Beware of unwanted reservation changes!

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Wonder if e-ticketing will prevent this kind of messing with Reservations by Amtrak??? :unsure:
Actually it makes it even easier.

Not saying that it's going to happen a lot, but it is certainly easier since no new tickets are needed. In AmtrakWolverine's case, if the tickets had been printed then this could not have happened. With an eTicket, it still could happen.
 
Sorry... I have to disagree and side with the OP. If I negotiated a specific assignment for a room. well in advance, I want to keep that assignment. First come... First served :excl:

See Post # 13 in this original thread... :ph34r:
Well, he was assigned #12 first.

And from what I read, no matter what he was able to "negotiate", he kept being put back where he started, #12.

I am not that sure that this family wasn't first all along (there was a hold on #2 for them?). That's why he was assigned #12, and whenever the OP attempted to muscle into the middle of that family, he was sent right back to his room, #12. :giggle:
He didn't request #2, he was assigned that room after he called to get the lower rate (after he had been reassigned to #10 when he requested an upstairs room). I don't know why they just didn't keep him in #10 at the lower rate.
Because the agent processing the request for the lower fare didn't first release room #10, they just asked ARROW for a room and ARROW supplied room #2.
 
Now, Amtrak has an issue if they are actually blocking different roomettes or bedrooms at different buckets. The buckets should be based on the total availability on any given train, and prices should be based on however many are left vs time to departure algorithm.
I don't think they are "blocking" different rooms on different buckets. I do think the rooms are subject to bucket fluctuations, as are general fares, but I think all rooms are available for assignment whenever made.
It's not so much a matter of "blocking" rooms, but rather the simple fact that rooms are sold in a specific, albeit odd, order. So depending on how many rooms show up in each bucket, you get the appearance that each room as a specific bucket. And by odd order I mean, it seems like the first rooms sold in a Superliner go like this; 2, 3, 11, 12, 4. I'm not sure after that, but they aren't sold in numerical order.

but NEVER guaranteed under the system we have today - except when children are involved. We always guaranteed connecting rooms (when requested) if there was a scenario where there could be only children in just one room (ie: 4 adults, 4 kids, yes; 5 adults, 3 kids, no). It's not necessarily fair to blame a family for only booking their vacation 10 months in advance just because a couple of individuals picked rooms 11 months in advance. Families should always trump the lone traveler.
Sorry, but here's where I must disagree. Would you mind telling me *why* you believe "families should always trump the lone traveler?" And where (either in law or Amtrak policy) it says they can? I didn't make the choices for those families. They chose their life on their own. They chose to have children on their own. They chose to ride the train on their own... They made their choices, as did I. They should be subject to the exact same policies/procedures as I. If there are sufficient accommodations to honor everyone's requests, then great. Otherwise, First come... First served. It's the only fair way.
Arnold, I'm not trying to put you on the spot here, so please don't feel obligated to answer if you would prefer not. But I'm curious how you'd feel about the following, which happened to me & my family on the AT a few years back:

I had booked rather early, but still for some odd reason got the following room pattern on the lower level, we had 11, 12, 14, and 15 which is the family room. Somehow someone had already gotten 13 despite our rather early booking of things. We never made any requests for changes at all, never even hinted at it. And this precedes eTicketing on the AT.

At checkin in Sanford, the agent walked away and started talking with other people and I was getting worried that somehow things had been screwed up with our reservation. Turns out, the agent saw the above pattern and instead was getting permission to move the people in 13 to 11, such that they weren't "stuck" in the middle of my extended family with several kids. And again, this is not something that I asked for.

It made sense to me and from what I could tell, the couple that got moved didn't seem to mind at all either. They hadn't checked in before us, so they got told as they checked in what had been done.

Now this change didn't cause people to change levels, much less even sides of the train. I do not know if they had originally requested 13 or not, but I do have to wonder as it is not normal to find 13 booked before 11 & 12.
 
