Bedroom vs two roomettes - some comments and ideas

[me_little_me]

In the past we have always selected a bedroom for trips. When prices were high bucket, we either paid the piper, tried another day or just skipped the trip. After once trying a roomette, the tight quarters for two and the lack of toilet privacy dissuaded us from that option.

Suddenly, when using Amsnag, lightening hit. If bedrooms were non-existent or high bucket, roomettes could still be cheap and two roomettes could be quite cheaper than a bedroom. We tried it on our last Crescent trip this month and were highly pleased.

• We could each have a bottom bunk - she has a knee problem and my spine was making my life miserable.
• We each had private facilities.
• We could sit together in one room and leave the other room with bed made up to take a nap or to relieve my back pain.
• We could see out of both sides of train and move to whichever side had the best view or didn't have the sun coming in. No problem of the stranger on the other side wanting to hide behind closed curtains all day ruining any chance of a view of that side.
• We could both have forward facing seats yet call to each other to come over to see a special view.
• We had more room for dressing in the morning and could go to sleep and wake up when we wanted w/o disturbing the other.
• We had room to store light things on the top bunk which could easily be pulled down for quick access.
• "Sex and the Single Bunk" worked 30 years ago but no longer so bedrooms are no better than roomettes.
• The miniature showers don't fit as well so the one down the hall is better anyway.

We made our 2 roomette reservations before my spine acted up. We had planned to have her occupy lower bunk in one room and me occupy upper in other so we'd always have access to seats and a roomier dressing area but as it turned out, medical problems made it a wise, prescient choice.

amtrak.com doesn't give you the choice for room locations so best make reservations online then immediately call, bypass Julie and ask the agent to move you to rooms across from each other. We had no problems doing that.

We found low prices (lowest bucket?) on days when BRs were either sold out or really high. e.g. we got 2 roomettes ATL-->WIL for $366 when BR was $500+ and got 2 roomettes from NYP -> ATL for $420 when BR was sold out.

When our grandchild is old enough to travel with us, we could let him nap in one roomette with door nearly closed while we sit in the other.

All in all, we like the 2 roomette idea. When compared to one, it is expensive. But when compared to BR, it is very competitive in price and convenience.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

I think you're right. In most of the trips I try to plan, a bedroom is more than twice as much as a roomette. It almost always makes more sense to get two roomettes. Other than wanting to have your own private bathroom/shower (especially on Superliners), and (as you mentioned) the possible hassle of trying to get two roomettes across from each other, I don't see why a bedroom would be worth paying so much for.

Which brings me to the problems - 1) the too-short supply of bedrooms, and 2) the unbalanced price of AGR points.

1) Lots of people have pointed out that at comparable bucket levels, the bedrooms aren't often more than twice the price of a roomette. However, supply issues often drive the bedrooms to higher bucket levels more quickly. I've priced a lot of trips, and I've always seen this to be true - at least on the popular summer routes.

2) I've often wondered how much the AGR program contributes to the shortage of bedrooms. Since, as you mentioned, a bedroom is basically the same thing as two roomettes (in terms of actual floor space too), you'd think a bedroom would cost twice as much as a roomette. Unfortunately, that's not the case with AGR redeemptions. Here are some examples:

1-zone roomette 15,000 pts, 1-zone bedroom 20,000

2-zone roomette 20,000 pts, 2-zone bedroom 30,000

3-zone roomette 35,000 pts, 2-zone bedroom 50,000

The reason for this must be that two roomettes technically sleep four, and include meals for four. I think it would be great if Amtrak had pricing (and AGR points) based on the actual USE of the roomette; in other words, charge less for one person in a roomette than for two.

 

[AlanB]

Overall an impressive and informative list!

When our grandchild is old enough to travel with us, we could let him nap in one roomette with door nearly closed while we sit in the other.

Doors on Amtrak, at least those not locked, tend to have two positions; fully open & fully closed. And if you don't like the current position, wait 10 minutes until the next big curve, or the train brakes, or accelerates and the position is likely to change.

