LUXURY TRAIN TRIP – You’ve probably heard of Rocky Mountaineer, but you may not know that it is recognized as one of the world’s must-do rail journeys – both for train enthusiasts, and those that just really enjoy great scenery and wildlife spotting. National Geographic describes the Rocky Mountaineer as “one of the world’s greatest trips”, and it’s routinely listed amongst travellers’ favorite rail trips.
If you’ve spent any time on the Rocky Mountaineer website, it’s easy to get confused with the dozens of different options, so here is a quick cheat sheet:
The Canadian Train
There are dozens of different packages, but they are all centered around 3 different rail routes:
- Vancouver to Banff or Lake Louise (via Kamloops) – this is the original Rocky Mountaineer itinerary that has been operating since 1990.
- Vancouver to Jasper (via Whistler, and Quesnel) – this routing is a bit further around and crosses the Rockies further north than the Banff itinerary.
- Circle Journey round-trip Vancouver – this incorporates both the above routings.
- Gold Leaf service is a double-decker, domed rail car, where you enjoy the scenery upstairs, and retire downstairs for your meals on board the train.
- Silver Leaf service offers the same food, but it is served to you at your seat on a single-deck domed rail car.
- Calgary (for Banff) and Edmonton (for Jasper) are the nearest major airports on the Eastern terminus of these itineraries. Vancouver Airport is well served, and about 8 miles from where the train boards. Some of our Vancouver cruise clients also use Seattle Airport (about 120 miles south).
Where it gets unnecessarily confusing is that there are literally dozens of different packages ranging between 2 and 14 days. My best suggestion is to sketch out the itinerary you want (how many days in Vancouver, Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise etc.), and then we can help you choose the itinerary that best suits you.
Here is ONE example for each of these rail routes:
Vancouver to Banff for 6-nights
- Vancouver (2), Kamloops, Banff (2), Calgary.
- Prices range between $2926 – $5127 per person based on your departure date, and level of service. Departures available April through October.
Vancouver to Jasper 6-nights
- Vancouver (2), Whistler, Quesnel, Jasper (2)
- Prices between $4237 – $5661 per person based on your departure date, and level of service. Departures available April through October.
Circle Journey 12 -nights
- Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff (3), Lake Louise (2), Jasper (2), Quesnel, Whistler, Vancouver.
- Goldleaf service from $8672 per person based on your departure date, and level of service. Departures available April through October.
The USA Train
Rocky Mountaineer began operations in the United States in 2021 with itineraries between Denver and Moab, Utah (via Glenwood Springs).
- Much like its Canadian counterpart, there are several itineraries, but they all incorporate this two-day rail journey into them.
- There is no Gold Leaf service in the US, because the tunnels along the route are not large enough to accommodate the double-decker Gold Leaf cars.
- If you’re looking for something more than Silver Leaf service, then Silver Leaf Plus is offered. This enables access to a lounge car with a bar, and outdoor viewing platform.
- Moab does have a regional airport, but most people use Las Vegas or Salt Lake City for the western terminus of their trip.
- There is an option to go round-trip from Denver.
Here are two examples of US itineraries
Denver to Las Vegas for 6-nights
- Denver (2), Glenwood Springs, Moab (2), Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas
- $5209 to $6474 per person based on your departure date, and level of service. Departures available April through October
Denver round-trip for 7-nights
- Denver, Glenwood Springs, Moab (for 3 nights), Glenwood Springs, Denver
- $4895 – $6484 per person based on your departure date, and level of service. Departures available April through October
Some notes on all Rocky Mountaineer itineraries
- You don’t sleep on the train – otherwise you’d miss some of the incredible scenery. The train operates in daylight hours, and you sleep in hotels at night. They take care of your luggage, so the logistics are made as easy as possible.
- These trips are about scenery, wildlife, food and wine. The scenery on the Canadian side rivals what you would see in Denali National Park in Alaska (some would argue the Canadian Rockies are even more impressive). On the US side, the scenery is different, but every bit as spectacular, and you have close proximity to several of the Southwest’s National Parks.
Today’s Other Travel Opportunities
UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES
Uniworld has custom built and decorated ships specific to the region in which they sail. Fares in transfers, a choice of shore excursions at each port, an open bar, and gratuities.
TULIPS & Windmills departing Amsterdam for 10-days:
- Visit Amsterdam (overnight), Haarlem (for Keukenhof Gardens), Hoorn, Nijmegen, Rotterdam (Kinderdijk), Veere, Bruges, Antwerp (overnight)
- March 25 from $3429.
- April 3 from $3359
- May 5 from $3709
VENICE & Northern Italy for 7-nights
- Visit Venice (several spots), Mazzorbo, Burano, Chioggia.