Now, to the idea that the agent found out that Kevin's room had been changed because of a family, I'm not real sure that it's possible for an agent to trace things backwards. I know for example, once the rate on a room or seat is changed, the agent can no longer see what the old fare was. ARROW doesn't retain that info.

So I'm thinking that there are two possibilities here: 1) the agent Kevin spoke to was making up a story to try to explain things; 2) the agent that moved Kevin back the second time placed a note into Kevin's reservation explaining why he got moved.

That second choice is far more puzzling to me, since Amtrak usually won't move people around like that upon request from a family. In fact, my experience at the AT posted above isn't really the norm either, or at least it's more like having the SCA move people on a regular train. It was done at the last minute, more or less at boarding time, not months in advance.

Regardless, this whole thing is a bit odd to me.
 
Arnold, I'm not trying to put you on the spot here, so please don't feel obligated to answer if you would prefer not. But I'm curious how you'd feel about the following, which happened to me & my family on the AT a few years back:

I had booked rather early, but still for some odd reason got the following room pattern on the lower level, we had 11, 12, 14, and 15 which is the family room. Somehow someone had already gotten 13 despite our rather early booking of things. We never made any requests for changes at all, never even hinted at it. And this precedes eTicketing on the AT.

At checkin in Sanford, the agent walked away and started talking with other people and I was getting worried that somehow things had been screwed up with our reservation. Turns out, the agent saw the above pattern and instead was getting permission to move the people in 13 to 11, such that they weren't "stuck" in the middle of my extended family with several kids. And again, this is not something that I asked for.

It made sense to me and from what I could tell, the couple that got moved didn't seem to mind at all either. They hadn't checked in before us, so they got told as they checked in what had been done.

Now this change didn't cause people to change levels, much less even sides of the train. I do not know if they had originally requested 13 or not, but I do have to wonder as it is not normal to find 13 booked before 11 & 12.
Well, "officially," I'd say that the agent should have waited until the people assigned to 13 checked in (or, perhaps attempted to call them by phone/cell if that were possible) and asked them if they would switch. Practically, in this particular case, I can see where the difference between 11 & 13 is not much. In fact, it would seem that 11 is a tad better than 13 (closer to the center and further from the trucks). If it were me in 13, and I were contacted up front, I'd have gladly switched. But it most likely wouldn't have been me. ^_^ :)

FTR... I'm not at all opposed to switching... or families. :) As long as I'm asked up front, and as long as it doesn't subtract from my experience/comfort, I'm more than happy to help. But I do make specific room choices (and do the "negotiating") for specific reasons, some of which, we've already discussed in PM.

I don't know how the algorithm for ARROW works (BTW I assume that's an acronym for something.. "A" mtrack "R" eservation R O W... something... ^_^ ) Hopefully, with eTicketting now underway, they'll do something like the Airlines do and make seat/room maps available and allow people to pick for themselves... I guess those roomettes reserved for crew/SCAs would be "blocked" as are airline "bulkhead" seats or "exit row" seats, etc.
 
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No acronym for ARROW.

And it's really a topic for another thread (and one we've beat to death previously), but don't expect a seat map. It's a significantly more complex problem on a train that makes 30 something stops along its route (and I doubt they'd develop the feature just for use on the Auto Train).
 
Well at least there sending you a e-mail now when they change your room assignment.

It was easier to move people around when they did not release your room number.

Too bad for the family, that your not willing to give up your room. Your going to get some dirty looks from them.

I am with Amtrak, going the extra bit of a family, but I am in the minority.
Sorry... I have to disagree and side with the OP. If I negotiated a specific assignment for a room. well in advance, I want to keep that assignment. First come... First served :excl:

See Post # 13 in this original thread... :ph34r:
Here is a revenue opportunity for Amtrak :p It is leaving money on the table! They should start charging a room location negotiation fee :p A room location is certainly not guaranteed AFAICT.

