by RussM
I recently took the Skeena from Prince Rupert to Jasper in Totem Deluxe Class. There were about 10 passengers in Totem Deluxe for the trip to Prince George, and only 7 for the second half of the trip. Needless to say, the service was superb. I would describe the food as good, but not great. All food was cold, except for one hot entree for the first dinner. I thought the views were best on the south side of the train from Rupert to George. From Prince George to McBride the views were mostly obscured by trees. From McBride to Jasper the views are good on both sides. Seats were assigned, but passengers could sit anywhere they wanted to. The windows in the Panorama Car were excellent, although the clear roof let in so much sun it was like being outdoors. We had clear weather, so I needed to wear a hat and sunglasses. The Park Car was totally empty. I went back there occasionally to see the view to the rear (good), or from the dome. The dome windows in this particular Park Car were horrible, with severe streaking. It did not appear to be a cleaning problem. The view forward was interesting, but that window is impossible to keep clean. Saw lots of wildlife - eagles, elk, moose, one bison, and many black bears. The train ran pretty much on schedule despite quite a bit of freight traffic. In summary, it was a very nice trip. Totem Deluxe was great, but I am not sure it was worth the price. If the passenger load is light, I would suspect that "Comfort Class" would probably be almost as good.
