Sleeper question

[Teresa]

If my husband and myself have a bedroom sleeper, and my adult son at the last minute decides he is able to travel with us but cannot get a sleeper, would he be able to visit us in the bedroom compartment with a coach ticket? Also, would we be able to have our meals together?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[TimePeace]

You can definitely eat together - when the dining car person comes thru taking reservations for dinner, tell him/her you will have your son with you. Breakfast and lunch are usually not by reservation, so if the three of you show up at the diner together it should be no problem to be seated together. Your son will have to pay for his meal; yours are included in the price of the sleeper.

As far as him visiting your room, that is iffy. It is against the rules for coach passengers to be in sleeping cars, however I have had a guest visit my room once, with permission from the attendant. However, if you are in a roomette, there is hardly room for three of you - two fills the room pretty full.

This has been debated here before: I think it boils down to, it is officially against the rules but it is sometimes done. Opinions vary widely. Don't count on it.

You will also be able to spend time together in the cafe car, which is open to all passengers.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[ehbowen]

Maine is correct that a roomette is unsuitable for entertaining guests; however if you do actually have a full bedroom (which has plenty of space for four adults in daytime mode) I cannot envision the car attendant or the conductor having any objections if you notify them in advance, particularly if the guest is your own son.

 

[SP&S]

I trust you're in a bedroom and not a roomette. Three adults in a roomette - that would be the very definition of cramped - visions of a clown car at the circus come to mind.

If your son can't join you, dining is no problem. If an unreserved meal, simply show up at the same time and ask to be seated together. If it's reserved, make a reservation for him along with you. He'll have to pay, but I'm sure you were expecting that.

You'll have to ask the SCA if he can join you in the bedroom. You might want to respectfully point out that Amtrak will book three in a sleeper and that he's paid his full fare and make sure they know he's your son and will be just visiting not sleeping. They may be able to do something for you, if not you can always go back to the sightseer lounge or, if there are empty seats visit him in coach. If the SCA says no, please don't hold it against them, they may be working under a stickler hboy: of a conductor and value their job.

Personally, last February Mrs SP&S and I had a bedroom on the Starlight, LAX to PDX. A couple of weeks before we left we bought our daughter a ticket EUG-PDX on the same train. Early in the trip, we talked with our SCA, somebody from the extra board who normally worked coaches, and politely asked if we could have her join us for a while. She was a little reluctant at first (of course we pointed out that she was paying more for her coach seat that we were for out AGR bedroom) but she said she'd see what she could do. Later on she said she could, and to have her board directly into our car. Of course I had to get out in Eugene, find my daughter, and lead her to the car as the gate personnel were directing her to a coach - thank heavens Eugene is a smoke stop. I figure she wanted her to board directly into our car to avoid hassles with any other of the crew.

We stayed in our bedroom, figuring that the three of us hanging out in the Parlour would have been pushing things :blush: , and had a wonderful ride. Dinner is served after Portland, so that was not an issue.

De-training in Portland our SCA - who otherwise hadn't earned a big one - was rewarded with a very nice tip in the handshake and a "thanks for taking care of my Daughter". I always have figured that extra service deserves an extra tip :hi: .

Whatever, enjoy the trip.

 

[Bob Dylan]

If my husband and myself have a bedroom sleeper, and my adult son at the last minute decides he is able to travel with us but cannot get a sleeper, would he be able to visit us in the bedroom compartment with a coach ticket? Also, would we be able to have our meals together?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

IF you have A Regular Bedroom ,(not a Roomette) and you CALL ,you can add your son to your Rez in the Bedroom since Amtrak will book three in a bedroom with the Disclaimer that it will be tight but all he would have to pay would be the Low Bucket Rail Fare and All Meals in the diner would be included for all three of you! Of course you and your sig other would have to share the bottom bunk (a little smaller than a Double Bed) while your son slept in the Top Bunk but it's doable! IMO this is the way to go rather than buying a Coach ticket and paying for meals! No hassle with permission etc., he can just board and yall roll out together!