More seriously, they should regularize the process of getting a specific room assignment with some level of assurance that the room will remain assigned as originally, for a fee, instead of the current ad hoc anyone's guess approach.
To be honest, if it came to that, I'd be willing to pay extra for that guarantee, depending on "how much extra." :p

But this entire thread got my interest up, so I just called Amtrak customer service. According to the CSA to which I spoke, Amtrak's official policy is not to change rooms already assigned to a customer in favor of another. The SCA can "request" a change from a customer at boarding time, but the original recipient is not obliged to change. Is that what happens in practice? Not sure.... But that's what this CSA said...
If that is the policy then there should be some amount of compensation involved when that policy is not adhered to. Otherwise it is just a policy that can be easily flouted since there is no real cost involved in flouting the policy.

Frankly I am not eager to pay extra for something that should happen anyway. But if that is what it takes to give the policy some teeth, as in the agent has to explain why it cost Amtrak extra when making such a change, I'd be willing to pay a suitable fee for same.
 
No acronym for ARROW.

And it's really a topic for another thread (and one we've beat to death previously), but don't expect a seat map. It's a significantly more complex problem on a train that makes 30 something stops along its route (and I doubt they'd develop the feature just for use on the Auto Train).
Fair enough... I see the difficulty there. Although I think it might be worth putting something together for the sleeper rooms, if nothing else. Is it often that a given sleeper room is booked by totally different parties for just a portion of a LD trip? (e.g. two separate parties, traveling "half the distance" each on the EB and occupying the same room, one each on a different night)?
 
Wow. I never cease to be amazed at the demands by folks. Upper vs Lower, I can understand. MAYBE end vs Middle, but much less so. Quite frankly, Amtrak DOES NOT RESERVE INDIVIDUAL ROOMS. When I worked at Disney and sold hotel rooms, we graciously accepted requests, but absolutely made it clear that within a category of room, there were better rooms than others. Requests were always considered; never guaranteed. Now, Amtrak has an issue if they are actually blocking different roomettes or bedrooms at different buckets. The buckets should be based on the total availability on any given train, and prices should be based on however many are left vs time to departure algorithm.

Now, when a ticket is issued, reassigning a room should cease, with an exception made on the train when boarding at the consent of the passenger. But until that point, a particular room and car number should be able to be requested, but NEVER guaranteed under the system we have today - except when children are involved. We always guaranteed connecting rooms (when requested) if there was a scenario where there could be only children in just one room (ie: 4 adults, 4 kids, yes; 5 adults, 3 kids, no). It's not necessarily fair to blame a family for only booking their vacation 10 months in advance just because a couple of individuals picked rooms 11 months in advance. Families should always trump the lone traveler. Sorry - you get the same scenery and arrive at the same time. Anything else is superficial.

Unfortunately, Amtrak has opened the gates to dissatisfied customers by raising expectations beyond their ability to deliver.
On the contrary, Amtrak does reserve individual rooms and I always use the call center instead of online in order to choose my room. My confirmation includes my room number and car number. That room remains assigned until and unless an agent overrides it to move me.
 
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As was noted in the E-tickting thread, many reservations (including mine) made long before 7/30 have been converted to E-tickets.

As Alan noted upthread, having E-tickets actually makes it easier on Amtrak to make this kind of a change, since that barcode (or QR code) can be changed from pointing to a reservation in one room to a reservation in another.
 
... I can see where the difference between 11 & 13 is not much. In fact, it would seem that 11 is a tad better than 13 (closer to the center and further from the trucks)...
We recently were in room 14 on #5 and 11 on #6. I found no difference in truck noise, but from room 11 slightly more stair and luggage rack noise. Not only that, after getting downstairs rooms for the first time in a long time, my wife announced that she prefers downstairs rooms. I'm sure it would have been different had there been a noisy crowd in the family room on either trip.

Just goes to show you there aren't better and worse rooms, just different individual preferences.
 
