BigRedEO
Service Attendant
I have converted a friend to become one of our "cult" (sorry, but that still cracks me up!). After talking about all my train trips, instead of flying back from a cross-Atlantic cruise she went on with her husband back in October, she booked an Amtrak trip from New York City back to their car in Baltimore. She called me when they were at Penn Station, asking all kinds of questions about where to go, sit, what to expect, etc, all of which I was very happy to help her with. She loved it so much that she just booked a last minute day trip to go to Chicago and back (from Cleveland) last Saturday, taking her daughter with her. She asked all kinds of questions, which I gladly answered once I knew they would be on the Lakeshore Limited. She had booked Coach, but I let her know she could always ask about a Roomette or Bedroom if they were really tired.
On the way back, she said she was exhausted, and they asked a ticket agent if a Roomette was available. She said she was quoted about $250 which she thought was a little too expensive, but asked if they could check if a Bedroom was available, just to see how much more in price it would be. The agent said there was only one Bedroom left available, and it was $200! When she asked the agent how it could be less, the agent said she didn't know, but they snagged that Bedroom.
She called me the day after and asked why it would be lower. I explained "buckets" and said that most likely, the Bedroom was a last minute cancellation by someone who booked it a long time ago, probably at the low bucket price.
Would that be right? Would they make a last minute cancellation like that be available at its original price? And is a low bucket bedroom price ever less than the high bucket Roomette price for the same distance?
On the way back, she said she was exhausted, and they asked a ticket agent if a Roomette was available. She said she was quoted about $250 which she thought was a little too expensive, but asked if they could check if a Bedroom was available, just to see how much more in price it would be. The agent said there was only one Bedroom left available, and it was $200! When she asked the agent how it could be less, the agent said she didn't know, but they snagged that Bedroom.
She called me the day after and asked why it would be lower. I explained "buckets" and said that most likely, the Bedroom was a last minute cancellation by someone who booked it a long time ago, probably at the low bucket price.
Would that be right? Would they make a last minute cancellation like that be available at its original price? And is a low bucket bedroom price ever less than the high bucket Roomette price for the same distance?
