For those who have travelled on this train could you tell me if it's worth upgrading to Gold Leaf? I have booked Red Leaf but one of our clients at work told me that she wished that she had booked Gold Leaf, she and her family have just returned from Canada having spend a white Christmas there. It is a lot more money so I'd appreciate your comments. Thanks

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Originally posted by Winnie Pooh:
For those who have travelled on this train could you tell me if it's worth upgrading to Gold Leaf? I have booked Red Leaf but one of our clients at work told me that she wished that she had booked Gold Leaf, she and her family have just returned from Canada having spend a white Christmas there. It is a lot more money so I'd appreciate your comments. Thanks

Winnie ~ Gold leaf is superb, you won't be disappointed, the upgrade is worth every cent. I travelled on the Rocky Mountaineer in Gold Leaf from Banff to Vancouver.

Where will your trip be taking you?

Hi Missie

We are going in August and go to Jasper on the train, we're doing the Rockies Panorama and cruise. Do you think that you'll be able to get better photos from the Gold Leaf section I read someone's post about the glass dome distorting the photos?

Winnie ~ I didn't have any trouble with photo distortion, I got some really good shots. I would speak to the staff in your carriage if you have any concerns about photo's, they have hints and tricks for everything.

You can also go downstairs and stand outside on a viewing platform to take photo's. Have a look at the link below and you will see what I mean.

Rocky Mountaineer Train

I did a an Alaskan cruise/canadian Rockies tour in 2001 and paid to upgrade to GoldLeaf and I'm not sorry I did. You will pass through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and rhe dome carriage is the best way to see it. Plus the food was divine and the service excellent. I nearly made myself sick on the champagne and chocolate coated strawberries!

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:
Winnie ~ I didn't have any trouble with photo distortion, I got some really good shots. I would speak to the staff in your carriage if you have any concerns about photo's, they have hints and tricks for everything.

You can also go downstairs and stand outside on a viewing platform to take photo's. Have a look at the link below and you will see what I mean.

Rocky Mountaineer Train

Wow, I looked at the video and photos, you get an outstanding view from the train.
I have driven the route many times but never taken the train, it is very expensive. The train is much closer to the edge of the lakes and rivers. Also travelling by road there are no waterfalls.

Marie: I always wanted to do this trip by train, myself. The Canadian West is certainly spectacular in the most literal sense of that word--no doubt about it.

Just watched that video and it gave me shivers thinking about the last spike and the history of Canadian Pacific and the uniting of the country from sea to sea by rail. What a rich history this is! We're very lucky.

Brenda, the first time we drove to Vancouver after moving to Calgary, we stopped at Craigellaiche, where the last spike was pounded in. Our kids were fairly interested, particularly the oldest one, the others were quite young. There is a cute little museum there. Instead of rushing through, which we tend to do nowadays, we should stop again, it only takes about half an hour.
Also another thing we have never done is stop at the roadside stop to view part of the spiral tunnels, which the Rocky mountaineer would go through between Lake Louise and BC. I think the train takes a different route between Jasper and British Columbia.
The Rockies and West Coast are spectacular, which includes most of British Columbia.

Marie: We were lucky enough to be there exactly when the train came through the spiral tunnel--we have slides of it, and it's an unbelievable sight. The train looks like a toy against the mountain, and at one point, the tail seems to meet and overtake the engine on different levels of course. But, I tried to imagine building that tunnel, boy oh boy, what a feat of engineering that was.

They don't make Canadian history exciting enough in school when they teach it, and very few of our youngsters have an appreciation for what it took to unite this country. For example, they teach the War of 1812, but they don't emphasize how close we were to becoming the U.S., and how without the support of the British troops and our native peoples led by Chief Joseph Brant, we wouldn't have been able to hold out, and how fortifications were put up across the whole of Upper Canada with cannon pointed both inland and across the Lake. Surely, that's as exciting and could be narrated as our own mini war of independence? I wish as many people got excited about the signing of Confederation in PEI as they do about Anne of Green Gables.

Very true, Brenda. My kids found Canadian history boring. My son seems to know quite a lot about US history, I don't think my daughters are intersted in more recent history. They seem to like ancient history though. My youngest nearly took a Chinese history course this term for her option, but ended up with geology of the Rockies.

You were lucky to see a train going through the Spiral tunnels. However, there are many trains travelling that route. The first summer in Calgary, we went camping at Johnston Canyon, a liitle north of Banff, I counted 18 trains before I finally fell asleep.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Marie56,

Thanks Missie, I had a look at the video it's fantastic. Guess I'm going to have to convince daughter to upgrade to Gold Leaf seeing that everyone is recommending it. Thanks for all the comments.

Winnie ~ You are very welcome. There is no bad holiday in Canada, it is an absolutely stunning country.

Enjoy.

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:
Winnie ~ You are very welcome. There is no bad holiday in Canada, it is an absolutely stunning country.

Enjoy.

Missie, I completely agree with you and I know this sounds morbid, but I've told everyone that when I pass away I want my ashes scattered in the Rocky Mountains. What a beautiful place.

Winnie Pooh,

Upgrade - it's a must!!

Red Leaf does not compare.

Told my Travel Agent yesterday to upgrade to Gold Leaf so tomorrow she'll be doing it. Looking forward to enjoying the whole trip, glad I asked this question, thanks.