Canadian Railroads > Via Prestige Class

I am planning a trip from Vancouver to Toronto. I know what it costs. Anyone have tips or stories?

I would say don't  waste your money. Book a normal Cabin for 2. Same meals, dome access at far less cost. I find myself only using my room for sleeping and one other necessary thing. But if you want a larger window, flat screen TV and 1st choice for dinner reservations, knock yourself out. 

We rode Vacouuver to Toronto in August last year. It was worth every cent.
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

Are you a drinker ?

Guess I'm like Andersonb109. I spend all my waking hours in the dome or diner, not the sleeper so this would not be worth it for me. However, on a recent Train 1 - 2 trip, staff toured me through the Prestige car. Of course, it is very nice. In room shower, double bed, TV monitor, better soaps, and I think an in room refridge. So if this trip is a special occasion or cost is simply no object, go for it and enjoy all amenities such as free drinks, good staff attention, first seating choice for meals, etc. Two gals on my last trip so enjoyed Prestige that they said it was beyond expectations.

As for me on my end of October trip, sleeper 112 and 212 will do fine.

I might try Prestige one of these days, but assuming there are two of you the bed against the wall would be a big turn off for me (the inside person has to crawl over their sleeping partner for those nighttime calls of nature). If my wife were to want to accompany on one of my annual trips across Canada (we did our honeymoon on the CP Canadian lo those many years ago) I would get a double bedroom suite (which can be made up as a double bed) and that way we each have our own aisle, basin, and potty room. And it would cost less. Having the shower down the hall has never been a problem for me. By any kind of rational analysis the incremental perks of Prestige are not worth the incremental cost. But sometimes it is fun not to be rational, you can't take the money with you. And all the reports I have seen suggests VIA provides an excellent level of on board service to the Prestige passengers. Just remember how late the trains typically run and don't make any same day connections at the end of your trip.

JBWX



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/17 18:53 by jbwest.

Dtrainshooter above asked if he was a drinker. The three of us who rode Prestige class last year from Vancouver to Toronto claimed we powered the whole trip with Johnny Walker Red which the crew had to replenish somewhere along the way!! :-) not only was the double bed comfirtable for the two if us, wall side ir no wall side, the shower was a glass door enclosure with moveable showerhead, and yes, we spent the days in the dome, dining car or obs car, the service was lavish. Because of my physical hip problem, the crew git oyr luggage out if the baggage car the nite before so we woukdnt have to deal with it at the station in Toronto and when we got into Tirinto, they put me in a wheelchair at the end of the 23 car train and wheeled me and our luggage the length if the train, thru the station and to the registration desk at the York hotel across the street. Incredible service— and we didnt have to ask them, they just did it that way.
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/17 20:11 by CarolVoss.

CarolVoss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dtrainshooter above asked if he was a drinker. The
> three of us who rode Prestige class last year from
> Vancouver to Toronto claimed we powered the whole
> trip with Johnny Walker Red which the crew had to
> replenish somewhere along the way!! :-)

The other retired railroader I usually travel with and I both drink whiskey. I have been surprised by how little they stock in the Park car. It is not unusual for them to run out of our preferred brand and we end up having to switch mid-trip. I guess one of the perks of Prestige is they will restock. As a reformed financial analyst I tend to "run the numbers" on about everything, but one of the things that is difficult to quantify is the value of good service. You make an excellent point that one of the things that adds value to Prestige is the high level of personal service.

JBWX

jbwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CarolVoss Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Dtrainshooter above asked if he was a drinker.
> The
> > three of us who rode Prestige class last year
> from
> > Vancouver to Toronto claimed we powered the
> whole
> > trip with Johnny Walker Red which the crew had
> to
> > replenish somewhere along the way!! :-)
>
> The other retired railroader I usually travel with
> and I both drink whiskey. I have been surprised
> by how little they stock in the Park car. It is
> not unusual for them to run out of our preferred
> brand and we end up having to switch mid-trip. I
> guess one of the perks of Prestige is they will
> restock. As a reformed financial analyst I tend
> to "run the numbers" on about everything, but one
> of the things that is difficult to quantify is the
> value of good service. You make an excellent point
> that one of the things that adds value to Prestige
> is the high level of personal service.
>
> JBWX
I have an MBA and know about running numbers! :-) I will add here that the full capacity iof Prestige class is 13 bedrooms, 26 people. When we rode eastbound there were only 7 of us and 2 git iff in Winnipeg so 5 of us had the services of a full complement if staff fir 26. we were told that the return wb trip was fully booked fir 26 people— I wonder if the level if service fir the 26. would have been the same as fir us .7. at any rate, fir whatever reasons and whatever the cost, it was wirth every penny.
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

I would recommend a trip on Amtrak, rather than on a foreign carrier that runs hours late.

reindeerflame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would recommend a trip on Amtrak, rather than on
> a foreign carrier that runs hours late.

I guess foreign all depends on where you live. Being a Canadian, I would take VIA over Amtrak any day.

Dwayne

Agreed! I am a US citizen but would also pick VIA over Amtrak! I do both and VIA's quality of on board service is better. Of course, we all know the CN causes many long delays. However, VIA is good enough that many take the ride even in spite of late trains. I know I will next week!

reindeerflame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would recommend a trip on Amtrak, rather than on
> a foreign carrier that runs hours late.

