Wine tasting no longer free?

[inspiration100]

My good friend Wikipedia says the wine tasting is no longer free on the CS. How much is it now? <_<

 

[Rail Freak]

My good friend Wikipedia says the wine tasting is no longer free on the CS. How much is it now? <_<

$5.00 as of last Sept

 

[the_traveler]

On the CS, the wine tasting costs $5 per person (if you're in a sleeper) or $10 per person (if you're in coach)! But it is held in the PPC - and that is the only time coach passengers are allowed into the PPC.

On the EB, the wine tasting is only for sleeper passengers, but it is still free!

 

[yarrow]

i prefer the tasting on the eb. done with more panache. on the cs they are so cost conscious that instead of giving a full or partial bottle of wine as prizes for the quiz they give a glass of wine as a prize. little packages of crackers and a few pieces of cheese as opposed to nice plates of cheese and crackers last time i was on the eb. the wine taste (especially on the 2nd day) was not well attended when we were on the cs in january. i think 1 person the second day

 

[AlanB]

That five dollar charge was part of the plan that saved the PPC's from fading into history. Without that charge there wouldn't be any PPC's running in revenue service.

 

[rtabern]

That five dollar charge was part of the plan that saved the PPC's from fading into history. Without that charge there wouldn't be any PPC's running in revenue service.

I was a little surprised the wine tasting was free on the EB, but was $5 on the CS.

But seriously, $5 probably doesnt even cover their costs for doing it... if you get 3-4 glasses of wine and cheese and crackers and all that. It probably costs them $10/per person to do... so pay it, and save the PPC.

 

[yarrow]

That five dollar charge was part of the plan that saved the PPC's from fading into history. Without that charge there wouldn't be any PPC's running in revenue service.

i understand the idea of the ppc paying its way. i don't think without the $5 it would fade into history. i think it is another case of amtrak being pennywise and pound foolish. from my observation on 2 rt journeys since the relaunch there is a fair amount of grumbling and low attendance at the wine taste. i can't tell you how often i have heard "but it was free on the eb" (meaning it was paid as part of a sleeper fare). as has been stated before on this topic, just raise the sleeper fare by 10 bucks (and dedicate that to the ppc) and quit making people feel like they are being nickeled and dimed

 

[wayman]

That five dollar charge was part of the plan that saved the PPC's from fading into history. Without that charge there wouldn't be any PPC's running in revenue service.

i understand the idea of the ppc paying its way. i don't think without the $5 it would fade into history. i think it is another case of amtrak being pennywise and pound foolish. from my observation on 2 rt journeys since the relaunch there is a fair amount of grumbling and low attendance at the wine taste. i can't tell you how often i have heard "but it was free on the eb" (meaning it was paid as part of a sleeper fare). as has been stated before on this topic, just raise the sleeper fare by 10 bucks (and dedicate that to the ppc) and quit making people feel like they are being nickeled and dimed

If they raised the sleeper fare to cover the PPC, Congress would see this as "oh, good, the sleepers are making slightly more money, but the PPC isn't paying for itself--it's just another damned food service revenue drain" and would direct Amtrak to drop the PPC. The fact that the bottom line is the same doesn't matter to Congress. It's not Amtrak being penny wise and pound foolish here.

 

[Mark]

That five dollar charge was part of the plan that saved the PPC's from fading into history. Without that charge there wouldn't be any PPC's running in revenue service.

i understand the idea of the ppc paying its way. i don't think without the $5 it would fade into history. i think it is another case of amtrak being pennywise and pound foolish. from my observation on 2 rt journeys since the relaunch there is a fair amount of grumbling and low attendance at the wine taste. i can't tell you how often i have heard "but it was free on the eb" (meaning it was paid as part of a sleeper fare). as has been stated before on this topic, just raise the sleeper fare by 10 bucks (and dedicate that to the ppc) and quit making people feel like they are being nickeled and dimed

Exactly this is the kind of stuff the airlines pull with checked baggage now. You already paid for your ticket, who wants to pay another $15-25 to check your bags? Just roll it into the cost of the ticket, be it plane or sleeping car compartment.

