Honeymoon on Amtrak

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

monkeygirl

Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
9
Hello,

I am considering booking a cross country train trip for my honeymoon and was hoping to get advice from well seasoned train travelers. My fiance and I love the idea but are a little worried about the practicality of it, with delays and less than luxurious accomodations. We've taken short train rides but nothing long distance on Amtrak. My questions are:

**We would be taking the train from Pittsburgh to Chicago, where we would board the EB. The layover in Chicago is about 5 hours. I checked dixielandsoftware.com and it seemed that the latest train arrived about 3 hours late in Sept./Oct 2010 and 2011, which is when we would be traveling. What are the chances of missing the EB if the Capitol Limited is late? Or should we just fly to Chicago?

**We are thinking a two day layover in Whitefish and then on to Seattle for 3 nights, then taking the Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver for another 3 nights. Is this too many trains? With less than perfect on-time arrivals, are we setting ourselves up for lots of waiting in train stations?

** Is it better to book online or to speak with an agent on the phone?

** Is the CZ scenery so much better than the EB? Will we be disappointed on the EB? I really want to go to Seattle and Vancouver and can't afford the extra time going via San Francisco.

** Are there any preferred deluxe bedrooms on the EB that may be more isolated or slightly larger that I could possibly request? The fiance is a light sleeper, which is why we are concerned about the practicality of train travel.

** Is it true that the refund policy is full refund prior to the start of travel if you don't print the tickets?

**Any other thoughts about honeymooning on Amtrak? Others think I'm crazy but I'm hoping for some constructive advice from those on this board. Thanks so much!
 
My Cap Ltd connecting to EB last summer was very late (over four hours) and we made our connection and had about 20 minutes in the Metropolitan Lounge. We could have been later, though, because they ended up holding the EB for an even later LakeShore Ltd. Sometimes they will hold for connecting trains.

I think your itenarary sounds nice and breaks up the segments enough that I think you will enjoy the trip.

If you want to request certain rooms, speak to an agent. Otherwise you are fine booking online.

The CZ scenery is great in certain spots, but ho-hum in others, in my opinion. I enjoyed the EB scenery almost the whole way. But, tastes are different, so take that for what it is worth. Maybe you can book a CZ trip another time.

The bedrooms on the Superliners are pretty much the same except for bedroom A being slightly smaller. I would request the Portland (27) sleeper on the way to Whitefish if you want more isolation since it is the last car on the train and there is less traffic and is much quieter. You will not be able to use that one for the trip between Whitefish and Seattle, though, as it splits in Spokane and goes to Portland.

As to full refund, I thought you had to cancel seven days out for sleepers, but someone correct me if I am wrong.

Others here have taken Amtrak on their honeymoons. They will probably chime in. Hope you enjoy your trip.
 
There's nothing more romantic than dinner in the diner......
tongue.gif
 
Last edited by a moderator:
monkeygirl said:
What are the chances of missing the EB if the Capitol Limited is late? Or should we just fly to Chicago?
Click to expand...
I'd think the chances are minimal. On the other hand, I personally wouldn't prepay for hotel rooms, because then I'd be worried too much about missing a connection. I personally dislike boarding a train at midnight, so I might consider flying to Chicago

**We are thinking a two day layover in Whitefish and then on to Seattle for 3 nights, then taking the Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver for another 3 nights. Is this too many trains? With less than perfect on-time arrivals, are we setting ourselves up for lots of waiting in train stations?
Click to expand...
This is the wrong site to ask, "Is this too many trains?" That concept doesn't exist for most of us. You can always call 1-800-USARAIL and find out if your train is on time, so you won't have to sit waiting too long at train stations. (Though, again, I'd be quite happy to sit at the Whitefish station on a nice day and watch the freight trains go by.)

** Is the CZ scenery so much better than the EB? Will we be disappointed on the EB? I really want to go to Seattle and Vancouver and can't afford the extra time going via San Francisco.
Click to expand...
The California Zephyr goes through the Rockies and Sierra Nevadas during the day. The Empire Builder crosses most of its mountainous territory after dark. Some people find the Great Plains boring. Some people find the accommodations on the Empire Builder better. I think that they're both great trains, and all-in-all prefer the Empire Builder.

