The ride started out bad and just kept getting worse. First, their website clearly advertises that they provide a non-alcoholic substitute for the champagne toast. When I asked our waiter about that, he looked at me like I had horns. He said that they didn’t have anything of the sort and went about his business of pouring champagne for all the other guests. So, here we were the four of us, without anything in our glass to join the toast.

Their website also clearly states, that when it gets dark the undercarriage floodlights will be turned on so that the guests can enjoy the view. That was one of the main reasons I chose the dinner ride, over the Sunday brunch. I wanted to make sure that we would be able to see something the entire trip. The floodlights were never turned on, and we sat there staring out into the dark for most of the second half of the trip. When asked, their staff had no answer to why the lights weren’t on. One even mentioned that the entire time he had worked on that train, the lights had never been turned on. Another said that we should have chosen one of the party trips. He said they turned the lights on for those rides. I didn’t read about any party trips on their website. Even if I had, I don’t think that would have appealed to me. It was quite embarrassing for me, since I had told my dad how awesome the view would be in the dark. All we were able to see was the gravel next to the tracks.

Then, when coffee was served, we were told that there was a limited amount of creamer available and we could not get any extra. Why on earth would they not have enough creamer on board to give all guests as much as they’d like? It’s not like this is a plane and they should be worried about weight. So, my dad and I had to drink our coffee almost black. Again, this was very embarrassing for me.

This trip was the Murder Mystery ride and I was expecting at least some half-way decent acting. It was horrible! I've seen better acting in a high school play.

The final straw was when we returned back to our car, only to find that it had been broken into and my dad’s GPS was stolen. Not just the GPS, but the mount and charger as well. Nowhere on their website or in the parking lot did they clearly state that the cars would not be secure while we were on our trip. I am certain that they are aware that the neighborhood around the train station is not the best. The people that live there know fully well that once that train leaves, they have at least 2 ½ - 3 hours to help themselves to anything in any of those cars. We spoke with some of their employees, as soon as we discovered the break-in. They said that the lot was never secure and didn’t offer us any kind of advice. We tried several times to reach the local police to file a report, but their line was constantly busy. So, we headed home, since we had an hour drive.

I contacted the management of the Sacramento River Train, only to receive a patronizing, insulting reply. They offered me a $10 refund, for the lack of sparkling cider and coffee creamer. They made excuses for the rest of the botched trip and claimed that they had made an effort to assist us after the break-in. Not so.

I spent $356 for four people and feel like it was worth maybe $100. This was the biggest waste of money I have ever seen!!!