Trip Itinerary
Day 1: En Route
America by Rail will arrange for all participants to connect with the tour/cruise in Los Angeles by rail from your nearest Amtrak station. Olivera Street, with its Mexican Market, is near the Union Terminal.
At about 1:45, we’ll board the Sunset Limited for our 2,000-mile journey across six states to New Orleans. Departure is scheduled for 3:00. Get comfortable in your Roomette or Bedroom. You’ll then want to head for the Sightseer Lounge car for viewing of the passing scenery. During the remainder of the afternoon, our train will roll through the lush California countryside. We’ll encounter the arid desert of western Arizona around dinner time. All delicious dining car meals are included. Additional California participants will join us in Palm Springs (5:35 p.m.).
Meal(s): D
Day 2: En Route
Plan on a train side stroll during our 40-minute layover in El Paso at 8:16 a.m. The rest of the day we’ll encounter the stark, desolate -- almost hostile -- land of West Texas. This is the sparsely-populated Rio Grande Valley.
It’s 605 miles from El Paso to San Antonio with only three stops at remote stations.
We’ll be west of Alpine at lunch time and near Del Rio when we sit down to dinner. Just west of Del Rio we’ll cross the Pecos High Bridge spanning a magnificent canyon cut by the Pecos River 321 feet below.
We’ll arrive in San Antonio at 10:25 p.m. and lay over for two-and-a-half hours. You can remain on the train or take a stroll.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 3: En Route / New Orleans
Early birds can catch a stroll trainside in Houston between 5:45 and 6:15 a.m.. Relax and enjoy your final day of luxury aboard the Sunset Limited. Further east we’ll roll by rice and sugar cane fields. Soon we’re in the famed bayou country of Louisiana with its verdant, moss-covered forests and flowers that bloom year around. We’ll pass over many inlets from the nearby Gulf of Mexico.
We’ll know we’re almost there when the train ascends the 4.4-mile-long Huey P. Long Bridge. The New Orleans skyline will dominate the horizon. Arrival into New Orleans is scheduled for 2:55 p.m. Please arrange for a taxi to take you to our hotel.
Our home in New Orleans is the Hampton Inn near the famous French Quarter. You’re in one of the most attractive cities in the world. Take full advantage of all there is to see, to do and to taste.
Meal(s): B & L
Day 4: New Orleans
You are free to enjoy this interesting city. There are numerous sites and shops for you to explore. Your Tour Director will arrive at the hotel between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. and will be in contact with you.
Day 5: Embarkation
This morning you’re free to rest or pursue those activities that are of particular interest to you. Enjoy coffee and beignets (a special doughnut-like pastry) at the famous Café du Monde. Wander through the exquisite shops and galleries along Royale Street.
At noon we’ll transfer from our hotel to the beautiful Norwegian Star®, our fantastic home for the next seven days and nights. Get settled, enjoy a buffet lunch and spend the afternoon exploring this beautiful ship. We’re scheduled to set sail from New Orleans at 5:00 p.m.
Meal(s): L & D
Day 6: At Sea
Do as little or as much as you care to aboard the beautiful Norwegian Star. This ship is a jewel on the high seas, filled with innovative features and luxurious amenities. Swim in one of the sparkling pools, shop the Galleria boutique or get a massage in the Barong Spa & Salon. Dine in one of the dining rooms or specialty restaurants. Head to the internet cafe’ or library. Tee up at the driving range. There is a jogging track and state of the art fitness center for those looking to work off some of the fantastic cuisine. Catch up on your favorite team at the Sports Bar. Grab a latte’ at the Java Café. Try your luck at the Star Club Casino featuring a variety of table games, slots (including nickel slots for the not-so-high roller), video poker, etc.
Other daily activities include bingo, craft-making, art auctions, pool games, trivia contests, wine and cocktail tasting; and that traditional cruise favorite, shuffleboard! Of course you can always just cuddle up with a good book as the Pacific Ocean drifts by. The evening entertainment is stellar. Don’t miss the colorful Broadway-style production shows in the Theater.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 7: Costa Maya, Mexico
The quiet side of Mexico; here, along an unspoiled coastal paradise, archeology buffs discover Mayan ruins shrouded in magic and mystery.
