Alaska Scenic Railroad Cars - Princess, RCCL ?

[RSWBADGER]

I'm thinking about Alaska Again and had a question, I posted this on the Princess Thread with little or no response, maybe I'll get some opinions here.

 

I've done the Princess "Heart of Alaska" 12 day cruisetour twice with my wife and enjoyed the trip throughly, except for the seating arrangements on the railcars with a table and everyone facing each other. I thought that's how all the railcars were. :confused:

 

http://www.princess.com/destination/...rs-cruise.html

 

 

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/cruisetours/destination.do;jsessionid=0000vhnbQo27QZscA2Iu8fF9mg6:10ktmf25f?cruisetourDest=ALCAN

 

 

On the travel channel I see the show with Royal Caribbean in Alaska and they have 2 reclining seats on each side faced forward.

 

Anyone experience this?, what is your opionion on this? Do you prefer the tables with the seats facing each other or everyone facing forward like RCCL?

[agabbymama]

I did just an internet search and came up with

 

http://www.alaskarails.org/fp/royal-celeb.html

 

It's talking about RCCI's new rail cars. Looks like maybe the bottom level is seats facing each other over a table, while the top level is seats facing one direction with the glass domes. Doesn't really say if seating is first come first serve or if it's assigned seating.

[RSWBADGER]

I did just an internet search and came up with

 

http://www.alaskarails.org/fp/royal-celeb.html

 

It's talking about RCCI's new rail cars. Looks like maybe the bottom level is seats facing each other over a table, while the top level is seats facing one direction with the glass domes. Doesn't really say if seating is first come first serve or if it's assigned seating.

 

The bottom of the railcars are the dining areas, you express your interest in dining on top and they let you know when your table downstairs is ready. You view wildlife and the scenery from the upper level of the cars, which is assigned.

[Rail Traveler]

All of the "new" full-dome cars operated on the Alaska Railroad have been built by Colorado Railcar in Ft. Lupton, Colorado. The owner, Thomas G. Rader, has sold different versions of the car to Princess Tours, Holland America Line, Royal Celebrity Tours, and the Alaska Railroad (as well as to operators outside Alaska like Canada's Rocky Mountain Rail Tours (the "Rocky Mountaineer").

 

Each tour customer (rail car buyer) chooses how they want to configure their top-level in-dome seating. Princess and HAL chose to use table seating upstairs in the dome; Royal Celebrity chose forward-facing seats (like you'd find in a regular railroad coach). All of the cars have a lower-level dining room area (on the "lower deck") set up with four-top bench seating facing the tables.

 

The Alaska Railroad also purchased some of the new CRM full-domes for their First Class service.

 

Years ago (under Federal Government control, before being sold to the State of Alaska), the ARR operated a wonderful fleet of mixed passenger equipment from all over the USA, and many of them were old "partial" domes (with about 1/3 of the top of the car covered in glass). You could walk through the cars going from Anchorage to Fairbanks, and there were old ARR coaches, coaches from the Union Pacific's "City of Everywhere" trains, coaches from the Southern's "Crescent", silver fluted vistsdomes from the old CB&Q/D&RGW/WP "California Zepher", and giant "Superdomes" from the Milwaukee Road. It was quite the mix of rail history out there.

 

The summer of 1984 the ARR was running one train consist they called "The Woodburner" (it had an old wood-burning stove built into the ancient dining car), and another they dubbed the "Electric Train" (the stove on that consist was electric).

 

I watched an old ARR Conductor on "The Woodburner" calmly disarm a very pretty (very drunk) young lady wearing a cowboy hat who had flagged down the train sorth of Indian. She climbed on, came in the bar, and ordered a drink. She was in a party mood, and as she started whooping it up, we saw that was wearing a very large 357 on her hip. A friend of mine was the Conductor on this run, and finally decided it was time to step in.

 

"Pardon me, ma'am," the Conductor drawled, stepping up to the bar, "but as it's a Railroad Company rule, I'll need to put that sidearm of yours in the safe up in the baggage car 'til we get to Fairbanks. Otherwise, I'd have to put you off the train."

 

She frowned, considered this for a moment, considered that "it's a long walk to Fairbanks from here", and agreed to how he probably had a good idea. She politely handed over the pistol, bought everybody a round, fell asleep after a few more drinks, and got her property back when we got to town.

 

You'll like riding the Alaska Railroad. You'll like visiting Alaska.

 

Rail Traveler

[RSWBADGER]

Rail Traveler

Each tour customer (rail car buyer) chooses how they want to configure their top-level in-dome seating. Princess and HAL chose to use table seating upstairs in the dome; Royal Celebrity chose forward-facing seats (like you'd find in a regular railroad coach). All of the cars have a lower-level dining room area (on the "lower deck") set up with four-top bench seating facing the tables.

 

 

Having traveled on the Princess Rail Cars on two separate vacations I would think the Royal Caribbean and Celebrity forward-facing seats would be more comfortable and private. No fun when you sitting facing backwards at a table with another couple you share no interest in. :eek:

[picruiser]

I was on a land tour with RCCL a few years ago, and the upper level seating chairs swivel...no assigned seating. Also, they had ear phones with music available. At one time, the RCCL cars were the last on the train, so that you had a great view from the rear of the train car. I think now that Princess is on the end, not sure tho.

[Lucy Jane]

If you are going to stop in Skagway, and if they still have it--try the narrow gauge railway from Skagway to Lake Bennet. You go over "Dead Horse Gulch" and you can see the "Trail of the 49'ers". It is a trip you will never forget. I did this from a Princess cruise maybe 10 years ago. I remember having lunch at Lake Bennet and we had what we thought was beef and apple pie for desert. Someone said we were eating venison. There was a family with a little boy and his dad told him what he was eating was Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer. Naturally the little boy burst into tears.

Have a good trip,

Lucy Jane

[TeeBuccs]

RCI domed traincars do in fact all face forwards on the upper level. You have an excellent view from all sides and even through the ceiling. (Not that you will be looking up!)

 

We were on the train last June and there were no assigned seats. We sat halfway in the car so not to have the forward looking view obstructed going around turns with the other railcars in front of us. The RCI cars were situated towards the back of the train but not completely in the back.

 

On the lower level are the restooms and the dining car. Shortly after departure they come around to take drink orders and determine if you prefer the early or late seating of dinner (if eating). We found the food to be quite excellent! They also gave us a brief tour of the kithen when we were done, interesting how much they get done in such tight spaces!

 

Enjoy your trip!