Double Bedroom as Single Bedroom?

Well, I've already booked my ticket, but here is the situation. I was booking a ticket for the Ocean (it goes from Montreal to Halifax). I wanted to stay in my own personal room but because there were no single bedrooms available (meaning that it just didn't show up, so say if you were to order a ticket it would say double bedroom as the furthest down class in the sleeper section) I booked myself into a double bedroom. Since then I've been very worried that a stranger will be booked into that room with me. Recently (after browsing the Via Rail site in detail) I discovered that there is a 15% charge for people who take double bedrooms on their own. I wasn't prompted at any point about this charge, so I'm wondering now if anyone here would know if perhaps I do have an actual room to my own (meaning by only booking the one ticket by itself they automatically did the charge and I have a private room), or if via would do something like put two strangers into a room together. Help would be greatly appreciated, thank you anyone who offers any informative response.

edit - I hope this is the correct place for this, sorry in advanced if there are any issues.

Don't worry. The double bedroom will be all yours (unless you invite someone else to share it with you). Any single occupancy surcharge was automatically included in the fare quoted when you booked your ticket.

Oh thank you so much. I've been worrying so much about it but I get so nervous calling customer support (and the train station is more than a skip and a jump away). This is, and likely quite obviously, my first time utilizing Via Rail's sleeper accommodations so I suppose it isn't too terribly unusual to be so concerned. Thank you very much again, really, my most sincere thanks as my ride will be much more enjoyable now that I know what I thought I booked was what I actually booked. Again, I can't express enough thanks.

You're most certainly welcome. I hope we're here to help. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have.

Under normal operations, VIA doesn't offer single bedrooms aboard the Ocean - only double and double deluxe. The sleeping cars usually operated on the train (called Renaissance) only have these two options available. Sometimes other cars are used (called Budd or HEP) and these do have single bedrooms as well as triple bedrooms plus upper/lower berths.

Feb. 2005, I rode the Ocean from Montreal to Halifax. When I booked a room on the Ocean, I asked from a "roomette", what I got was a double room on a Chateau (?) car just for myself. Was in Room "C" going to Halifax and Room "D" going back. I had a delightful experience on the older Budd equipment--but was disappointed in the meals served aboard the Ocean.

If they charged you a roomette fare for a double bedroom, you got a great deal. In non-Renaissance sleepers, there is a 50% surcharge over the per person rate for a double room.

I had a good deal twice a few years ago when the Ren. equipment was being phased in. I had booked a Ren. double bedroom for my own use at the usual 15% surcharge. But the Ren. equipment was replaced with the Budd equipment, so I was offered my choice of: a roomette with a refund of the 15% surcharge that I had paid for the Ren. room, or a double bedroom at no extra charge. Both times I took the double room as I had my heart set on luxuriating in a room that was bigger than a broom closet, even if it didn't have the private shower that I was expecting on the Ren. sleeper.

Regarding meals on the Ocean, I agree that the supposedly "cooked on board" meals on the Budd-equipped Ocean have been seriously downgraded in recent years. The worst VIA dining car meals I have had in 20 years have been on the Budd-equipped Ocean. The re-heated pre-cooked meals in the Renaissance diner have been better, although not all of them have been of the same quality. Generally, the meals are better in the Easterly Class season, as they should be given the higher fare.