Superliner standard bedroom

[Cliff]

I'm planning a trip from Emeryville to Denver this July by train. This time I want to reserved on the Standard superliner bedroom.

I have traveled long distance trips before on Amtrak but using the standard coach only. One was the memorable and wonderful Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle on July 1996. The last time was the California Zephyr on Dec. 2000 from Emeryville to Denver.

I'm just wondering if meals are free on the Superliner Standard Bedroom. If so, do they bring the meals to your bedroom after you ordered from the menu or do you go yourself to the dining car?

Thanks for the help.

Cliff

 

[Anthony]

I'm just wondering if meals are free on the Superliner Standard Bedroom. If so, do they bring the meals to your bedroom after you ordered from the menu or do you go yourself to the dining car?

Yes, three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are included with your sleeper fare at the normal meal times. It is standard practice to eat in the dining car, where you inform your server of your sleeping car status, and he or she will give you a separate "sleeping car" designation which does not result in your payment of meal charges.

While many recent threads deal with the prospect of eating in one's own sleeper room, I will sum it up with this: the amenity of eating in one's own room is available, but it is not necessarily encouraged due to the burden it places on your car's one attendant, especially if there are elderly or handicapped passengers in your car also wishing the service at the same time of day as you. If one were to opt for in-room meal service, you must inform your car attendant, and it is advisable to remember his or her service with a special tip or gratuity (at your discretion, and over and above any sort of gratuity you may give for the normal sleeping car attendant service).

I am sure others may have anecdotes or items to add.

 

[Anthony]

As an additional thought, I will mention that given the choice between the relative convenience of sitting in one's own room, versus going to the dining car and sitting at a table, I will choose the dining car option every time. Not only is it easier to summon a waiter or waitress for a beverage or other request, but you get the benefits of:

- Camaraderie and good fellowship with the other party or parties at your table ("community dining"). I have met many interesting (and at times, colorful) characters while savoring a steak and watching the American landscape pass me by.

- The mess of eating stays in the dining car, and out of your sleeping quarters. Let's say you accidentally spill coffee onto your bed, or catapult some greasy sauce onto the window with your utensil(s).

- As I said above, should you wish another cup of coffee or tea, or possibly a dessert order, finding your sleeping car attendant at mealtime while he or she is serving three elderly or handicapped guests down a flight of stairs may not be the most practical endeavor in the interest of time. Ringing your call button or call bell while the attendant is in the dining car waiting on another order does not have much effect, either. The very limited experiences I have had eating within my sleeping quarters have usually seen long delays in repeat service requests. I have often ended up walking to the dining car myself to request a slice of cake or pie when the attendant was serving others or having a meal break of his own.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

My philosophy on this is by all means go to the diner. It ( as well as sleeping on the train) is one of life's most pleasurable experience, as Anthony has already pointed out.

Now---think of this as a possiblity should you become a regular train rider- and can kind of guage the scene-----after you have ridden trains for awhile, if you really have a good rapport with your train attendant and you know he/she is not busy with 25 elderly passengers, you know you are not coming up on a major stop when the attendant will be busy loading and unloading people, etc you might try have being served in your room just as a "new experience". Do not expect any "refills, etc". They will try to bring enough coffee and water the first time around. .

Belvie it or not, I have even had attendants offer to serve me in my room, a few----a very few, probably---actually like to do that. But do not expect it.

My first experience in it was riding with my very disabled mother, of course it was totally legitimate. Any time I have done it since has been under the very careful circumstances as described above.

 

[Guest]

As an additional thought, I will mention that given the choice between the relative convenience of sitting in one's own room, versus going to the dining car and sitting at a table, I will choose the dining car option every time.

To each his own. Especially if traveling alone, I would chose eating in my compartment over eating in the dining car every time. I'm not anti-social but I'm also not much of a "talker". I prefer enjoying a meal and the scenery in the solitude of my own room over being forced into an awkward situation where I'm seated for a meal with people I don't know. Sure, you don't have to take part in any conversation but that can make it awkward for everybody else at the table, too. To help out the attendant, I'm more than happy to go the diner and take my meal back to my compartment myself. For me, being able to do this is worth the risk of spilling something.

What I'd really like, though, is the option of not having meals included in my sleeper fare. I usually don't eat three meals a day on the train and I'd love to have my fare reduced and pay for any meals I do chose to get.

 

[jccollins]

I usually don't eat three meals a day on the train and I'd love to have my fare reduced and pay for any meals I do chose to get.

It doesn't work that way. There is one set price for sleeper passengers whether or not you choose to eat all or none of your meals.

I usually travel alone on the train and can tell you from experience that eating in the dining car and having the opportunity to meet others is always the best part of the trip for me. Even when travelling in coach for short trips I always patronize the dining car if possible. It is truly a one of a kind experience.

 

[Guest]

I usually don't eat three meals a day on the train and I'd love to have my fare reduced and pay for any meals I do chose to get.

It doesn't work that way. There is one set price for sleeper passengers whether or not you choose to eat all or none of your meals.

I usually travel alone on the train and can tell you from experience that eating in the dining car and having the opportunity to meet others is always the best part of the trip for me. Even when travelling in coach for short trips I always patronize the dining car if possible. It is truly a one of a kind experience.

I know it doesn't work that way. I just wish it did and I think it's something Amtrak really should explore. I think more people might be inclined to book a sleeper for a lesser fare that didn't automatically include meals.

 

[swamp]

Thanks for the topic, as I had a question I have been meaning to ask, but felt it was too stupid to bring up. As related before, my wife is handicapped, so we are booked in 'accessible room'. Total train time on our trip is 9 nights and 12 days (strange combo isnt it).

