Amalegro Amsterdam to Budapest ~ Question for Buckland

[seacrystal]

Buck ~ I enjoyed your "On the Amadagio" thread so much that I booked the Amadeus Amalegro Amsterdam to Budapest (Magnificent Europe) with Brendan Vacations on May 10, 2008. I am purchasing air on my own but have the following questions:

 

1. The flights I am prepared to purchase from Delta are: Los Angeles to Atlanta / Atlanta to Amsterdam // Budapest to Paris / Paris to Los Angeles. With this schedule, where do we go through immigration and/or customs?

 

2. How early did you disembark to go to the Budapest airport?

 

3. Are there taxis upon disembarkation for transport to the airport and what is the approximate mileage to the airport?

 

4. I have the same immigration/customs question about the return flight.

 

Thanks in advance for your help,:D

[letsgo39]

May I jump in?

 

Departing your luggage will be checked through to Amsterdam and you will go through customs and immigration there.

Returning your port of entry is Los Angeles and you will go through customs and immigration there.

 

I am flying into Budapest on Friday and I will be using the airport approved Taxi service called Zona Taxi. The fare from the airport to the city central is about 4600 HUF.The rate has been set by a contract with the airport. Be careful to only use this taxi service or you could be ripped off.

On most river cruises you have to be off the ship by about 8 or 9am.I am sure the ship will arrange for a taxi for you.I think I read somewhere it was about 15 miles but I am not sure.

Sorry to but in but I have traveled to Europe several times and I have done lots of research on my upcoming Budapest to Amsterdam cruise.

I have not seen Buckland on here in some time.Hopefully he will see your post.

[steamboats]

seacrystal,

 

As your first non US airport is Amsterdam immigration and customs will be there. For your flight back home your bags should be checked through so immigration (for the US) and customs will be at LA. As Hungary is not part of the Schengen community expect a passport control at Paris too.

 

steamboats

[Chesie]

We just came off the Amadagio cruise yesterday (sister ship of Amalegro). I'm sure my responses will be similiar.

 

Budapest airport is about 30-45 minutes away. Our transfer was included and we went by bus. Our departure time was 1:25 pm BUD to JFK and our transfer pick up time was 10:00 am. No problems with transfer. Budapest airport is a very "user friendly" airport, as Amsterdam is.

 

Taxis - 2 days prior to departure our cruise director asked if anyone needed taxis which she arranged. Everyone seemed to be picked up at the time they gave her.

 

We needed to be out of our cabin by 9 am and could wait in the lounge. They provided, coffee, tea and pastries. Full breakfast buffet was given to us from 6:30 - 8:30 that morning. Although some passengers departed the ship at 4:30 am, they provided coffee, tea and pastires for them as well before departing the ship.

 

I will post my full review once I get on EST!

 

Chesie

[Trouvailless]

Hi, just seen your post re Zona taxis. Contacted them online as we will be staying independently and they will be collecting us from the river princess at 8.30 a.m. on the disembarkation date, and taking us from our hotel the next day to the Airport. They quoted on their website 3000HUF city/airport for 2 people plus luggage and confirmed this by e-mail immediately. Hope you enjoy yourselves. Also for anyone interested the Amsterdam shuttle service (minivan or limousine) does online bookings via the Schipol web link, and will be able to meet you according to your arrival time and will wait until up to 10 p.m. if the plane is delayed or on hearing from you. The guy told me to expect to have longish delays in the Customs area due to the terrorist attacks in UK. Again as we are staying overnight he will arrange to collect us at the hotel and take up to the boat for around €20. Apparently it would be €30 but our hotel is fairly close to the morring place.

[seacrystal]

I am overwhelmed with the responses I received. Thank you all so much for taking the time to anwer my questions. Since I have begun my travels somewhat late in life, I have much to learn about traveling through Europe. This is CruiseCritic at its best!

 

I may have further questions down the line before I leave so watch out!:eek:

 

Thanks again,

[AliceS]

We just came off the Amadagio cruise yesterday (sister ship of Amalegro). I'm sure my responses will be similiar.

 

Budapest airport is about 30-45 minutes away. Our transfer was included and we went by bus. Our departure time was 1:25 pm BUD to JFK and our transfer pick up time was 10:00 am. No problems with transfer. Budapest airport is a very "user friendly" airport, as Amsterdam is.

 

Taxis - 2 days prior to departure our cruise director asked if anyone needed taxis which she arranged. Everyone seemed to be picked up at the time they gave her.

