Doing it differently....Amtrak

[arkjeweler]

We have bought Amtrak tickets from Memphis to New Orleans. Cost for 2 people for a private room was $390. This includes meals. Private room includes 2 recliners, bed, and private bath with a great window view. Airline tickets were $800 for 2, plus cost of any food, etc. That's over $400 in savings. That gives us an additional couple of days in New Orleans and we get to see some of this wonderful country! Has anyone else travelled to their port by train?

[mephistoles]

We (14 of us) took the Amtrak from Rocky Mount, NC to Orlando once and I truly had no problem with it. DH, DS & I are planning to take Amtrak (from RMT again) to Miami for our Breeze cruise and it is going to cost about $520 round trip (w/our AAA discounts) for the 3 of us. It's going to take approximately 22 hours to there :eek: but we're ready for it. I believe the Orlando trek was 13 hours. My only complaint was that it got sooooo cold on the train at night and we didn't heed my mom's warning to bring extra blankets. Luckily, she knew we would and brought extras :D.

Anyway, I believe that there was another thread on taking Amtrak to the ports and I could've sworn that it was mentioned that Amtrak offers a 20%(?) discount to cruisers if they give their booking numbers upon making reservations....(I believe that's what it said).

EDITED TO ADD: By the way, this pricing is for regular seats. How did you get such a great deal on the private rooms? It will cost >$800 for us.

[rafinmd]

We (14 of us) took the Amtrak from Rocky Mount, NC to Orlando once and I truly had no problem with it. DH, DS & I are planning to take Amtrak (from RMT again) to Miami for our Breeze cruise and it is going to cost about $520 round trip (w/our AAA discounts) for the 3 of us. It's going to take approximately 22 hours to there :eek: but we're ready for it. I believe the Orlando trek was 13 hours. My only complaint was that it got sooooo cold on the train at night and we didn't heed my mom's warning to bring extra blankets. Luckily, she knew we would and brought extras :D.

Anyway, I believe that there was another thread on taking Amtrak to the ports and I could've sworn that it was mentioned that Amtrak offers a 20%(?) discount to cruisers if they give their booking numbers upon making reservations....(I believe that's what it said).

EDITED TO ADD: By the way, this pricing is for regular seats. How did you get such a great deal on the private rooms? It will cost >$800 for us.

 

Two reasons. In general, prices vary by route and date, just as with other froms of transportation, but there's also a difference in the route. Florida service starts in New York City, and the first segments use low clearance tunnels requiring single level cars. Prices on these sleeping cars are generally significantly higher than on the dual level cars used elsewhere, including Chicago-Memphis-New Orleans.

 

I love trains and use them frequently for cruises, Baltimore to Florida, New York, Los Angeles and Seattle/Vancouver.

 

Roy

[mephistoles]

Two reasons. In general, prices vary by route and date, just as with other froms of transportation, but there's also a difference in the route. Florida service starts in New York City, and the first segments use low clearance tunnels requiring single level cars. Prices on these sleeping cars are generally significantly higher than on the dual level cars used elsewhere, including Chicago-Memphis-New Orleans.

 

I love trains and use them frequently for cruises, Baltimore to Florida, New York, Los Angeles and Seattle/Vancouver.

 

Roy

 

Ohhh...OK, thanks. I would love to have been able to snag a sleeper room but the seats weren't bad at all.

[gusandgidgetsmom]

We are taking Amtrak to our June cruise. Much cheaper than flying--580.00 for 4 people Cincy to Penn station. Don't need a sleeper as it is a day trip.Looked into going to LA for our Hawaii cruise and it was way more than flying and takes several days.

We are really looking forward to it. There is a discount, you just have to tell them you are cruising Carnival. Our discount for being seniors and AAA for the kids were better so we took those.

[bonniemari]

We took Amtrak from Memphis to New Orleans a few years ago and really enjoyed it. We also did the sleeper car/roommette and it was really nice to have a quiet place to play cards, read and even take a nap.

 

I would love to do it again but unfortunately (well at least for me) they did away with the smoking car. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't hesitate to take Amtrak again.

[chasinraynbowz]

We rode the train a few years ago and then again back in December and will be doing it again in May, but we didn't get the private room. We had a great time and have been very comfortable in the regular seats. Their food is pretty decent, but make your reservations when you get on the train so you can eat at a decent time.

