Amtrak changed my accommodation

[Eric in East County]

No, the train had 3 sleepers. No cars were cancelled. He had a reservation for a bedroom in one of the cars. That bedroom was taken away, apparently so a large party could occupy it as part of a bedroom suite. He was put in a Roomette in one of the other 2 sleepers.

OK, there were three sleepers. Moosejunky99 had a reservation for a bedroom in one of these sleepers. A party of six wanted adjoining bedrooms, so moosejunky99, traveling as a single, was downgraded to a roomette since no other bedrooms were apparently available. (If moosejunky99 had been traveling with a companion they would probably have both been downgraded.) I can see that, cost-wise, Amtrak would have made out better accommodating the party of six rather than a party of one or two, even if that party of six made their reservations well after moosejunky99. Fortunately, moosejunky99 was able to take the downgrade in stride. Let’s hope that this was an isolated incident and not a foreshadowing of what could happen in the future, particularly during the peak travel season.

 

[PVD]

It is also possible that a different single bedroom or H room was bad ordered that he may have been moved to. It is all just speculation on our part at this point.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

The LSL runs the sleepers facing forward. (Side Doors and H bedroom) So for the Hudson River portion he will need to look out his door of his bedroom to see the that river.

Realistic the view flip and flops so each side is pretty good.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

The LSL runs the sleepers facing forward. (Side Doors and H bedroom) So for the Hudson River portion he will need to look out his door of his bedroom to see the that river.

Realistic the view flip and flops so each side is pretty good.

I didn’t realize that—thanks. A bit dreary up here in the northeast today compared to the Florida he started from, but he has his bedroom and made the train connection, so I bet he doesn’t mind a bit of a dreary view!

 

[moosejunky99]

Ya it was pretty foggy but i saw the hudson but nobody on the water.

449 Sleeper from Boston are next to engine on the way to Chicago. I would hate that.

 

[moosejunky99]

For anybody keeping track of this thread.. I made it home.. it was 2hrs and 5 mins late and had to run to catch the 1230 Metra Train. They said they in-countered weather in Rochester/Buffalo area and we had to do only 20 mph for a time.

Guess there was a very small freight train derailment in Franklin Park, IL... only like 3-4 cars at most when i went by on Metra.

Here is a video

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

For anybody keeping track of this thread.. I made it home.. it was 2hrs and 5 mins late and had to run to catch the 1230 Metra Train. They said they in-countered weather in Rochester/Buffalo area and we had to do only 20 mph for a time.

Guess there was a very small freight train derailment in Franklin Park, IL... only like 3-4 cars at most when i went by on Metra.

Here is a video

You have had quite an adventure from beginning to end! Thanks for taking us along!

 

[PVD]

Some kind of crazy high wind thing in WNY. Probably not as much of a deal on the single level LSL, but there are a lot of double stack freights running through there that may have been impacted clogging the path. Glad you made it.

 

[CHImdw1522]

In October 2023, I booked a roomette on Train #3, the Southwest Chief, for travel in late June 2024. Since I booked the ticket so early, I got a really good price - using the senior discount. I am a Guest Rewards Select Member. I am also a member of the Rail Passengers Association.

Just this week, I got an email from Amtrak informing me that my roomette was changed from Car 330 Room 2 (my favorite room) to car 330 room 13 - on the lower level.

As soon as I could, I got on the phone to get a roomette on the upper level - if not room 2.

The first agent booked me in car 330 room 6, but I never got a confirmation email, so I called back. The second agent tried to get me an upper-level roomette but told me that there were no car 330 upper-level roomettes available. She was able to book me in car 332 room 2, but Amtrak wanted to charge me almost $300 more for the change. The agent realized that this was not fair and managed to complete the transaction for no fare increase. I did get a confirmation email, and the app does show me in car 332 room 2.

Why did Amtrak dump me from my original roomette? A) Because I used a senior discount, and they think all seniors want a lower-level roomette? B) Because they wanted to sell my upper-level roomette for a higher fare? C) They figured that I wouldn't care? D) All of the above?

I guess Guest Rewards Select means nothing outside of the Northeast corridor.

At least Amtrak did not boot me off the train like they did two years ago when I discovered the day before travel on the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles that Amtrak gave my roomette to someone else. At the last moment, they offered me a business class seat instead. I declined and flew. But that is a different story!

Why does Amtrak do this?