Optional shore excursions include: Kohunlich Mayan Ruins; Coral Reef Snorkel; 4x4 All-terrain Expedition. A sightseeing tour to Chichén, the majestic city that holds both magic and mystery. Under the direction of expert guides, explore this as well as other buildings and sites.
Consider the tour to Xcaret, a place where Mayas came to purify themselves. This is now one of the world’s most unique parks. Horseback riding and snorkeling are available as well.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 8: Belize City, Belize
An eco-tourist’s paradise; offshore, friendly stingrays glide over the second-largest barrier reef in the world; inland, brilliant butterflies loop through steamy jungles.
Sample shore excursions include: Mayan Ruins of Xunantunich and Marimba Lunch; also Shark Ray Alley and San Pedro.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 9: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
One of the Honduras Bay Islands, Roatan is a hidden gem with some of the most beautiful white beaches and the best snorkel and diving spots in the Caribbean.
Optional shore excursions include: Dolphin Encounter & Tabyana Beach, Jolly Roger Catamaran & Gumbalimba Park, Island Sightseeing & Beach, Island Nature & Culture Tour and, Mayan Reef Clear Kayak.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 10: Cozumel, Mexico
Once the destination of Mayan women playing homage to Ixchel, Mayan goddess of fertility, today it’s ranked among the world’s premier dive spots. Just a ferry ride away: the Mayan ruins of Tulum, spectacularly situated on the sea cliffs.
Optional shore excursions include: Chac Tun Caverns and Mayan Riviera Beach; Mayan Ruins of Tulum; Snorkel at Chankanaab National Park; and the Clear Kayak Peek and Paddle.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 11: At Sea
This is the last full day of our Rail/Sail Vacation at sea. Enjoy this opportunity to participate in many of the optional activities onboard or relax with a good book on deck with the invigorating salt air.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 12: New Orleans
Following our disembarking from the Norwegian Star, we’ll transfer to our hotel. You’re free this full day in New Orleans to rest or pursue those activities that are of particular interest to you. The nearby D-Day Museum and the Aquarium are highly recommended. Enjoy coffee and beignets (a special doughnut-like pastry) at the famous Cafe du Monde. Wander through the exquisite shops and galleries along Royal Street.
You may want to embark on a Gray Line tour. They include Hurricane Katrina sites, Oak Alley Plantation and Swamped Bayou.
Meal(s): B
Day 13: En Route / Sunset Limited
At 10:45 a.m. we’ll transfer to the New Orleans Union Station. Our travelers will prepare for their return to Los Angeles. We’ll travel first-class on the Sunset Limited. Relax in your comfortable private Roomette bedroom or upgraded Bedroom sleeping accommodations. Go to the glass-walled Sightseer Lounge car for spectacular viewing. All tastefully prepared full-course dining car meals are included.
Departure is at 11:55 a.m. Lunch will be the first of our six included dining car meals.
After lunch, options include visiting with new friends, and watching the famous swampland of Louisiana (known as the Bayou) from the all-glass Sightseer Lounge car. How about a post-lunch nap in your comfortable private bedroom accommodations! Soon we’ll be passing through the sugar cane fields. We’ll arrive in Houston shortly after 9:00 p.m. You’ll have about a half-hour to walk off some of the excesses of dinner.
Meal(s): CB, L & D
Day 14: En Route
During the night the landscape changed drastically. You’re now in the sparsely-populated Rio Grande Valley of West Texas. Tumbleweeds and arid lands surround our train. Just west of Del Rio we’ll cross the Pecos High Bridge spanning a magnificent canyon cut to the Pecos River 321 feet below.
Plan on a train side stroll during our late afternoon stop in El Paso. The rest of the day we’ll encounter the stark, desolate -- almost hostile -- land of southern New Mexico and Arizona. If you’re still active when we arrive in Tucson at 11:20 p.m., enjoy another walk.
Meal(s): B, L & D
Day 15: En Route / Los Angeles
Palm Springs . . . Ontario . . . Pomona . . . Los Angeles Union Station. Enjoy your final morning on the Sunset Limited. Breakfast will be served as the train rolls along the lush California countryside. Huge clusters of power generating windmills cling to a number of mountainsides.
Arrival into Los Angeles Union Station is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Throughout the morning, and early afternoon, tour members will depart for home destinations.
Meal(s): B