 

Just an FYI - if you are going to park at the train station, do not park on the police station side (the side closest to the street away from the tracks) and get to the station early. You may have trouble finding parking. Seems some folks don't know how to park around here and think that their car needs 2 spots!! :eek:

 

Have a great time!!

[Rasvar]

I like Amtrak as long as I'm not on a tight schedule. Outside of the Northeast, Amtrak shares the freight lines and there are times when if it falls behind, the delay snowballs. Other than that, I actually find rail travel a thousand more times enjoyable than being shoved into a tight seat in an aluminium tube at 30K feet.

[weather_gal0483]

Why not drive? Its only a 7 hour drive, and will be half the cost of the train.

[Pellaz]

My only complaint was that it got sooooo cold on the train at night and we didn't heed my mom's warning to bring extra blankets. Luckily, she knew we would and brought extras :D.

 

Was this wintertime or summertime?

 

At one point, Amtrak stated in their travel info that bringing along a blanket was a good idea, especially in summer, which can only mean that their onboard air conditioning REALLLY rocks. :)

 

I would love to do it again but unfortunately (well at least for me) they did away with the smoking car. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't hesitate to take Amtrak again.

 

It's pretty much the way of the world. (I'm not a smoker, but a fairly tolerant non-smoker.)

 

Amtrak DOES allow you to step off the train at some stations to have a smoke as long as you can be ready to re-board immediately. You can ask your car's steward or the Chief of Onboard Services (fancy title for 'Conductor' :) ) for details. Generally this will be at larger cities where a 10-15 min. stop -- typically for checked baggage or express mail handling -- is already scheduled.

[gelo7]

Sounds like fun.

[w4kry]

We are also taking the Amtrak from Birmingham to New Orleans. It will be another first for us.

[maggieworkman]

I have never taken that particular route, but have taken many trips on Amtrak - including from Chicago to San Francisco.

 

I think the main thing you have to worry about is delays. Leave yourself plenty of time between when you need to be there and when you are scheduled to arrive. I have personally never been on an Amtrak trip that was not delayed by at least a few hours! The Chicago to SF trip was a day late due to a forest fire.

 

 

Maggie

[silvercrikhix]

Yikes!

Everyone's situation will vary, but our experience was torture!

We paid much more than airfare would have been, thinking it would be a relaxing and adventurous start to our cruise! Ha Ha Ha

 

DH and I took Amtrak from MN to Seattle last year in route to our Alaska cruise.

One of the biggest mistakes ever! We hated it, big time :mad:

We had a sleeper car with the "shoilet".

Unless you're a kid, no way you can shower in that tiny cubicle!

We had to beg for services, like ice, meals in room (said to be a benefit of a sleeper accomodation). Our steward was extremely nice but so overburdened, he couldn't possibly take care of 1 1/2 cars of sleeper guests!

 

The staff in the dining car were surly and horrid !

DH received 2 injuries, a scrape from carpet ceiling and the heavy metal ladder fell and hit him in the chin. We both were bruised, scraped, cut!

We both looked like we'd been through a war when we got to Seattle!

 

Getting the time to smoke during stops was pretty non-existent, as they said "oops, running late only 5 minute stop" instead of the scheduled 10-20 minutes.

This was said for each stop. This was a 34 hour trip, with only 5 stops to get off and one was in middle of the night. We still managed to arrive 2 hours early, despite being behind schedule continuously!

There were newer cars, but we ended up with a stained, rust spotted room, just gross!

 

After our complaint to Amtrak, we received a $300 gift card to Amtrak! They honestly think after our ordeal that we'd really want to be tortured again? Not in our lifetime!

 

A short route would probably be fine, but a long trip, never!

[LSGDRG]

I took Amtrak from Seattle, WA to Vancouver, BC for an Alaskan cruise. The airfare to Seattle was cheaper & the train trip was enjoyable. My main 2 concerns with Amtrak travel is that sometimes the train does not take you through the scenic parts of town. Also, as mentioned by previous posters, there can be delays.