... I can see where the difference between 11 & 13 is not much. In fact, it would seem that 11 is a tad better than 13 (closer to the center and further from the trucks)...
We recently were in room 14 on #5 and 11 on #6. I found no difference in truck noise, but from room 11 slightly more stair and luggage rack noise. Not only that, after getting downstairs rooms for the first time in a long time, my wife announced that she prefers downstairs rooms. I'm sure it would have been different had there been a noisy crowd in the family room on either trip.

Just goes to show you there aren't better and worse rooms, just different individual preferences.
The "audible noise" isn't as great a concern. It's the "motion/vibration/bounce" of the trucks and thus, the objective of being as close to the center (and as high) as possible. It's not that bad when I'm awake, but when I'm trying to sleep...
 
I'm with those who think it should be first come first served too. While small children obviously need to be seated with their parents, I don't see why adults can't sit separately for awhile, or older children, until a pair of seats open up. My friend and I travelled a few hours before we got seats together, we didn't see any reason to make a fuss. I think it's a bit mean to make someone with a window seat move, if they were there first, and neither of us were arrogant enough to boot out those people who boarded ahead of us just because we were lucky enough to have a companion! We got seats together down the track, and what felt like the excessive thanks of the car attendant for what seemed to me as acceptance of the situation as it stood, no worries.

With the rooms I don't see why someone who had booked earlier than another party should be moved. If a group wants to be together then Amtrak should tell them when they book that there are no longer adjacent rooms, but if it is that important to the family they will check with other customers. If I were the family booking I would at that point say, oh please don't go to the trouble, unless it was a situation with many more very young children than adults and if that were the case, a bedroom would be better for at least some of the party. The people to be switched could at least have the choice. I spend thousands of dollars and fly for many hours in order to take an LD trip. I book as early as possible. I check that I get a room upstairs. I don't see why I should be treated as less important than a family. Nor more important either but first in first served is the only fair way to put someone above another in such a situation, and I make sacrifices (it's a lot to pay so far in advance) so that my room is sorted early on.

Dunno, maybe I'm used to valuing fairness over anything!! I felt outraged on behalf of the OP at comments that they were being selfish, when they were first. When I was a kid, the sofa rules dictated whoever got it first, had it all evening. The getting was no holds barred, so long as you weren't disqualified by leaving before being excused from the table and if someone was injured in the racing for it then that was unfortunate but first was first and my brother and I respected that
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I'm with those who think it should be first come first served too. While small children obviously need to be seated with their parents, I don't see why adults can't sit separately for awhile, or older children, until a pair of seats open up. My friend and I travelled a few hours before we got seats together, we didn't see any reason to make a fuss. I think it's a bit mean to make someone with a window seat move, if they were there first, and neither of us were arrogant enough to boot out those people who boarded ahead of us just because we were lucky enough to have a companion! We got seats together down the track, and what felt like the excessive thanks of the car attendant for what seemed to me as acceptance of the situation as it stood, no worries.

With the rooms I don't see why someone who had booked earlier than another party should be moved. If a group wants to be together then Amtrak should tell them when they book that there are no longer adjacent rooms, but if it is that important to the family they will check with other customers. If I were the family booking I would at that point say, oh please don't go to the trouble, unless it was a situation with many more very young children than adults and if that were the case, a bedroom would be better for at least some of the party. The people to be switched could at least have the choice. I spend thousands of dollars and fly for many hours in order to take an LD trip. I book as early as possible. I check that I get a room upstairs. I don't see why I should be treated as less important than a family. Nor more important either but first in first served is the only fair way to put someone above another in such a situation, and I make sacrifices (it's a lot to pay so far in advance) so that my room is sorted early on.

Dunno, maybe I'm used to valuing fairness over anything!! I felt outraged on behalf of the OP at comments that they were being selfish, when they were first. When I was a kid, the sofa rules dictated whoever got it first, had it all evening. The getting was no holds barred, so long as you weren't disqualified by leaving before being excused from the table and if someone was injured in the racing for it then that was unfortunate but first was first and my brother and I respected that
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Couldn't agree more with everything here.
 
