Best way to make reservations for group?

[gregoryla]

We and two other couples are planning a trip next summer on the CS. We'll each have a roomette. I'm in charge of making the reservations for everyone. My current thought is to make them online (so that we can cancel online if need be), and to make 3 separate reservations (so that one can be cancelled and not affect the other two -- as you can tell, there is a substantial chance that one or both of the other couples will bail out at the last minute). I then plan to call Amtrak and ask for all three roomettes to be in the same sleeping car and on same level.

Anyone have thoughts if this is the right way to do it? Is there a better way? Any thoughts or help would be most appreciated. Thanks.

 

[the_traveler]

That would work! But I still might take 1 less step and actually phone an agent to make the reservations, adding that you want to make 3 separate reservations.

While it's true you couldn't cancel on line, if you need to cancel, it's call Amtrak later! If you don't need to cancel, it's call now!

 

[PaulM]

I suppose the price of one room could differ from the other two based on demand whether you make a single or 3 reservations?

 

[gswager]

I suppose the price of one room could differ from the other two based on demand whether you make a single or 3 reservations?

Yes, depends on how many roomette(s) available in each bucket.

 

[AlanB]

Even if you book online, once you call Amtrak to have the agent modify the reservations to put everyone in the same car it will cause the reservation to not come up online anymore and so you will be unable to cancel online.

 

[gregoryla]

Even if you book online, once you call Amtrak to have the agent modify the reservations to put everyone in the same car it will cause the reservation to not come up online anymore and so you will be unable to cancel online.

So that clinches that -- I'll call and make all the reservations on the phone. Thanks!

 

[Tracktwentynine]

I can speak to this, as I've done it recently. I'm traveling in a group of 8 people next month. We're all in (4) roomettes on one leg of the journey.

To make sure that there were enough roomettes available, I tried to book one reservation of 8 in roomettes. That worked, and showed all the roomettes in the same bucket (the second bucket, as it so happens). After ascertaining that, I called Amtrak to make the first reservation. I explained that I was going to want 4 roomettes adjacent/confronting if possible, and that the others would be booking separately. The agent booked me (and my roommate) in a room that had 2 vacant rooms adjacent. I told everyone my room assignment. Then the next set called, and explained, giving my room assignment and asking to be close. Then the third set called, then the fourth.

As it so happened in my case, there were not 4 roomettes available that were adjacent/confronting. So 6 of us are together, and the other 2 are in the same car, but not next-door.

It was surprisingly painless, and I suppose Amtrak encounters this sort of request pretty frequently.