** Are there any preferred deluxe bedrooms on the EB that may be more isolated or slightly larger that I could possibly request? The fiance is a light sleeper, which is why we are concerned about the practicality of train travel.
Click to expand...
You don't want bedroom A. It's smaller. The other bedrooms are identical. I like bedroom E, but others have complained that it gets more noise in the morning because it's next to the coffee maker.

** Is it true that the refund policy is full refund prior to the start of travel if you don't print the tickets?
Click to expand...
For coach tickets, yes. Sleeper tickets you have to cancel a week in advance. Other rules also apply in some situations.

One last bit of advice that seems obvious, but once nearly tripped me up. Be sure to buy tickets to VAC (Vancouver, British Columbia), not VAN (Vancouver, Washington).

Nineteen years ago Mrs. Ispolkom and I took the train on our honeymoon (Washington - New Orleans - Chicago - Washington) and loved it. I hope your trip goes as well.
 
Yep, I took my honeymoon on Amtrak. DC-Chicago-Portland straight through. Spent 3 days in Astoria, OR then took the Cascades up to Seattle and spend a day. Then the Coast Starlight all the way down to LA, spent another day, and then took the SWC and Capitol Limited straight through to get home. Left on a Sunday and returned 13 days later and both of us had a GREAT trip. Sounds like you've got a good mix of train/not train time as well, that's really the key.

On your specific questions:

1. I wouldn't worry about making the CL-EB connection.

2. We only boarded trains at their origination points (with the exception of the Cardinal on the way to CHI). Everything got off on time except for the CS was late leaving Seattle due to a bad ordered car that needed replacing at the last minute. I wouldn't worry too much about Whitefish, just keep track of the train as it's approaching and head to the station accordingly.

3. No difference in booking, really. If you speak to an agent, you may be able to pick a particular room, but...

4. ... despite some people talking about Room A being smaller, there really isn't that much variation between rooms. If you really want to be isolated, go for the family bedroom, it's on the lower level, so there's no through traffic.

5. I've only done the EB and not the CZ so I can't compare, but I was most definitely not disappointed by the scenery on the EB.

6. Other thoughts - We got married on a Saturday, then left DC on the Cardinal at 11:10 Sunday morning. I wouldn't do that again, the stress of preparing for the wedding AND the honeymoon at the same time was a bit much. When I left my house to go to the wedding on Saturday morning, I had to have everything for the honeymoon packed and sitting next to the door. After the wedding, we spent that night in a hotel about 30 minutes from home, then had to get up the next morning, head home and drop one set of bags, shower and grab another set of bags and head to the train station. Leaving from PGH, you will have all day Sunday (assuming that you're getting married on a Saturday), so the stress factor won't be QUITE as high, but I'd consider taking the extra day and leaving Monday night. That'll give you plenty of time to recover from the wedding and pack for your trip.
 
Seems like you have a good plan. But, how much of a train enthusiast is your fiancee. If only so-so, I'd consider a short flight to Chicago and a night in a romantic hotel there. Then rested up, you can look forward to the mid afternoon EB departure. Three nights on a train may be too much of a good thing for him. The EB is a scenic route, especially if in October after the first snows come and you'll enjoy Glacier NP. If you're going to Canada, consider Victoria as well. Nothing more romantic than the Empress Hotel. The same could be said for the Butchart Gardens. The Victoria Cliper high speed ferry will get you there quickly. An even better option, if you have a rental car, is to take the car ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, then the BC ferry to Vancouver (docks south of town). Ferry travel,especially in that scenic part of the world is almost as good as Amtrak.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Lots of good info already received so let me second the idea about spending sometime in Victoria,BC. Seattle is OK,don't get me wrong,but IMO Vancouver and Victoria are like 10 times better, especially for your Honeymoon! My late wife was from Vancouver (we met in Puerto Vallarta on Holiday!), have never regretted taking our Honeymoon in Victoria and the Canadian Rockies, Id perhaps just spend one night in Seattle, consider taking the Ferry to Victoria, then going to Vancouver! Also, as has been said by Ryan and other experts,(Ryan did a great trip Report and pics on his Honeymoon via Amtrak to the NW, check it out!),Id say fly(Four letter word! :rolleyes: ) to CHI, spend the night, then leave on the Empire Builder for Glacier Park which is a Wonderful place :wub: ! Lucky you, best of luck with your Honeymoon and your new life!Bon voyage!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
monkeygirl said:
We've taken short train rides but nothing long distance on Amtrak.
Click to expand...
I think this is comment is more key than some respondents are realizing. No matter what we tell you on here none of us can predict with any clarity how you and your new husband will respond to long distance travel on Amtrak. Nor can we anticipate what sort of crew you'll encounter and what sort of schedule you'll keep. The key to enjoying long distance travel on Amtrak is flexibility.

