Silver Meteor sold out nearly a year from now

[Maglev]

Just for fun, I checked the northbound Star for these same two dates.   Both have only 3 roomettes.  

That's probably three left AT THAT PRICE.  There may be more Roomettes at a higher price.

 

[cpotisch]

When I called to have a sleeper fare modified to a lower fare, I was at first told there would be a 25% penalty.  The agent then went to speak to a supervisor, and came back and told me I would be given a "one-time" adjustment with no penalty.  I have not tried to adjust a sleeper fare more than once.

Sounds as though you were given an exception at supervisor's discretion. A nice thing for them to do, but i wouldn't count on it in future.

As far as I can tell from when you first posted about that experience, that was just an example of one employee who didn't understand the change policy thinking that they were giving you a one time pass on this, when in reality they were just doing something that is always allowed. There is no mention whatsoever of any "one-time rule" on Amtrak.com, and there has been no mention of it during any of the countless interactions I have had with Amtrak agents when having a reservation modified.

 

[cpotisch]

Just for fun, I checked the northbound Star for these same two dates.   Both have only 3 roomettes.  

That's probably three left AT THAT PRICE.  There may be more Roomettes at a higher price.

I looked and they are at low bucket on both of those days, so you must be correct. If there were only three roomettes left this far out, Arrow would almost certainly put them at high bucket.

 

[Maglev]

As far as I can tell from when you first posted about that experience, that was just an example of one employee who didn't understand the change policy thinking that they were giving you a one time pass on this, when in reality they were just doing something that is always allowed. There is no mention whatsoever of any "one-time rule" on Amtrak.com, and there has been no mention of it during any of the countless interactions I have had with Amtrak agents when having a reservation modified.

Have you modified a sleeper reservation to a lower price since the policy changes?  I was led to believe the system now automatically charges 25%.

"Amtrak does not charge a ticket change fee, but please note that other fees may apply. Policies regarding ticket changes vary; limitations and exclusions apply."

https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/changes-refunds/changing-a-reservation.html

 

[cpotisch]

Have you modified a sleeper reservation to a lower price since the policy changes?  I was led to believe the system now automatically charges 25%.

"Amtrak does not charge a ticket change fee, but please note that other fees may apply. Policies regarding ticket changes vary; limitations and exclusions apply."

https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/changes-refunds/changing-a-reservation.html

You're supposed to get the full price difference back as an e-voucher when you modify a sleeper reservation to the lower fare.

 

[VTTrain]

Roomette is purchased!  $323 CHS - NYP.

Boarding time in Charleston is 9:17 PM.  I’ll grab dinner before I board.  

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Roomette is purchased!  $323 CHS - NYP.

Boarding time in Charleston is 9:17 PM.  I’ll grab dinner before I board.  

What date did you get?

 

[Thirdrail7]

This is incorrect. Amtrak policy says that you don’t have to pay anything to change your room. It’s just that many agents get the most basic stuff wrong and try to charge people nonexistent fees. If that happens to you, just call back and try for a different agent who does know the system.

I'm going to wade into this thread here and try to shed a little light on this matter because Cpotisch has gotten into the awful habit of playing jailhouse lawyer, and he's leading people down an incorrect path.  Above, you once again take a barb at the agents, saying they get the most basic. stuff wrong. Cpotisch then proceeds to attempt to interpret policy...which he doesn't understand:

Have you modified a sleeper reservation to a lower price since the policy changes?  I was led to believe the system now automatically charges 25%.

"Amtrak does not charge a ticket change fee, but please note that other fees may apply. Policies regarding ticket changes vary; limitations and exclusions apply."

https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/changes-refunds/changing-a-reservation.html

You're supposed to get the full price difference back as an e-voucher when you modify a sleeper reservation to the lower fare.

Maglev,  what is happening is  Cpotisch is conflating two policies....the refund policy and the change fee policy. They are two different things and Maglev, you are unfortunately  completely correct that a 25% refund fee can apply.

I know this is true since we covered this in the Change means cancel thread (the link starts at my errant post.)  Knightrider came in and correctly clarified the policy.  I was confused and after this thread appeared, i ran it up (and I do mean UP) various flag poles and it all led to what KnightRider stated:

Some places and methods of transportation supposedly charge a "fee" for merely changing or altering your reservation, order etc.  In other words, if you called to change your seat, seat number or date, there could be a fee just for PERFORMING that transaction.  At Amtrak, there is no fee for performing the transaction.

However, if you receive a refund as part of your change, you now fall under the policy for refunds...and that means the particular refund fee for your situation will be applied. Just as if there is a price increase as a result of the change, you'd have to pay it.

This is how the policy is supposed to be applied and that is why agents often impose fees.  Personally, I don't like it and I think it is terrible. However,  not too many people really give a rat's a(censored) about what I think is right or wrong....and A lot of the people that did, have been demoted.

So, pay no attention to the jailhouse lawyers that do not have the application or interpretation of the policies, Maglev.