 

[FlyingBoat]

If this is a reward ticket there wouldn't be any extra cost to add your son to your bedroom. If he needed a place to sleep, maby you could still book him in your room so he would have free meals and access, but also buy a coach ticket? I have thought of this type of scenario myself and wondered if they would allow a person booked in BR to go sleep in coach if there is an opening so you could still have your privacy.

 

[Teresa]

If my husband and myself have a bedroom sleeper, and my adult son at the last minute decides he is able to travel with us but cannot get a sleeper, would he be able to visit us in the bedroom compartment with a coach ticket? Also, would we be able to have our meals together?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

IF you have A Regular Bedroom ,(not a Roomette) and you CALL ,you can add your son to your Rez in the Bedroom since Amtrak will book three in a bedroom with the Disclaimer that it will be tight but all he would have to pay would be the Low Bucket Rail Fare and All Meals in the diner would be included for all three of you! Of course you and your sig other would have to share the bottom bunk (a little smaller than a Double Bed) while your son slept in the Top Bunk but it's doable! IMO this is the way to go rather than buying a Coach ticket and paying for meals! No hassle with permission etc., he can just board and yall roll out together!

Very interesting suggestion.....I thought the bedrooms were for 2 adults and the third person would have be a child, not another adult.

Since I am somewhat claustophobic....we only get bedrooms. My DH sleeps on the upper and I don't have the bottom bed pulled out to be made into a bed. I just place the sheet over the seat, then there's enough space for me to get up and out if I need to. So I couldn't share the bottom with my DH.

Last time I traveled with just my son, he met some young people his age in coach and spent most of the night in the the club car. Only came to the bedroom to sleep all day. :blink:

But you gave me something to consider. I'm sure he would have no problem sleeping in the chair if he had to.

Yes, it would be a reward ticket.....thanks to you all for smartening me up. And you are still teaching me a thing or two. Thanks

You might be wondering why someone who is claustophobic would want to travel by train, in a little compartment. I love traveling by train. I won't fly and I have been traveling by train since I was a baby. And that's a long time ago. If for any length of time I'm not on a train....I actually miss it.

My pastor once asked why would I want to spend all those uncomfortable hours on a train when I could fly anywhere in such a short time. I explained to him, besides slowing down and making the trip part of my vacaton, there are all those interesting people we meet. There are all those things you would see on a train that you would miss by flying.

My example to him was, "On our last trip home, I was watching a sky writer somewhere in the south. I watched as he wrote a G....then an O....then I waited until we cleared some trees, then I saw a D.... Then he wrote an I....S. I waited some more as we turned around a bend, wondering what would come next. Then he continued to write L....O....V....E...... God Is Love," I asked him if he ever saw anything like that from a plane. He understood.

Thanks to all for your suggestions

 

[PaulM]

My pastor once asked why would I want to spend all those uncomfortable hours on a train when I could fly anywhere in such a short time. I explained to him, besides slowing down and making the trip part of my vacaton, there are all those interesting people we meet. There are all those things you would see on a train that you would miss by flying.

Your comment reminded me that train travel is like religion. You either believe or you don't.

 

[had8ley]

If my husband and myself have a bedroom sleeper, and my adult son at the last minute decides he is able to travel with us but cannot get a sleeper, would he be able to visit us in the bedroom compartment with a coach ticket? Also, would we be able to have our meals together?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

IF you have A Regular Bedroom ,(not a Roomette) and you CALL ,you can add your son to your Rez in the Bedroom since Amtrak will book three in a bedroom with the Disclaimer that it will be tight but all he would have to pay would be the Low Bucket Rail Fare and All Meals in the diner would be included for all three of you! Of course you and your sig other would have to share the bottom bunk (a little smaller than a Double Bed) while your son slept in the Top Bunk but it's doable! IMO this is the way to go rather than buying a Coach ticket and paying for meals! No hassle with permission etc., he can just board and yall roll out together!

Jim hit the bullseye again~ it's the most sensible way to go. No hassels and everyone boards at one time at the same spot! Enjoy

 

[the_traveler]

Jim hit the bullseye again

Jim is right?

Quick notify the media!