I saw on the website (and have heard of) the bedroom suite on the superliner and the viewliner, and on the site it claims that both can accommodate up to 6 people...how is this possible? Also, am I correct in that I would need to call up amtrak to investigate this further?
bedroom suite
- Thread starter jdcnosse
- Start date
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
- Status
Nickrapak
Service Attendant
All that Amtrak does to make a "bedroom suite" is open the divider between two adjoining bedrooms (C&B or D&E). You still pay 2x the bedroom price, and 6 will pretty much only fit in a "day" arrangement (2 ppl on each bunk, and one on each seat opposite the bunk). The third person in each room really won't have a place to sleep at night, unless they're okay in sleeping in a chair with no recline or adjustment, and limited legroom (due to the folding down of the lower bunk). You will have to call Amtrak to make sure that they assign your rooms together. I'm not sure if they make a remark about the "bedroom suite", but it looks like it just takes a conductor's key to open the divider, so if the SCA forgets, they can do it enroute.
EB_OBS
Conductor
The lower bunk in a bedroom can sleep two.
PJnVA
Train Attendant
only if they are VERY friendly and small people (like kids). I had a bedroom and March an there is no way I could share that lower bunk.
If the reservation is done properly, there will be a note in special service requests that the two rooms are to be "ensuite". It requires what is called a "berth key" which all sleeping car attendants should have. I am not aware of Conductor's having a key.
amamba
Engineer
I was skeptical that two ppl could share a bottom bunk, but it was doable for one night on my trip last week on the EB. I don't think I would do it for multiple nights because it was a little tight, but for one night, it was fine.
Also, for daytime purposes, especially in a viewliner, one person can utilize the top bunk for additional laying/sleeping/sitting space with plenty of headroom below for people to sit on the seat.
Also, for daytime purposes, especially in a viewliner, one person can utilize the top bunk for additional laying/sleeping/sitting space with plenty of headroom below for people to sit on the seat.
the_traveler
Engineer
You can use points, no problem. All you have to have is use the amount of points it costs for 2 bedrooms!jdcnosse said:
And the couch in a bedroom easily seats 3 in the daytime configuration on both Viewliners and Superliners.
So the same thing would need to be done however, when redeeming the points I'd just have to tell them I'd like the two combined in the suite arraignment. Anybody know how exactly 6 people could sleep in 2 bedrooms? With my girlfriend's family, there's 6 of us, however everyone is between 5'0" and 5'8" lol I can only think of two people on both bottom bunks, and one on each of the upper bunks, however if it's safe enough someone could sleep on the floor haha
amamba
Engineer
Yeah, two people can sleep in the bottom bunk, but like I said, it will be tight. They will have to be an intimate couple.
I suppose one person could attempt to sleep sitting up in the recliner, or someone could go try to lay down in the SSL, too.
Personally, I would not be traveling with my in-laws in a bedroom suite. That sounds like a great way to kill each other.
I suppose one person could attempt to sleep sitting up in the recliner, or someone could go try to lay down in the SSL, too.
Personally, I would not be traveling with my in-laws in a bedroom suite. That sounds like a great way to kill each other.
D.P. Roberts
Conductor
First of all, as to the lower bed in a bedroom - the main obstacle for most people will be its width, not its length. At 3'4" wide, it's almost the same width as 2 airline coach seats reclined together. If 2 of the couples are comfortable doing that, you'll be fine. If not, you'll need to make other arrangements.
If you're spending AGR points, you have a few other options. Amtrak increased the cost for a bedroom this spring, so in many cases it's now just as expensive to get 1 bedroom as it is to get 2 roomettes. So, if you have a lot of points, you could consider getting 3-4 roomettes instead. 4 roomettes would probably be the same price as 2 bedrooms, and 3 roomettes would be cheaper. You wouldn't have a bathroom in your room, but with 6 people in 2 bedrooms, using the toilet/shower might be more "intimate" than you're ready for anyway! If they're across the aisle from each other, you could still chat and hang out fairly easily, and everyone would have their own decent bed (especially if you spring for 4 roomettes, then 4 of your group would have a lower bunk, and 2 would have the roomette to themselves).
Alternately, if you have enough points for 2 bedrooms, you might have enough to add one roomette to your 2 bedrooms. It would be down the hall from the bedrooms, so it wouldn't be conducive to hanging out together. You could just leave it empty during the day, or even leave it in "bed" configuration in case anyone from your group wants to go take a nap & have some privacy. You'd then have enough beds for everybody at night.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
Apparently, some two people shared the lower bunk in a Roomette. That was very.....interesting.
Last edited by a moderator:
Haha yeah no we wouldn't do that. It'd either be 3/4 roomettes or the two bedrooms. It's not too bad for the two bedrooms however, because I already live with them lol I'll have to look into the 2 bedrooms and roomette option too, because that is a good point...