 

[cpotisch]

Roomette is purchased!  $323 CHS - NYP.

Boarding time in Charleston is 9:17 PM.  I’ll grab dinner before I board.  

$323 from Charleston to NYP? That must be high bucket. I recommend you keep an eye out for a price drop.

 

[cpotisch]

I'm going to wade into this thread here and try to shed a little light on this matter because Cpotisch has gotten into the awful habit of playing jailhouse lawyer, and he's leading people down an incorrect path.  Above, you once again take a barb at the agents, saying they get the most basic. stuff wrong. Cpotisch then proceeds to attempt to interpret policy...which he doesn't understand:

Maglev,  what is happening is  Cpotisch is conflating two policies....the refund policy and the change fee policy. They are two different things and Maglev, you are unfortunately  completely correct that a 25% refund fee can apply.

I know this is true since we covered this in the Change means cancel thread (the link starts at my errant post.)  Knightrider came in and correctly clarified the policy.  I was confused and after this thread appeared, i ran it up (and I do mean UP) various flag poles and it all led to what KnightRider stated:

Some places and methods of transportation supposedly charge a "fee" for merely changing or altering your reservation, order etc.  In other words, if you called to change your seat, seat number or date, there could be a fee just for PERFORMING that transaction.  At Amtrak, there is no fee for performing the transaction.

However, if you receive a refund as part of your change, you now fall under the policy for refunds...and that means the particular refund fee for your situation will be applied. Just as if there is a price increase as a result of the change, you'd have to pay it.

This is how the policy is supposed to be applied and that is why agents often impose fees.  Personally, I don't like it and I think it is terrible. However,  not too many people really give a rat's a(censored) about what I think is right or wrong....and A lot of the people that did, have been demoted.

So, pay no attention to the jailhouse lawyers that do not have the application or interpretation of the policies, Maglev.

Sorry for being a jailhouse lawyer and conflating two policies. But at minimum the fact that Amtrak agents frequently give me wildly varying information tells me that at least some of them are wrong. So apologies if I am wrong about this, but that still means that give or take half the agents are also getting this stuff wrong.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Sorry for being a jailhouse lawyer and conflating two policies. But at minimum the fact that Amtrak agents frequently give me wildly varying information tells me that at least some of them are wrong. So apologies if I am wrong about this, but that still means that give or take half the agents are also getting this stuff wrong.

If you look at that thread, you'll see I had it wrong as well.  To me, no change fee should mean no change fee. If there is a refund, involved in my change, why should I get charged a fee for it? Seemed pretty cut and dry to me.   There may be other agents that may have thought the same thing, since the policy was new.  It wasn't until KnightRider appeared and slapped us around (asking if we were qualified....which I'm not) did it even occur to me that there was another possible interpretation.

It was confirmed by the subject matter experts and while some agents may still not have a firm grasp (even though it has been clarified), you have still gotten on the board, pushing incorrect information....and insulting people that have attempted to do their jobs correctly by following policy., when it actually the people that are giving you the break that are incorrect.

That's typically how it happens though.  The only reason I said something is this the second thread in a week where you have adamantly declared the information wrong even after Neimes asked you for a reference which, of course you couldn't supply.

 

[VTTrain]

$323 from Charleston to NYP? That must be high bucket. I recommend you keep an eye out for a price drop.

Fortunately work pays for it.  Trip is on November 12, 2019.  Today was the first day that I could book.  

 

[Maglev]

I just want to make one minor clarification.  The agent did not tell me there would be a "25%" penalty to modify to a lower fare, but rather quoted a dollar amount that was exactly 25% of the fare difference.

Maybe my "one-time" modification is the ONLY time ANYONE will ever get a full refund now!  I imagine most people just buy their tickets (or decide to fly) at the price they see when they plan their trip, and that's that.  I did not learn about modifying to a lower fare until I became a member of this forum.  I am very interested in hearing of any other experiences modifying fares.  What do the frequent Amtrak travelers here do?

 

[VTTrain]

A couple of questions in regard to the Silver Meteor:

1) Are the sleeper cars normally directly behind the locomotive?  I have been assigned car 9811.  I am REALLY hoping that I don't get an up close and personal experience with the locomotive's horn all night.

2) Which end of the sleepers normally faces forward (toward the engine).  The end with the bedrooms or the end with the shower?

3) Is it worth trying to get the wider roomette seat facing forward?  Or is the toilet-side seat plenty wide enough and I am just overthinking this?

 

[RebelRider]

A couple of questions in regard to the Silver Meteor:

1) Are the sleeper cars normally directly behind the locomotive?  I have been assigned car 9811.  I am REALLY hoping that I don't get an up close and personal experience with the locomotive's horn all night.

2) Which end of the sleepers normally faces forward (toward the engine).  The end with the bedrooms or the end with the shower?

