NCL/Amtrak

[ewheelock]

Has anyone taken Amtrak to their cruise port? I was thinking about taking Amtrak from Atlanta to NOLA for a cruise in October because round trip for 2 is $212.00 total vs whatever for air fare. I was reading on the NCL web site that if you have a cruise booked you can get up to 25% off of your Amtrak tickets if you have a cruise booking number. Has anyone else seen this or taken advantage of it?

 

I will have to spend 2 nights in NOLA but I don't think that it is a disadvantage!

[cruisingfromMN]

We took the Amtrak from MPLS to Seattle last July. It was a fun experience. However, we were not able to use the train/cruise discount because of some rule of it already being a low fare.

[dwrist]

CruisingfromMinnesota

 

How long did it take you--MSP to Seattle? How easy was it to get from the AMtrak station to where you stayed? I assume you arrived earlier than sail date. Would you do it again on AMtrak?

Thank for the info, we are trying to decide fly, drive or train?

[Don Haynes]

The problem with the Crescent, Amtrak's train from Atlanta to New Orleans is that it arrives in New Orleans after 7 PM. If you choose to use Amtrak, plan on spending a night in a hotel before the cruise. Unfortunately, on the return the Cresent leaves New Orleans at 7 AM, you'll have to spend another night in a hotel to catch the train the next morning.

 

I have ridden almost every Amtrak train, and all of the long distance trains coast to coast. The diner food is good, similar to a diner, and if you overnight in a sleeper its great. However, since yours is mostly a day ride, getting a sleeper would be foolish, going coach will do.

[krznkim]

Does anyone know if there is a train from Kansas City, Mo to the Houston area? That would be cool to take the train! I never thought of that! How can I find this out?

 

Thanks!

[lswaaley]

Does anyone know if there is a train from Kansas City, Mo to the Houston area? That would be cool to take the train! I never thought of that! How can I find this out?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hi, we just took the Amtrak Cascades from Vancouver, BC to Seattle, WA after being on the NCL Sun.

 

There was a 15% discount (the website said 25% but Amtrak said only 15%)

 

It was great and the Conductor Brad was very entertaining and knowledgeable.

 

The conductor and the engineer are both in charge of the train and it was really cool.

[Don Haynes]

From Kansas City you'll need to wake up early in the morning to catch the Southwest Chief to Chicago. You'll leave Kansas City at 7:35 Am and arrive in Chicago at 3:20 PM, if the train is on time. You should be able to catch the City of New Orleans at 8:00 PM and arrive in New Orleans the next day at 3:32 PM, if the train is on time. Amtrak never runs on time, always figure on it running a 2-4 hours late on the single track west and south of Chicago. Therefore I would arrive in New Orleans a day earlier than the cruise ship departs, in other words spend the night in a New Orleans hotel.

 

On the return the City of New Orleans leaves at 1:45 PM and arrives the next day in Chicago at 9 AM, if the train is on time, where you can catch the Southwest Chief at 3:15 PM and arrive in Kansas City at 10:11 PM that night, if the train is on time. You should be able to make the connections in Chicago easily, there is a five to six hour pad. However, a very wise person would book a night in Chicago in both directions just to be safe. Coach fare for a roundtrip on Amtrak is $475 per person. You'll spend 4 days on the train.

 

Compared to Europe, our Amtrak trains are obsolete, the Europeans having much faster trains and more of them. But if you wish to ride a train, I suggest you do so quickly, there is no guarantee they will be around next year. Many in Congress wish to eliminate Amtrak's subsidy. Its been this way for years, but Amtrak keeps rolling.

 

I highly recommend spending more money for a sleeper accomodation on the City of New Orleans. Its a lot easier to sleep in those very small private compartments than in the chair in coach. Since its is not overnight to Chicago and back from Chicago, a coach seat will do. In a sleeper the food in the dining car is included with the fare, in coach the food is extra in the dining car. Amtrak's prices reflect the price of a Denny's restaurant, maybe a bit more. In the Lounge car there is a snack shop where you can buy microwave sandwiches, sodas, beer, etc.

 

However, if you are a smoker, Amtrak has ended the smoking section in one of the coaches. Smoking is allowed only at stops, outside the train today. There is barely enough time to smoke one cig, and then you'll have to go hours before you'll be allowed to smoke again. I haven't ridden Amtrak since they changed their smoking policy to no smoking on the train. Its tough enough to go hours on an airliner without a smoke, its even tougher to go days with limited smoking on a train.

[electricron]

Does anyone know if there is a train from Kansas City, Mo to the Houston area? That would be cool to take the train! I never thought of that! How can I find this out? Thanks!

 

There isn't a direct Amtrak train between these two cities. The best you can hope for is to take the Southwest Chief to Chicago, then take the Texas Eagle to Longview Texas, and catch an Amtrak contracted bus to Houston.

