Canadian peak vs off-peak pricing and Corridor connections...

[cpotisch]

• A Superliner Roomette has no toilet (though the Viewliner Roomette has one), 2 bunk beds parallel to the tracks and dimensions of 3'6" x 6'6" (i.e. 22.75 sq.ft.)
  
• A Cabin for 1 has a in-room toilet, one bed parallel to the tracks and dimensions of 6'5" x 3'7.5" (i.e. 23.26 sq.ft.)
  
• A Superliner Bedroom has an en-suite washroom, 2 bunk beds orthogonal to the tracks and dimensions of  6'6" x 7'6" (i.e. 48.75 sq.ft.)
  
• A Cabin for 2 has an en-suite, 2 bunk beds orthogonal to the tracks and dimensions of 7'3" x 5' plus a washroom with 2'9" x 2'1" (i.e. 41.98 sq.ft.)
  

Given above comparison, why would you argue that a Roomette is Amtrak's equivalent of a Cabin for 2 and what would you then compare a Superliner Bedroom with? Prestige Class?

Whoops. Not sure how I got there, but I thought that the Cabin for 2 was smaller, had an in-room instead of a full en suite, and had bunks parallel to the direction of travel. I guess I mentally merged it with the Cabin for 1, then. Still, for two passengers traveling, don't two Cabin for 1s cost the same as one Cabin for 2?

 

[Seaboard92]

The Canadian is hands down better than any Amtrak. And I will gladly pay extra to ride it even in a section.

The food is light years ahead of anything Amtrak is producing these days. It's still prepared by a chef on board not in an Aramark kitchen and warmed up.

The staff is incredibly nice and fun.

The lounge space is actually nice. The dome offers a fantastic forward view. The lower level has several board games and multiple tables.

And I would argue the equipment is in better condition than anything Amtrak owns.

 

[cpotisch]

The Canadian is hands down better than any Amtrak. And I will gladly pay extra to ride it even in a section.

The food is light years ahead of anything Amtrak is producing these days. It's still prepared by a chef on board not in an Aramark kitchen and warmed up.

The staff is incredibly nice and fun.

The lounge space is actually nice. The dome offers a fantastic forward view. The lower level has several board games and multiple tables.

And I would argue the equipment is in better condition than anything Amtrak owns.

But is it more than twice as good? Like, do you think we would really prefer to take the Canadian one-way, than to take Amtrak cross country round-trip and still have a couple hundred bucks left over?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yes!

 

[Urban Sky]

Whoops. Not sure how I got there, but I thought that the Cabin for 2 was smaller, had an in-room instead of a full en suite, and had bunks parallel to the direction of travel. I guess I mentally merged it with the Cabin for 1, then. Still, for two passengers traveling, don't two Cabin for 1s cost the same as one Cabin for 2?

For any meaningfull comparisons, I would strongly suggest that you compare the price of an Amtrak Roomette with that of Upper/Lower berths as the preferred option of cost-conscious Sleeper passengers, while the price of a Cabin for 2 should be compared with that of an Amtrak bedroom as the preferred choice of more comfort-oriented Sleeper travellers...

 

[Seaboard92]

I don't like the Canadian twice as much. I like it ten times as much as Amtrak.

 

[cpotisch]

Whoops. Not sure how I got there, but I thought that the Cabin for 2 was smaller, had an in-room instead of a full en suite, and had bunks parallel to the direction of travel. I guess I mentally merged it with the Cabin for 1, then. Still, for two passengers traveling, don't two Cabin for 1s cost the same as one Cabin for 2?

For any meaningfull comparisons, I would strongly suggest that you compare the price of an Amtrak Roomette with that of Upper/Lower berths as the preferred option of cost-conscious Sleeper passengers, while the price of a Cabin for 2 should be compared with that of an Amtrak bedroom as the preferred choice of more comfort-oriented Sleeper travellers...

I'm not comparing it to a berth since berths don't have outlets or walls, and a Roomette does. Do you disagree that comparing it to two Cabins for 1 makes sense, considering its literally the same thing as a Heritage Roomette?

 

[Urban Sky]

I'm not comparing it to a berth since berths don't have outlets or walls, and a Roomette does. Do you disagree that comparing it to two Cabins for 1 makes sense, considering its literally the same thing as a Heritage Roomette?

For a single traveller, a Roomette and a Cabin for 1 seem indeed to be equivalent. However, for 2 passengers willing to share a Roomette, I don’t see any reason why they would opt for two separate Cabins for 1, as Upper and Lower Berths are significantly cheaper, while a Cabin for 2 offers much more space for the same price as 2 Cabins for 1 (as you correctly noted)...

 

[willem]

Interesting. A veteran of several trips on the Canadian advised me that two people traveling together would do better to get two Cabins for 1 than one Cabin for 2. I wish I had pressed him for his rationale. One reason might be so that the travelers have windows on both sides of the train, but I would expect most of the time to be spent away from the rooms. Can a Cabin for 1 seat two people in the daytime configuration?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've not been in a Cabin for 1 on the Canadian, but on the Heritage Sleepers and Slumber Coaches the Roomettes were very short on space for more than 1 person, so I'd guess not!??

 

[cpotisch]

Interesting. A veteran of several trips on the Canadian advised me that two people traveling together would do better to get two Cabins for 1 than one Cabin for 2. I wish I had pressed him for his rationale. One reason might be so that the travelers have windows on both sides of the train, but I would expect most of the time to be spent away from the rooms. Can a Cabin for 1 seat two people in the daytime configuration?

I had seen a similar thing. If memory serves, the reason was that the Cabin for 2 has movable chairs which aren't nearly as comfortable as the fixed seat in each Cabin for 1 (and yes, you can only fit one person), and the fact that you can only fit one seat next to the window in a Cf2, so one person is always a few feet away from the window. I guess it also doesn't hurt that each person has a toilet with two Cf1s, even if it is an in-room instead of an en suite.

