Tips, Tricks & Advice Sought for Cross-Country Trip

[frugalist]

I am now officially starting to get excited about our upcoming summer vacation. We will be traveling cross-country on Amtrak, then taking a cruise to Alaska, then traveling back home on Amtrak. I've been reading this board extensively for 18 months and have tried to assimilate much of the accumulated knowledge of this great community. I've also taken a few trips on Amtrak, so I now have some personal experience. What I'm looking for now are those little tidbits, those secret gems, that make the difference in the train-riding adventure.

I know about the Club Acela/Metropolitan Lounge in Washington, New York, Chicago and Portland.

I know tipping is a sensitive and personal subject. The cruise line puts your daily tips right on your onboard account. The default tip is $11 per person ($22 per couple) per day. About $3.50 per person ($7 per couple) is designated for your room steward. The remaining $7.50 per person ($15 per couple) is for the food & beverage staff. Following those guidelines, we expect to budget $22 per day for tips as follows: $7 per night for the SCA. Dining car staff tips of $3 for breakfast, $5 for lunch and $7 for dinner. Those are default amounts to be adjusted up or down based on quality of service.

So, what are the insider tips we need to know to make this trip the trip of our lifetimes? Here's our itinerary:

#98 Silver Meteor - Sebring to New York (4hr 30min layover)

#49 Lake Shore Limited - New York to Chicago (4hr 15 min layover)

#5 California Zephyr - Chicago to Emeryville (6hr layover)

#14 Coast Starlight - Emeryville to Seattle

overnight in Seattle

#510 Amtrak Cascades - Seattle to Vancouver, BC

cruise to Alaska, returning to Vancouver

#513 Amtrak Cascades - Vancouver, BC to Portland, OR (1hr 50min layover)

#28 Empire Builder - Portland, OR to Chicago (2hr 15min layover)

#30 Capitol Limited - Chicago to Washington (6hr 20min layover)

#97 Silver Meteor - Washington to Sebring

Thanks to all for your help, not just in this thread, but over the past 18 months.

 

[Rail Freak]

I am now officially starting to get excited about our upcoming summer vacation. We will be traveling cross-country on Amtrak, then taking a cruise to Alaska, then traveling back home on Amtrak. I've been reading this board extensively for 18 months and have tried to assimilate much of the accumulated knowledge of this great community. I've also taken a few trips on Amtrak, so I now have some personal experience. What I'm looking for now are those little tidbits, those secret gems, that make the difference in the train-riding adventure.

I know about the Club Acela/Metropolitan Lounge in Washington, New York, Chicago and Portland.

I know tipping is a sensitive and personal subject. The cruise line puts your daily tips right on your onboard account. The default tip is $11 per person ($22 per couple) per day. About $3.50 per person ($7 per couple) is designated for your room steward. The remaining $7.50 per person ($15 per couple) is for the food & beverage staff. Following those guidelines, we expect to budget $22 per day for tips as follows: $7 per night for the SCA. Dining car staff tips of $3 for breakfast, $5 for lunch and $7 for dinner. Those are default amounts to be adjusted up or down based on quality of service.

So, what are the insider tips we need to know to make this trip the trip of our lifetimes? Here's our itinerary:

#98 Silver Meteor - Sebring to New York (4hr 30min layover)

#49 Lake Shore Limited - New York to Chicago (4hr 15 min layover)

#5 California Zephyr - Chicago to Emeryville (6hr layover)

#14 Coast Starlight - Emeryville to Seattle

overnight in Seattle

#510 Amtrak Cascades - Seattle to Vancouver, BC

cruise to Alaska, returning to Vancouver

#513 Amtrak Cascades - Vancouver, BC to Portland, OR (1hr 50min layover)

#28 Empire Builder - Portland, OR to Chicago (2hr 15min layover)

#30 Capitol Limited - Chicago to Washington (6hr 20min layover)

#97 Silver Meteor - Washington to Sebring

Thanks to all for your help, not just in this thread, but over the past 18 months.

The main thing that is quite obviously missing is your personal valet, you know, that guy from Tampa Bay by the name of Rail Freak!?!?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I am now officially starting to get excited about our upcoming summer vacation. We will be traveling cross-country on Amtrak, then taking a cruise to Alaska, then traveling back home on Amtrak. I've been reading this board extensively for 18 months and have tried to assimilate much of the accumulated knowledge of this great community. I've also taken a few trips on Amtrak, so I now have some personal experience. What I'm looking for now are those little tidbits, those secret gems, that make the difference in the train-riding adventure.

I know about the Club Acela/Metropolitan Lounge in Washington, New York, Chicago and Portland.

I know tipping is a sensitive and personal subject. The cruise line puts your daily tips right on your onboard account. The default tip is $11 per person ($22 per couple) per day. About $3.50 per person ($7 per couple) is designated for your room steward. The remaining $7.50 per person ($15 per couple) is for the food & beverage staff. Following those guidelines, we expect to budget $22 per day for tips as follows: $7 per night for the SCA. Dining car staff tips of $3 for breakfast, $5 for lunch and $7 for dinner. Those are default amounts to be adjusted up or down based on quality of service.