I would recommend an overnight stay in Chicago as I believe the Texas Eagle departs Chicago before the Southwest Chief arrives. Amtrak a few years ago provide a bus connecting service between Galena and Springfield so a connection can be made, but it's a questionable connection as both trains are usually running hours behind schedule. I wouldn't trust Amtrak when it's important to be on time at your final or intermediate designation.

 

Don't take me wrong, if time isn't a factor, riding Amtrak can be fun. Therefore, I highly suggest if you plan on taking the trains, to plan on missing connections, and arrive at least a day or two early.

 

Best possible time scenario:

Day 1 Leave KC early am on the Southwest Chief.

Day 1 Make bus connection in mid afternoon from Galena to Springfield.

Day 1 Catch Texas Eagle in Springfield in early evening.

Day 2 Make bus connection in Longview in early afternoon

Day 2 Arrive in Houston late afternoon.

Day 2 Take hotel room in Houston

Day 3 Board the Dream and start your cruise.

 

What you should plan in case the Southwest Chief is late:

Day 1 Leave KC early am on the Southwest Chief.

Day 1 Take hotel room in Chicago for the night.

Day 2 Take Texas Eagle with late afternoon departure.

Day 3 Make bus connection in Longview in early afternoon.

Day 3 Arrive Houston late afternoon

Take hotel room in Houston

Day 4 Board the Dream and start your cruise.

 

My percentages of making train connections on th esame day in Chicago is around 50%. That's not what I call often enough to be considered trustworthy. I've seen the Texas Eagle not even run for days when there was flooding in Missouri. There's just too that can go wrong to delay the trains. I've seen very ill passengers delay the train over 3 hours when they had to be removed from the train at a local stop for medical care. I've seen drunks delay the train for an hour when the conductor kicks them off the train, waiting on either the local sheriff or police to pick them up. I've seen crossing accidents delay a train for 6 hours, as we wait for a new crew to board the train, as the original engineers and conductors must stay behind. I've seen the train slowed by heavy volume freight traffic, and by other freight trains blocking the main line with mechanical problems causing the crew to stop the train for hours and wait for for a new train crew to arrive and take control of the train, as their time allowed behind the throttles had expired.

I bet there are other train delaying scenarios I haven't personally experienced. Amtrak will eventually get you there, but don't rely or plan on them getting you there on time, or to get you there on your cruise's departure day.

 

Of course, there's more frequent train service in the northeast corridor, with several trains per day between cities, unlike Kansas City and Houston, with one train in each direction per day. If you miss your connection there, you just take a seat on the next train. But in Mid America and West, missing a connection and your next train means losing at least a day.

[newbiefromvancouver]

We took the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Seattle to Emeryville, CA (San Francisco). We booked by phone and had no problem getting cruisers 25% discount.

 

I think the final $$ was even a little less than I had calculated using the Amtrak website:p

 

A warning: Allow for train delays. We arrived in San Francisco 3 hrs late which seemed to be a usual occurance.

 

We had a great holiday: 3 adventures in 1 - train/San Francisco/cruise home to Vancouver.

 

Highly recommend AND the rocking of the train prepares you for the cruise!

 

(Smoking stops were few and far between)

[Don Haynes]

With Amtrak Electricron is correct, always plan to arrive at your destination at least one day earlier, preferrably two days early, and vice a versa on the return trip. Never plan to arrive on the day you need to be there.

 

Otherwise Amtrak is fun and okay. Trains rarely run on time on single track. They do much better on the double, and triple track on the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington, and in New York state and Pennsylvania. Outside that, plan and expect delays.

[ewheelock]

Thanks for the great information. I will be leaving on Saturday from Atlanta and returning on Monday. At least I will get to see NOLA on Sunday when the ship returns.

 

I am glad to see that it is pretty easy to get the discount. I think that you just have to give Amtrak your booking # for your cruise.

 

The difference between the 15% and 25% is the time you travel. If it is Amtraks off season the discount is 25%.

[7SeasLover]

We took Amtrak from Los Angeles to San Diego. Train station is across the tracks from the port. We did it same day and had no problems. We just rolled our luggage down the street, across the tracks and got right onto the ship.

 

Was fun.

[cruisingfromMN]

CruisingfromMinnesota

 

How long did it take you--MSP to Seattle? How easy was it to get from the AMtrak station to where you stayed? I assume you arrived earlier than sail date. Would you do it again on AMtrak?

Thank for the info, we are trying to decide fly, drive or train?

 

The train from Mpls to Seattle was two nights. We got on at 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday and we arrived in Seattle at 12:00 p.m. on Friday. We had sleeper cars so it was quite comfortable. The experience was great, food was excellent. We went to a free wine and cheese tasting, was served warm, fresh cookies each afternoon. In our sleepers upon boarding was a bottle of water for everyone and a box full of treats. The food in the diner was quite good and because we had the sleeper was included in the price of our ticket. Would I do it again... SURE! As everyone else has said here though, allow alot of extra time to get there. The trains run late!!!!

