3 people - pricing for sleeper

[diskatdreamer]

This is our first time traveling by train. We are thinking of traveling from Chicago to SanFrancisco. We have 3 adults and don't know if we need a sleeper. Can we get a 2 bed sleeper and switch out sleeping so that we all get a chance to sleep? If meals included with a sleeper and not coach seat can we split who get the meals? Do we get 3 assigned coach seats (for 3) and a sleeper (for 2) or 1 assigned seat (for 1) and a sleeper (for 2)?

I'd appreciate all the help I can get.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you just get a roomette, only 2 of you will be able to use it (and get the "free" meals). The other person would need to stay in coach and pay for his/her meals. Of course, you can hang out together in the SSL and probably be able arrange to have meals together.

You can get a bedroom for 3 people.

Remember, the cost of the room(ette) is for the room, not per person. So, you would be paying the lowest railfare for each person plus the cost of the room.

 

[user 1215]

I was going to talk about all kinds of workarounds. But the fact is that the crew remembers faces pretty well. Conductors and coach attendants know who are in a seat. Sleeping attendants know who belong in the room. You gotta sign for your meals and put in your room number.

You may be able to put three in a bedroom, but it is not comfortable. And, I think you can only book it as "Day accomodations". Exception would be if one in your party were a small child.

I'd look to two roomettes rather than a single bedroom with a swap attempt.

 

[Ryan]

3 Adults is doable in a bedroom - from the Blue Book:

If two of the adults don't mind sharing a bed, that's possible in the lower bunk.

If not, you still get more space, more privacy, a private bedroom and free meals for the 3 of you if you book a bedroom.

Remember, the cost of the room(ette) is for the room, not per person. So, you would be paying the lowest railfare for each person plus the cost of the room.

This is a good point as well - when you're booking online, you have to actually click on the room to see what the estimated price will be. For example:

Looking at the Crescent from WAS-ATL tonight you can see that the coach fare is $175 ($350 for 2):

Looking at that, you would assume that adding a roomette means that you would pay $731 ($350+381). However, when you click on the roomette:

What gives? Why is it over $100 cheaper?

When you actually add the seats to your cart, you can see that there is a $126 discount - that's the difference between the lowest railfare and the current railfare. In this case, we can see that the lowest railfare is $112 per person, a discount from the current railfare of $175 per person:

 

[calwatch]

You can shove three adults in a sleeper. I've done it before. It's not that comfortable but it works. Do not try to sleep in the chair... I did that one night and it was very uncomfortable. One of the SCAs let me sleep in an empty bedroom next door during the day a few hours before we were coming into Chicago. I tipped her well for that.

 

[Ryan]

If you're 3 adults and not into sharing a bed, the thing to do is sleep 2 sitting upright at opposite ends of the couch, and one lucky person on the upper bunk.

 

[me_little_me]

Have you looked into the cost of two roomettes (2 in one and 1 in the second)? Might be cheaper than a BR. That was what my wife and I did on one trip. After buying online, we called to change rooms so we would be across from one another. We'd sit together during the day and sleep in our own roomettes at night since neither of us could climb into top bunk (my back was bothering me at the time and her knee prohibited climbing the ladder safely). Now we could do one room as my back is improved.

You'd have to down the hall or downstairs for shower and toilet but you'd all get a good night's sleep and might save money.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I think you should get two Roomettes. Use Amsnag to find cheaper fares, and book many monthes in advance.

To Alan, the reason you get the discount when you book Sleeper is that you get the lowest bucket Coach when you upgrade.

 

[AlanB]

To Alan, the reason you get the discount when you book Sleeper is that you get the lowest bucket Coach when you upgrade.

Um, prior to this post, where did I say anything in this topic? :unsure:

And if you meant Ryan, then you clearly didn't fully read his post. His question was rhetorical, and in the very next sentence he explained to diskatdreamer, why the price went down.

 

[amamba]

If you're 3 adults and not into sharing a bed, the thing to do is sleep 2 sitting upright at opposite ends of the couch, and one lucky person on the upper bunk.

