Rocky Mountaineer Part 3
This is Part 3 of our Rocky Mountaineer adventure, my bucket list birthday treat! We did the First Passage to the West, traveling eastbound from Vancouver to Lake Louise, with an overnight in Kamloops. This post summarizes my impressions of the experience and tips for those considering it. You can read about the journey in Part 1 and Part 2.
Thoughts
Was it fun? YES! It was a great combination of luxury and discovery. Although the days were long, the ride was comfortable and smooth, and there was always something to see (or eat or drink). I brought my Kindle, but I didn’t spend much time reading. We enjoyed meeting and chatting with other travelers.
Was it memorable? Absolutely. The scenery was beautiful and ever-changing, the meals were delicious, and the glass-domed coach was truly special. The hosts were wonderful guides and made us feel like VIP guests. It was a grand way to see the splendor of Western Canada.
Was it worth the splurge? It depends. Since this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we splurged on “GoldLeaf Service” and “Premier” hotel rooms, and we’re glad we did both. However, this fully-loaded Rocky Mountaineer trip was about twice as expensive per day as our upcoming cruise to Alaska. And the scenery was spectacular, but didn’t have quite the “Wow!” factor of the peaks and canyons of the Western United States. We have no regrets, but others may feel differently.
Tips: Planning
Choose an eastward route. We did this because we like saving the best for last. The Fraser Valley is interesting and beautiful, but we were there to see the Rockies, which we didn’t reach until Day 2.
End your trip in Lake Louise. The most popular route, First Passage to the West, ends in Banff. The trip from Kamloops is very long, and the train stops in Lake Louise for 30 minutes before continuing for another hour to Banff. You can’t see the famous lake from the train. If you also want to see Banff, it’s easier and cheaper to get there from Lake Louise by other means.
Consider GoldLeaf Service. If you would like to dine with other passengers and/or have your meals in the dining room, GoldLeaf is the way to go. SilverLeaf Service has a single level coach, and meals are served at your seat. The food in both classes is similar.
Consider a Premier Room. If you would like a lake view room in the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Premier Room is the way to go. For us, this was fantastic and worth the splurge. (The Fairmont Vancouver was well-located, and it was fun to stay in a historic hotel, but the room itself wasn’t that special.)
Decide if it is worth the splurge. Make your selections on the Rocky Mountaineer website to see the total price. Add around $50 for dinner in Kamloops and $5-10 per day for hotel housekeeping gratuities. Then calculate the average daily rate, and decide if you want to go for it.
Tips: Traveling
Pack light for the train. Bring a change of clothing and a toothbrush in a small bag, and check the rest of your luggage through to your final destination. This approach made it easy for us to be ready for the early-morning start on Day 2.
Wear layers. The glass dome has some sun protection, and the air conditioning is good, but even with the high-tech automatic window tint, it still It grew very hot on the train on the second half of Day 1. The hosts served us as much ice water as we wanted, which helped a lot.
Plan to be offline. There is no wifi on the train. Cell service was better than I expected, bur still spotty. It’s better to stay offline and enjoy the trip, anyway!
Bring a charging cable and plug for your device. There are electrical outlets at the seats. I drained my phone’s battery quickly by taking so many photos and videos, and was glad I could recharge.
Be prepared for a lot of sitting (and eating). We were on the train for 10.5 hours on Day 1, and 12.5 hours on Day 2. Delays are common. It was possible to stretch our legs by standing in the outdoor vestibule, but it was often uncomfortably hot out there. Even with our comfortable seats, it was hard to sit for such long periods of time. Except for the dining room (which was great), it was like being on a trans-Pacific flight in Business Class, with less recline and better views.
Ask what will change on the menu. Some menu items are the same on both days, others are not. This may help you decide what to order.
Ask to taste the wine before they fill your glass. We didn't care for some of the regional wines offered. Rocky Mountaineer should get better wine!
