Is it time to call?

[ExtonFlyer]

I wouldn't panic yet KissAlive, it's still early and they've got a lot of cards to make and mail. I haven't seen my new Select Plus card yet either, so I'm certain that they're still working on it.

I actually called AGR about this as I am a SelectPlus member and a frequent user of PHL 30th St. Club Acela. My temporary pass (sent via email) expired on 2/2 (found out the hard way when an agent denied my entry on 2/3) so I called to see what was up. The agent was very polite and apologized and said that they were in process of sending out packets at that very moment. He called the Club Acela agent and got my admission squared away promptly and efficiently. At the close of our call, I asked him if he would send me another temporary pass to buy me time until the package was in my hands - and he said I would have one within 24 hours. 48 hours later - nothing. So I wrote an email (very politely) to AGR general email asking for some kind of assistance - and it's been 4 business days and still have not heard anything.

I'm a HUGE AGR fan - but this does concern me a bit.

ExtonFlyer

 

[diesteldorf]

I wouldn't panic yet KissAlive, it's still early and they've got a lot of cards to make and mail. I haven't seen my new Select Plus card yet either, so I'm certain that they're still working on it.

I actually called AGR about this as I am a SelectPlus member and a frequent user of PHL 30th St. Club Acela. My temporary pass (sent via email) expired on 2/2 (found out the hard way when an agent denied my entry on 2/3) so I called to see what was up. The agent was very polite and apologized and said that they were in process of sending out packets at that very moment. He called the Club Acela agent and got my admission squared away promptly and efficiently. At the close of our call, I asked him if he would send me another temporary pass to buy me time until the package was in my hands - and he said I would have one within 24 hours. 48 hours later - nothing. So I wrote an email (very politely) to AGR general email asking for some kind of assistance - and it's been 4 business days and still have not heard anything.

I'm a HUGE AGR fan - but this does concern me a bit.

ExtonFlyer

I sent a couple emails to Michael Blakey--Amtrak Marketing guy in charge of AGR and received no response. However, I've been assured that I am now showing up as Select+ (and not Select as had been the case previously). However, I will wait and see when my packet comes. You were luckey AGR was open when you had the problem in Phily. I travel on the weekends and would not have been so fortunate.

 

[wayman]

I wouldn't panic yet KissAlive, it's still early and they've got a lot of cards to make and mail. I haven't seen my new Select Plus card yet either, so I'm certain that they're still working on it.

I was just about to ask about not yet having received my Select card, but it sounds like I should give them another week. And I don't actually need my physical Select-only card for anything, so the only reason I'm eager to get the packet is to have absolute confirmation that they have me on the books as Select for 2009.

Oh, wait, and I desperately need stylish new luggage tags

 

[ExtonFlyer]

I wouldn't panic yet KissAlive, it's still early and they've got a lot of cards to make and mail. I haven't seen my new Select Plus card yet either, so I'm certain that they're still working on it.

I was just about to ask about not yet having received my Select card, but it sounds like I should give them another week. And I don't actually need my physical Select-only card for anything, so the only reason I'm eager to get the packet is to have absolute confirmation that they have me on the books as Select for 2009.

Oh, wait, and I desperately need stylish new luggage tags

FYI - mine came in the mail today

 

[amtrakwolverine]

im confused about this part

The member will receive a membership packet approximately 4–6 weeks after taking an Amtrak trip in which the Membership Number is included in the reservation

.
you say i will get a card even if i haven't taken the trip yet but this says differently. i made the reservation but its for the 3rd gathering. so according to AGR i would get the packet AFTER the gathering.

 

[AlanB]

im confused about this part

The member will receive a membership packet approximately 4–6 weeks after taking an Amtrak trip in which the Membership Number is included in the reservation

.
you say i will get a card even if i haven't taken the trip yet but this says differently. i made the reservation but its for the 3rd gathering. so according to AGR i would get the packet AFTER the gathering.

Hmm, that's a new rule. I'm not sure just how new, because at one time they mailed you a card no matter what. So I guess you won't see a card till late next year, unless you travel on Amtrak before that point. And if you're not outside the 90 day window since you signed up, you might want to try and take a short ride, just so that you can collect the bonus points.

