I would like to know if a person books a sleeper or delux room on a long distance train and he wishes to forgo eating in the dining car for whatever reason, does he have the option then to obtain his meals from the lounge car in lieu of the dining car?
Now I know that a lot of you would ask, "Why would a person book passage in a sleeper if he/she is not going to enjoy his meals in the Dining car. After all, that is usually a big part of the trip that is factored in when booking a sleeper, other than having more Privacy"
Off the top of my head, I can think of one good reason one might have to opt for lounge car meals rather than meals from the Dining Car. The passenger might have the beginnings of a cold and really doesnt feel like dealing with other passengers during his/her cross country trip back home. He/she might just want to spend the total time in bed resting up and trying to get better. Not to mention avoiding the possibility of spreading his cold to other passengers he/she might come in contact otherwise.
Does anyone happen to know just how this option would work?
Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :
You don't have to settle for lounge car food. Sleeping car attendants will deliver dining car meals to your room.
All you have to do is ask and be willing to wait a while. Don't forget to tip.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
Up until this year you could take your included meals from the lounge cafe. The attendant recorded your car and room number. But last time I rode they no longer allowed that. Perhaps too many coach passengers were scamming the system.
You can still get food there, you just have to pay for it. Since sleeper fares seem to have gone down of late, I think it is a small sacrifice.
As an alternative, if you want to eat in your room, ask the attendant if he or she can bring a diner meal to you.
I understand why you might want to do this. My wife and I have done so on occasion when we weren't hungry enough for a full diner meal and just wanted a little quiet time in our room, or just wanted something a little different.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
[This message has been edited by Mr. Toy (edited 10-25-2003).]
Posted by KA6BGJ (Member # 662) on :
Wow, I never knew that you could have your meals delivered to your room on the trip. If you were traveling on the CZ from CHI to EMY and you gave your car attendant $200.00 when you first boarded the train, whast do you think your chances are of getting all of your meals delivered to your room without any reminders for the entire trip?
Posted by kjkober (Member # 1423) on :
for $200 I'd deliver your meals from my house.
Posted by CK (Member # 589) on :
I'll do one better....for $200.00 I'll cook your meals and deliver them from my house
Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :
Eating in the dining car is one of the best parts of traveling on a long distance train.
Don't eat meals in your room if you don't have to.
Posted by UncleBuck44 (Member # 2049) on :
Gather round children and I'll tell you a tiny story.
My dad was feeling sick from no body knows what, but he started getting nausea in the dining car at Dinner, and he looked awful and had to bolt out of the Dinning Car back to a bathroom to do what most people have to when a sick stomach mixed with a rocking train come together. Not a good night for him as he and his flu continued from Austin to San Antonio, and on thru the trip. So if your not feeling good in the stomach, and you think you should stay in the room, do it, because you dont want to be around the food, with the train rocking back and forth.
Posted by Lovesatq (Member # 2691) on :
That's funny...I just got back just last week from a cross country trip (CA. to Boston) and back and on both trains, CZ and LSL, we were able to obtain food in the cafe lounge free no questions asked since we had a deluxe sleeper. My daughter and I found that we just couldn't eat all three meals in the dining car....too much food with no activity. I must say we loved the experience of meeting some of the nicest people while dining. I wonder what Amtrak's official policy is on this point?
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
On my May 2002 trip, I caught the intestinal bug that was running rampant on the Coast Starlight. It showed up around 3:00 am out of LA on the Sunset Limited.
Anyway, I HAD to be within 20 seconds of a bathroom for the rest of the trip. That's all the warning I got!
I skipped breakfast and decided on trying a snack for lunch.
I managed to get to the lounge and requested a sandwich, chips, and a drink. I told him I was in a sleeper and that I wanted lunch. He asked me if I was nuts? I shouldn't be in his lounge, I should be in the diner. So I explained, in great detail, why that was not feasible.
He shut up and gave me my food.....
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
When I rode the Coast Starlight last year from LAX to SEA, the Pacific Parlour Car attendant served several of us lunch from the diner in the Parlour Car. That was a very nice gesture...