 

[wayman]

That five dollar charge was part of the plan that saved the PPC's from fading into history. Without that charge there wouldn't be any PPC's running in revenue service.

i understand the idea of the ppc paying its way. i don't think without the $5 it would fade into history. i think it is another case of amtrak being pennywise and pound foolish. from my observation on 2 rt journeys since the relaunch there is a fair amount of grumbling and low attendance at the wine taste. i can't tell you how often i have heard "but it was free on the eb" (meaning it was paid as part of a sleeper fare). as has been stated before on this topic, just raise the sleeper fare by 10 bucks (and dedicate that to the ppc) and quit making people feel like they are being nickeled and dimed

Exactly this is the kind of stuff the airlines pull with checked baggage now. You already paid for your ticket, who wants to pay another $15-25 to check your bags? Just roll it into the cost of the ticket, be it plane or sleeping car compartment.

Since Congress is micromanaging Amtrak's budget and separates "sleeping car" and "dining service" into two distinct categories when determining profitability of each, I think this is unfortunately a very different equation than with the airlines and checked baggage. No, it makes absolutely no sense when you're looking at the bigger picture, but Congress doesn't look at the bigger picture. Unfortunately, travelers do look at the bigger picture and perceive it as being "nickeled and dimed" just like the airlines. Congress is basically giving Amtrak a gun and saying "you can either shoot yourself in the head or in the foot, but we're going to make you do one or the other".

 

[MrFSS]

That five dollar charge was part of the plan that saved the PPC's from fading into history. Without that charge there wouldn't be any PPC's running in revenue service.

i understand the idea of the ppc paying its way. i don't think without the $5 it would fade into history. i think it is another case of amtrak being pennywise and pound foolish. from my observation on 2 rt journeys since the relaunch there is a fair amount of grumbling and low attendance at the wine taste. i can't tell you how often i have heard "but it was free on the eb" (meaning it was paid as part of a sleeper fare). as has been stated before on this topic, just raise the sleeper fare by 10 bucks (and dedicate that to the ppc) and quit making people feel like they are being nickeled and dimed

Exactly this is the kind of stuff the airlines pull with checked baggage now. You already paid for your ticket, who wants to pay another $15-25 to check your bags? Just roll it into the cost of the ticket, be it plane or sleeping car compartment.

I guess the response to this is, not everyone checks baggage and not everyone drinks wine. So, some would be paying for a service they don't use. Sometimes ala carte is the better way. Just isn't perceived as the best way.

I wish I could get only the cable channels I want and not all of them I don't watch and pay less. Ain't going to happen!

 

[warbonnet]

We enjoyed the wine tasting in the diner on the EB. What was really good, we found a bottle that we liked, bought it, and the dining car staff was gracious enought to kept it on ice for us until dinner. It is a much better value than buying the splits off the menu as well. $12.50 for a split is pretty steep.

WB

 

[the_traveler]

Since Congress is micromanaging Amtrak's budget and separates "sleeping car" and "dining service" into two distinct categories when determining profitability of each, I think this is unfortunately a very different equation than with the airlines and checked baggage.

If you want to say that statement, then it doesn't make sense. You state the "sleeping car" and "dining service" are separate. On the EB, the wine tasting is for sleeping car passengers ONLY, is held in the dining car - and is FREE! On the CS, the wine tasting is for sleeping car passengers AND COACH PASSENGERS, is NOT held in the dining car - AND COSTS $5-$10!

 

[sechs]

I guess the response to this is, not everyone checks baggage and not everyone drinks wine. So, some would be paying for a service they don't use. Sometimes ala carte is the better way. Just isn't perceived as the best way.

Perhaps for the passengers, but not for the carriers. Unless, of course, a la carte is just a stealth way to raise prices

A raise of $5 in a sleeper is minimal *and* Amtrak would surely get more money than they do by charging for it "a la carte."

