Hi Colleen,
I am very happy to hear that you have found a tour that fits in with your other plans and that it includes everything you wanted. You wont be disappointed. The scenery is gorgeous and Chateau Lake Louise is a great hotel and I am sure you will enjoy the RM.
Happy Travelling
Norma

That hotel is a very nice one Colleen.
Congratulations!
I hope your room with a view will be on the Lac Louise side.

Yvon,

Thanks for this.
Yes, we are guaranteed Lac Louise side rooms as part of the tour price.

Try to take the short hike to Morraine Lake [sp?] if you have time at Lake Louise. You can also walk around [or nearly around] Lake Louise. Morraine Lake used to be the scenery on the back of one of the Canadian bills [$10?]. It is surprizing how fast one forgets these things.

ZGordon,

Thanks for the advice - much appreciated.
A Morraine Lake walk and a little cruise to Spirit Island is also part of the tour.

Looks fabulous !!

Colleen
We are booked to do your original tour this year. Now having second thoughts. Regarding the other company you found who did the tour, ( I gather it starts with "G")was it an Australian one or Canadian?

There are some wonderful highlights to the new Majestic Canadian West tour that includes the new Rocky Mountaineer from Jasper to Whistler. A brief description of Waterton National Park:
In 1932 Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta, Canada) was combined with the Glacier National Park (Montana, United States) to form the world's first International Peace Park. Situated on the border between the two countries and offering outstanding scenery, the park is exceptionally rich in plant and mammal species as well as prairie, forest, and alpine and glacial features.

The Fairmont Hot Springs Resort is an incredible 4.5 star property in the Can Rockies in southeast B.C. "Renowned for their therapeutic qualities, Fairmont's pools are almost certainly the cleanest in North America. At night the pools are drained, scrubbed, and refilled by morning with fresh, mineral-rich natural hot springs water."

The two day journey follows a rarely traveled northerly route acros the Rockies that offers some of North America's most breathtaking scenery. In short, the scenery on the new route, Fraser Discovery which runs between Whistler and Jasper with an overnight in Quesnel is absolutely stunning. In fact, in terms of scenery it probably surpasses the other routes (via Kamloops) in that you don't have the Vancouver part of it which can be somewhat lengthy and not as scenic as there is much freight traffic etc. to deal with. Not only do you get the "Rockies Day" when travelling between Jasper and Quesnel, but you get another day of absolutely magnificent scenery between Quesnel and Whistler, including one of the highest railway bridges in the world, glacial lakes and travelling along the Fraser Canyon. The route cuts through rugged areas where no road goes.
Route highlights are Anderson and Seton Lakes, Cariboo Plateau, Fraser River and Canyon, Rocky Mountain Trench and MNount Robson. There will be many opportunities to view widlife in these unspoiled regions.

The town of Quesnel is a small authentic Western Canadian town where train guests are treated quite well by the local townsfolk. The accomodation is basic but always clean and cheerful.

Perhaps this information will help you in making a decision to travel with Insight Vacations and enjoy the stunning Canadian Rockies!

Hello,
The 2007 Can Rockies and Vancouver Island tour does not overnight in Lake Louise, it stays at the Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park which is just as breathtaking as Lake Louise! Hope this helps you.

quote:

Originally posted by Colleen Anne:
Yvon,

Thanks for this.
Yes, we are guaranteed Lac Louise side rooms as part of the tour price.

Wixy,

The tour company I am now going with starts wit "S" and is Australian.

I was looking forward to going with Insight again but they lost my money by changing from the RM train to the VIA for the first trip I chose, and going by the new Quesnel route for the other. I have never been to Canada before, but Canadians on this BB and also Canadian friends assure me that this is not the best of the RM routes - I can only take their advice.

The tour I have since booked looks to have absolutely everything I wanted, so I am very pleased. I will certainly look at Insight again for next year though - I have enjoyed previous Insight travel.

Hi Colleen Anne,

I agreed with you and others earlier in this topic. Insight USA responded but in another post called Alaska 2006.

This is what I posted back...maybe you've seen it already...not sure.

Hi Insight USA,

Just to clarify my previous comment, The Grand Canadian & Alaska cruise in 2005 used Rocky Mountaineer...Fabulous tour.

The 'new tour' is I'm sure just as fabulous.

However if intending travellers have no comendations to read because it is "new" then they're not sure should they buy one of the more expensive vacations in the Insight range.

My wife and I were able to purchase this tour based on the fact that we wanted to see Canada & Alaska...the decision to go with Insight was based on 3 previous Insight Tours re: Quality of service and also the wonderfully detailed tour tales from those who had experienced the exact same journey before.

The "new" routes probably are excellent but intending travellers have to take your word for it...due to the fact that it is new...thats obvious.

When I say intending travellers may be disgruntled it is for the above reason only.

Disgruntled does not mean disappointed...they take their chance as all of us do. In my view the Insight Bulletin Board community is one of the most knowledgable collection of travellers to be found on the net.

Why I wonder was something fixed that in the eyes of your clients wasn't broken in the first place? This response is in good faith and it is the way that I see it...my original post joined the voices of others who saw it in the same way...that does not necessarily say there's a right or a wrong it's just seasoned travellers voicing their opinion to their favourite Tour provider on their favourite bulletin board.

I'm sure Insight believe that this tour is an improvement on the previous tour otherwise they would not gamble on such a change.

Good luck to Insight and good luck to all who take this remarkable tour.