luggage.  But the question is whether that actually is the practice (since this is an extension), an option, or advisable.  Certainly want to make sure our bags do land on the right boat!

 

But now I know the questions to ask in the email and I hope I can get a more precise answer from Viking.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Gotcha!  Understood.

 

If this were me, and knowing that Viking dock essentially in central Budapest, I would do the following:

 

1) Have my luggage ready to go to the ship and out in the hallway, or whatever is necessary on the day of transfer.

2) Talk to the Viking rep in the hotel and let them know that you want your luggage to go to the ship and you will get to the ship later.  I am certain that you can do this.  The only thing that you may have to do is be there to identify your luggage going on the bus or truck when it is being picked up.

3) Then you go about your business and get to the ship later.

 

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW what the sailing time is that day so you don't miss the ship.  

 

Even if you go to the ship with the luggage, you don't have to wait there.  You can go, let them know that you are there, then leave the ship and carry on.

 

You have done the right thing emailing.  You and your TA calling the reservation line will only get vague answers for things like this.