What free amenities are given or are available for sleeper passengers?

[denmarks]

Including what you find in the room are there any other things you can ask for such as a deck of cards?

 

[Triley]

There are no hidden free amenities, just what it is advertised.

Bottled water, toiletries, linens, bedding, and coat hangers are the only things available. Occasionally an attendant may be able to get you a bucket of ice, that’s about it. In addition to the coffee station during morning hours, and beverages at all other times from the diner.

Cards are available for purchase in the Cafe for $5.

 

[zephyr17]

Including what you find in the room are there any other things you can ask for such as a deck of cards?

Ice. That's it besides the listed amenities (meals, one free adult beverage at dinner now, water and soft drinks that you may have to fetch yourself).

If you want cards, you buy them yourself in the lounge/cafe. Note that they are often out of those.

 

[happycamper]

IS coffee available all day or has to be bought in the cafe in off hours?

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Back in the pre Anderson days they baked chocolate chip cookies for sleeper passengers. I miss that.

 

[zephyr17]

Back in the pre Anderson days they baked chocolate chip cookies for sleeper passengers. I miss that.

That ended several years before Anderson. It went out about the same time as the wine, IIRC.

 

[Triley]

IS coffee available all day or has to be bought in the cafe in off hours?

It is only available in the sleeper during the morning hours. After that, you may get some from either the diner or Cafe, as part of your unlimited nonalcoholic beverage amenity.

 

[happycamper]

It is only available in the sleeper during the morning hours. After that, you may get some from either the diner or Cafe, as part of your unlimited nonalcoholic beverage amenity.

I was under the impression that only things in the diner are included and if you go to the cafe you have to pay. Please clarify this for me I appreciate it!

 

[Bob Dylan]

I was under the impression that only things in the diner are included and if you go to the cafe you have to pay. Please clarify this for me I appreciate it!

He did, he's an LSA for Amtrak.

 

[JoshP]

I was under the impression that only things in the diner are included and if you go to the cafe you have to pay. Please clarify this for me I appreciate it!

If you show your sleeper ticket, you don't have to pay, that what I did and it worked.

I remember, in old days, sometimes sleeper attendants setup a small table and they put a cooler, full of ice, cups and a coffee so you can drink as much you want. This was in 2010 when I was in bedroom from NYC to Miami. Miss that old times!

 

[me_little_me]

I will mention, to the chagrin of others, that those amenities are subject to the ability of Amtrak to actually put them on board or put them on board in sufficient quantity that they don't run out, as well as the willingness of the staff to actually provide them, to let you know they are available, or to make them easy to get.

Not once on a three-train trip when we needed to use the handicap rooms did a single car attendant offer to bring meals to us, ask us if we needed anything or even tell us what was available to us. I'm glad it was a temporary thing. I'd hate to have that happen more than 3 times.

In Soviet Russia it was said that the workers pretended to work and the government pretended to pay them. At Amtrak, managers pretend they have created "Standards" and some employees pretend to follow them.

 

[alanh]

The FDA bans open ice buckets, and there's no room for a dispenser in the car. The simple reason is that scoop or no, people dig their grubby hands into it.

 

[flitcraft]

he FDA bans open ice buckets, and there's no room for a dispenser in the car. The simple reason is that scoop or no, people dig their grubby hands into it.

Ah, and that is why we can't have nice things...

 

[happycamper]

Thank you all - I learn alot before I go and then I know what to ask for nicely and what not to do. Most of all though it is important to be nice to the staff. I really like learning about them as you can see them again on another train or the same train on another trip.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The FDA (sorta) bans ice chests but also does nothing to stop anyone from shoving their unwashed half-full personal cups all the way up a dispenser's chute. The good SCA's will get ice right away but some will guilt trip you about the request or make you wait (sometimes for hours) and then forget who asked for what. When I ask friends and family why they declined to ride Amtrak more than once or twice they often cite Amtrak's suprisingly adversarial service standards.

 

[PVD]

I had heard that the VL2 sleeper would have an enclosed ice dispenser, can anyone confirm that it was (or was not) implemented?

 

[PaulM]

Not once on a three-train trip when we needed to use the handicap rooms did a single car attendant offer to bring meals to us, ask us if we needed anything or even tell us what was available to us. I'm glad it was a temporary thing. I'd hate to have that happen more than 3 times.

On a recent 3 segment sleeper trip, I noticed that the SCA's didn't do the usual meet and greet. In the past it wasn't necessary because I had heard it all many times. But with the many changes in the last several year, I did have questions.

 

[joelkfla]

I had heard that the VL2 sleeper would have an enclosed ice dispenser, can anyone confirm that it was (or was not) implemented?

I've seen it on more than one YouTube video, but I don't think I've seen anyone confirm that it was in use.

 

[PVD]

I've seen them also, but would just love to hear it from any of our members who have ridden one...

 

[joelkfla]

I've seen them also, but would just love to hear it from any of our members who have ridden one...

Well, I'll find out in a couple of weeks if no one answers before then.

 

[Sauve850]

I was on VL2 Silver Star sleeper in September and did not see one.

 

[Danib62]

Don't forget you also get free lounge access at your departure and destination stations, if they have.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Bingo! Lounge access/meals/drinks pretty much sums things up nowadays.

 

[MARC Rider]

On a recent 3 segment sleeper trip, I noticed that the SCA's didn't do the usual meet and greet. In the past it wasn't necessary because I had heard it all many times. But with the many changes in the last several year, I did have questions.

I had a "meet and greet" on my last 2 sleeper trips (last week on the Lake Shore Limited" and last Sunday on the Capitol Limited, and those guys were also being slammed with Flex meal duty and such. But they did come by to talk with us and take our dinner orders.

 

[pennyk]

I was on VL2 Silver Star sleeper in September and did not see one.

I have been on VL2s 4 times and did not notice one.