[ScubaJim]

FYI

There is still no Amtrak service from New Orleans thru Mobile to Jacksonville,FL.

[garycarla]

Great information here from others.

 

To answer an earlier question "Where can I find more information?"

 

Just go to www.amtrak.com (thats probably where most of the other information came from)

[dwrist]

CruisingfromMn--

Thank you for replying. I think we will check it out.

[cruisingfromMN]

CruisingfromMn--

Thank you for replying. I think we will check it out.

 

I forgot to tell you too, that it was a simple taxi ride to our hotel (Homewood Suites). Then, the hotel shuttled us to the pier.

[alikaalex]

Does anyone know whether this offer will be continued in 2008? Is this one of those offers that typically gets renewed each year?

[Ms belp]

We are cruising to Alaska the first of May 2008 out of Seattle. We are cruising out of NYC next November. I HATE to fly, always have to take pills to get us through. I love trains, however, Dallas doesn't seem to have much to offer that compares to Southwest Airlines. Anyone have knowledge or ideas how to do it?:confused: I'd love to travel on a train again! It's been more years than I care to count.:eek:

[Don Haynes]

From Kansas City there isn't a good connection to Houston, you will have to make a connection in Chicago. I would plan on a night in Chicago and New Orleans and sail from New Orleans. Trains west of Chicago tend to run very late. Trains east of Chicago tend to run on time better, well, at least closer. Plan on getting to the ship at least a day early.

 

From Dallas/Fort Worth plan to make your connection in Chicago. I would spend a night in Chicago. You will spend a night on the train from Texarkana to St. Louis, and two nights on the train to Seattle arriving in Seattle on the third night on that train. You'll see the night fall after Milwaukee and again around Minot, and arrive on the evening of the third night on that train. Its actually the fourth night because of the night thru Arkansas and Missouri on the other train. Trains are not the fastest route, but its nice to let the engineer drive. Its a long drive from Dallas to Seattle.

 

Overnight from Chicago eastwards and southwards one night, westwards to the Pacific two nights, almost a third on the trains. To ensure the connection, spend a fourth night in Chicago..

[NorthernNeighbour]

We are cruising to Alaska the first of May 2008 out of Seattle. We are cruising out of NYC next November. I HATE to fly, always have to take pills to get us through. I love trains, however, Dallas doesn't seem to have much to offer that compares to Southwest Airlines. Anyone have knowledge or ideas how to do it?:confused: I'd love to travel on a train again! It's been more years than I care to count.:eek:

 

I have NOT been from Dallas to Seattle by train but I know it can be done one of two ways. You can take the train from Dallas to Chicago then change to go to Seattle OR you can take the train from Dallas to Los Angeles and then take the train to go to Seattle. The details schedules are at http://www.amtrak.com

 

As for the Dallas to New York -- I have done this and found it most enjoyable. Left Dallas late afternoon, having booked a sleeper car and arrived in Chicago the next afternoon. There AMTRAK has a nice first class lounge for connecting sleeping car passengers to wait in. After a few hours, I boarded the overnight train to New York, again in the sleeping car and arrived in New York late the next afternoon.

 

What I would definitely recommend, if you decide to do this, is to allows yourself a few extra days leeway, in case the train from Dallas to Chicago is running very late and you miss the connection to New York. In this case, AMTRAK may be able to rebook you the same evening on an alternate train via Washington, DC -- but you may need to wait an extra day in the worst case to catch the next train to New York. It should NOT be a problem in November (a slow month) UNLESS it is near the Thanksgiving Day period. Then missing a connection would cause a problem.

 

Anyway, if it were I, I would allow a least a couple of extra days and plan to arrive in New York not one but two days before the cruise.

 

Incidentally, if you have not been on a train in many years, some things are better, some not as good as before. Better -- now almost all sleeping cars have shower facilities. Worst -- while the food is not too bad in the dining car, it does not come close to being what it used to be in the heyday of train travel. My own secret for going to sleep on a train is to take two TYLENOL PM before retiring (but NOT if you have had too much alcohol to drink). In any event, if you don't sleep too well (on the Dallas to New York run), you will NOT have to get up early -- just sleep in -- because the train will not arrive in Chicago before mid-afternoon and the train from Chicago to New York will also not arrive before mid-afternoon.

 

One more thing -- AMTRAK will check your luggage in Dallas straight through to New York, so you do not need to collect it in Chicago to make the next train. It will be transferred automatically. Of course, you will still need a small piece of luggage (at least) for the train to pack you PJs and toothbrush (unless of course you don't use PJs, but that is none of my business!!!)

