charge to change roomette???

[HARHBG]

I realize this forum is NOT Amtrak, but so many of you who read and post often know better than Amtrak Agents themselves...........All you Amtrak Unlimited people really do have an extraordinary wealth of knowledge...........

Soooooo....here goes........

I requested to change my roomette because of a screaming kid in the next roomette. The train was just pulling out of WAS. Amtrak agent charged me $128.00 JUST TO CHANGE ROOMETTE. I agreeded at the time because I wanted away from the screaming kid and before I lost the cell connection.

I looked around at the additional 2 sleeper cars AND "Dorm" car on the Capitol Limited I was on and there had to be at least 10 or more empty roomettes and several empty bedrooms at that point.

I know things get sold "down the road" but arriving in CHI there were still plenty of the original empty roomettes empty and clearly never used.

Does this sound right to you Amtrak Unlimited Veteran Riders????

I'm asking here before wasting time on a call to Amtrak if people here write back and say, "Yea, That's what Amtrak does if you want to change a roomette, even if it's on the same train"............

THANKS!! to all who care to write back and post your opinions and advice. Sincerly appreciated.........HARHBG

 

[Eris]

I would not hesitate to contact Amtrak customer service about it- there is no harm in making that complaint. I'm wondering if you tried asking your SCA before doing it by phone. ?

 

[chakk]

I would agree that asking first the SCA -- or the conductor -- before calling reservations would be the best approach. Those onboard folks have a list of all room reservations both out of your boarding point and down the line. Their personal witnessing of the noise disruption would further support your case for a compassionate change of room assignment. And they could then enter the change of room into the online reservation tally, which would free your room for resale. A person sitting in a reservation center can't possibly verify the on-board-train situation, an thus would have to "go by the book", which I presume provides specific instructions on how to process this eequest.

 

[Hal]

I realize this forum is NOT Amtrak, but so many of you who read and post often know better than Amtrak Agents themselves...........All you Amtrak Unlimited people really do have an extraordinary wealth of knowledge...........

Soooooo....here goes........

I requested to change my roomette because of a screaming kid in the next roomette. The train was just pulling out of WAS. Amtrak agent charged me $128.00 JUST TO CHANGE ROOMETTE. I agreeded at the time because I wanted away from the screaming kid and before I lost the cell connection.

I looked around at the additional 2 sleeper cars AND "Dorm" car on the Capitol Limited I was on and there had to be at least 10 or more empty roomettes and several empty bedrooms at that point.

I know things get sold "down the road" but arriving in CHI there were still plenty of the original empty roomettes empty and clearly never used.

Does this sound right to you Amtrak Unlimited Veteran Riders????

I'm asking here before wasting time on a call to Amtrak if people here write back and say, "Yea, That's what Amtrak does if you want to change a roomette, even if it's on the same train"............

THANKS!! to all who care to write back and post your opinions and advice. Sincerly appreciated.........HARHBG

If by agent you mean a res agent, they are going to go by the book. You did talk to the Conductor and car attendant first I hope? There are things that might be done onboard to switch rooms if the situation was as you state and that there were unsold rooms available. Workarounds are sometimes possible.

 

[HARHBG]

Yes, I did ask the SCA and Conductor and both told me there were any number of rooms available in the sleepers but the only thing I could do was "Call the Amtrak 800#. I thought my request would be handled as a "Modification" and since I wasn't changing travel time, trains, or days of travel it would be a no brainer and simple. Previous threads about almost the same situation, i.e.., changing rooms, have been discussed on this forum before but I never read any difinitive answer, only to ask for a Supervisor if I didn't get the response I was initially looking for from first contact with Amtrak. I was just hoping someone here would know for certain what Amtrak policy would be. I'll call Amtrak and follow through there and get back to all here and share my results. Thanks all!

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Apparently, the policy is to sell or modify your roommette change at the "current" bucket price at the time you request or make the change. Although some have been able to modify their reservations, I have only been able to "modify" my reservation with no change in cost when the bucket price is the same or lower than my original purchase. Getting the conductor to move you really depends on his willingness to do so. Not sure the SCA has this authority.

 

[Hal]

Apparently, the policy is to sell or modify your roommette change at the "current" bucket price at the time you request or make the change. Although some have been able to modify their reservations, I have only been able to "modify" my reservation with no change in cost when the bucket price is the same or lower than my original purchase. Getting the conductor to move you really depends on his willingness to do so. Not sure the SCA has this authority.

The SCA does not have the authority and the conductor can't just move a passenger either because that room could be sold down the line. The conductor would have to contact reservations about a move. The workaround with that is that a conductor might be able to convince reservations to switch a room with no change in cost. Then again they might not be able to convince reservations.

 

[Phil S]

I think it's worth your while to call Amtrak customer relations and explain it all to them. .