The other thing you could do is put one person in the upper bunk, have one person lay on the couch/sofa/lower bunk without lowering it into the bed position, and then have the third person sleep on the extra mattress (that would go on the lower bed) on the floor. You would kind of have to fold the mattress up into the sink/bathroom but there is space to do this.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

To Alan, the reason you get the discount when you book Sleeper is that you get the lowest bucket Coach when you upgrade.

Um, prior to this post, where did I say anything in this topic? :unsure:

And if you meant Ryan, then you clearly didn't fully read his post. His question was rhetorical, and in the very next sentence he explained to diskatdreamer, why the price went down.

Argh, I was acting like a fool! Apologies for any confusion.

 

[rrdude]

3 Adults is doable in a bedroom - from the Blue Book:

If two of the adults don't mind sharing a bed, that's possible in the lower bunk.

If not, you still get more space, more privacy, a private bedroom and free meals for the 3 of you if you book a bedroom.

Remember, the cost of the room(ette) is for the room, not per person. So, you would be paying the lowest railfare for each person plus the cost of the room.

This is a good point as well - when you're booking online, you have to actually click on the room to see what the estimated price will be. For example:

Looking at the Crescent from WAS-ATL tonight you can see that the coach fare is $175 ($350 for 2):

Looking at that, you would assume that adding a roomette means that you would pay $731 ($350+381). However, when you click on the roomette:

What gives? Why is it over $100 cheaper?

When you actually add the seats to your cart, you can see that there is a $126 discount - that's the difference between the lowest railfare and the current railfare. In this case, we can see that the lowest railfare is $112 per person, a discount from the current railfare of $175 per person:

I want YOU to be my travel agent...Ha, how many of us DO THIS SAME TYPE OF THING (copy-n-pasting) for friends who are "considering" Amtrak travel for the first time. I've even burned points for friends, just to get them to try Amtrak. (On NEC of course)

 

[Ryan]

The thing is that Amtrak could easily fix the problem - instead of displaying "Add $381" for the roomette, they could do the calculation and display "Add $255" to reflect the true cost of adding the room. Wonder how many more people would buy a room if they were presented with the correct, cheaper price?

 

[SarahZ]

If you're 3 adults and not into sharing a bed, the thing to do is sleep 2 sitting upright at opposite ends of the couch, and one lucky person on the upper bunk.

The other thing you could do is put one person in the upper bunk, have one person lay on the couch/sofa/lower bunk without lowering it into the bed position, and then have the third person sleep on the extra mattress (that would go on the lower bed) on the floor. You would kind of have to fold the mattress up into the sink/bathroom but there is space to do this.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

 

[alanh]

The lower bunk in the bedroom is about the size of a twin bed, so if you're really cozy with your traveling companion you can do it. Amtrak will allow three in a bedroom (two in the lower bunk and one in the upper) but will try to talk you out of it as they get a lot of complaints about it being so tight.

Putting more than two adults into anything other than the bedroom lower bunk is impossible. The beds are just too narrow.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

The thing is that Amtrak could easily fix the problem - instead of displaying "Add $381" for the roomette, they could do the calculation and display "Add $255" to reflect the true cost of adding the room. Wonder how many more people would buy a room if they were presented with the correct, cheaper price?

I agree.

 

[me_little_me]

The thing is that Amtrak could easily fix the problem - instead of displaying "Add $381" for the roomette, they could do the calculation and display "Add $255" to reflect the true cost of adding the room. Wonder how many more people would buy a room if they were presented with the correct, cheaper price?

I agree.

Never work. Too confusing.

The price shown for the rail fare is pre-discount for AAA/senior/NARP/VA/etc discounts. So if you bought that combination, the discount comes off the $224 discounted (i.e. low bucket) rail fare, not the original $350 as you expected.

 

[Ryan]

All of that can be displayed on the screen after you put in your discount and the final discounted price is displayed.

Advertising the correct price on the initial screen for everyone is far more important.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you click the Add Room and select the room you want, it will adjust the price shown on the intial page.

 

[Ryan]

Yes, I mentioned that in my post. That requires someone to click on a room that's showing a higher price than they'll end up paying.

How many people do you think look at the room, say "$381? That's too much!", but would have gladly paid $255 for the room?