 

[OBS]

Via currently has sale going on....20% off lowest Sleeper Plus prices....

 

[cpotisch]

Via currently has sale going on....20% off lowest Sleeper Plus prices....

There a link?

EDIT: Never mind, found it. But is this any lower than the day to day Sleeper Plus deals?

 

[OBS]

There a link?

EDIT: Never mind, found it. But is this any lower than the day to day Sleeper Plus deals?

According to the posting example I saw on facebook, it was 20% lower....maybe need a promo code?

 

[cpotisch]

There a link?

EDIT: Never mind, found it. But is this any lower than the day to day Sleeper Plus deals?

According to the posting example I saw on facebook, it was 20% lower....maybe need a promo code?

Promo code is VIA20, and is listed here. Definitely seems much more expensive than those standard Sleeper Plus deals. :wacko:

 

[zephyr17]

For a single traveller, a Roomette and a Cabin for 1 seem indeed to be equivalent. However, for 2 passengers willing to share a Roomette, I don’t see any reason why they would opt for two separate Cabins for 1, as Upper and Lower Berths are significantly cheaper, while a Cabin for 2 offers much more space for the same price as 2 Cabins for 1 (as you correctly noted)...

A "Cabin for 1" IS a roomette.  Roomettes having been designed as a private accommodation for 1, introduced early in the streamlined era and intended for business travelers desiring privacy but not wanting to pay for the extra berth of a Double Bedroom or Compartment.  Via just renamed all their accommodations to more cruise ship-like names.  You can call Via and ask for a roomette and they know precisely what you are talking about.

Amtrak's "roomettes" started life being called "Economy Bedrooms" and they retained that nomenclature for a long, long time.  Then briefly they were "Bedrooms" (as opposed to "Deluxe Bedrooms") but that was confusing.  Then they renamed them "roomettes", a nice traditional railroad-y term.  They are, in fact an accommodation unique to Amtrak and are kind of a mash-up of a traditional roomette and a section.  In Superliners, they are essentially a section with much worse berths than a traditional section, a door and a wall.

Possible reasons to opt for 2 roomettes ("Cabin for 1") as opposed to a Double Bedroom/Compartment ("Cabin for 2"):

Cabins for 2 sold out or no longer available in discount inventory and you still want privacy.

Chairs are more comfortable than those in the Cabins for 2.

Ability to book across from each other and have access to windows on both sides of the train (but what are you doing in your room anyway when you should be up in that Budd short dome?)

 

[zephyr17]

Promo code is VIA20, and is listed here. Definitely seems much more expensive than those standard Sleeper Plus deals. :wacko:

It is.  The Sleeper Plus deal page is typically 40% and sometimes even 50% off.  The advantage of the promotion is it is MUCH more flexible than the very restricted options on the Sleeper Plus deal page.  You can book any departure with inventory remaining in the "discount" inventory, whereas the deals on the deals on the deal page are only for the specific departures, accommodations, and travel points that are listed on the page, and they are also usually available only about 6 weeks before departure.  

 

[cpotisch]

For a single traveller, a Roomette and a Cabin for 1 seem indeed to be equivalent. However, for 2 passengers willing to share a Roomette, I don’t see any reason why they would opt for two separate Cabins for 1, as Upper and Lower Berths are significantly cheaper, while a Cabin for 2 offers much more space for the same price as 2 Cabins for 1 (as you correctly noted)...

A "Cabin for 1" IS a roomette.  They just renamed it to a more cruise ship-like name.

Amtrak's "roomettes" started life being called "Economy Bedrooms" and they retained that nomenclature for a long, long time.  Then briefly they were "Bedrooms" (as opposed to "Deluxe Bedrooms") but that was confusing.  Then they renamed them "roomettes", a nice traditional railroady term.  They are, in fact an accommodation unique to Amtrak and are kind of a mash-up of a roomette and a section.  In Superliners, they are essentially a section with much worse beds, a door and a wall.

I learned from this video that at least in 1994, Amtrak referred to them as Roomettes on the Heritage sleepers (accurately), and as Economy Bedrooms on Superliners. Something odd I noticed is that though "Jim" states later in the video that the then-upcoming Viewliners "will have Bedrooms and Roomettes", all Viewliner Roomettes actually still have a sticker on the table listing it as an "Economy Bedroom".

So did Amtrak originally plan on calling them VL Roomettes, then change its mind and call it an Economy Bedroom, and then later go back to calling it a Roomette (without updating those stickers)? Someone here who was alive before 2002 can probably answer that...

 

[Seaboard92]

Actually the double room in a slumbercoach is very similar to Antrak roomettes.

 

[willem]

Can a Cabin for 1 seat two people in the daytime configuration?

Yes, much more comfortably than the wider seat in an Amtrak roomette.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Yes, much more comfortably than the wider seat in an Amtrak roomette.

Really?? Pretty tight for two.....

http://destinationmike.blogspot.com/2012/04/via-rail-sleeper-plus-class-cabin-for.html

But I suppose the second person could sit on the toilet cover facing you.

 

[jiml]

If anyone's planning a visit to Canada in the next few months, VIA Rail has a significant sale on. Up to 20% on corridor services (including Business Class, which is unusual) and up to 40% on LD routes, with those discounts highest post-summer obviously.

 

[willem]

Really?? Pretty tight for two.....
[...]
But I suppose the second person could sit on the toilet cover facing you.

Just my opinion, of course, but I meant what I said (for a Superliner roomette; I should have said that). Two of us sat in the seat of a Cabin for 1 in the past month.

And you are correct that the padded toilet cover is comfortable enough for extended use as a seat.