If you or your husband need to be at a particular place at a particular time or are easily stressed about schedules then be sure to add plenty of padding to the mix. Many of my Amtrak trips have been on-time or close to it. Others have been so far beyond late that it's not even funny. That's not the sort of thing that bothers everyone but it's something to keep in mind no matter what the historical on-time performance has been in the past. As for specific suggestions I'd go ahead and fly into Chicago and start from there. It's a great city with lots to do and plenty of nice hotels. It also cuts one possibly stressful connection and some waiting room time out of mix.

I don't think this trip is unmanageable by any means, but until you're familiar with the long distance network I would suggest keeping things as simple as possible. Many of the worst stories on Amtrak begin with a missed or modified connection. You can greatly reduce the chances of severe disappointment by removing as many direct connections as possible. A trip consisting of the Empire Builder and the Cascades would still feature two very different trains (physically) that I think would make an interesting and enjoyable mix without getting to unwieldy.

monkeygirl said:
What are the chances of missing the EB if the Capitol Limited is late? Or should we just fly to Chicago?
Click to expand...
I'd probably fly if I were in your shoes, but of course that sort of talk is tantamount to heresy among some members. :lol:

monkeygirl said:
Is this too many trains? With less than perfect on-time arrivals, are we setting ourselves up for lots of waiting in train stations?
Click to expand...
Cut out the first train and fly back home from Vancouver and you should be good to go.

monkeygirl said:
Is it better to book online or to speak with an agent on the phone?
Click to expand...
If you want a specific room or floor you'll need to call or visit a staffed station. And since you're still new to this maybe they can answer some questions that arise. If and when they update the website to handle specific rooms and such there won't be as much of a need for the call center folks.

monkeygirl said:
Is the CZ scenery so much better than the EB? Will we be disappointed on the EB? I really want to go to Seattle and Vancouver and can't afford the extra time going via San Francisco.
Click to expand...
I've ridden the CZ but not the EB. I found the CZ to be spectacular, but I hear the EB is really good as well. Frankly, I think it's probably six of one, half dozen of the other. We all have preferences but either way you should be good scenery wise.

monkeygirl said:
Are there any preferred deluxe bedrooms on the EB that may be more isolated or slightly larger that I could possibly request? The fiance is a light sleeper, which is why we are concerned about the practicality of train travel.
Click to expand...
The quieter rooms are often on the lower level, simply because there is no cross-car traffic. That would mean requesting a Family Room in your case. However, there aren't that many such rooms so be sure to book early.

monkeygirl said:
Is it true that the refund policy is full refund prior to the start of travel if you don't print the tickets?
Click to expand...
Seven days out for sleeper tickets.

monkeygirl said:
Any other thoughts about honeymooning on Amtrak? Others think I'm crazy but I'm hoping for some constructive advice from those on this board. Thanks so much!
Click to expand...
1. Yes, you're probably a little crazy to even contemplate this.

2. Have fun!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Everyone else echoed what I was going to say, but one thing you said stood out:

I, too, am a light sleeper. I've found that a set of earplugs and a roll of tape does wonders.