 

[PVD]

There are lots of reasons, sometimes they are trying to accommodate someone who needs/wants roomettes opposite each other...

 

[CHImdw1522]

Room 1 is opposite room 2. Isn't room 1 usually reserved for the Sleeping Car Attendant?

 

[Bob Dylan]

There are lots of reasons, sometimes they are trying to accommodate someone who needs/wants roomettes opposite each other...

While not fair, the above sums it up well!

As usual, Amtrak does a poor job of communicating with its customers!

 

[Brian Battuello]

Strange things happen on Amtrak. It's part of the experience.

 

[railiner]

There are lots of reasons, sometimes they are trying to accommodate someone who needs/wants roomettes opposite each other...

IMHO, it should be “first come, first served”, on choice of all accommodations, be they sleeper rooms or coach seats. In the situation described, they should perhaps ask for voluntary reassignment, but not mandatory.

 

[Bonser]

In October 2023, I booked a roomette on Train #3, the Southwest Chief, for travel in late June 2024. Since I booked the ticket so early, I got a really good price - using the senior discount. I am a Guest Rewards Select Member. I am also a member of the Rail Passengers Association.

Just this week, I got an email from Amtrak informing me that my roomette was changed from Car 330 Room 2 (my favorite room) to car 330 room 13 - on the lower level.

As soon as I could, I got on the phone to get a roomette on the upper level - if not room 2.

The first agent booked me in car 330 room 6, but I never got a confirmation email, so I called back. The second agent tried to get me an upper-level roomette but told me that there were no car 330 upper-level roomettes available. She was able to book me in car 332 room 2, but Amtrak wanted to charge me almost $300 more for the change. The agent realized that this was not fair and managed to complete the transaction for no fare increase. I did get a confirmation email, and the app does show me in car 332 room 2.

Why did Amtrak dump me from my original roomette? A) Because I used a senior discount, and they think all seniors want a lower-level roomette? B) Because they wanted to sell my upper-level roomette for a higher fare? C) They figured that I wouldn't care? D) All of the above?

I guess Guest Rewards Select means nothing outside of the Northeast corridor.

At least Amtrak did not boot me off the train like they did two years ago when I discovered the day before travel on the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles that Amtrak gave my roomette to someone else. At the last moment, they offered me a business class seat instead. I declined and flew. But that is a different story!

Why does Amtrak do this?

At least you ended up with what you wanted in the first place - Roomette 2.

 

[Rasputin]

Why does Amtrak do this?

Because Amtrak insists on having a poor business model which does not value its customers. You should have gotten a personal call to discuss this change not an email.

 

[UserNameRequired]

... She was able to book me in car 332 room 2, ...and the app does show me in car 332 room 2.

...

Why does Amtrak do this?

Noting 332 would be the likely sleeper to be canceled suddenly as compared to 330/331 _if_ Amtrak started to cancel sleepers again. Others can correct me if I am wrong. How many months/years has it been since they last did these cancel activities?

 

[railiner]

IMHO, it should be “first come, first served”, on choice of all accommodations, be they sleeper rooms or coach seats. In the situation described, they should perhaps ask for voluntary reassignment, but not mandatory.

I believe this has been debated here in the past, but I still feel strongly, that if I take the time and trouble to research a favorite accommodation, and book it as soon as available, perhaps 11 months in advance, I should not have to lose it to someone who comes along much later. Said person should take what is available at time of booking, or wait till their choice is available.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I fully agree with you, but the evidence suggests that Amtrak considers all rooms to be equivalent and substitutable. As far as I know, they've never even considered giving people a car layout and letting you pick your room. At least you can usually get someone on the phone to change a reservation, but the change is never guaranteed to stick.

More than once I've had sleeping car attendants arbitrarily change my room. I've never quibbled about it, but it isn't an argument one is likely to win. Even if you called customer service afterward, I doubt you'd get much sympathy. To Amtrak, a room's a room.

 

[nferr]

In October 2023, I booked a roomette on Train #3, the Southwest Chief, for travel in late June 2024. Since I booked the ticket so early, I got a really good price - using the senior discount. I am a Guest Rewards Select Member. I am also a member of the Rail Passengers Association.

Just this week, I got an email from Amtrak informing me that my roomette was changed from Car 330 Room 2 (my favorite room) to car 330 room 13 - on the lower level.