A door partially open is unlikely to remain like that for very long. Unless of course you bring along some cardboard or something else to sort of jam into the frame to hold it in position.

By the way, keep in mind on the Superliner cars there are no facilities in the roomettes.

 

[me_little_me]

Overall an impressive and informative list!

When our grandchild is old enough to travel with us, we could let him nap in one roomette with door nearly closed while we sit in the other.

Doors on Amtrak, at least those not locked, tend to have two positions; fully open & fully closed. And if you don't like the current position, wait 10 minutes until the next big curve, or the train brakes, or accelerates and the position is likely to change.

A door partially open is unlikely to remain like that for very long. Unless of course you bring along some cardboard or something else to sort of jam into the frame to hold it in position.

By the way, keep in mind on the Superliner cars there are no facilities in the roomettes.

That's such an easy fix to keep door from moving. A small item like a towel at floor level keps door from closing and a simple wire hook to keep it form opening further on its own. I was trying to think of as many advantages for the second roomette vs a bedroom when traveling with a toddler. Note that in our car on the Crescent this week, both the attendant and a traveler used the supplied hangars to jam between door and frame probably to keep door closed while out of the room. Would be nice if Amtrak had some sort of simple latch that truly prevents train motion from opening or closing doors.

I know about the no-facility roomettes and, to some small extent, this negates the advantage of the 2-roomette theory vs just getting one roomette because of the in-room toilet as toilets down the hall beat walking through the dining and lounge car to an available coach with a single roomette on a viewliner with no shared toilets in sleepers.

 

[MrFSS]

Overall an impressive and informative list!

When our grandchild is old enough to travel with us, we could let him nap in one roomette with door nearly closed while we sit in the other.

Doors on Amtrak, at least those not locked, tend to have two positions; fully open & fully closed. And if you don't like the current position, wait 10 minutes until the next big curve, or the train brakes, or accelerates and the position is likely to change.

A door partially open is unlikely to remain like that for very long. Unless of course you bring along some cardboard or something else to sort of jam into the frame to hold it in position.

By the way, keep in mind on the Superliner cars there are no facilities in the roomettes.

That's such an easy fix to keep door from moving. A small item like a towel at floor level keeps door from closing and a simple wire hook to keep it form opening further on its own. I was trying to think of as many advantages for the second roomette vs a bedroom when traveling with a toddler. Note that in our car on the Crescent this week, both the attendant and a traveler used the supplied hangars to jam between door and frame probably to keep door closed while out of the room. Would be nice if Amtrak had some sort of simple latch that truly prevents train motion from opening or closing doors.

I know about the no-facility roomettes and, to some small extent, this negates the advantage of the 2-roomette theory vs just getting one roomette because of the in-room toilet as toilets down the hall beat walking through the dining and lounge car to an available coach with a single roomette on a viewliner with no shared toilets in sleepers.

Duct Tape

I use a small piece and place it at the top of the door and frame to hold the door shut when I'm out of the room. Always works fine. At the top it isn't noticeable unless you are looking for it. I assume it could also be used that way to hold the door open from the almost all the way open position.

 

[AlanB]

That's such an easy fix to keep door from moving. A small item like a towel at floor level keps door from closing and a simple wire hook to keep it form opening further on its own. I was trying to think of as many advantages for the second roomette vs a bedroom when traveling with a toddler. Note that in our car on the Crescent this week, both the attendant and a traveler used the supplied hangars to jam between door and frame probably to keep door closed while out of the room. Would be nice if Amtrak had some sort of simple latch that truly prevents train motion from opening or closing doors.

Actually the Viewliners were built with a system that would keep the door shut, even when not locked from the inside.

Unfortunately too many people had trouble trying to figure out how to make it work properly, not to mention that the parts cost more when things needed fixing than those used now, so Amtrak undid that original system several ago now.