The tape is for the door or anything else that might move and squeak during the night. The train rocks and rolls quite a bit, which I find soothing, but it also means lots of random noises from the equipment. Being able to tape the squeaky stuff in place helps immensely.

The curtains velcro shut (yay!), but I still bring a couple of safety pins just in case.
 
I think any kind of travel involves stress. Anyone planning a LOT of days on the road should be mentally prepared to handle the stress. My wife and I weren't on our first long trip. She ended up concluding "we don't travel well together". I think it is more nuanced than that. We just d idn't acknowledge the underlying stress of travel. She never likes being ripped out of her familiar surroundings. Despite that, she has actually more travel miles than I have. But she remembers the stressful aspects of every one of her trips.

I don't discourage any couple from traveling, but don't ruin your relationship by ignoring the fact that nonstop novelty can involve stress. Heck, getting MARRIED is one of a list of the most stressful experiences in life. Doesn't stop people from taking on the stress, but it is always good to recognize that pleasant and stressful are not mutually exclusive.
 
jimhudson said:
Lots of good info already received so let me second the idea about spending sometime in Victoria,BC. Seattle is OK,don't get me wrong,but IMO Vancouver and Victoria are like 10 times better, especially for your Honeymoon! My late wife was from Vancouver (we met in Puerto Vallarta on Holiday!), have never regretted taking our Honeymoon in Victoria and the Canadian Rockies, Id perhaps just spend one night in Seattle, consider taking the Ferry to Victoria, then going to Vancouver! Also, as has been said by Ryan and other experts,(Ryan did a great trip Report and pics on his Honeymoon via Amtrak to the NW, check it out!),Id say fly(Four letter word! :rolleyes: ) to CHI, spend the night, then leave on the Empire Builder for Glacier Park which is a Wonderful place :wub: ! Lucky you, best of luck with your Honeymoon and your new life!Bon voyage!
Click to expand...

I'm interested in Ryan's trip report but I couldn't find it from doing a search of topics that he started. What am I doing wrong???
 
Yeah, sadly that's all I ended up writing. I wish that I had gotten around to writing up a complete end to end narrative.

Speaking of which, I need to find some free time and do the same thing for the trip that Tracktwentynine and I took.
 
I would not worry about the connection at Chicago. Seems like enough time. If things go completely haywire, then Amtrak will normally find a way to get you therer.

We took a honeymoon of sorts by train, but this was Southern Railway before they went into Amtrak. The first night after wedding we spent in a motel near where the wedding was, but with enough misdirection that no one else knew that. The next day my newly minted sister in law drove us to Hattiesburg, Mississippi where we spent our second night. The following morning it was catch the Crescent to Washingtod DC where we both worked at the time. My wife's fist time on a train at all, much less a 21 hour ride. She agred it was most relaxing. Regular bedroom in the standard 10&6, meals in the diner, full moon out the window going through the Carolina hills, breakfast in Northern Virginia, then getting off in DC to face a below freezing temperature. After the stress and busyness leading up to the wedding, the day and night to do nothing but eat, sleep, look out the window and enjoy each other's company was great.

I do not know how a multiple day trip would work for you, but for us the main problem was that the trip ended too soon.
 
Ryan said:
Yeah, sadly that's all I ended up writing. I wish that I had gotten around to writing up a complete end to end narrative.

Speaking of which, I need to find some free time and do the same thing for the trip that Tracktwentynine and I took.
Click to expand...
I thought it was a fine travel diary and I'm loving the train idea more and more. My excitement grows with each new story/post. Thanks to everyone for all of your helpful advice!
 
looks like you've gotten lots of good advice so far, but here's my 2 cents :cool:

For the Amtrak Cascade train into Vancouver, Canada....book "Business class" (NOT coach)...

doesn't matter for the way back out, but for the trip into Canada, definitely Business class.

I say this because: on the way into Canada, you don't go thru Customs until after the train arrives.