- Departs every Sunday from April – October from $2939. This is far more cost-effective than staying in a hotel in Venice for a week.
There are a number of add-ons you can make to this cruise:
- ADD: 2-nights in Milan to see Davinci’s Last Supper (after hours access), and a City Tour of Milan. Stop in Verona and Valpolicella Wine Cellar en route to Venice.
- ADD: Lugano (Switzerland) & Lake Como
- ADD: Train to Istanbul. If you want to add to your country-count, then transfer from the ship to board the train in Venice and stop in Trieste, Ljubljana (Capital of Slovenia), Belgrade (Capital of Serbia), Montenegro (beaches every bit as spectacular as Greece, but undiscovered), Bulgaria, and 2 nights in Istanbul.
- ADD: Rome 3-nights. Includes a city tour, and a tour of the Vatican.
- ADD: Train from Budapest. Board in Budapest, then visit Vienna, Innsbruck, Zurich, Lake Como, Verona, Trieste, Lake Bled, Ljubljana, then disembark train in Venice to board the ship.
Here’s a link to our video blog when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g?si=IJvnYEJlqJt_iV4n
CRYSTAL CRUISES Upgrade Sale
Guests booking a Veranda will be automatically upgraded to an Aquamarine Veranda Suite.
JAPAN & PHILIPPINES from Tokyo to Manila departing February 14 for 11 nights
- Visit Tokyo, Nagasaki, Busan, Jeju, Shanghai (overnight), Currimao, Manila (overnight)
- Fares from $6800
MEDITERRANEAN from Lisbon to Istanbul departing March 31 for 14-nights
- Visit Lisbon, Cadiz, Malaga, Cartagena, Valencia, Malta (overnight), Crete, Rhodes, Ephesus, Istanbul
- Fares from $6800
REMOTE DESTINATIONS with HX
Travel on the world’s first Hybrid Electric cruise ships, with only 500 guests to the remote corners of the globe.
REMOTE ALASKA from Vancouver to Anchorage departing May 29 for 13-days
- Depart Vancouver, sail the Inside Passage, then to Misty Fjords, Wrangell, Tracy Arm, Endicott Arm, Haines, William Henry Bay, Sitka, Icy Bay, Cordova.
- Fares from $5626
Includes drinks with meals, wifi, gratuities, and outdoor gear.
See our ship tour video here: https://youtu.be/1L_ByDqhGR0
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS and Quito for 9-days
- 2-nights in Quito, then fly to Galapagos (included in fare) for 6 nights. Visit Mosquera Inlet, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station in Port Ayora, Espanola Island, Eden Islet.
- Depart January through March from $6727
- Depart May through August from $7021
Greenland, Newfoundland & Labrador from Reykjavik to St. John’s for 18-days
- Start in Reykjavik, and then visit 2 ports in Greenland, before travelling down the Labrador coast to Newfoundland, and finish in St. John’s.
- Depart September 18 from $10,169
ANTARCTICA with VIKING including FREE AIR
- Round-trip from Buenos Aires for 13-days. Fly to Ushuaia (included) to board the ship. Travel the Drake Passage and have 6-days of landings on the continent.
- Viking has a submarine, special operations boat, kayaks, and zodiacs at your disposal.
- Departures in January and February 2025 from $9995 per person with FREE AIR from the US.
- See our Ship Tour video here: https://youtu.be/izwAZ6NdFOo
In Case You Missed It:
HOW TO CHOOSE A RIVER CRUISE LINE: At first, the river cruise lines look almost the same. The ships are all the same size, and they go to all the same places. So which one’s right for you?
https://pamperedcruiser.com/how-do-you-choose-a-river-cruise-line/
NORTHERN LIGHTS: The Aurora Borealis have been very active in the past few months, so you’ve been asking about the best way to see them. Here’s an article we wrote a few months ago that answers those questions: https://pamperedcruiser.com/northern-lights-and-winter-solstice/
Latest YOUTUBE Post:
Windstar STAR BREEZE ship tour video. Wander with Bob through this 320-Guest motor yacht:
Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?
Earlier this year, Viking replaced its Book on Board program with the BON VOYAGE incentive. This allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 2 weeks BEFORE you board, and get some extra goodies for doing so:
- $100 per person on board credit
- 6-month final payment date
- $100 per person OFF one-week cruises, and bigger discounts for longer itineraries.
We made a short video about the Bon Voyage Program if you’d like more details:
https://youtu.be/gBM8IvjIb3U?si=Vy9UDiSqZQYHWR32
Contact us to book your NEXT VIKING CRUISE
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I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