 

We needed to be out of our cabin by 9 am and could wait in the lounge. They provided, coffee, tea and pastries. Full breakfast buffet was given to us from 6:30 - 8:30 that morning. Although some passengers departed the ship at 4:30 am, they provided coffee, tea and pastires for them as well before departing the ship.

 

I will post my full review once I get on EST!

 

Chesie

 

 

Chesie,

I look forward to your review. What was your experience with the food. Amadeus is getting blasted here and we go in August. Help!

[Buckland]

Hi Seacrystal,

I'll try to answere your questions as best I can. Sorry I'm so late in responding, but we have just moved into our new house and have a ton of things to do, like building bookcases, putting up blinds, installing dishwasher, floors TVs, etc. etc.

 

1. The flights I am prepared to purchase from Delta are: Los Angeles to Atlanta / Atlanta to Amsterdam // Budapest to Paris / Paris to Los Angeles. With this schedule, where do we go through immigration and/or customs?

 

You will probably go through customs in Atlanta as you leave, then perhaps more thoroughly in Amsterdam. You'll get a kick out of that airport - it's really big and very nice looking. We flew into London and went through customs there. It was a long wait.

 

2. How early did you disembark to go to the Budapest airport?

 

We had an early flight out - 6:30 or so. We left the ship just as dawn was breaking.

 

3. Are there taxis upon disembarkation for transport to the airport and what is the approximate mileage to the airport?

 

The cruise director made all the arrangements for transfers to and from the airports. It was about a 30 minute ride to the airport.

 

4. I have the same immigration/customs question about the return flight.

 

 

We flew from Budapest to London and spent an extra day there. We went through customs when we left London.

 

I hope you will have a great time on your cruise. I spent the whole time outside taking pictures. Thanks for reading my post. I had a lot of fun responding to all the questions.

 

Buck

[steamboats]

Buck,

 

Are you really sure you went through customs leaving a country????

 

You´re usually going through customs when entering a country (no country is interested in stuff you´re taking out but everyone is interested in the stuff you´re bringing in!). I never encountered any customs while leaving the US. They only check your passports at check-in and when boarding the plane.

 

There should have been a passport control when entering Great Britain as Hungary is no part of the Schengen community. But there shouldn´t be any customs between Hungary and Great Britain as both are part of the European Community.

 

You going through immigration and customs after arrival in the US. First immigration, then pick up your bag, then customs, then drop your bags in case you have a connection within the US.

 

steamboats

[letsgo39]

Buck,

 

Are you really sure you went through customs leaving a country????

 

You´re usually going through customs when entering a country (no country is interested in stuff you´re taking out but everyone is interested in the stuff you´re bringing in!). I never encountered any customs while leaving the US. They only check your passports at check-in and when boarding the plane.

 

There should have been a passport control when entering Great Britain as Hungary is no part of the Schengen community. But there shouldn´t be any customs between Hungary and Great Britain as both are part of the European Community.

 

You going through immigration and customs after arrival in the US. First immigration, then pick up your bag, then customs, then drop your bags in case you have a connection within the US.

 

steamboats

 

My experiences are the same as Steamboats.

You go through customs and immigration when you enter a country (port of entry)not when you leave. Perhaps he is talking about having to show a passport when you check in for your flight and also sometimes at the security checkpoint.

[paterry]

We just returned at the beginning of June from the Avalon Tranquility - Budapest to Amsterdam, and when I used my passport this weekend noticed that it had been stamped for each country we entered, with a little picture of our mode of transportation and the date. We had nothing to do with this, but it still makes a nice record of the trip!

[steamboats]

paterry,

 

Who did stamp your passport?? I´m just wondering because I´d say there should be a stamp from Hungary when you´ve entered the country at the airport, a stamp from Slovakia (if you´ve stopped in Bratislava) and one from Austria (Vienna). Those should be the official ones you need as a visa. There shouldn´t be one for Germany or Netherlands as the one from Vienna is giving you a visa for these two countries (Austria, Germany, Netherlands do belong to the Schengen community. There aren´t any passport controls anymore between the countries belonging to the Schengen community.).

 

steamboats

[seacrystal]

letsgo39 ~ Thanks for the heads up on Zona Taxi. I will check this out. This is just the right information for me.

 

steamboats ~ Thanks for the immigration information. I find this confusing even though I went on a Med cruise. I could not remember any of these details.

 

chesie ~ Your details for the airport are just what I was looking for. The flight I hope to purchase leaves BUD at 12:50 p.m. I can’t wait for your review!