On the other hand, $15 on many plane tickets is not minimal, and the airlines make more money by charging people the fee and not lowering fares.

 

[wayman]

Since Congress is micromanaging Amtrak's budget and separates "sleeping car" and "dining service" into two distinct categories when determining profitability of each, I think this is unfortunately a very different equation than with the airlines and checked baggage.

If you want to say that statement, then it doesn't make sense. You state the "sleeping car" and "dining service" are separate. On the EB, the wine tasting is for sleeping car passengers ONLY, is held in the dining car - and is FREE! On the CS, the wine tasting is for sleeping car passengers AND COACH PASSENGERS, is NOT held in the dining car - AND COSTS $5-$10!

The EB's wine tasting takes place in the dining car, which is producing other revenue. The CS's wine tasting takes place in the PPC, which doesn't really produce any revenue at all, at least not directly--it's a lounge that serves food, but unlike a sightseer lounge, it doesn't actually sell anything. With the EB, one can say "well, it's the premier train, and the dining car is doing very well there, so we can offer this"; with the CS, one can say "well, how does this car actually make any money at all? and you're asking for funds to refurbish these cars which make no money at all? you have to come up with a way to make at least some money on these cars". That's what I think Congress said, more or less.

 

[jackal]

We enjoyed the wine tasting in the diner on the EB. What was really good, we found a bottle that we liked, bought it, and the dining car staff was gracious enought to kept it on ice for us until dinner. It is a much better value than buying the splits off the menu as well. $12.50 for a split is pretty steep.
WB

Actually, the great PPC attendant I had who hosted the wine tasting pointed out that not only was he selling better wines than in the dining car, the bottles were actually cheaper! The prices were actually pretty competitive with a discount wine retailer/liquor store--the Estancia they sold on my train was actually almost exactly the same price as it is available at Costco.

He said the dining car staff would be happy to serve you from your PPC-purchased bottle.

 

[sechs]

it's a lounge that serves food, but unlike a sightseer lounge, it doesn't actually sell anything.

Liquor used to do pretty well. Did they do away with that while I wasn't looking?

 

[mercedeslove]

i prefer the tasting on the eb. done with more panache. on the cs they are so cost conscious that instead of giving a full or partial bottle of wine as prizes for the quiz they give a glass of wine as a prize. little packages of crackers and a few pieces of cheese as opposed to nice plates of cheese and crackers last time i was on the eb. the wine taste (especially on the 2nd day) was not well attended when we were on the cs in january. i think 1 person the second day

wait they have trivia quizzes on the EB? for real? When and where does this take place on the EB, I am so there! I love that stuff!

 

[the_traveler]

it's a lounge that serves food, but unlike a sightseer lounge, it doesn't actually sell anything.

Liquor used to do pretty well. Did they do away with that while I wasn't looking?

That's just what I was going to say!

The PPC is the only place on Amtrak (that I've seen) that has an actual bar. And if they don't sell things - what is the cash register used for? :huh:

 

[jackal]

it's a lounge that serves food, but unlike a sightseer lounge, it doesn't actually sell anything.

Liquor used to do pretty well. Did they do away with that while I wasn't looking?

Has the PPC menu changed since I traveled on it last year?

In the link in my signature to my review, I included the PPC dining menu but also the bar drink/food price list (see the bottom of page 1), whose items are not included in the sleeper charge. It definitely sells things.

 

[sechs]

And I was thinking, liquor might do better if the space wasn't crammed-up with people eating a meal....

 

[wayman]

it's a lounge that serves food, but unlike a sightseer lounge, it doesn't actually sell anything.

Liquor used to do pretty well. Did they do away with that while I wasn't looking?

That's just what I was going to say!

The PPC is the only place on Amtrak (that I've seen) that has an actual bar. And if they don't sell things - what is the cash register used for? :huh:

Doh. Liquor. Touche!