Guest said:
Thanks Alan,I will be sure to plan on a flexible arrival itinerary in Lafayette. I am also very interested in what cars the new Sunset Limited will consist of (if any change)and how that will effect the experience - although I have no other rail experience with which to compare.
By the way, does anyone know if a family bedroom is suitable for 4 adults if one is available on the return from New Orleans (as opposed to 2 roomettes), an Amtak rep. warned us it may be too small for the third & fourth adult and may not be worth the $300 in savings. Deluxe accomodations with in-room facilities seem way too expensive-is that really worth it? Any negotiating tips once I'm aboard? Sorry about the number of questions here - can you tell I'm getting excited about the trip?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Ted,
I'll echo what others have said, that the family room is probably not a good alternative for 4 adults. As you may have noted from the link provided, the two child beds are under 4' 9" in length. Also, assuming that someone is paying attention in the dining car, you would exceed the maximum number of adult meals that are included. So you could end up paying for some of your meals. Plus you'd better be good friends with the other couple, as the quarters are a bit cramped and there's no easy way to facilitate changing cloths.
Finally, since it appears that the only change in terms of cars to the Sunset will be the loss of one sleeper, that decreases the chance that the single remaining family room will be available.
As for upgrading to the Deluxe room, now called the "Bedroom", you might still want to check with the conductor, once you've boarded. You might be surprised at the cost to upgrade on board. It can often be much cheaper than you might expect.
IMHO, the biggest advantage to the Bedroom, is the extra space that it provides. Having a sink and toilet close at hand is also a bonus. However I rarely, if ever, use the in room shower as it's too small. I generally use the public shower downstairs.
Be warned, even this room is still probably too small for the 4 of you, unless one couple can squeeze into a bed that's only 2' 4" wide. The other couple would need to squeeze into a 3' 4" bed. And again, you might find that not all of your meals are included. This also assumes that the conductor was wiling to sell you just one Bedroom.