 

Buck ~ You were probably shocked to see a thread directed to you personally but I enjoyed all your information as well as the posts from TataTom. Between the two of you, I feel like I know exactly what to expect. My only worry is the food. There have been a lot of posts berating the food. Hopefully a new chef will change all that. I should request the Amadagio chef:D !

 

paterry ~ I hope I get as many stamps as you did. It is always fun to look at your passport and remember the places you have been.

 

Thanks again,

[paterry]

Hi Steamboats - I think you are probably right - I don't remember exactly what countries stamped but I do remember Slovakia and Vienna. Our passports are almost expired, and sometimes are quite confusing to read - and I just put them back in the safety deposit box where they live when we are at home so cannot check.

I was just so pleasantly surprised that they were stamped at all - and got quite a kick out of the little boats and planes.

Pat

[AliceS]

seacrystal,

I'm with you, I enjoyed Buckland's (live) reports and booked on the Amalegro after reading the raves. They loved it and I hope that you will have the same experience. I look forward to hearing from you. Please do show and tell. Amadeus has been getting bad food reviews. I hope that things improve.

As for customs, we have always gone through customs coming INTO a country, too. Steamboats is right on with that and with most information posted here.

[seacrystal]

Hi Alice!

 

Actually you will be river cruising before me - we go May 10, 2008. Your August trip sounds good. So please show and tell for all of us that have a longer wait. I sure hope they get the chef problem worked out soon. If the food is not good, I'll have to drink more wine:eek: to fill up.

 

Take care,

[steamboats]

paterry,

 

"Unfortunately" the only stamps in my passport are from the US :D ! I hoped to get one from Mexico or Cayman Islands this April but no one even asked for any passports when we were on Grand Cayman, Cozumel or in Costa Maya during our cruise. As a citizen of a country belonging to the European Community and the Schengen community I don´t even need a passport. My ID will do it. And all members of the European Community do not need any visas for all countries belonging to the European Community.

 

But I remember that during our river cruises (although we passed the border by bus not by ship) all passports of our fellow US passengers were stamped by the Czechs, the Slovakians and the Hungarians. On the Danube river they announced a passport control in Vienna (which then never happend as we got stuck there due to high water).

 

steamboats

[Buckland]

Hey Steamboats, you are right, we went through customs at the arriving city. I'm a bit brain-dead these days. We just moved into a new house and we have been wearing ourselves out putting everything the way we want. New window coverings, lights, appliances, floors, etc, etc. I was pretty tired when I responded last.

 

Seacrystal - I'm just pleased that you read that thread, it was a very long one.

 

This is a great source of information and I'll drop in now and then for some time to come. Hopefully I'll be able to talk about our next trip which we hope to be Moscow - St Petersburg. (or maybe the Nile!)

 

Buck

[CincyAL]

I have been trying to bring up zona taxi website-with NO LUCK.

 

I have been using www.zonataxi.hu

 

Anyone have luck recently?

[paterry]

Try http://www.zonataxi.eu

Good Luck

Pat

[seacrystal]

steamboats ~ you mentioned I would have a passport control when we arrive in Paris. Where is this done? Our flight from Budapest is scheduled to arrive in Paris at 3:10 p.m. and we leave Paris for LAX at 4:30 p.m. Will that be enough time for passport control?

 

Question for anyone: Never having been to Paris, would our flight from Budapest be near the terminal going from Paris to LA?

 

Thanks in advance,

[steamboats]

seacrystal,

 

According to the new European rules there should be a passport control more or less right after you´re leaving the plane and before you´re mixing with any other arriving passengers. But this rule is quite new and I don´t know Paris Charles de Gaulles airport. Here in Munich we have two terminals. The "old" one 1 is applying to the new rules. The "new" one 2 isn´t. Therefore they have to add another floor to be able to separate arriving and departing passengers.

 

But don´t worry about the passport control. This is smoothe and easy in Europe. They check and slide your passport (and may stamp it) and that´s it. No fingerprints, no forms to fill out for you. And usually no long lines. There should be separate lines for European citizens and aliens. And I assume that the line for aliens won´t be very long anyway.

 

steamboats

[seacrystal]

Than you so much steamboats,

 

I really appreciate your answers to my questions. My DH and I are really looking forward to our Amsterdam to Budapest river cruise and whatever I can figure out ahead of time will make us feel more confident in a foreign country. This is the first time I have ever been considered an "alien.":eek:

[steamboats]

This is the first time I have ever been considered an "alien.":eek:

 

seacrystal,

 

That´s what´s happening each time we visit the US :D !

 

steamboats