Interestingly VIA has had the above rule for many years, in fact one has to actually take two rides before they'll send you a card.

And on a related note, my new Select Plus kit arrived in the mail today. Sadly no 2,500 point coupon to replace the 2,500 coupon we used to get for the magagzine subscription program. I always loved that 2,500 point bonus.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

new Select Plus kit arrived in the mail today.

Thats a good thing :lol: man that was nice the way u can just go into any Club Acela.

Bummer about ur 2,500 points lol. Of course i have less then 2.5k life time AGR points to date but hey I'd take the points

 

[wayman]

Interestingly VIA has had the above rule for many years, in fact one has to actually take two rides before they'll send you a card.

Alan, I'm curious: I may take a one-way trip on the Ocean this summer, and I plan to sign up for VIA Privileges shortly beforehand. It sounds like I wouldn't get a card until my second ride (who knows when... but possibly not until 2010 or 2011), but does that also mean that my account is in some "probationary" phase until my second ride and may be canceled for inactivity within a short window? Or do I get the full three-year activity clock from my very first ride (and just don't get a physical card until a second ride)?

I'll probably have other VIA questions in the coming months. Where can I ask them? I haven't found any sort of VIA forum yet, though I haven't spent a lot of time looking for one. I suppose one possible source of expertise is AGR, now, if the new Canadian AGR reps happen to be regular VIA riders But seriously, is there a sub-forum at Amtrak Unlimited where VIA questions are appropriate, or may I private-message you with them, or do you have other ideas on where to seek VIA advice and tips?

 

[AlanB]

Alan, I'm curious: I may take a one-way trip on the Ocean this summer, and I plan to sign up for VIA Privileges shortly beforehand. It sounds like I wouldn't get a card until my second ride (who knows when... but possibly not until 2010 or 2011), but does that also mean that my account is in some "probationary" phase until my second ride and may be canceled for inactivity within a short window? Or do I get the full three-year activity clock from my very first ride (and just don't get a physical card until a second ride)?

I'm not sure about being in a "probationary" phase, but I wasn't aware of any rule that allowed points to expire. If there is, then it is a new rule. I first signed up for VIA in early 2004 when I intended to take a ride on the Enterprise. Thanks to a missed train in Chicago, that ride never happened. I had 50 points sitting in my account for having filled out some online survey and they never went away, despite the fact that I never took a ride on VIA until August of 2007, three years later.

I haven't been back since then, so I still don't have a card.

I'll probably have other VIA questions in the coming months. Where can I ask them? I haven't found any sort of VIA forum yet, though I haven't spent a lot of time looking for one. I suppose one possible source of expertise is AGR, now, if the new Canadian AGR reps happen to be regular VIA riders But seriously, is there a sub-forum at Amtrak Unlimited where VIA questions are appropriate, or may I private-message you with them, or do you have other ideas on where to seek VIA advice and tips?

I've never gone looking for a "VIA" forum myself, so I'm not sure if there is indeed one. It wouldn't surprise me, just have no idea.

And you're more than welcome to ask your questions here and I'll do what I can and perhaps even one of our Canadian friends may chime in with an answer. You're also welcome to PM me if you prefer, but again you may do better by posting publicly.

 

[wayman]

I'm not sure about being in a "probationary" phase, but I wasn't aware of any rule that allowed points to expire. If there is, then it is a new rule. I first signed up for VIA in early 2004 when I intended to take a ride on the Enterprise. Thanks to a missed train in Chicago, that ride never happened. I had 50 points sitting in my account for having filled out some online survey and they never went away, despite the fact that I never took a ride on VIA until August of 2007, three years later.

(Whoops, I was calling it Privilege, and it's actually VIA Preference. Sorry, Canadian friends!)

Apparently there's an additional incentive (new?) for taking a second trip, in that >$250 in travel in the first 6 months of membership gives a 500 point bonus. One way on the Ocean is just over half that. Since my travel plans are far from definite, maybe I'll weigh this into my calculations. Since VIA-P points accumulate veeeery slowly (or so it appears), a lot of bonus points may have some considerable value?

