Buy Roomette Now? Possibly Downgrade?

[njulian]

I am planning a trip in October and naturally want to get my tickets now while they are hopefully still at their lowest. Here is my issue. If just myself and my husband go on the train we'd like a roomette. My son and his family are also going to the same destination, but may choose to drive instead of taking the train. If they do decide to take the train, we'd ride coach to sit with them. So, my question is..is it posible to go ahead and buy the roomette tickets now and if the kids decide to take the train instead of driving is it possible to downgrade the already purchased roomette tickets to coach?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Here's what I would do, assuming the money is available. I would buy both the roomette and the coach seats as separate reservations. I would not ticket either of them at first. Then at least a week before departure I would cancel and receive a 100% refund for whichever set of tickets you're not going to require. After that I would have the other set of tickets printed and ready for the trip just prior to the day of departure.

 

[zephyr17]

I am planning a trip in October and naturally want to get my tickets now while they are hopefully still at their lowest. Here is my issue. If just myself and my husband go on the train we'd like a roomette. My son and his family are also going to the same destination, but may choose to drive instead of taking the train. If they do decide to take the train, we'd ride coach to sit with them. So, my question is..is it posible to go ahead and buy the roomette tickets now and if the kids decide to take the train instead of driving is it possible to downgrade the already purchased roomette tickets to coach?

You can up to 7 days before departure, but there a couple of potential "gotchas".

A couple of things to watch out for. First, you have reserved room, not a reserved seat. If coach is sold out, you would have to release the reservation entirely or keep your sleeper space. Another thing to watch out for is the rail portion of the fare for sleeping car passenger automatically goes to the lowest bucket. If you give up the room, your rail fare will probably go to the then current bucket, so if effect, you might not get the whole accomodation charge back (some will be credited to the rail fare difference, if any). Technically, I think, you would be cancelling your sleeping car ticket entirely, and immediately applying the balance to a new coach ticket.

 

[BeckysBarn]

Another option: Get your roomette. If the family decides to take the train, you can spend time with them in the lounge car playing games, viewing the country side, etc.

 

[Ryan]

Here's what I would do, assuming the money is available. I would buy both the roomette and the coach seats as separate reservations. I would not ticket either of them at first. Then at least a week before departure I would cancel and receive a 100% refund for whichever set of tickets you're not going to require. After that I would have the other set of tickets printed and ready for the trip just prior to the day of departure.

This is certainly the best and safest plan - costs more money at the outset but guarantees that you'll pay the lowest fare. If you end up in Coach with the kids, make sure to cancel your sleeping car reservation more than 7 days in advance (unless you're OK with a voucher for future travel.

Refundable if sleeping car reservations are cancelled at least seven days prior to departure. If cancelled fewer than seven days prior to departure, but before actual departure, the accommodation charge is not refundable but may be applied to future travel purchases by issuance of a non-refundable exchange voucher. If not cancelled before actual departure ("no show"), the accommodation charge is neither refundable nor may it be applied to future travel. The sleeping car non-refundability penalty will not be imposed if the customer chooses to cancel on account of the train being late two hours or more at the boarding station.

 

[the_traveler]

Another option: Get your roomette. If the family decides to take the train, you can spend time with them in the lounge car playing games, viewing the country side, etc.

I agree!

Get the roomette anyway, even if the others decide to go by train. There is nothing that says that you can't spend all your waking hours with them in the lounge car (if you want) or eat meals with them in the dining car. (And your meals in the dining car will be included!

) And at night, you still have your flat bed in your roomette!

 

[njulian]

Another option: Get your roomette. If the family decides to take the train, you can spend time with them in the lounge car playing games, viewing the country side, etc.

I actually really like this idea! I don't sleep so well in coach anymore :/

Thanks for al lthe replies.