I looked at photos of the handicap room, and the table between seats looks very small. It doesnt look big enough for one person to eat at, let alone two. Is this a 'photographic distortion', or can the table hold two sets of meals? If not, then I will eat in the dining car. I would enjoy eating in the dining car for reasons stated before, but also want to eat with my wife.

Also, in the photos the leg space seems very small. Can two people sit there without destroying each other's kneecaps??

And finally, the window looks very small. Can one watch the scenery go by, while comfortably sitting back?

Any experienced travelers on this out there? Thanks for the help

counting the days

 

[AMTK@AUS]

All of the Sleeping Car bedrooms have a table which folds open and doubles in size. So, the photos you are seeing are most likely when the table isn't folded open. At this location, you can find a photograph with the table away from the window, but still folded up. The table will extend about 6 inches on both sides.

You shouldn't have a problem with legroom. Unless both seats are reclined all the way, you will have plenty of space to move around. And, even if both seats are reclined and you both have long legs, the seats are wide enough so that you can stretch out on one side while your companion stretches out on the other.

The window in the Accessible room is smaller than that in Standard or Deluxe Rooms, but you should have plenty of viewing area. It is still larger than that of an airplane or an automobile. Also, keep in mind that you have the opportunity to see out both sides of the train. I would say that this fact outweighs the slightly smaller window.

All of the Superliner bedrooms are comfortable, and I'm sure that you will be happy with what you find once you board. Have a great trip!

 

[swamp]

Thanks AMTK for the info.

Am looking forward to the trip, which is in July

MLH

 

[Windigo]

I did a combination of eating in my room and in the dining car on my trip last summer. This summer I'm going to take some extra tipping cash and see if I can't get the meals in my room for most of the trip. The dining car was fine and the staff was friendly, but unfortunately, even with motion sickness medicine, the movement of the train, and the scenery flying by the window made it too hard for me to eat (I'm kind of shy anyway so being seated with people I didn't know added to the rest didn't help me much. Some people love that part but I just wanted to get where I was going with the luxury of my own room and lack of screaming kids running up and down the aisles).

It was much more comfortable in my room. Even though I couldn't control the motion I was able to close the curtains and feel a bit more comfortable in that situation. The food was ok, but even though it was paid for in my ticket I sometimes hit the snack bar for some sandwiches to take back with me. They have some awesome Italian sandwiches there

 

[Guest]

Windigo, I feel the same way you do about this subject. (Well, thankfully I don't feel the motion sickness. That would be a bugger to deal with.) You should try going to the dining car and asking to "take out" your meal. Some others have mentioned that and you don't have to bother the attendant to do it. (Or, tip extra, either!) I plan to try this the next trip I take.

 

[battalion51]

Dining Car crew is almost always more than happy to let you get Take Out and have it brought to your room. One question though Windigo, do you take any meds on the train for your motion sickness? My Mother gets motion sick really easily, so a couple of hours before she gets on the train she takes some Bonine, while it does knock her out she can survive the trip, and let me keep the blinds open in the room.

 

[Amfleet]

I've witessed Dining Car take out become somewhat popualr, even for coach passengers. There seems to be a menu haning in the lounge too for coach passenger convenience. Your sleeper attendant should have one laying around too. Just politely ask for one before meal time.

As for the motion sickness medication. Be sure to take it before you get on the train. It does not work as effectively if you take once on the train and moving.

 

[jccollins]

Dining Car crew is almost always more than happy to let you get Take Out and have it brought to your room.

Really? Maybe this is an east coast vs. west coast thing, because I see people try to do it all the time on the Zephyr and Starlate the crews get very angry with the passengers. I have heard them told many many times that "FDA regulations say that only train attendants can take meals from the diner." While I doubt the FDA actually says this I have always thought it was an Amtrak rule.

 

[Amfleet]

Dining Car crew is almost always more than happy to let you get Take Out and have it brought to your room.

Really? Maybe this is an east coast vs. west coast thing, because I see people try to do it all the time on the Zephyr and Starlate the crews get very angry with the passengers. I have heard them told many many times that "FDA regulations say that only train attendants can take meals from the diner." While I doubt the FDA actually says this I have always thought it was an Amtrak rule.

Those employees need a talk from management then. It's unexceptible that they are refusing additonal dining car revenue to the fact that they proabalby don't want to take the extra time to place the order and bag it up. It's more the likely it has nothing to do with FDA regulations as on the Silver Service it's done everytime I ride the Meteor or the Star. If Amtrak is breaking an FDA regulation by letting passengers take carry out food, then they would've heard something from the FDA already. The FDA watches over Amtrak's dining car and lounge car operations with hawk eyes.

 

[Windigo]

For motion sickness my doctor hooked me up with dimenhydrinate. Not sure if there's anything better out there. I took it an hour before I first got on the train and then sometimes en route, though it didn't always work.

 

[jccollins]

The FDA watches over Amtrak's dining car and lounge car operations with hawk eyes.

Yeah, it's too bad the auditors don't... but that's another story. Is there any official rule regarding food takeout from the dining car? I have just heard it over and over that only attendants can take food from the dining car, and it became a real problem when I tried to order a breakfast to take out for my disabled grandma when our attendants had just went to bed at around 7am (Yep, we were on the Sunset, just left Maricopa toward LA about 8 hours late). I had to find the conductor and he was able to get the breakfast ordered for us and insist to the dining car crew that I could take it out since ALL the attendants were asleep.