No comparison between the two...I'll take the Canadian any day no matter how late it runs over any Amtrak train !

DTrainshooter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> reindeerflame Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I would recommend a trip on Amtrak, rather than
> on
> > a foreign carrier that runs hours late.
>
> No comparison between the two...I'll take the
> Canadian any day no matter how late it runs over
> any Amtrak train !


I have put many miles on Amtrak and you just cant put them in the same category other than train on rails. The Canadien is outstanding.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

Did the  eastbound run last spring, when the fares were dirt cheap. Sleeper plus was the right deal for me traveling solo, but I will seriously think about Prestige for next year's post-retirement trip w the spouse. 

As for booze, the one dark spot on my recent trip was the quality of the red wine on board. I was glad I had a couple bottles with me in my luggage. 

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As for booze, the one dark spot on my recent trip
> was the quality of the red wine on board. I was
> glad I had a couple bottles with me in my
> luggage. 


I am a fan of Okanagan wines and have been frustrated that VIA seems to give preference to Niagara wines. My bias is the Okanagan wines are more "traditional" in their style, overall better, and more interesting. But of course that is a great generalization. I have found the wines drinkable but hardly among the better wines Canada can produce. Of course if you are a fan of Niagara wines your mileage may vary. You mentioned traveling solo. I usually travel with a group of retired railroaders, all male. We have tried most accommodations including double bedrooms, single occupancy bedrooms, one guy even took a lower berth for the hell of it, but I have come to love the traditional old roomettes. For one person they are a wonderful space with lots of nooks and crannies for storage, and a comfortable chair (with a foot rest, the potty top) for daytime travel. I wish Amtrak's economy bedrooms were so good. I think for reading a book the roomette chair is about as good as it gets. So on my recent trips I have picked a roomette over a single occupancy bedroom....those folding chairs in the bedrooms are awful. One of these days I will try Prestige but for now I enjoy the nostalgic ambiance of a well run 1950's era streamliner, the last of the breed.

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/17 22:00 by jbwest.

Love all this esoteric discussion of Canadian wines etc— I am a native Californian whose French grandfather introduced me to wines from the time i was a toddler in the ‘40’s and over time lived with and served and still steve wine in all social/family functions and have a husband who is pretty savvy about wine but frankly m’dears, my favirite wine is Johnny Walker Red. :-)
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

As a person who takes the Canadian on the entire route at least one-way every year, I am pleased with the regular cabin accommodation for the fare paid. The crew have shown us the Prestige rooms several times and although I am impressed I can obtain far better value for other travel. For less than the Prestige fare for a 3 1/2 day journey, my wife and I recently spent two weeks aboard our favourite ship: Cunard's Queen Mary 2. Our cabin had a king-sized bed, a sitting area and a balcony. If "money was no object" I would very much like to travel in Prestige, but to us it is not good value. I am pleased to read that most people who travel in Prestige give it a rave review. The provision of Prestige has been good for VIA in that the operating deficit of the Canadian has been significantly reduced because of the high fares being paid.

Regarding the wines on the Canadian, I find that most are barely drinkable. It is amusing that the wines VIA gives away in the corridor Business Class service are, to my taste, better than what they sell on the Canadian. A now-retired dining car steward (or "service co-ordinator" as VIA calls them) had an explanation. This man, obviously an oenophile, said that because many of the wines travel back and forth across the country, the shaking they get does them no good. When VIA discovered that certain wines were not selling well, especially reds, they would be discontinued and sold off cheaply to employees. He said that on several trips a bottle of red would be opened and the passenger(s) sent it back saying it was unacceptable.

On my last few trips I noticed that VIA was not selling wines by the bottle, only by the glass. (There was an exception for the decent Point Pelee bubbly.) Apparently this means that fewer bottles are making the trip more than once. Again, it is a matter of personal taste, but I find the white wines of better quality than the reds, some of which should be used for cleaning the drains.

jbwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> march_hare Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > As for booze, the one dark spot on my recent
> trip
> > was the quality of the red wine on board. I was
> > glad I had a couple bottles with me in my
> > luggage. 
>
>
> I am a fan of Okanagan wines and have been
> frustrated that VIA seems to give preference to
> Niagara wines. My bias is the Okanagan wines are
> more "traditional" in their style, overall better,
> and more interesting. But of course that is a
> great generalization. I have found the wines
> drinkable but hardly among the better wines Canada
> can produce. Of course if you are a fan of Niagara
> wines your mileage may vary. You mentioned
> traveling solo. I usually travel with a group of
> retired railroaders, all male. We have tried most
> accommodations including double bedrooms, single
> occupancy bedrooms, one guy even took a lower
> berth for the hell of it, but I have come to love
> the traditional old roomettes. For one person
> they are a wonderful space with lots of nooks and
> crannies for storage, and a comfortable chair
> (with a foot rest, the potty top)

At one time I always travelled in a Roomette....but now that 'potty top' with all that surrounding wall and floor carpeting....just doesn't give me a good feeling. Give me an old style bedroom or Ren Cabin for 2 anyday!

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