Amtrak personnel will let Business class get off the train first.....this of course means that they get into the Customs line first...

then Coach gets off the train, and that's a long line of folks...could add up to an extra half-hour or more to your wait, if you go coach.

On the way back out of Canada, it doesn't really matter, because the train will stop on the USA side, and Customs personnel get on the train to do their thing.

as for the Empire Builder, i've been in room A, and also in the handicapped room....I didn't really like "A", and definitely hated the handicapped room.

The handicapped room is right next to bathrooms on the lower level...i was hearing people flush all night long....

here's a map of the upper and lower levels for the Empire builder sleeper car.

AmtrakSleeper.jpg
 
I just completed a new virtual tour of an Amtrak Superliner Sleeper, which contains now a proper diagram for better navigation, which toggles by clicking on it, between large and small ( The diagram I have "found" here http://www.craigmashburn.com/amtrakcardiagrams.html )

here the link to the new Sleeper only virtual tour. I just completed upload. If there are suggestions or ideas please let me know. I am planning to do similar virtual tours for the other Superliner cars too. :D

http://www.kaemena360.com/360/SuperlinerSleeperTour/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
All good answers IMHO.

My two cents worth on EB-CZ scenery:

I have taken both, round trip, the CZ a couple of times. I think the CZ is more interesting and beautiful, in a dramatic way. Leaving Denver and heading out onto the Front Range, the Rockies take shape and become massive and beautiful. Similarly, the Sierra Nevadas a day later are mind-blowing.

Somehow the mountains on the EB, while spectacular (I really hope to take that train again), do not appear and grow as dramatically to me.

But I agree that the EB seems to have more of a feel of elegance and superior staffing. The wine tasting is quite a hoot (if you are in sleeper).

I say, definitely make a train trip your honeymoon!
 
Ryan said:
4. ... despite some people talking about Room A being smaller, there really isn't that much variation between rooms. If you really want to be isolated, go for the family bedroom, it's on the lower level, so there's no through traffic.
Click to expand...
Correct! Technically A is only very slightly smaller than B, C, D, & E. It's slightly smaller because the one corner of the room is cutoff to allow for a turn in the hallway. This in turn forced Amtrak to move the vanity/toilet/shower unit into the middle of the room as compared to the other Bedrooms. This makes it appear like the room is smaller than the others, even though again it really isn't much smaller at all.

Now, all that said, one thing to ponder for your trip seeing as it is a honeymoon trip is that fact that the A room is the only room that has solid walls separating it from the other rooms. Rooms B & C have a sliding door between the two rooms, as do D & E. These doors can be opened by the crew for bigger families that want whats called a Bedroom Suite.

While that door would be closed for you, it still does allow a bit of noise to travel between rooms. The A room does not have that door and therefore would be a bit more private in that sense.
 
If it were me, I would take VIA Rail's "Canadian" from Toronto to Vancouver instead. Getting to Toronto from Pittsburgh via Amtrak would involve an overnight in New York City, so I would just fly to Toronto instead.

The Canadian leaves Toronto at 10:00 PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays so if you catch a morning flight you would be fine. The "Canadian" while quite expensive is more luxuries than anything Amtrak can muster. Sleeping car passengers get their own lounge car separate from coach passengers. The dining car is superb and sleeping car accommodations are top notch (you would probably want to get a double bedroom). Once you get to Vancouver you could spend a few days there and take the Amtrak Cascades to Seattle, do whatever sight seeing you desire and fly home from there.

Anyway thats just what I would do.

http://www.viarail.ca/en/trains/rockies-and-pacific/toronto-vancouver-canadian
 
AlanB said:
...Rooms B & C have a sliding door between the two rooms, as do D & E. These doors can be opened by the crew for bigger families that want whats \

called a Bedroom Suite.
Click to expand...
On one trip in D, I had a unplanned Bedroom Suite with the couple in E. During the day, I was reading on the couch while the train lurched back and forth.

Next thing I know is I'm gazing at the couple in E. The partition Alan speaks of had not been secured and slowly but surly opened up. After our introductions,

by mutal agreement we decided a BR Suite was out of the question.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top