With the rooms I don't see why someone who had booked earlier than another party should be moved. If a group wants to be together then Amtrak should tell them when they book that there are no longer adjacent rooms, but if it is that important to the family they will check with other customers. If I were the family booking I would at that point say, oh please don't go to the trouble, unless it was a situation with many more very young children than adults and if that were the case, a bedroom would be better for at least some of the party. The people to be switched could at least have the choice. I spend thousands of dollars and fly for many hours in order to take an LD trip. I book as early as possible. I check that I get a room upstairs. I don't see why I should be treated as less important than a family. Nor more important either but first in first served is the only fair way to put someone above another in such a situation, and I make sacrifices (it's a lot to pay so far in advance) so that my room is sorted early on.
"LIke"

Well stated, and I agree, but in my own travels I am going point A to point B. So other than the type of room it means nothing to me where it's on the train or the side of the train. Getting someplace is why I am on the train.

We need a happy medium. I just don't think Arrow up to the task, but the extra fee for picking out your room assignment would be the best. Pay 5.00 usd and you get to pick the room number. Don't pay the 5.00 usd get assigned one by the computer 24 hrs in advance.

Only real problem is when they run the car backwards...

Nevermind.
 
... I can see where the difference between 11 & 13 is not much. In fact, it would seem that 11 is a tad better than 13 (closer to the center and further from the trucks)...
We recently were in room 14 on #5 and 11 on #6. I found no difference in truck noise, but from room 11 slightly more stair and luggage rack noise. Not only that, after getting downstairs rooms for the first time in a long time, my wife announced that she prefers downstairs rooms. I'm sure it would have been different had there been a noisy crowd in the family room on either trip.

Just goes to show you there aren't better and worse rooms, just different individual preferences.
My wife and I were in Room 13 back in May on the Auto Train. The adjacent Family Room had a young couple with a toddler. The toddler was quite noisy despite repeated attempts by the parents for their child to be quiet. Fortunately by sleeping time the toddler was quiet and we were able to sleep.

The next morning the toddler was at it again and upon realizing that Room 11 was vacant we asked the SCA if we could move there. He gave us permission and upon moving there we no longer heard the toddler.

There is quite a difference between 11,12 and 13,14 IMHO when it comes to hearing noise from a potentially loud Family Room. It is the luck of the draw however as you could have noisy neighbor occupying 13 (if in 11) or 14 (if in 12).
 
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... I can see where the difference between 11 & 13 is not much. In fact, it would seem that 11 is a tad better than 13 (closer to the center and further from the trucks)...
We recently were in room 14 on #5 and 11 on #6. I found no difference in truck noise, but from room 11 slightly more stair and luggage rack noise. Not only that, after getting downstairs rooms for the first time in a long time, my wife announced that she prefers downstairs rooms. I'm sure it would have been different had there been a noisy crowd in the family room on either trip.

Just goes to show you there aren't better and worse rooms, just different individual preferences.
My wife and I were in Room 13 back in May on the Auto Train. The adjacent Family Room had a young couple with a toddler. The toddler was quite noisy despite repeated attempts by the parents for their child to be quiet. Fortunately by sleeping time the toddler was quiet and we were able to sleep.

The next morning the toddler was at it again and upon realizing that Room 11 was vacant we asked the SCA if we could move there. He gave us permission and upon moving there we no longer heard the toddler.

There is quite a difference between 11,12 and 13,14 IMHO when it comes to hearing noise from a potentially loud Family Room. It is the luck of the draw however as you could have noisy neighbor occupying 13 (if in 11) or 14 (if in 12).
Well, I've already commented in previous threads on "children & noise" so... lest I get into further "deep excrement" with families :blink: :unsure: For the full bedrooms, the problem I think is the very flimsy partition between two adjoining rooms. I don't think I've ever had an issue with any rooms other than the adjoining room... and, maybe, someone standing right in front of my door.
 
