#7 (7 of 15 for June 8, 2000)

AMTRAK VACATIONS FROM HELL

Vacations, Other

From: William Westbrook Email User

Date: Wednesday, June 07, 2000 03:05 PM

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I recently purchased a vacation package from Amtrak, it was my honeymoon.Eventhough I informed the agent that I would be on my honeymoon no sort of honeymoon accomadations or preps where offered. This I could deal with, but I would like to thank Amtrak for providing me with a honeymoon from hell. You would think that after paying for first class you would be treated in such a manner. My new bride and I were subjected to life as two homeless people. Long layovers for the next train some as long as 13 hours with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Every train was late at least two hours or more. An example ofwhat I am talking about, when leaving Niagra Falls Canada,we were deposited into a small very uncomfortable train station. We arrived at 2:00 pm and the next train would supposedly depart at 1:00 am.,thats 11 hours but the train didn't arrive until 3:00. We were charged $1.50 a bag just to store our luggage while we caught a cab to try and find something to do while we waited. We found a shopping mall and stayed there until it closed, went to the movie and saw two movies trying to past the time. Unable to get a cab we started to walk the streets of Buffalo like two homeless people. I had to go to the front desk of a nearby hotel to summons a cab. All this only to return and find a unmanned train station, and when the employees did show up we retrieved our luggage to find a new duffle bag ruined along with an expensive bottle of wine we had purchased in Canada broken and spilled all over the contents in the bag. To top matters off upon our arrival in Buffalo as we departed the train, we noticed that we had left our camcorder with all our honeymoon video on the train as the train was pulling away. The station attendant said he would call ahead to the next station to see if they could locate the camera , like it would have made a difference to stop this already late for every stop train. Also first-class passengers are entitled to free meals while traveling but there is also a catch to this too. The train schedule is usually time before or after a meal time, or you will have to sacrifice sleep to eat.For instance breakfast is served from 6 am to 7 am and you just boarded at 3:40 am. If you wanted to eat you would have to sacrifice in one form or another. We sent in a complaint to Amtrak and have yet to hear from them. There was supposedly an insurance policy included in the $1500.00+ price tag for the vacation. The trip was from May 14 and the return was May 21. Maybe the govenment should leave Microsoft alone and go after this monoply Amtrak has on rail travel. I would have to say this was the worst experience in travel I have ever had. There is so much more I could say about this disatrous trip but that would take a lot more writing. AMTRAK VACATIONS TWO THUMBS DOWN.