Actually it makes it even easier.
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.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.Well, he was assigned #12 first.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...h34r:
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:
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.
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:
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. ^_^
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.
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.To be honest, if it came to that, I'd be willing to pay extra for that guarantee, depending on "how much extra."Here is a revenue opportunity for AmtrakSorry... 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...
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.
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...
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)?
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.
As I understand it from Amtrak (http://www.amtrak.com/eticketing-your-ride-is-just-a-barcode-away), e-ticketing only applies to tickets purchased July 30 (yesterday) or later, so I think he's out of luck in that regard.
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.
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...
Couldn't agree more with everything here.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.
"LIke"
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.
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.
No, it's nothing like that. All of the roomettes are in the same fare class. You get exactly what you pay for.
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.
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.
