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| Re: Amtrak to cut on-board amenities (1275335) | |||
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Re: Amtrak to cut on-board amenities |
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Posted by Nilet on Thu Feb 13 09:50:06 2014, in response to Amtrak to cut on-board amenities, posted by seabeachexpress on Mon Feb 10 16:21:27 2014. Let's see.Cranberry juice in sleeping cars (Feb. 8) I never noticed this in the first place, so I clearly won't miss it. Besides, I hate cranberry juice. Flowers and vases on dining car tables (Feb. 15) Seriously? How much money is this really going to save? I'm pretty sure the flowers were fake anyway. I'm a bit miffed by this one, since that was one of the little touches that made the dining car feel more civilised. Newspapers in sleeping cars (date depends upon vendor) This I can see getting rid of. Newspapers themselves are increasingly obsolete since everyone on Amtrak has a smartphone anyway. Besides, the one time I remember actually being handed a newspaper on Amtrak, it was some local rag with nothing but local interest stories and right-wing propaganda. Wine and cheese tastings, Astor chocolate squares, and complimentary champagne or non-alcoholic cider for Coast Starlight and Empire Builder sleeping car passengers (effective March 31) OK, this one I'm going to have to disagree with, at least in part. Eliminating the wine and cheese tasting on the Coast Starlight might save a lot less money than they were anticipating, because its availability drove the sale of first-class tickets on day trips. Eliminating it may result in more empty rooms between Los Angeles and Oakland or between Seattle and Eugene-Springfield. As for the Empire Builder, I don't remember there actually being a wine and cheese tasting in 2012, though maybe I just missed it. (I attended one in 2009.) Eliminating that may save money, but Amtrak was (at one point) making the claim that the Empire Builder was their "premium" train. (I remember it being exempted from the "simplified dining service" mandate, and at one point there was a pool of refurbished/better maintained equipment reserved for EB service, or so claimed a car attendant.) The chocolate squares, I'm going to miss (even though I probably only ate two or three in total between five trips on the Builder and Starlight). As for complimentary champagne— why doesn't anybody tell me things? Since when did any train have this in the first place? Eh, no matter. I don't really drink anyway. Pre-departure Lake Shore Limited wine and cheese reception at Chicago for sleeping car passengers (March 31) Oh, come on. They've already adjusted the schedule so they don't have to serve dinner, and the late departure makes early boarding effectively a requirement. On the plus side, I did get to attend this back when I had the chance. Coast Starlight and Empire Builder sleeper amenity kits (May 31) The which now? Is that the shampoo and conditioner and lotion in a fuzzy bag? Meh. If it's really necessary to save a few bucks per passenger, I guess this is as good a way as any. Actually, I think I have a stockpile of the things from my various trips; I carry my own supplies, but I compulsively take free stuff when it's available. |
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