- Amtrak's first-class roomette offers passengers a private 23-square-foot space.
- The roomette I booked on the Floridian included two seats, two beds, and a private bathroom.
- The experience also included complimentary dining and a dedicated first-class attendant.
When I booked a $230 one-way ticket for one of Amtrak's first-class roomettes, I was expecting a luxurious, seamless experience.
Instead, I encountered a nearly six-hour delay that left me roaming the streets of downtown Tampa in anticipation of the train's arrival.
The delay — which Amtrak said was related to issues caused by extreme heat — severely impacted my travel schedule, turning my afternoon trip into a late-night journey.
However, the comfort of the private room made up for the travel complications. Enjoying a complimentary dinner in an upscale dining car and lying down in a comfortable bed turned an otherwise tedious journey into a pleasurable experience.
Here's what it was like to travel in one of Amtrak's first-class roomettes on its Floridian line.
Unfortunately, my first-class journey began with a five-hour delay.
The morning of my trip from Tampa to Miami, I began receiving text notifications that my train would be delayed.
The Floridian train travels from Chicago through states including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas before reaching Florida. Its 47-hour journey ends in Miami.
On the day I traveled, an hourlong delay during its early stops soon escalated to a five-hour delay as the train faced challenges related to extreme heat warnings in northeastern states.
By the time I headed to the train station, I was already hours behind my original schedule.
After a long day of waiting, I arrived at the historic train station from which my train would depart.
The Tampa Union Station was built over a hundred years ago, making the wait — which continued to get longer incrementally — more enriching.
The station, which was built in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, had a few details that nodded to its long history, including a plaque and a few informative posters.
Once my train finally arrived, I got to board early.
Once the train arrived at the Tampa station, I joined other first-class passengers in early boarding.
A dedicated attendant guided me down the slim walkways to my room.
One of the main perks of the first-class roomette is access to a dedicated first-class attendant, who welcomed me aboard the train and showed me to my room, as well as informing me about the procedures for dinner in the dining car, which would start about an hour after boarding.
Meant for two people, the roomette provided ample space to sit during my five-hour journey.
My $230 ticket covered the cost of the roomette, which could be occupied by two people. So when split among two passengers, it would cost $115 each.
The 23-square-foot room provided two spaces to sit and sleep: one upstairs and one downstairs.
After spending a while in the train station — where masses waiting for delayed trains were growing impatient in the Florida heat — I was very happy to sit down in an air-conditioned private room by myself.
The room had its own private bathroom, which seemed like it could be awkward to use.
The roomette featured its own private bathroom — the "stairs" to the upper level could be opened into a toilet and a sink.
However, actually using the bathroom was awkward as they weren't separated from the rest of the roomette. As a solo passenger, I wasn't too uncomfortable, but I could see how it could be awkward to use with two passengers occupying the space.
The upper level featured a comfortable bed.
Climbing the convertible stairs, the upstairs berth, which can be adjusted in height, came with two pillows, two blankets, and comfortable bedsheets.
The bed was also comfortable to lie in, despite its rather limited space, which was similar to a twin-sized bed with cut-outs on the side for access.
The upper bed had its own storage space and viewing window.
The bed was next to a window and a luggage storage space.
The upper window was my spot for sightseeing during the first half of the trip before the sun went down. After a long day of waiting, I could just lie down and enjoy the views of rural Florida from the comfortable bed.
The upper bed could be raised to the ceiling when not in use and also allowed a passenger to sit underneath while another slept.
The roomette's compact space was arranged efficiently so that the upstairs and downstairs spaces could be used simultaneously. While a passenger uses the upstairs bed, another can sleep or sit downstairs.
I imagine this division of space makes long trips much more comfortable for two people sharing the small space.
The dining car felt like a fine-dining experience ...
With a design that reminded me of the art deco and mid-century modern styles, the first-class dining car felt like an elevated restaurant compared to the dining cars I usually see on trains.
The tables were covered with white tablecloths, and each was decorated with a small bouquet of two roses.
… even if the food didn't.
As soon as I sat down to order in the first-class dining car, a waiter told each table that due to a complication with the train kitchen, the dining car was operating on a limited menu, which included options like cheeseburgers, turkey subs, and ham sandwiches.
The options were the same I had seen in the economy class café menu on the first leg of my trip, which disappointed me as I was eager to try a first-class dinner on the Floridian.
While the burger I had was tasty, enjoyable, and packed with all the essential toppings — tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, and some condiments — it wasn't quite the luxury dining experience I had anticipated.
Amtrak did not respond to a request for comment about my experience.
Our first-class dinner came with dessert.
After the dinner service, a waiter handed each diner a warm brownie topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
Although it was a sweet and enjoyable ending to a long day, it slightly reminded me of warmed-up day-old box brownies.
After a long day, the bed in the roomette was a godsend.
While the upper bed was more comfortable, I opted to sleep downstairs after a wave of motion sickness hit me after dinner.
After a long nap that lasted most of the trip, I felt better, and I was thankful that I could lie down in my own private space — where I could make it as dark and cozy as I wanted — while experiencing motion sickness, rather than sitting in a coach seat.
Finally, I arrived at my destination six hours after the scheduled time.
After a filling meal, some enjoyable views of rural Florida, and a long and refreshing nap in the roomette, I arrived in Miami at nearly midnight.
The trip, which came after a tiring day of delays, was ultimately enjoyable and gave me the time, space, and comfort to stretch and rest while traveling.
I found that having a full bed to rest in without being disturbed was worth the price tag, at least under the particular circumstances of my travel.
While I enjoyed having all the space to myself, splitting the fare between two people would be a better value option aboard the first-class roomette.
