All meals not included (1st 2 pax only) (corrected - post 25)

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Found out today. while perusing redemption possibilities, that "all" meals are no longer included for AGR sleeper car redemptions. The agent told me this is a new policy. Meals are included for the first two pax only. So if you are a party of 3 or 4 booking a BR or FR, you would be paying for the 3rd and 4th person in the diner. I'm assuming if you booked 2 roomettes instead, since each is a separate redemption, and it was 4 people, all 4 meals would be included. Didn't think to ask for clarification, though. Anyway it's just something to keep in mind, that the meals over 2-3 days would have to be budgeted for, if you were thinking they'd all be included (sans tips).
 
In the case of the Family Room, they should still include four since the room has four beds and is designed for two adults and two children. I can't imagine they would deny the kids (or parents, or whoever) a meal when that room is clearly designed for four people. The agent was probably mistaken about that one.
 
Not true.

Meals are included for everyone ticketed in the room.

The "new" policy is that you can only book AGR tickets up to the "recommended" capacity of the room as found on Amtrak.com, not the max capacity of the room as found in the Blue Book.
 
Not true.

Meals are included for everyone ticketed in the room.

The "new" policy is that you can only book AGR tickets up to the "recommended" capacity of the room as found on Amtrak.com, not the max capacity of the room as found in the Blue Book.
I would like this if I was on the app. :)
 
Sarah, maybe it was an error, but the agent couldn't have been more clear when she told me that booking an award for 3 people in the Family Bedroom (which is sold for 4 people) would include 2 meals on an AGR redemption. She said this policy is brand new and applies to award bookings only; of course if you pay the fare then meals are included for everyone in the room. We'd have 2 adults, since my son is no longer a half-fare, and one child. So in my situation the adult meals would be included and for my daughter, I would be purchasing whatever her selection was, from the diner menu. I'd be happy if this information is incorrect... but if this is the new policy, I'd rather know going in so I can plan for it.
 
Sarah, maybe it was an error, but the agent couldn't have been more clear when she told me that booking an award for 3 people in the Family Bedroom (which is sold for 4 people) would include 2 meals on an AGR redemption. She said this policy is brand new and applies to award bookings only; of course if you pay the fare then meals are included for everyone in the room. We'd have 2 adults, since my son is no longer a half-fare, and one child. So in my situation the adult meals would be included and for my daughter, I would be purchasing whatever her selection was, from the diner menu. I'd be happy if this information is incorrect... but if this is the new policy, I'd rather know going in so I can plan for it.
Then she was probably brand new, because you can't even book the Family Bedroom with AGR points. So, she was doubly wrong.
 
Sarah, maybe it was an error, but the agent couldn't have been more clear when she told me that booking an award for 3 people in the Family Bedroom (which is sold for 4 people) would include 2 meals on an AGR redemption. She said this policy is brand new and applies to award bookings only; of course if you pay the fare then meals are included for everyone in the room. We'd have 2 adults, since my son is no longer a half-fare, and one child. So in my situation the adult meals would be included and for my daughter, I would be purchasing whatever her selection was, from the diner menu. I'd be happy if this information is incorrect... but if this is the new policy, I'd rather know going in so I can plan for it.
Then she was probably brand new, because you can't even book the Family Bedroom with AGR points. So, she was doubly wrong.
Also, what are the odds of the OBS actually knowing the policy, let alone enforcing it? Since you don't need to present your ticket in the diner (just know your room/car), the diner has no way of checking except asking (which I highly doubt they're too interested in bothering with at every table). Unless/until the diner gets some far, far better technology for processing this sort of paperwork, this is going to be a functions-on-paper-only policy.
 
Sarah, maybe it was an error, but the agent couldn't have been more clear when she told me that booking an award for 3 people in the Family Bedroom (which is sold for 4 people) would include 2 meals on an AGR redemption. She said this policy is brand new and applies to award bookings only; of course if you pay the fare then meals are included for everyone in the room. We'd have 2 adults, since my son is no longer a half-fare, and one child. So in my situation the adult meals would be included and for my daughter, I would be purchasing whatever her selection was, from the diner menu. I'd be happy if this information is incorrect... but if this is the new policy, I'd rather know going in so I can plan for it.
Then she was probably brand new, because you can't even book the Family Bedroom with AGR points. So, she was doubly wrong.
I'm pretty sure you can book it at the regular bedroom rate.
Still, "A CSR told me" has pretty much nothing to do with actual policy as we've seen time and time again. It's a shame the people in the call center seem to be so clueless.
 
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Sarah, maybe it was an error, but the agent couldn't have been more clear when she told me that booking an award for 3 people in the Family Bedroom (which is sold for 4 people) would include 2 meals on an AGR redemption. She said this policy is brand new and applies to award bookings only; of course if you pay the fare then meals are included for everyone in the room. We'd have 2 adults, since my son is no longer a half-fare, and one child. So in my situation the adult meals would be included and for my daughter, I would be purchasing whatever her selection was, from the diner menu. I'd be happy if this information is incorrect... but if this is the new policy, I'd rather know going in so I can plan for it.
Then she was probably brand new, because you can't even book the Family Bedroom with AGR points. So, she was doubly wrong.
I'm pretty sure you can book it at the regular bedroom rate.
Still, "A CSR told me" has pretty much nothing to do with actual policy as we've seen time and time again. It's a shame the people in the call center seem to be so clueless.
Really? That's interesting (and nice, since that room is pretty big). I wonder why they don't put it on the "Redeem" page? That's where I checked since I wanted to make sure I wasn't losing my mind.

https://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/redeem
 
There is no way of the dining car staff to know whether you purchased your tickets or are using points. All you do is list your car and room number. I doubt that this can be something that will last for along time as it discriminates against their own reward points and loyal customers. I could understand if it was a bedroom or roomette, but not the family room.
 
