Changing Bucket and Room Availability

Booked a trip on #27 and #28 for next June for me and my bride. I picked a week 11 months hence, knowing that the EB fills up quickly, and we wanted to take advantage of warmer weather next year.

When I booked #28 EXACTLY 11 months in advance, I got, what I think was a low-bucket price. It was certainly the lowest price according to Amsnag. Today, I was just checking the price, and it's $300 more! So much change in one day, 11 months in advance.

But, here's what I don't get - when I went to book it, Amtrak's site said that there was only 1 bedroom available on that day on #28. So, of course, I snagged it, and I'm set. However, today, I checked the site and it says that there's only one room left?

How is that? Did four rooms get sold in the 8 hours that that date was available, leaving only 1 for me to snag? Today, still showing one room available. Did someone book and then cancel? I thought I got the last room!

Matters not, I got what I wanted, and I'm looking forward to my third trip to Portland, as is my bride.

Just curious.

I think what it means is there is one at that price. First room sold is low-bucket, next one is the next higher bucket, etc. So you got the first room sold, and you got low bucket. What's not to like?

She's right George, you snagged the One Bedroom available for Low Bucket, if you'd have booked 2 the second one would have been higher! Nice trip to a great City as you know!

oregon pioneer said:

I think what it means is there is one at that price. First room sold is low-bucket, next one is the next higher bucket, etc. So you got the first room sold, and you got low bucket. What's not to like?

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Ah, that makes sense.

Nice trip to a great City as you know!

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Yep, Bob. Looking forward to it. We had a nice time last May exploring the city, but this time, we're renting a car and headed to Cannon Beach where we plan to take in the sun, some sand, and perhaps some horseback riding. I'm thrilled that my bride enjoys train travel. This will be our 5th LD trip in 2 years.

George K said:

oregon pioneer said:

I think what it means is there is one at that price. First room sold is low-bucket, next one is the next higher bucket, etc. So you got the first room sold, and you got low bucket. What's not to like?

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Ah, that makes sense.

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Especially since it says that on the website.

Only 4 rooms

at this price

AmtrakBlue said:

George K said:

oregon pioneer said:

I think what it means is there is one at that price. First room sold is low-bucket, next one is the next higher bucket, etc. So you got the first room sold, and you got low bucket. What's not to like?

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Ah, that makes sense.

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Especially since it says that on the website.

Only 4 rooms

at this price

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We'll attribute that to my senile presbyopia and not being able to see the smaller typeface. OK?

Looking at it now, it says "Only 1 room at this price." I assume, then, that once that room is sold, there will be another available at a higher price yet. Right?

FWIW, the current Bedroom Buckets for the Empire Builder are $562, $835, $1074, $1414 and $1704 for the entire route.

I assume the $562 is in the "off season"?

George K said:

AmtrakBlue said:

George K said:

oregon pioneer said:

I think what it means is there is one at that price. First room sold is low-bucket, next one is the next higher bucket, etc. So you got the first room sold, and you got low bucket. What's not to like?

Click to expand...

Ah, that makes sense.

Click to expand...

Especially since it says that on the website.


Only 4 rooms



at this price

Click to expand...

We'll attribute that to my senile presbyopia and not being able to see the smaller typeface. OK?

Looking at it now, it says "Only 1 room at this price." I assume, then, that once that room is sold, there will be another available at a higher price yet. Right?

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It will say sold out or unavailable. Do a test for a train for tomorrow (or the LSL or CL tonight).

So the poor guy who pays $1704 can be next to someone who paid two thirds less? Yech!

George K said:

I assume the $562 is in the "off season"?

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Call it what you will - to me it's just the low bucket.

Keep in mind that a single 30 day search on AmSnag may not (usually won't) reveal all five buckets for any category. Sometimes ten searches in sequence (the maximum) won't either. That's when estimates are needed, as highlighted in orange below:



And buckets can change quite rapidly. About a month ago my brother-in-law and I planned a trip with our wives and I got a reservation for a Roomette on the Empire Builder at the mid-bucket price (for just the roomette) of $473. A few weeks later after making price checks just before bedtime and early every a.m. the Roomette upcharge had gone down to the low bucket of $255, so I called an Amtrak agent within a few minutes and got a refund about $200. After getting off the phone with Amtrak I called my brother-in-law, told him of the price drop and when he called Amtrak some minutes later the Roomette upcharge had gone up one bucket to $368! After telling me he'd gotten one for $368 I checked again and the Roometter upcharge had gone back up to $473. Three changes all in the same morning!

AmtrakBlue said:

George K said:

Looking at it now, it says "Only 1 room at this price." I assume, then, that once that room is sold, there will be another available at a higher price yet. Right?

Click to expand...

It will say sold out or unavailable. Do a test for a train for tomorrow (or the LSL or CL tonight).

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Of course.

Enjoy Canon Beach - we were there last month. The Oregon coast was beautiful and the highest temp was around 70! Beats our current 98 in SC. Be sure and check out Ecola state park and the beaches. We also likes Bandon Beach - several hours south. Lots of good shops and restaurants in Canon Beach and we liked our quiet Ecola Creek Lodge. But I could never find the Amtrak train station! Only negative - we had 24 hours of rain one day so take rain jackets.

Carolina Special said:

So the poor guy who pays $1704 can be next to someone who paid two thirds less? Yech!

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The same thing happens on a plane.
You sit in 22-A and bought your ticket 7 months ago during a sale. You paid $259. The man in 22-B bought his ticket this morning, and paid $826!

Carolina Special said:

So the poor guy who pays $1704 can be next to someone who paid two thirds less? Yech!

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No different than what happens every day on airplanes.
I have an LD trip on a Major US Air Carrier later this week; and even with my Bereavement Fare, I have no doubt that there will be folks seated near me who paid half as much -- or less! -- for their tickets.

I found a roomette on one trip at a good bucket price where it said "1 available ...". But I wanted two rooms and when I selected two, both were at a higher price. I had to buy them separately to get one at the lower and one at the higher price.

I just had a great experience with Amtrak. I saw that my roomette had gone down $42 dollars and I called it in. The agent told me that the fair was for a downstairs room and didn't apply to my room. I decided to stay in my current room without the price change. The agent put me on hold and came back on the line and told me they would honor their price change on my room. The agent said the supervisor asked if I was nice about it and the agent said yes. So, they lowered my fair and credited the difference back to my card. I like to play nice, seems things work out better that way.

JATX