3) Is it worth trying to get the wider roomette seat facing forward?  Or is the toilet-side seat plenty wide enough and I am just overthinking this?

Currently the Meteor operates as locomotives-coaches-food service-sleepers-baggage. The 9811 car will be the second sleeper behind the dining car and well back from the locomotives. The bedroom end of the cars always face forward unless Sunnyside has a last minute swap and puts a car in backwards (very rare, but it is possible.) 

Bedrooms H and B will have the bench seat facing forward and the odd number roomettes will have the wider seat facing forward. I think the toilet side seat is just fine, but if you are overthinking now just go ahead and book the odd roomette. Rooms 1-6 are best, in my opinion, from a vibration and noise standpoint.

 

[VTTrain]

Thank you for that response.  I saw some YouTube videos showing the sleepers up front.  I'm glad to hear that normally the sleepers are at the back.  

I am assigned to roomette #1 which should give me a good chance of having the wider roomette seat facing forward.

 

[pennyk]

A few years back, the sleepers would be switched seasonally. Summer in front and winter in the rear. I think for the last 3 years, the sleepers have been in the rear. Room 1 is a choice room, in my opinion. 

 

[cpotisch]

A couple of questions in regard to the Silver Meteor:

1) Are the sleeper cars normally directly behind the locomotive?  I have been assigned car 9811.  I am REALLY hoping that I don't get an up close and personal experience with the locomotive's horn all night.

2) Which end of the sleepers normally faces forward (toward the engine).  The end with the bedrooms or the end with the shower?

3) Is it worth trying to get the wider roomette seat facing forward?  Or is the toilet-side seat plenty wide enough and I am just overthinking this?

The sleepers are always on the back of the Meteor, and 9811/9711 will be the second one. The Bedroom end is basically always at the front, which means odd Roomettes have the wide seat facing forward, and are on the right of the train. Whether or not you can sit comfortably in the narrow seat really depends on you, however a lot of people do not enjoy sitting right next to the toilet, and you almost certainly don’t want to sleep with your head next at the narrow end, next to the toilet either. So I would say you might as well call and see if you can get moved.

 

[pennyk]

The sleepers are always on the back of the Meteor, and 9811/9711 will be the second one. The Bedroom end is basically always at the front, which means odd Roomettes have the wide seat facing forward, and are on the right of the train. Whether or not you can sit comfortably in the narrow seat really depends on you, however a lot of people do not enjoy sitting right next to the toilet, and you almost certainly don’t want to sleep with your head next at the narrow end, next to the toilet either. So I would say you might as well call and see if you can get moved.

The way the beds are configured and made up, one does not sleep with one’s head next to the toilet.

As RebelRider mentioned, the odd numbered rooms will have the larger seat facing forward, thus there is no need to call and change rooms. 

 

[cpotisch]

The way the beds are configured and made up, one does not sleep with one’s head next to the toilet.

As RebelRider mentioned, the odd numbered rooms will have the larger seat facing forward, thus there is no need to call and change rooms. 

If you are in an even numbered Roomette and just have to sleep facing forward, you would have your head next to the toilet. I definitely would not choose to sleep in that orientation just so I could be facing forward, and I'm sure most people wouldn't either, so I was just pointing out that even if the OP can handle sitting next to the toilet in order to face forward, sleeping is another story.

 

[daybeers]

WOW.  I am surprised also.  

Maybe it is some sort of a glitch.  Maybe a tour group/travel agency has booked all the sleepers.  I would keep checking.   I would also call Amtrak.  Maybe they are able to tell if there is a problem or if the sleepers are actually sold out (at a fairly slow time of year 11 months in the future).

Oh you haven't heard? Amtrak is removing the sleepers from the Star to test its "New and contemporary seating" instead of traditional sleeper car service!

 

[jis]

Oh you haven't heard? Amtrak is removing the sleepers from the Star to test its "New and contemporary seating" instead of traditional sleeper car service!

Why would that cause Meteor’s Sleepers to be sold out while Star Sleepers are still available? [emoji848][emoji51]

 

[cpotisch]

17 hours ago, daybeers said:
Oh you haven't heard? Amtrak is removing the sleepers from the Star to test its "New and contemporary seating" instead of traditional sleeper car service!

Why would that cause Meteor’s Sleepers to be sold out while Star Sleepers are still available?



Oh that's just Amtrak testing out the new and contemporary booking system which mixes up the routes and will replace traditional booking service!

 

[Seaboard92]

The sleepers used to be forward in the consist for the longest time. Then there were years it flipped. And now it's been on the rear for three years now.

 

[cpotisch]

The sleepers used to be forward in the consist for the longest time. Then there were years it flipped. And now it's been on the rear for three years now.

Yeah, I distinctly remember that for the first few years of my riding the Silvers, the sleepers were at the front, and the last coach had the railfan window. The consist also looked prettier, and unlike now, there weren't any cars right behind the locos (currently the coaches are immediately behind them with no buffer). Good times.