Two Zone Trip NOL-CLE

We are planning trip Cleveland to New Orleans in the fall 2008 and wanted to use some of the Reward Points we have accumulated. Wife has enough points for one zone sleeper, so we are considering getting two coach seats to TOL and then using 15,000 points for roomettes TOL-NOL via CHI.

On return trip we wanted to take Crescent to NYP and then LSL home to Cleveland. Each time I tried to book that trip Amtrak sends me on the Capitol back to Cleveland from New York instead of Lake Shore. Only way I could make this work is to book to Erie, PA, then it will send me on the LSL. We could do this by just getting two coach tickets from Erie to CLE, about a three hour trip. Hate to switch out of our nice comfy sleeper in the middle of the night in Erie. Wanted to make this a 2 zone points ride with my 20,000 points.

Is this the only way to make this work or will the agent let us go on to Cleveland via LSL without the switchover?

Thanks for all your advice

I would tend to think that the agent would let you book a 20,000 redemption on the Crescent to the LSL to CLE. The only problem might be the limited connection time in NYP. If the Crescent is late, you've got a problem, which might be why the site is routing you the other way. Or it could just be one of the bugs in the system.

As for going the other way, it never hurts to show the conductor when you board in CLE both the coach tickets to TOL and the sleeper tickets from there. You might get lucky and find that he lets you go right into the sleeper, assuming that your room is empty in CLE and not discharging some other passenger(s) along the way to TOL.

AlanB said:

I would tend to think that the agent would let you book a 20,000 redemption on the Crescent to the LSL to CLE. The only problem might be the limited connection time in NYP. If the Crescent is late, you've got a problem, which might be why the site is routing you the other way. Or it could just be one of the bugs in the system.
As for going the other way, it never hurts to show the conductor when you board in CLE both the coach tickets to TOL and the sleeper tickets from there. You might get lucky and find that he lets you go right into the sleeper, assuming that your room is empty in CLE and not discharging some other passenger(s) along the way to TOL.

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I tried to book this same itinerary a couple of weeks ago. Even though there is more than the 90" connection time (I think it's something like 1" 47") needed for a guaranteed connection they refused to book the ticket from Crescent to LSL. If you're brave, reckless and stupid like I usually am, you can book the trip by simply calling twice and making two separate and apart reservations but there goes your AGR points.

Just finished booking the NOL Crescent trip via LSL. The agent could not book this trip all the way to Cleveland so we settled on Erie PA. She did note the connection at NYP would be guaranteed and stated that unless there was a significant delay, the Crescent would probably be early into NYP.

She also said I should show my coach ticket from Erie to Cleveland to the car attendant and conductor and perhaps they would not make us move to the coach from Erie to Cleveland. Depended on whether our roomette was needed at Cleveland. Hoping that is the case.

Anyway, our first two zone sleeper trip tickets are on the way and we look forward to the trip next fall.

Also, was glad we booked our CL and CONO trip to New Orleans early since I checked today and the price has just gone up another $150. Such a deal (We decided to pay for this trip rather than use my wife's Reward Points right now. Save them for a longer trip later)

Thanks for all your advice.

Bill;

I tried last month to book the same itinerary and was told, even though there is more than 90 minutes between trains, that it was NOT a guaranteed connection. You might want to get something in writing or a supervisors name that you can refer to if you don't make the connection for your protection. I've always said, "You can talk to three different people at Riverside (Amtrak reservations) and get three totally different answers."