Honest Review of Rocky Mountaineer

John and I just completed our first Rocky Mountaineer (RM) train trip – Calvary to Vancouver, BC- with our travel club. As promised, here is my honest review- the fabulous, a word of caution, and how to save a few dollars but still have the best time.

RM has dozens of different tours and packages from which to choose- from a 2-day train trip from Banff to Vancouver (or vice versa) up to a 9-night package called Passage to the Peaks which starts in Edmonds, then Jasper, Kamloops, Banff, and ends in Calgary. We chose the 6-night First Passage to the West and worked with the RM team to curate some additional events just for our group. For us- spending extra time in Banff, Lake Louise and Lake Emerald was a must because each are so amazingly beautiful.

The views all along our journey were truly breathtaking.

We chose to go east to west (you can do it west to east if you prefer) because we wanted the trip to build to a crescendo for our club members – start in Calgary, then travel to Banff, Lake Louise and Emerald Lake, learn how the Spiral Tunnels were constructed before actually going through the Spiral Tunnels, (great decision).

Then we boarded the train to enjoy the journey through the spectacular Rocky Mountains on our luxurious train from Banff to Vancouver. Sigh…it was really wonderful.

SilverLeaf car is on the left, GoldLeaf on the right.

RM offers two levels of service on the train (GoldLeaf and SilverLeaf) and 3 levels of hotels (Premium, Superior, and Standard) and you can mix and match. We decided to chose the GoldLeaf service on the train because we wanted to be up high for better viewing. GoldLeaf passengers are seated in the top deck with the glass domed windows, and those passengers go down to the dedicated dining room below for meals.

Breakfast and lunch in the Dining Room.

We also liked the idea of dining in a different, dedicated venue - you go down to the white table clothes dining car and are served your meals. We enjoyed this because it gave us all a chance to sit with others in our group and visit during meals. The Gold Leaf also has a nice sized outdoor area they call the Vestibule where you are welcome to stand and take pictures and just enjoy the fresh air and views.

By contrast, the SilverLeaf seats on the train is on a single, ground level car. SilverLeaf also has glass domed windows like the GoldLeaf cars but the seats are at ground level and there is no dining car, the staff brings you your meals to your seat.

The Fabulous:

Our Welcome Aboard toast.

RM delivers on their promises! Yes, the trip is a bit pricey and yes- it is worth every penny.

The service was outstanding from the moment they met us in Calgary until we said goodbye in Vancouver. The trains themselves were lovely, clean and luxurious. Our seats in the GoldLeaf car were leather and each had 9 different settings- for a heated seat, lumbar support, tilt back (without sacrificing your neighbor’s space), and adjustable foot rest.

The food was cooked fresh with local ingredients; everyone agreed it was truly gourmet and delicious. They served us a several course breakfast – my favorite was their famous eggs benedict with a slightly spicy sauce. Then we were back again mid-day for a gourmet lunch featuring steaks, seafood, fresh pasta, etc. All of your food and beverages (including wines, beers and spirits) are included in the cost of your trip.

Those guest with food allergies or who needed gluten free meals were accommodated with excellent and yummy selections. RM is on their A game when it comes to Gluten Free and food allergies; when our motorcoach driver and guide decided to throw us an impromptu picnic after we visited the Spiral Tunnels- they even had special (yummy) treats for those in our party who needed gluten free. Wow.

The service was outstanding and again, they kept all of their promises. When we checked into our hotel in Calgary, the hotel team had our rooms ready. We enjoyed a lovely, extensive private breakfast just for our group the next morning. The RM team took our luggage each day and transferred it from our hotel to the next hotel. For the days we were traveling by bus- we had outstanding drivers and guides providing interesting commentary on everything we were seeing- the history, geography, wildlife and culture of the region. When our driver sighted a grizzly bear walking along the road- he pulled off the road for several minutes, giving us all time to watch and record this gorgeous animal (from the safety of the bus!)

We saw lots of wildlife on this trip- bear, moose, elk, bald eagles, a fox and even whales (some went whale watching in Vancouver).

For the days we were on the train- the service was also lovely and very attentive. RM literally rolls out the red carpet when you arrive! They take your picture as you board your train- it is all very exciting and you feel very special. We could tell these young people loved their job and they all worked very hard to make sure everyone had a fabulous time. We had a team of four taking care of us in our car- offering drinks and fresh baked snacks between meals (seriously- they feed you constantly and it is delicious) and telling us all about what we were seeing.

The Chef brought out freshly baked cookies. Did I mention the food was fabulous?

Meanwhile, the chefs in the kitchen below were busy all day making delicious meals and fancy hot and cold snacks for everyone to enjoy.

At the end of each day, we were taken to our hotel, handed our keys to our rooms (no need to stay in the long lines to check in), went up to our hotel room and there was our luggage- delivered earlier in the day by the RM staff. I can’t say enough good things about the food and the service provided by RM.

A word of caution:

I would not recommend this trip for those in wheelchairs, with significant mobility issues, or are very weak. Although they advertise this trip as able to accommodate guests in wheelchairs or with mobility issues, I would NOT recommend this trip to our clients who are in wheelchairs or have serious mobility issues for the following reasons: the bathrooms on the motorcoaches are very small and would be very difficult for a person with mobility issues to navigate.

During our days on the motorcoaches, the public restrooms were often a 10-15 walk away from the bus, often on uneven ground and/or up a hill. The restroom on the train (remember- the actual train trip is 2-days, the balance of the trip is via motorcoach) is large with hand rails and they do have a lift that can take a wheelchair from the restaurant on the main level to the second level for those in the Gold Leaf service.

In addition, these were long travel days.  I would recommend this trip for active adults who are in reasonably good shape. For those with mobility issues or are in a wheelchair, if you have your heart set on doing a Rocky Mountaineer trip- do just the 2-day train trip journey- Vancouver to Banff.

My Recommendations and How to Save Money on your Rocky Mountaineer Trip:

1.      RM offers numerous sales throughout the year. Get on their mailing list and you will be sent that information. We also get all of their published and unpublished sales- so you can ask us as well.

2.      Invest in the GoldLeaf for the train trip. In the opinion of every member of our group- it was money well spent. You will be up on the upper deck for best viewing (we would have missed a lot- just seen trees going by- if we hadn’t paid for the GoldLeaf to be on the upper deck. The seats are more comfortable as well. One of our members had a previous back surgery and he commented that the lumbar support and ability to heat his seat (3 setting options) kept him very comfortable.

3.      Go with the Standard hotel rooms and save money. That’s what we did and each hotel was lovely- clean, comfortable, nice service - and well located to get around town. You are only in your hotel rooms for a few hours each night- so no time to enjoy the fabulous amenities of the Fairmont Lake Louise for example (but I do highly recommend staying at the Fairmont Lake Louise someday. Spend at least 2 nights as there are great hikes and opportunities to kayak on the lake. And, of course, the spa is fabulous!

4.      Not sure which itinerary or package would be best for you? Give us a call or an email and we are happy to discuss the various options with you and the best time of year to go to enjoy what you want to see.

5.      We are official booking agents with Rocky Mountaineer. As with our cruise clients- we make sure you get every perk and savings RM is offering and then we add a valuable gift on top of that.

We loved our time on the Rocky Mountaineer and are now looking forward to experiencing the Rocky Mountaineer in the United States. RM now offers 2 and 3-day journeys Denver to Salt Lake and out to view the national parks.

Interested in a Rocky Mountaineer adventure? Give us a call and let’s get the conversation started.

Until next time, your next adventure awaits!!!