How Best to Modify a Reservation?

[KC Ghost Rider]

Mrs. Ghost and I are traveling from Kansas City to Chicago and return at the end of September. Many months ago she wanted to share this experience with our son, so I added him to the reservation along with another roomette. Now he says he cannot go...period. I do not want to cancel the reservation, only modify it to take my son off the reservation and return the roomette to inventory. Yes, I would like to get the money back as well. I would like a voucher, but I am afraid Amtrak will put it is his name and make it impossible for me to use. Additionally, I am okay with the 90% going back to the credit card (however, the original card I used is now defunct). How best to modify this reservation without cancelling the part I do want retained and get back the money so it can be used. :help:

 

[HAL]

Mrs. Ghost and I are traveling from Kansas City to Chicago and return at the end of September. Many months ago she wanted to share this experience with our son, so I added him to the reservation along with another roomette. Now he says he cannot go...period. I do not want to cancel the reservation, only modify it to take my son off the reservation and return the roomette to inventory. Yes, I would like to get the money back as well. I would like a voucher, but I am afraid Amtrak will put it is his name and make it impossible for me to use. Additionally, I am okay with the 90% going back to the credit card (however, the original card I used is now defunct). How best to modify this reservation without cancelling the part I do want retained and get back the money so it can be used. :help:

The best way is to call Amtrak and ask for what you want. They will tell you what they can do.

 

[the_traveler]

Also specify SPECIFICALLY before any changes are made that you want a voucher (100%) instead of a refund (90%), if that's what you want. Many agents issue a refund by default.

 

[PaulM]

I would like a voucher, but I am afraid Amtrak will put it is his name and make it impossible for me to use. Additionally,

Assuming Amtrak does put it in your son's name, you should be able to use it. My son wound up with a $2000 voucher, all of which he couldn't possibly use before it expired. We were able to use a sizable portion of it for several trips.

He simply forwarded the email he got from Amtrak with the partriculars; and we were able to use it, even on the website if I recall. Basically, the two pieces of information needed to use it were the evoucher # and his email address.

 

[amamba]

I am not sure that you can get a refund other than to the original card you used. I once asked and was told it couldn't be done at a ticket window - but my caveat is that I might have had a lazy employee or perhaps one who just didn't know how to do it.

Definitely just call Amtrak to take care of this. Say you want to modify your reservation!!

 

[shelzp]

When I need help from Amtrak I come right out and get to the point so they don't have to guess what I'm trying to accomplish.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Be sure the Agent understands you want to MODIFY and not CANCEL the res, else he or she may end up dumping your Roomette as well, causing you to likely face a higher bucket and/or high hurdles trying to retrieve it.

 

[KC Ghost Rider]

Thank you all for the input and advice. I will certainly tell the Amtrak Agent not to adjust the reservation until he/she has heard all of what I have to say and we agree on a course of action. I can see this going south real quick if don't use the word Modify repeatedly during the discussion. Again, thank you all :excl:

 

[SarahZ]

I would like a voucher, but I am afraid Amtrak will put it is his name and make it impossible for me to use. Additionally,

Assuming Amtrak does put it in your son's name, you should be able to use it. My son wound up with a $2000 voucher, all of which he couldn't possibly use before it expired. We were able to use a sizable portion of it for several trips.

He simply forwarded the email he got from Amtrak with the partriculars; and we were able to use it, even on the website if I recall. Basically, the two pieces of information needed to use it were the evoucher # and his email address.

Ditto. I received a voucher and used it to pay for part of Brent's last trip. I just had to put in the voucher number and my email address to verify it. I used the website and had zero issues.