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Going to be taking a group from Bakersfield to Fisherman's wharf on May 3, 03. We'll then sail on Celebrity's Mercury for an 8 night Alaska cruise. After 1 night in Vancouver and 2 nights in Seattle, we will ride the Coast Starlight to Oakland. Switching trains in Oakland we will return to Bakersfield on the San Joaquin. Round trip on the San Joaquin and standard bedroom on the Coast Starlight all for under $150 per person. Got to use the free companion fare so that helped quite a bit. We leave Seattle on May 14, 03. I'm gonna be real upset if we don't have a Pacific Parlour Car in the consist. My last trip didn't.
posted
I beg to differ with your title...it may not be a real long distance trip but you sure are covering some mileage. Best of luck.
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Sure thing Mr. Toy. I sure love putting people on the train and as of late, I'm becoming rather fond of cruising too. The trip included 1 night in Vancouver, 2 nights in Seattle, transfers and tours in both cities. Outside cabin on the cruise ship and standard bedroom on the Starlight. Total price per person............$1199.00
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MPALMER, I was being a little facetious with my title of the post. It actually wasn't much of a trip though. My last rail tour took forty people on a 17 day trip from California to New England and Eastern Canada. We traveled through over half of the fifty states and spent eight nights on the train. We did the Zephyr, Lake Shore Ltd., International, Cardinal, Adirondack, Vermonter, Silver Meteor and the Sunset Ltd. Now that was a trip.
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Reggierail: On my last two winter trips on the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto, there was a travel agency tour starting from somewhere in California on the Coast Starlight, connecting to the Canadian for Toronto, thence the Maple Train (an awful train) to New York where the tour boarded the QE2 for a transcanal voyage to Los Angeles. Other than Amtrak's Maple Leaf it certainly was a very attractive first-class tour. Have you ever considered doing something like that? I recall suggesting to the tour leader that the travel agency should consider Toronto to New York via Buffalo and the Lakeshore Limited. I concede the Lakeshore route would take longer, but it would be much more comfortable especially for the up-market Cunard clientele. What do you think?
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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I guess you are referring to the Maple Leaf from Toronto to New York. It's certainly not one of Amtrak's premium trains. One problem with the Lake Shore is its very early departure from Buffalo. A better scenario would be the trip in reverse. Lake Shore to Buffalo from New York after the cruise, hotel at the Falls and tour of the Falls the next day. Motorcoach to Toronto, overnight and then the Canadian.
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yeah yeah a little slow on the uptake sometimes, especially when I run out of Pepsi.
Just the same I have been limited to out-and-back-in-a-day for some time so these journeys sound fascinating (so long as the tour members are in the right state of mind too)
MP
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Everyone on my tours had a fabulous time. They were amazed at how much of the country they actually got to see, up close and personal. One member of the tour actually got off the train at every station, during awake hours, and took a picture of the station. I'm not sure how many she captured, but it was a bunch.
Reggie
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[This message has been edited by reggierail (edited 03-08-2003).]
posted
Just following up. Has any one noticed how often the Pacific Parlour cars are on the Coast Starlight lately? It seems to be a turkey shoot as to whether one will be in the consist.
Reggie
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[This message has been edited by reggierail (edited 03-31-2003).]
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Cross Country? For me, maybe one of these days. Hmm, say retirement. I maybe a measly 1500 a month. I'm lucky to be able to take a train trip from one end on California to another. My personal favorite weekend gettaway is from LAX to SAC via 14-stay the night and come back via the San Joaquin the next day. Another nice weekend gettaway is LAX to Flagstaff or Williams (check out the Grand Canyon-the actual town of Flagstaff is prety neat too).
There are a lot of pretty cool trips out there if you have very little time and/or very little money. I've never been in Sleeper either. I always travel Coach. It really isn't that bad.
------------------ Patrick
Posts: 387 | From: Bakersfield, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Well, it's only 15 days before my group boards the 4:55 AM San Joaquin from Bakersfield to Emryville to catch our bus to the cruise terminal for our Alaska cruise. May 14th we board the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Oakland. Keep your fingers crossed that we get a Pacific Parloue car in the consist.
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