So, what are the insider tips we need to know to make this trip the trip of our lifetimes? Here's our itinerary:

#98 Silver Meteor - Sebring to New York (4hr 30min layover)

#49 Lake Shore Limited - New York to Chicago (4hr 15 min layover)

#5 California Zephyr - Chicago to Emeryville (6hr layover)

#14 Coast Starlight - Emeryville to Seattle

overnight in Seattle

#510 Amtrak Cascades - Seattle to Vancouver, BC

cruise to Alaska, returning to Vancouver

#513 Amtrak Cascades - Vancouver, BC to Portland, OR (1hr 50min layover)

#28 Empire Builder - Portland, OR to Chicago (2hr 15min layover)

#30 Capitol Limited - Chicago to Washington (6hr 20min layover)

#97 Silver Meteor - Washington to Sebring

Thanks to all for your help, not just in this thread, but over the past 18 months.

The main thing that is quite obviously missing is your personal valet, you know that guy from Tampa Bay by the name of Rail Freak!?!?

:lol:

 

[Acela150]

Keep in mind that you will only have access to the lounges if you have sleeper tickets.

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner will be included in your ticket if your a sleeper passenger.

Most important of all have a good trip!

 

[frugalist]

Keep in mind that you will only have access to the lounges if you have sleeper tickets.

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner will be included in your ticket if your a sleeper passenger.

Most important of all have a good trip!

I neglected to mention that we have sleeper accommodations all the way.

Edit: Tips to the dining car staff aren't included, are they?

 

[frugalist]

The main thing that is quite obviously missing is your personal valet, you know, that guy from Tampa Bay by the name of Rail Freak!?!?

Can you fit in the cubby hole over the bathroom?

 

[Acela150]

Keep in mind that you will only have access to the lounges if you have sleeper tickets.

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner will be included in your ticket if your a sleeper passenger.

Most important of all have a good trip!

I neglected to mention that we have sleeper accommodations the whole way.

Then you're all set to use CA and the ML's and as I noted meals are included in your ticket!

 

[pennyk]

I did a very similar trip in 2010 (my trip of a lifetime), without the cruise. I liked it so much that I decided to do a trip every year until I run out of money.

I took the Silver Meteor, Cardinal, CZ to SAC, CS to SEA, the EB, CL, SM home. I spent one night in a hotel in Denver, 2 nights in Seattle and one night in West Glacier.

The layover in Sacramento was very long and hot. I think you made the right decision to transfer to the CS in EMY.

I used the lounges in WAS and CHI. I brought a netbook with me with Verizon prepaid broaband so I could keep in touch by email. I did very little reading during the day because I spent so much time looking out the window. I uploaded/downloaded? audio books onto by ipod and listened to books while looking out the window.

Before my trip, I was anxious about missing connections or cancellations due to hurricanes or other weather issues. I had no problems and everything went smoothly.

It sounds like a great trip.

 

[amamba]

Bring a power strip and ear plugs. Enjoy!

 

[Rail Freak]

The main thing that is quite obviously missing is your personal valet, you know, that guy from Tampa Bay by the name of Rail Freak!?!?

Can you fit in the cubby hole over the bathroom?

Ahhhh,NO! Oh well, can't blame me for tryin! I have a trip next month out to West Glacier, so I guess I'll have to be satisfied with that!!!

Have Fun!!!!!!!!!!

 

[frugalist]

Bring a power strip and ear plugs. Enjoy!

Two very good tips. Thanks.

I should also mention we plan to check one or two large suitcases with our cruise clothes, and bring onto the train a carry-on size bag with enough clothes and supplies for the days we'll be on the train. Since we're overnighting in Seattle, we'll only check our bags to SEA so they don't go to VAC without us, only to be sent back to who-knows-where in the USA.

 

[amamba]

Also bring your camera everywhere. I kept forgetting to bring mine to the dining car during meals and then missed some goo photo ops.

 

[frugalist]

Also bring your camera everywhere. I kept forgetting to bring mine to the dining car during meals and then missed some goo photo ops.

My son got me in the habit of photographing my meals when I go out to eat. I don't always remember, but it's a fun way to remember that part of a trip.

Cute typo in your post. I take it you take photos of the goo they serve in the dining car.

 

[AlanB]

Edit: Tips to the dining car staff aren't included, are they?

No, tips aren't included with the room. You should tip what you consider appropriate for the meal & service. Some people try to calculate a percentage based upon the actual bill, just like they would do in a restaurant. But many just leave a buck per person for breakfast, and 2 per person for lunch & dinner.

I'm in the first group.

 

[frugalist]

No, tips aren't included with the room.

I didn't think so. We've always left a tip.

And AlanB, I believe you were the one who gave me the tip to only check our bags through to SEA, then re-check them the next morning to VAC. Thanks for that!

 

[amamba]

Whoops I am on my phone and a train (2171) so I apologize for the typo. I meant good although I always take pix of the food too!

 

[jb64]

sounds like an awesome trip. Enjoy and be sure to post a trip report when you return.

 

[AlanB]

And AlanB, I believe you were the one who gave me the tip to only check our bags through to SEA, then re-check them the next morning to VAC. Thanks for that!

Yup, that was me. You're welcome!

I can't recall if this got mentioned, but unless you need something from those checked bags while in Seattle, don't pick them up when you arrive into Seattle. Leave them with Amtrak overnight. Then claim them the next morning and simply recheck them to Vancouver at that point in time. This will save lugging them to your hotel.

One other thought, know that upon arrival in Vancouver, the Amtrak crew empties the baggage car first and places all the bags on the platform. Then as passengers detrain, they walk by the checked bags, claim their bags, and then join the line for Customs.