The bit I was referring to about inactivity is hidden within their Conditions page:

VIA Préférence reserves the right to terminate memberships that have been inactive (no point accumulation or redemption) for three (3) consecutive years. Upon such termination, all points will expire from the inactive account.

There's also

VIA Préférence reserves the right to cancel the membership of any member who shows no point-earning activity in the 12 months following registration.

but that wouldn't apply for me (since I'd wait to join until I had definite travel plans within a few months), and it obviously didn't apply to you (or wasn't in effect when you joined).

And yet, despite having read and remembered the fine print on the Conditions page, I totally forgot about the first sentence on one of the very first pages, which says (almost) exactly what you said:

Your membership card will be mailed to you once you have spent $250 on travel or you have made two one-way trips with VIA Rail.

For maintaining activity of any sort, a single purchase at their eBoutique will suffice to "reset the three year activity clock" in much the same way Points for Shopping can be used for AGR (edited per Alan's correction!) if one is just not in a position to travel for several years. For those of us "South of the Border", that may well come into play occasionally.

 

[AlanB]

For maintaining activity of any sort, a single purchase at their eBoutique will suffice to "reset the three year activity clock" in much the same way Points for Shopping can be used for AGR if one is just not in a position to travel for several years. For those of us "South of the Border", that may well come into play occasionally.

Careful there, don't want to be giving out the wrong info. A store purchase does sound like it would work for VIA Preference to reset the clock. But it will not reset the AGR clock. Only a paid trip on an Amtrak train resets the AGR 3 year clock.

 

[ExtonFlyer]

as a follow-up - I also received a very nice email today from AGR Customer Service apologizing for the delay and saying I should expect my Select Plus packet by March 1 (which I have now received).

 

[amtrakwolverine]

i have not got mine and won't till next year.the only trip i have booked so far is the gathering and AGR changed the rules to you don't get your card till AFTER your trip and its a 6 week wait after the trip before you get it. stupid management. so i got to spend more money just to get a stupid card.

 

[Ryan]

Having the card gets you absolutely nothing, so there's no reason to fret about it.

 

[soitgoes]

Having the card gets you absolutely nothing, so there's no reason to fret about it.

The Select card isn't useful. The Select Plus card, however, gets you into ClubAcela, Metropolitan Lounges, and Continental President's Clubs.

EDIT: Now I realize HokieNav was referring to a regular, non Select card.

 

[AlanB]

Having the card gets you absolutely nothing, so there's no reason to fret about it.

The Select card isn't useful. The Select Plus card, however, gets you into ClubAcela, Metropolitan Lounges, and Continental President's Clubs.

EDIT: Now I realize HokieNav was referring to a regular, non Select card.

Well actually all the cards are useful, in that they can activate a Quik-Trak machine and will bring up all the reservations associated with your account, be they regular paid reservations or AGR reservations.

Additionally, the Select card does have the special priority phone numbers on it.

Now of course the Select Plus card is the most useful, as noted, since it goes get you into the various lounges.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

still no card. stupid rules why do i have to wait till after i take the trip to get it.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

still no card. stupid rules why do i have to wait till after i take the trip to get it.

That I don't know and its sad that you have to wait. Reading that prompted a few questions in my mind.

If I don't make select and just remain a member will they ever send me another card?

If they replace the cards of mere mortals every year, how does one qualify to get a new one that next year?

 

[AlanB]

If I don't make select and just remain a member will they ever send me another card?
If they replace the cards of mere mortals every year, how does one qualify to get a new one that next year?

My understanding is that unless you achieve status, you'll never see another new card unless you loose the current one and request a new one or Amtrak decides for some reason to just update everyone's cards.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

If I don't make select and just remain a member will they ever send me another card?
If they replace the cards of mere mortals every year, how does one qualify to get a new one that next year?

My understanding is that unless you achieve status, you'll never see another new card unless you loose the current one and request a new one or Amtrak decides for some reason to just update everyone's cards.

Oh okay makes sense I didn't look at my card when I asked but now that I look there is no year or anything so no reason to get a new card. Achiving status is not something that will be happening any time soon :lol: so I have a feeling this will be my AGR card for awhile then.