Wow, as the OP of this topic I didn't have any idea that this was going to start this big of a debate.

Yes I was assigned to room 12 when I originaly made the reservation. There is 2 main reasons I don't want to be in a downstairs room. First is the noise in the middle of the night of people bording and shoving there suitcases in the luggage bin, or better yet when someone forgets something in their suitcase and rummages through all the luggage to get to theirs at 2 a.m. The second reason is I like the view that at upper level room offers, especialy on the C.L.

When I received my email from my original purchase I was assigned to room 12. I called Amtrak within minutes and did ask for a upstairs roomette; this is when they switched me to room #10. I was satisfied at this point. The ONLY reason why I made a switch the second time (to room #2) is because the price dropped from the highest bucket to the lowest bucket. It had nothing to do with me having a love affair with room#2. Obviously someone canceled their reservation and I just happened to catch it at the right time. So when I caught the price bucket drop and took advantage of it, the agent gave me room #2. I could care less if I was in room 10 or 2. I just didn't want to be in rooms 11-14.

To my defense, when I make a reservation and I'm told in a written confirmation that I'm in certain room, then that's where I better be until A) I change it or B) Amtrak calls and ask if I would mind moving me to another room. I'm not a "selfish" person in the least as some people have suggested. But I'm not going to sit back and have something taken away from me that I purchased rightfully. And YES Amtrak does tell you in the e-mail which room you purchased.

And NO!; all roomettes are not the same. Some are closer to a bathroom, some are more prone to train noise, passenger traffic, boarding and luggage rack noise...etc. It would be like one walking into a restaurant ordering and paying for a $40 swordfish dinner, and then receiving a $5 box of Van De Kamps. Then the waiter saying "well whats wrong?...It's still a fish"
 
It would be like one walking into a restaurant ordering and paying for a $40 swordfish dinner, and then receiving a $5 box of Van De Kamps. Then the waiter saying "well whats wrong?...It's still a fish"
No. It would be more like complaining about getting the $40 swordfish dinner at a back table with a view of the back alley instead of at a table with a view of the bay.
 
Aloha

About the only thing that puzzles me is giving the room 2 to keep a family together. Room 2 is across from the attendant.. To really be together rooms across from each other are best.
 
Aloha

About the only thing that puzzles me is giving the room 2 to keep a family together. Room 2 is across from the attendant.. To really be together rooms across from each other are best.
Nice catch, something smells here. Maybe a sleeping car attended getting trained?
 
Hmm, maybe so and the family was a sympathy excuse? Years ago I worked in a hotel and reservations explained overbooking and how they knew which guests could be bumped easily and I was dubious and so they they told me a story about a poor couple whose child was Taken ill and they had to stay a few days longer but the hotel was full but we don't want to cause them stress kicking them out so they were terribly sorry but they'd arranged for me to stay at X hotel (same standard nearby) and they'd arrange the taxi.... well I'd have accepted being bumped no problems and id problably wonder after the poor fictional child and wish them and their parents well!
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They targeted people on vacation so that they had rooms available for corporate clients when overbooking went wrong, I could see how it would work! It's just that half of us were up in arms because we wanted the explanation ( the story doesnt work if the fictional couple just decided to stay longer ).
 
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Aloha

About the only thing that puzzles me is giving the room 2 to keep a family together. Room 2 is across from the attendant.. To really be together rooms across from each other are best.
Nice catch, something smells here. Maybe a sleeping car attended getting trained?
Or it was a family booking 3 roomettes (for whatever reason) and they already had #3 & #4, so either #2 or #'s 5 or 6 would be the next logical room to give them. And maybe 5 & 6 were already given to another "family". Just another speculation. I don't anyone will ever know what really happened, unless the OP snoops it out when he travels.
 
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