The informal name for the Service Standards Manual - "The Rulebook" for what happens onboard.

Here's the relevant passage:

Blue_Book_sleeper_meals.png
 
Sarah,

The Family room can be booked on points at the Bedroom rates. The H-room is bookable on points at the Roomette rates.

Michigan Mom,

AGR headquarters made it quite clear last year that one could only book awards up to the recommended capacity of the room which as noted by Ryan is different than the maximum; so I can't imagine that they would suddenly change the rules again. This sounds like an agent who isn't informed of the rules.

But the meals go with the room, so you should get 4 meals in the family room.
 
Sarah,

The Family room can be booked on points at the Bedroom rates. The H-room is bookable on points at the Roomette rates.
Thanks, Alan. I saw the blurb about being able to book the H-room at the roomette rate but couldn't find a blurb about booking the F-room at the bedroom rate.

I stand corrected. :)
 
The AGR Insider did confirm that the family bedroom was still bookable at the bedroom rate when they made this change. Folks, really I love AU but if you continue to have questions, PM the AGR Insider (Anthony) at FlyerTalk.
 
Rest assured that it is possible to book the FR with AGR points. That wasn't a problem. I agree that it doesn't make sense that the FR would only provide meals for 2 and the rest would be paid; even though it sounds like the agent may have confused policies, on the whole the call center has always been more than helpful, informative and polite, so I'm not going to slam them. If we do take this trip, and I find out that this really is a change in policy, I'll report back here, otherwise let's just assume it was wrong information.

Ryan, I'd really appreciate it if you just didn't reply to my posts. I find you exceptionally toxic and I promise to extend you the same courtesy. Ignoring is of limited usefulness since I still have to see your language quoted by other people.
 
I'm not quite sure how replying to posts that you make on a public discussion board makes me a stalker, but whatever.

If you don't like being told you're wrong, maybe The Internet isn't for you.

You'll also note that I told Sarah she was wrong in this very thread and she managed to handle it with grace and class. Perhaps you can do the same.
 
The Internet is definitely for you, since ill mannered cowards frequently hide there. In your limited world, grace and class is defined as someone who doesn't call you out on what a jerk you are. I am calling you out. And since you are so confused, let me explain. You're a stalker because I've repeatedly asked you to leave me alone, and most normal people would respect that. Certainly if anyone here had the honesty to say that to me, I wouldn't be responding to their posts, out of respect for their wishes. I don't expect everyone to like me or agree with me. I do expect that a request to refrain from harrassment would be honored. The fact that it is a "public" forum is irrelevant. It doesn't give you the right to do what you want, and bother who you want. You may think that it does... but in that aspect, you sir, are very wrong. Why don't you just admit that, with grace and class.
 
(Sorry for the guest post, I'm logged into my son's account doing some maintenance)

The fact that it is a "public" forum is irrelevant. It doesn't give you the right to do what you want, and bother who you want.
Sorry, but I've got to address this as well. The fact that it is a public forum is very relevant. I'm not sending you private messages or emails, I'm not calling you, I'm not showing up at your house or place of employment. That stuff is stalking.

When you post something on a public forum like this, you're opening yourself up for replies from anyone. I was here years before you, and I'll be here years after you're a distant memory. I've met a great number of the regular posters here and consider them friends, and speak to many of them through other channels. This is my *home*. It is hands down the FINEST Amtrak-related forum on the internet, due to the hard work of the staff here - none of which have expressed any issues with my posts towards you in this thread or any others. If they do, I'll gladly accept any guidance or direction that they give me. It's their playground, and I will always respect them and play by their rules.

If you have a problem with the content of my posts, it is just that. Your problem to deal with. I don't go out of my way to reply to you and more or any less than any other poster here. If you have a question about something, I'll answer it. If you post something that's factually incorrect, I'll correct you. When you post here or any other site, that's what you're signing up for. If you can't handle that, the decision to post lies solely with you.
 
What I am curious about is how Amtrak would implement the alleged new policy. I think they are incapable of enforcing it since the right people do not have the information available to them in normal course of working. Also who would get to choose which two and when? It is this fact and the sense that it seems to be an enormous amount of additional pain for very little gain/savings, that leads me to believe that this might be another case of clueless reservation agent, a not unheard of phenomenon on Amtrak.

But as stated by others, the definitive fact on this can be found by IM-ing AGR Insider on Flyertalk.
 
First of all, thanks to the people who wrote to tell me I am not alone in my reactions. Much appreciated. As for "Ryan", he is not worth getting chest pains over, but if I wanted to, it would be very easy to attack the substance of many of his posts, especially when he ventures into straw man territory. It's enough to know that other people feel the same way. Second, and more on point, I do need to close the original loop and provide updated information. I called AGR back and asked for clarification. As Alan indicated, the change in policy is all about capacity of the rooms. An AGR redemption includes meals up to capacity; so in the example of the Family Room redemption, where the capacity is 2 adults/2 children, that's how many many meals are included. For the people who asked how Amtrak would even enforce the originally asked about policy change, in my opinion that wouldn't be all that difficult; i can envision numerous ways how that would be done. It's a good question, though. My main objective was knowing if all meals were included, so I could plan accordingly. I hope this helps clear things up and I'm truly sorry if my original post caused any concerns; my intent was to share information and obtain clarification.
 
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