[Don Haynes]

Trains on the east coast tend to do better with time and avoiding delays, but if one is not in a hurry, and plan to reach their destination a day earlier than necessary, riding Amtrak is a wonderful way to get rest and relaxation. While trains do run through industrial areas of cities and towns, not the most scenic, trains also run through some of the most beautiful country as well. Farm lands, forests, tunnels through mountains, bridges over rivers, cattle ranges, deserts, and even along coasts. Riding Amtrak is probably the best way to see the best and worst of America. Just keep in mind trains will most likely not get you there the quickest. Sleeper accommodations may not be as large as cruise ship inside cabins, they are large enough to provide privacy an airliner or coach doesn't provide. The food in the diner may not be as good as a cruise ship, at least the food is good wholesome food available at most coffee shops. The key to trains is not to be in a hurry.

[mephistoles]

Was this wintertime or summertime?

 

At one point, Amtrak stated in their travel info that bringing along a blanket was a good idea, especially in summer, which can only mean that their onboard air conditioning REALLLY rocks. :)

 

 

We went in the summer time. And yes, the AC really REALLY works. Luckily, my mom brought extra blankets. We're taking Amtrak again this summer and this time I'll be prepared :D

[cruiseonthebrain]

We have bought Amtrak tickets from Memphis to New Orleans. Cost for 2 people for a private room was $390. This includes meals. Private room includes 2 recliners, bed, and private bath with a great window view. Airline tickets were $800 for 2, plus cost of any food, etc. That's over $400 in savings. That gives us an additional couple of days in New Orleans and we get to see some of this wonderful country! Has anyone else travelled to their port by train?

 

 

I love this idea!!!! I have not travelled to port by Amtrak but I have made several other trips and it was the best way to go! Have a great time and let us know how it works out!

[john5138]

Wife and I took this same trip from Memphis to NO and our experience was not good. Having a private room may have helped, but the movement of the train made the ride uncomfortable. You literally could not stand and walk without almost falling down. Not to mention that we were stuck on the tracks 2 times, one going to NO and then back to Memphis. Total delay of time was approximately 4 hours of just sitting on the tracks. Then what made it much worse is by the time we did make it back to Memphis, well after midnight, they took everyone's luggage inside the station and called out everyone’s luggage one piece at a time. Never again for me. The drive is only 7 hours. Good luck and hope your experience is much better.

[pascalburns]

have done the sunset limited from new Orleans to

los angels,several times.train has always been on time.

it was a relaxing ride.no worries about traffic.:):)

[DONALD CREGEEN]

We have done it several times,but we get lower leval seats,Max 12 seats. It's only a little

over 8 hrs. so we dont see the need for a sleeper,Sr cost about $ 180.00.Taxy to the

hotell about $16.00 From pier back to ship $ 14.00. Buy ins. we had to buy plane tickets

from NOL to MEM because the last hurricane washed out the train tracks for over 2 wks.

Ins. payed for air fair + any other coverd expenses!! Ihope this helps! Astor Grown Plaza

is on Canal st. with 1 small building between the hotell & Bourban st, 504-962-500!

Have a great time!!

[buckirj1]

Few things are as stressful for me as driving, especially driving in unfamiliar areas. I like trains, and take Amtrak to a cruise port whenever I can. If I end up sailing from Miami or Tampa at the end of the year, I might take my first overnight train. I ought to do okay in coach for one night.

[rach1fun]

Thought it would be a good idea so I checked it out...would cost us more money and 2 extra work days to do it...not for us, lol

 

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[ILoveScotland]

I came to the Carnival threads to learn about what's happening with the Triumph right now but also found this thread.

 

I haven't booked yet, but I am 99% sure I'm going to take Amtrak to Orlando in time for my cruise at the beginning of December out of Port Canaveral. It will be a long journey with a bus ride to Wilson, NC, a train from Wilson to Raleigh, NC and then another to Orlando.

 

The cost will be about $525 RT (with senior discount) since I'll book a roomette. Flights are only slightly less.

 

I haven't been on Amtrak in quite a while but have loved my trips in the past and think this will be a nice and relaxing way to get to Florida.

[ladytravlr2]

I have taken Amtrak from Illinois to NOLA several times, and it's the best way to go for me. It goes directly from my town to close by the hotel in NOLA. Had a sleeper once, but haven't since. The lower level seats, if you book them early enough, are quiet and better to sleep in. Same price as other seats, by the way.

 

It is a savings for me from Illlinois. We drove the trip last time to cruise and it was more tiring, so back to Amtrak next time again! Nearly 17 hours from my house....not too bad.