Settled on a Rocky Mountaineer Red Leaf 8-day rail-tour with a post tour 7-night cruise (Galcier Bay Alaska inside passage) on Holland America Line . Retained City State Travel to bundle it with JAL via Narita. Good thing that we chose Vancouver as destination as we heard later from a Dutch couple of the hassles going through US airports (take off shoes, disinterest, rude). Vancouverites too informed that most flights out of Anchorage are late.
Prices a bit steep as it was peak season, June. Anyhow, Rocky Mountaineer prices are steep. Red Leaf passengers ie us poor folk had to stay in our respective coaches. Red Leaf coaches were old regular ones with tired interiors; totally sad and shocking for a developed Western country to pass them off as scenic travel coaches. But you get served packed meals at your seat; satisfactory level, and there is free-flow bottled water, coffee, tea and fruit (apples, oranges, bananas).
And mid-morning and afternoon tea/coffee with a packet of junk food snack and a cookie.
The coach attendant was very well trained, experienced and knowledgeable about the route. Their job was tough, non-stop serving food, selling souveniers, lecturing and pointing out the sights and animals. Rare animals; I saw more road-kill animals driving Launceston, Port Elizabeth and Table Mountain in Tasmania.
Still, it was an enjoyable rail-tour. The two toilets were clean and flushed well. There was newspaper. And I had my walkman and camera.
The Canadian Rockies Getaway consisted of the Vancouver – Kamloops – Jasper rail trip (Journey through the Clouds), coach excursions along the Icefield Parkway to Banff via Lake Louis, and another rail trip down Banff – Kamloops – Vancouver (First Passage to the West). Overnight stops at the named spots, two in Banf; and pre- and post- overnights in Vancouver.
The hotels were very decent except for the Plaza Heritage our first stop in Kamloops. Luckily the Sandman Suites on return trip was much better though less colourful and further from town centre. We were given to understand that the Chateau Lake Louis rooms were very expensive, depending on view. We had an 8th floor lake view room through a bay window.
There was only one included transfer (hotel – railway station). We had to get our own transfer for hotel to ship; petty, considering it was sold as a Rocky Mountaineer combination rail tour plus cruise.
Ah yes, best to take the rail + cruise instead of the cruise + rail. Former is more restful; no packing and unpacking every night for a week. And ah yes one more thing; you have to pack an overnight bag for the Kamloops stops as your luggage goes to the end of the line (by road, we were told). Gold Leaf luggage is delivered to Kamloops however! How petty, again.
The scenery along the rail line was great. However, it was a ride too long. Definitely not "the best train experience in the world" as touted by the Society of American Travel Writers. Better to drive since the rail line and road run practically parallel and along the rivers.
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