Amtrak Vacations Deal

[deafrailfan]

Hi Folks,

I am wondering if any of you guys made any deals with http://www.amtrakvacations.com/ and/or http://www.keyholidays.com/ or hear any feedbacks?

I am looking into a 2011 vacation plan and would like to see any feedbacks with those travel agency for Amtrak.

Thanks in advance and Happy New Year!

 

[Alice]

Hi Folks,

I am wondering if any of you guys made any deals with http://www.amtrakvacations.com/ and/or http://www.keyholidays.com/ or hear any feedbacks?

I am looking into a 2011 vacation plan and would like to see any feedbacks with those travel agency for Amtrak.

Thanks in advance and Happy New Year!

I don't have experience with either of these agencies, and I'll admit my bias is against travel agents in general due to some bad experiences. That said, I've seen ads for Amtrak Vacations where their stated costs are FAR higher than booking directly with motels and Amtrak. I booked a pretty complex trip quite a long time ago (before discovering this forum) and had no problems figuring out trains, motels, rental cars, the subway in Washington, DC, and activities. I would have spent less if I'd understood pricing better, something I learned here. Also, I would have known more about tipping, red cap services, lounges for sleeper passengers, AGR points, diners, etc.
My suggestion would be to think about where you want to go (and when) then price it both through an agency and directly with Amtrak (also price motels and local transportation such as transit/taxi/car rental). Remember that Amtrak raises prices as the train fills up, so you'll want to book early, but print tickets close to travel (easier to get a full price refund). After you've settled on a trip, post it here and people will critique it for you. In many cases you can also get information on local accommodations and transportation here. You'll spend more time than if you just asked an agent to handle everything, but I think you'll have more fun on the way and when you get there if you've done the bulk of the research yourself. I do anyway; the research is kind of like starting my trip early!

Now Key Holidays is a special deal. They operate a couple of trains between Emeryville and Reno. Well, these might be special cars attached to Amtrak trains, not sure about that. Again, they cost a lot more than taking a regular Amtrak seat, but these cars have special amenities and a party atmosphere.

 

[rrdude]

I'd have to echo Alices's comments, in general. However, one advantage that Amtrak Vacations had for me recently was the availability of tickets to see a show in NYC.

My overall trip, rail n show tix, was about $100 more thru Amtrak Vacations.( party of five)

They r an independent travel agency, with a contract with Amtrak, but I found their knowledge of rail options only "so-so".

 

[Everydaymatters]

I've taken two Amtrak vacations in the past. One was to SAS and the other to LAX. As stated, they were pricey. The only advantage I can see is they arrange everything. Hotels and amusement are taken care of. If one is unfamiliar with a city, it helps.

Now if I'm not familiar with a city, I look up pre-arranged bus tours to see where they have their clients stay and what local places they take them to see. Then I book it myself. That way I've always been happy with the hotels and know they're not way outside of town or in a bad area.