 

Hope this information helps -- any other questions about the Dallas to New York run, just ask.

[Ms belp]

From Kansas City you'll need to wake up early in the morning to catch the Southwest Chief to Chicago. You'll leave Kansas City at 7:35 Am and arrive in Chicago at 3:20 PM, if the train is on time. You should be able to catch the City of New Orleans at 8:00 PM and arrive in New Orleans the next day at 3:32 PM, if the train is on time. Amtrak never runs on time, always figure on it running a 2-4 hours late on the single track west and south of Chicago. Therefore I would arrive in New Orleans a day earlier than the cruise ship departs, in other words spend the night in a New Orleans hotel.

 

On the return the City of New Orleans leaves at 1:45 PM and arrives the next day in Chicago at 9 AM, if the train is on time, where you can catch the Southwest Chief at 3:15 PM and arrive in Kansas City at 10:11 PM that night, if the train is on time. You should be able to make the connections in Chicago easily, there is a five to six hour pad. However, a very wise person would book a night in Chicago in both directions just to be safe. Coach fare for a roundtrip on Amtrak is $475 per person. You'll spend 4 days on the train.

 

Compared to Europe, our Amtrak trains are obsolete, the Europeans having much faster trains and more of them. But if you wish to ride a train, I suggest you do so quickly, there is no guarantee they will be around next year. Many in Congress wish to eliminate Amtrak's subsidy. Its been this way for years, but Amtrak keeps rolling.

 

I highly recommend spending more money for a sleeper accomodation on the City of New Orleans. Its a lot easier to sleep in those very small private compartments than in the chair in coach. Since its is not overnight to Chicago and back from Chicago, a coach seat will do. In a sleeper the food in the dining car is included with the fare, in coach the food is extra in the dining car. Amtrak's prices reflect the price of a Denny's restaurant, maybe a bit more. In the Lounge car there is a snack shop where you can buy microwave sandwiches, sodas, beer, etc.

 

However, if you are a smoker, Amtrak has ended the smoking section in one of the coaches. Smoking is allowed only at stops, outside the train today. There is barely enough time to smoke one cig, and then you'll have to go hours before you'll be allowed to smoke again. I haven't ridden Amtrak since they changed their smoking policy to no smoking on the train. Its tough enough to go hours on an airliner without a smoke, its even tougher to go days with limited smoking on a train.

 

It's really sad that I no longer have the freedom that I once knew when I was growing up. I thought this was the USA.

[Don Haynes]

The key is Chicago, where you wlll switch trains. Most of the trains leaving the east coast arrive in Chicago before noon, or shortly after. Most of the trains leaving the west coast or from the south arrive in Chicago in the late afternoon or early evening hours.

 

Trains leaving Chicago headed westward or southward depart in the late afternoon, trains leaving Chicago headed eastward leave during the late evening hours. Planning a westward trip is easier than planning a eastward trip through Chicago. Thus if a train is a few hours late, its easy to miss a train. I highly recommend spending a night at a hotel in Chicago. But this usually means you'll have to wait til the late afternnoon or late evenings to leave the next day, especially eastwards.

 

You will spend a night on the train eastwards and southwards of Chicago, but you will spend two nights and almost a third night on the train westwards of Chicago. IF you do the Eagle/Sunset Limited connection in San Antonio, you will spend a third night on the train southwestwards of Chicago and arrive during the day in LA. I prefer to skip the west coast, so much freight headed eastwards its hard for a train to go westwards. Tracks east of Chicago are double tracked, tracks headed southwards and westwards are mostly single tracked. Thus a lot of waits for trains to pass.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time if the train is delayed.

[Don Haynes]

The thing with Amtrak is to hope for a good connection, but plan for a bad one costing you a full day. Amtrak will get you there eventually, just plan for the bad connections. Its best to be in no hurry. If you are in a hurry, fly and hope for the best.

 

I have been on the Sunset Limited and being at Yuma before daybreak, and arrived in LA after dark. The two or three hour train ride can take several hours with the huge number of trains leaving the port of LA going eastward blocking your train trip westward on the single track.

 

I have also had a train cancelled due to flooding in Missouri, south of Saint Louis. However, if there aren't any huge snow drifts there is no safer means of travel during the winter. Planes have to be de-iced and lose time sitting on the ground during the winter, airports have been closed due to the weather, while a trains rolls through the snow slowly to its destination. I am a nervous wreck driving on ice. One might as well let the engineer drive the train during the winter months.

 

The best route westward is the old Santa Fe route from Chicago to LA mostly along Hwy. 66 with the Southwest Chief as far as being close to on time. Although the best landscape scenes are on the route from Chicago to Oakland with the Zephyr, especially west of Denver. I have a fond memory of the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle, there are some good landscape scenes in Montana. Unfortunately you travel through the Cascades east of Seattle at night.