As soon as I could, I got on the phone to get a roomette on the upper level - if not room 2.

The first agent booked me in car 330 room 6, but I never got a confirmation email, so I called back. The second agent tried to get me an upper-level roomette but told me that there were no car 330 upper-level roomettes available. She was able to book me in car 332 room 2, but Amtrak wanted to charge me almost $300 more for the change. The agent realized that this was not fair and managed to complete the transaction for no fare increase. I did get a confirmation email, and the app does show me in car 332 room 2.

Why did Amtrak dump me from my original roomette? A) Because I used a senior discount, and they think all seniors want a lower-level roomette? B) Because they wanted to sell my upper-level roomette for a higher fare? C) They figured that I wouldn't care? D) All of the above?

I guess Guest Rewards Select means nothing outside of the Northeast corridor.

At least Amtrak did not boot me off the train like they did two years ago when I discovered the day before travel on the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles that Amtrak gave my roomette to someone else. At the last moment, they offered me a business class seat instead. I declined and flew. But that is a different story!

Why does Amtrak do this?

I booked about a week ago for June 18 Chi-Lax on the Chief. I got the same room you mentioned , room 6 car 330.

 

[Eric in East County]

I fully agree with you, but the evidence suggests that Amtrak considers all rooms to be equivalent and substitutable. As far as I know, they've never even considered giving people a car layout and letting you pick your room. At least you can usually get someone on the phone to change a reservation, but the change is never guaranteed to stick.

More than once I've had sleeping car attendants arbitrarily change my room. I've never quibbled about it, but it isn't an argument one is likely to win. Even if you called customer service afterward, I doubt you'd get much sympathy. To Amtrak, a room's a room.

I assume that you are referring to roomettes. Can SCAs downgrade a bedroom to a roomette? If our bedroom would be switched to a roomette at the last minute, we'd have to reschedule our trip since, as seniors, we have mobility issues that preclude us staying in a roomette.

 

[Brian Battuello]

No, barring major mechanical issues, which are fairly rare, you'll get the room you paid for. I was just referring to "rooms" in general, as the policy of not letting you pick a room at purchase applies to both roomettes and bedrooms.

I don't know what the exact policy is, but I've heard that they hold the "Handicap" room in reserve for people with specific needs until a certain date/time before departure, and then they open it up at roughly the bedroom price. You might want to ask a phone agent when it becomes available and if you can ask to switch to it if you want to.

 

[Eric in East County]

I've heard that they hold the "Handicap" room in reserve for people with specific needs.

We're not handicapped. It's just that we need a bedroom with a toilet because we don't feel safe wandering around a jolting, swaying sleeper in the early morning hours to answer a call of nature in a public restroom that might be in need of attention before it can be used.

 

[railiner]

I fully agree with you, but the evidence suggests that Amtrak considers all rooms to be equivalent and substitutable. As far as I know, they've never even considered giving people a car layout and letting you pick your room. At least you can usually get someone on the phone to change a reservation, but the change is never guaranteed to stick.

More than once I've had sleeping car attendants arbitrarily change my room. I've never quibbled about it, but it isn't an argument one is likely to win. Even if you called customer service afterward, I doubt you'd get much sympathy. To Amtrak, a room's a room.

In the cruise line practice, you can book a specific room, or sometimes you can book a "Guarantee" in a specific fare category at a discounted price, and wait until just prior to departure to receive your specific assignment. In that case, you are guaranteed to receive a cabin in your paid category somewhere on the ship, or a free upgrade to a higher, never a lower, category.
You can also book a specific cabin, and choose to allow them to , or not allow them to "upgrade" you to another cabin that they consider as an upgrade, at no extra charge, if for some reason it is to their advantage to move you. For example, your category is sold out, and a higher category is not. So they may upgrade you to free up more lower category to fill up the ship. Sometimes what they consider an "upgrade" is not what you would, hence you have the option to refuse an upgrade.

Occasionally, the cruise line may receive a charter of your entire ship after initial bookings open. In such case, they may cancel your reservation, and offer you a very good incentive to choose another sailing date. Even if you choose not to, they will give you a full refund, plus additional compensation, similar to denied boarding on an air flight...

 

[skylar]

Room 1 is opposite room 2. Isn't room 1 usually reserved for the Sleeping Car Attendant?

This is why we love room 2 - our neighbor across the way is guaranteed to be quiet.