A few newbie questions regarding upcoming trip on Crescent

[RTE_TrainGuy]

Hello AU. I have greatly enjoyed reading this site and learning about Amtrak. My wife and I live in MA and are planning on taking a trip to New Orleans in 2015 for a cruise and want to take Amtrak one-way. I have a few questions I hope you can help answer.

- We are planning on leaving on Wednesday, January 7th from BOS and flying back on Sunday, January 18th. However, this year Amtrak did not operate the Crescent to NOL during the week in January. Is there anyway to know if this reduction will take place in 2015? If I buy the ticket for BOS-NOL and it is cancelled, can I change the reservation to NOL-BOS a week later?

- Currently the bedrooms are a decent price (and actually lower than the roomettes). I know that if the bedroom price goes down, I can change into the lower price for free. Can I change into a roomette if that price goes way down?

- I believe you can reserve a specific bedroom. Do you have to book via phone or can you call-in and make the selection later? Is there anyway to predict which room will have the couch facing forward? I have read various things about the consist, and whether or not it is reversed in the winter. Any other opinions on rooms would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help. I am looking forward to my first trip in a sleeper. My only other Amtrak trip was on the Silver Meteor in coach.

 

[xyzzy]

There's no way to know 12 months forward. However, this isn't the first time that track work has annulled the Crescent on weekdays between Atlanta and New Orleans. It usually happens in the winter when Norfolk Southern, the host railroad, sends their track maintenance crews south where they can still work in the prevailing weather. The crews tend to work up north during the summer months.

 

[Bob Dylan]

- We are planning on leaving on Wednesday, January 7th from BOS and flying back on Sunday, January 18th. However, this year Amtrak did not operate the Crescent to NOL during the week in January. Is there anyway to know if this reduction will take place in 2015? If I buy the ticket for BOS-NOL and it is cancelled, can I change the reservation to NOL-BOS a week later?

- Currently the bedrooms are a decent price (and actually lower than the roomettes). I know that if the bedroom price goes down, I can change into the lower price for free. Can I change into a roomette if that price goes way down?

- I believe you can reserve a specific bedroom. Do you have to book via phone or can you call-in and make the selection later? Is there anyway to predict which room will have the couch facing forward? I have read various things about the consist, and whether or not it is reversed in the winter. Any other opinions on rooms would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help. I am looking forward to my first trip in a sleeper. My only other Amtrak trip was on the Silver Meteor in coach.

The Track work between Atlanta and New Orleans is an Annual Scheduled thing in Jan. and Feb. The Crescent runs Only from NYP-Atlanta from Monday's to Thursdays, it does run from ATL-New Orleans on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays! If you can schedule your Trip on the Weekends, you can ride the train! Also, you didnt say how you nwere getting from Boston to New York to Catch the Crescent which Leaves New York @ 2:15PM so you will have to take an Early Regional or Acela and you can utilize the Club Acela in Boston and New York and ensure you make your Connection in NYP! (Business Class or Acela First Class may not be Worth the Upgrade Charge on this Route since ya'll get to use the Club Acela anyway as same Day Sleeping Car Passengers! You also may want to Utilize a Red cap in Boston and New York to ensure Early Boarding and beat the Thundering Heard!

You will need to Call to Pick your Room (there are only 2 Regular Bedrooms on Viewliners, A &B, plus the H Bedroom which is like an Apartment, it's actually the Best Room in the Amtrak System and if you're Elgible (Handicapped ,or if Not First Come First served 2 Weeks before Boarding for the Regular Bedroom Rate) it sells for the Same Price or Points as a Roomette! Normally the Crescent doesnt Flip the Consists in the Winter, this happens on the Silver trains to Florida so Generally the Vestibule on the Viewliner will Face Forward towards the Heritage Diner! Room B is the One you want, the Couch faces Forward, A will have the Couch Facing 'backwards" in this Configuration!

If you Book a Room and the Price Goes Down, you can call and "Modify" (Not Cancel!) your Rez and Receive a Refund (minus a 10% Handling Fee if Less than 15 Days before Travel) or a Travel Voucher good for for future Travel!

 

[me_little_me]

Do you have 2000 AGR points? If so, buy 10K (with a 3K bonus available now) and have 15K to get a one-zone roomette. Then you won't care what the price is. BTW, that 13K will cost you $275, probably cheaper than the price you are looking at and it includes business class from BOS to NYP and your roomette to NOL. and that 15K i for BOTH of you.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Do you have 2000 AGR points? If so, buy 10K (with a 3K bonus available now) and have 15K to get a one-zone roomette. Then you won't care what the price is. BTW, that 13K will cost you $275, probably cheaper than the price you are looking at and it includes business class from BOS to NYP and your roomette to NOL. and that 15K i for BOTH of you.

This would be a 2 Zone Trip since Atlanta is the Zone Boundry, hence a Roomette would be 20,000 Points (less a 5% Rebate if you have the AGR MC) for 2 from BOS-NYP-NOL!!!

 

[the_traveler]

Also, that is business class on a Regional, not Business Class on an Acela.

 

[rrdude]

I have been gigged by Amtrak on a DC to NOLA trip the last two years. (2013, and 2014) So beware!

If you like traveling by train, and need to get to NOLA, you could always catch the Lake Shore Limited, overnight, from BeanTown to Chicago.

You'd arrive in The Windy mid-morning, and have until about 8:00pm to catch the City Of New Orleans for an overnight trip to NOLA, arriving around 3:30p the next day.

Hey, I know people who do it. AND, a big plus is the scenery. It's just "so-so" at best on the Crescent, but pretty dang good on the Lake Shore and City.

 

[me_little_me]

Do you have 2000 AGR points? If so, buy 10K (with a 3K bonus available now) and have 15K to get a one-zone roomette. Then you won't care what the price is. BTW, that 13K will cost you $275, probably cheaper than the price you are looking at and it includes business class from BOS to NYP and your roomette to NOL. and that 15K i for BOTH of you.

This would be a 2 Zone Trip since Atlanta is the Zone Boundry, hence a Roomette would be 20,000 Points (less a 5% Rebate if you have the AGR MC) for 2 from BOS-NYP-NOL!!!

Duh! Yeah. RTE can use the points for BOS ->ATL and pay from ATL to NOL since fewer people go to NOL and that portion is daytime (but has 3 meals). We paid as little as $50 plus rail fare for roomette but I believe the lowest now is $72 plus rail fare.

 

[RTE_TrainGuy]

I have been gigged by Amtrak on a DC to NOLA trip the last two years. (2013, and 2014) So beware!

This is my concern. I was thinking about taking the train home, but I think I confused days in my head. My option is taking the Crescent either Southbound on Wednesday or Northbound on a Monday.

I can't find the bulletin for 2014, but wasn't the Crescent annulled from Monday-Thursday? Therefore, IF the disruption occurs and is the same, taking the train wouldn't be an option at all? I thought about the LSL to City of NO but that might be a bit too much train for the wife.

If I am understanding the potential disruption correctly, I will book the Southbound Crescent and hope for the best. I will be on the NE Regional from BOS or RTE.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Ryan]

I'd book via CHI to be safe.