NB Coast Starlight - Roomette or Coach?

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SarahZ

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A friend of mine is traveling from LAX to SJC in a few weeks. The PPC will not be back on the CS yet, but she's considering traveling in a roomette for privacy and meals, as it's a ten-hour trip. The roomette cost is around $160, while coach is around $55.

As the PPC is not on the train, she's wondering if it would still be worth it to have a roomette. I told her that she'd still have access to the lounge if she sat in coach but might not get much privacy. She's traveling on a Tuesday during spring break (second week of March), so I said the train could be pretty empty, or it could be busy. Not knowing this train, I couldn't really advise her.

So, given that the PPC is not on the train, would it still be worth paying for a roomette? I figure, with the PPC gone, the SSL will be more crowded than usual, yes?
 
I've traveled from Emeryville to LAX and/or Santa Barbara two times in last couple years and had a roomette both times. I did not really make use of the Pacific Parlor Car either trip. For me, YES, it is worth it to travel this day trip in a roomette. You also get lunch and dinner.
 
She's never been on Amtrak before, so I told her it would be nice to experience the diner and have a nice, quiet room to herself, even without the PPC. Hopefully, she can take another trip once it's back on.
 
I agree going with the roomette also Sarah! Lots of people even book one from LAX- SBA and have Lunch, but admittedly thats usually when the PPC is in the consist!

As was said, having Lunch and Dinner in the Dinner, along with having the roomette to store your stuff, to be able to USE the METRO LOUNGE in LAX while waiting and after dark relaxing in your room is worth the $$! #14 is usually late into the Bay Area so it might even be a longer trip!

I'd also think that this route will be pretty full of families taking kids up the Coast during Spring break, so the privacy in a Sleeper would be nice!

Also remind yoyr friend that the Left Side is the one with the View of the Ocean North of LA, and of course the Horseshoe Curve as the train leaves the Coast and Climbs into the Mountains is pretty sweet!
 
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Maybe I'm cheap but for this without the PPC I'd take the coach and save the 100 bucks. Coach is comfortable, after all. In fact, I've always considered Superliner coach seats a bit more comfy than roomette seats for sitting (for sleeping - that's a whole different thing).

I all boils down to: how much does she like privacy, what's lunch and dinner in the diner worth to her, and what's $100 mean to her?
 
Didn't read the OP, roomette is always the right answer.

Edit: read OP. $100 bucks for lunch, diner, 10 hours of privacy and the ability to sit and watch the scenery roll past with an adult beverage in my hand? Hell yeah.
 
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Don't forget that she will have no way of knowing ahead of time whether her roomette will face the ocean or face inland. If an ocean view is important,

then she runs the risk of paying the upcharge and then spending a significant part of her trip in the SSL anyhow. At that point, the extra $100 translates

into a very expensive meal package.
 
Didn't read the OP, roomette is always the right answer.

Edit: read OP. $100 bucks for lunch, diner, 10 hours of privacy and the ability to sit and watch the scenery roll past with an adult beverage in my hand? Hell yeah.
That's pretty much what I said, along with Jim's point about kids during spring break. :)

I told her about the car orientation as well. If she's on the right side of the train and has to use the lounge to see the ocean, she can always pop back to her roomette once the train heads inland. She's fairly social, so I think she'd like the mix of lounge and roomette.
 
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Second week of March is not a huge Spring Break week in California, as far as I know...?
 
Second week of March is not a huge Spring Break week in California, as far as I know...?
Some schools have "mid-winter" breaks along with spring break, which coordinates with Easter. Michigan started doing that several years ago. I don't know why kids need a break in February AND March, but oh well. I'm sure the teachers need a rest. :)

Many colleges have their spring breaks that week as well.

When I say "kids", I pretty much include young (18-21) college students in that group. ;)
 
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