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
The most interesting part was because there were only two people in the Roomette, but over breakfast them told me they squeezed onto the lower bunk instead of one going to the upper.
amamba
Engineer
Well I was in the bedroom so I don't know why you quoted me.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
No offense here, but you said it was doable in a bedroom and I wanted to add that it's also apparently doable in a roomette. So it should be absolutely doable in a bedroom.
It'll be no problem for me and my girlfriend in the bedroom. We're college students, and before I moved in with her and her family, she went to school in Flagstaff and I lived in Michigan, so to save money I'd just stay in her dorm when visiting, and those were regular twin size beds.
However I'm not sure who would share the other bed, as there's her mom, and her 3 sisters left (19, 16, and 15). Am I right to assume that if someone was sleeping on the floor and Amtrak found out, they might do something about it? I did notice that in order to book 6 to the "suite" I'd have to call, as if I try and say 6 passengers with 2 bedrooms online (w/o points) it yells at me that I don't have enough accommodations for the people I have selected.
The trip we're planning is taking the Coast Starlight from LAX to SEA, however not sure if we'd take coach from TUS to LAX on the Sunset Limited, or if we'd just drive from TUS to LAX...either way, it is only one night. We could also go in coach, but I feel like especially on that train, a Sleeper is the way to go (considering we'd get all our meals for the length of the trip included)
amamba
Engineer
I don't think anyone cares if you sleep on the floor. Frankly I slept on the floor for part of the day in my last bedroom trip - my H was sprawled asleep on the sofa, and I was tired of sitting in the chair and wanted to lay down. So I grabbed a pillow and lay on the floor, asleep, for about 2 hours. But it was incredibly uncomfortable and I don't recommend it at all! Plus that floor space that I was laying on is nonexistent when you pull the bottom bed out. It was only because the bottom bed was still the sofa/couch that I was even able to do this.
I frankly find it inconceivable that two people are able to share a roomette bottom bunk, unless its an intimate couple that is in college and is used to sharing a twin bed.
I frankly find it inconceivable that two people are able to share a roomette bottom bunk, unless its an intimate couple that is in college and is used to sharing a twin bed.
Ispolkom
Engineer
Mrs. Ispolkom and I always share the bottom bunk in a bedroom (for up to four nights at a time), and we are neither young, nor (in my case) slender. We are, after 20 years of marriage, used to each other.
I've done one night with me and Mrs. Ispolkom on the bottom bunk, and my sister on the upper bunk. During the day the compartment was rather crowded.
Six people, two bedrooms? Sounds like a recipe for an amusing trip report, things thrown, and perhaps a breakdown in relationships.
Here's my question: what's the cost of 3 roomettes vs. 2 bedrooms. On a random date (Valentine's Day, 2013), six people with three roomettes from LAX to SEA is cheaper at $1317 than 6 people with 2 bedrooms at $1632.
Heck, with AGR it's still 5k points cheaper, since two 1-zone bedroom awards are now 50k, while 3 one-zone roomette awards are 45k.
ETA: and here I go, just repeating D. P. Roberts.
I've done one night with me and Mrs. Ispolkom on the bottom bunk, and my sister on the upper bunk. During the day the compartment was rather crowded.
Six people, two bedrooms? Sounds like a recipe for an amusing trip report, things thrown, and perhaps a breakdown in relationships.
Here's my question: what's the cost of 3 roomettes vs. 2 bedrooms. On a random date (Valentine's Day, 2013), six people with three roomettes from LAX to SEA is cheaper at $1317 than 6 people with 2 bedrooms at $1632.
Heck, with AGR it's still 5k points cheaper, since two 1-zone bedroom awards are now 50k, while 3 one-zone roomette awards are 45k.
ETA: and here I go, just repeating D. P. Roberts.
Last edited by a moderator:
Are you sure you can book 3 ADULTS into a bedroom? I thought it was 3 only if 3rd was a child...
We booked 3 adults in a bedroom in March with no problem. You can't do it online because the agent has to give you the information that it was really designed for two but can accomodate three and that the space will be limited. It really wasn't a problem as I don't spend a lot of time there during the day, but when I was there during the day there was still plenty of room. Moreso, really, than two in a roomette.
We've taken many trips in an Amtrak bedroom. The bottom bunk, while about 6" wider is also about 6" shorter. I am 5'11" and have to sleep diagonally. IMO its only good for one average size adult and a young child or at best two slender medium height adults. Much as I would like to, I could not imagine sleeping in the lower bunk with my 6' tall wife. When it is claimed that the lower bunk sleeps two its a stretch.
Ispolkom
Engineer
More of a scrunch than a stretch, really.
Ryan
Court Jester
Thanks Ryan, I was too lazy to pull the manual out. I was thinking the lager groups were for daytime only for some reason...Yes. From the Service Standards Manual:
As far as 2 on the bottom bunk goes, I'm 6'3" 290, and shared the bottom bunk with my 8 month pregnant wife on the Crescent this past May. No issues. You've got to actually *like* your partner, but if you do, it isn't a problem.
- Status
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
-
-
VIA fare versus Amtrak fare between same city pairs.
- Latest: danasgoodstuff
-
-
-
