Auto train - any tips on getting cabins "ensuited"?

Two adults, two young kids are traveling for the first time on the auto train Aug 5 (VA to FL). We booked two bedrooms so they could be "ensuited" but we were given cabins A and N. I called the 800 number but was told there were no cabins left to be joined. Even though there are plenty of people traveling with just 1 cabin they won't move them around to join ours. Kind of a drag to have two cabins so far away from each other with young kids. Not the end of the world but I was wondering if there were any tips to make this happen or something I should have done differently. Thanks!

Cazzy said:

Two adults, two young kids are traveling for the first time on the auto train Aug 5 (VA to FL). We booked two bedrooms so they could be "ensuited" but we were given cabins A and N. I called the 800 number but was told there were no cabins left to be joined. Even though there are plenty of people traveling with just 1 cabin they won't move them around to join ours. Kind of a drag to have two cabins so far away from each other with young kids. Not the end of the world but I was wondering if there were any tips to make this happen or something I should have done differently. Thanks!

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First, book your travel as far in advance as you can (6 months would be ideal if possible). Second, the very second after you book the travel (if you do it on-line), call Amtrak immediately and try to get the rooms changed to be "ensuited." That's your best bet. Remember, that they fill very quickly during the "Snowbird" season (i.e. March - June Northbound, and October - December Southbound). Of course, if you do it by phone, you can ask them immediately when booking. That might actually be better.

The "ensuiting" is simply nothing more than the opening of a very flimsy partition between two full bedrooms that face each other (e.g. Rooms D-E, and C-B). Room "A" is at the far end of each car, and over the trucks (not the most pleasant). N is at the opposite end of the car in an "all bedroom car." In that "all bedroom" car (unique to the AT IINM), J-K and L-M face each other. See these diagrams for assistance. It helps when calling Amtrak to tell them the room letters you'd like.

Sorry... This close to your travel date, it's probably not going to happen unless someone cancels and Amtrak is watching it for you.

A) Book early.

B) Call back, to move someone around before the train leaves should not be that big of a issue.

C) Get on board and ask sleeping car attended to see if he/she can get a room swap.

For a while Amtrak stop listing room numbers so this type of change can be made easy, but it seem they are listing room numbers again when you book. It should make it more work to change a room, but your paying very good cash, so call back and have them earn your money by given you the suite.

Best of luck.

We have travelled in suites several times. When we did a last minute booking we were also unable to get 2 suitable rooms next to one another on the Capitol Limited. We explained the situation to the Sleeping Car Attendant upon boarding and he was more than willing to see if any of the other bedroom travelers would be willing to switch rooms before they got settled in. The one between us agreed to move and we were able to travel in the suite the entire trip.

The way Amtrak balances the selling of rooms between sleeping cars really makes it difficult to get a suite. I understand wanting to balance the load between workers, but it would be nice if they could keep a suite available closer to departure (more than 6 months out).

AutoTrDvr said:

Cazzy said:

Two adults, two young kids are traveling for the first time on the auto train Aug 5 (VA to FL). We booked two bedrooms so they could be "ensuited" but we were given cabins A and N. I called the 800 number but was told there were no cabins left to be joined. Even though there are plenty of people traveling with just 1 cabin they won't move them around to join ours. Kind of a drag to have two cabins so far away from each other with young kids. Not the end of the world but I was wondering if there were any tips to make this happen or something I should have done differently. Thanks!

Click to expand...

First, book your travel as far in advance as you can (6 months would be ideal if possible). Second, the very second after you book the travel (if you do it on-line), call Amtrak immediately and try to get the rooms changed to be "ensuited." That's your best bet. Remember, that they fill very quickly during the "Snowbird" season (i.e. March - June Northbound, and October - December Southbound). Of course, if you do it by phone, you can ask them immediately when booking. That might actually be better.

The "ensuiting" is simply nothing more than the opening of a very flimsy partition between two full bedrooms that face each other (e.g. Rooms D-E, and C-B). Room "A" is at the far end of each car, and over the trucks (not the most pleasant). N is at the opposite end of the car in an "all bedroom car." In that "all bedroom" car (unique to the AT IINM), J-K and L-M face each other. See these diagrams for assistance. It helps when calling Amtrak to tell them the room letters you'd like.

Sorry... This close to your travel date, it's probably not going to happen unless someone cancels and Amtrak is watching it for you.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info... Dare I ask why the A rooms above the trucks are unplesant? Noisy?

Room A is marginally smaller and laid out a little differently. Some people try and avoid it, but really the differences aren't that great.

Over the trucks shouldn't make a difference at all, since there's a whole nother floor between you and the ground.

Your best bet is to see about getting moved at the station. Amtrak isn't just going to move someone's accommodations without asking, but if you ask at the counter when you check in, they may be able as the people in the room that you're wanting to switch into and get it done.

Ryan said:

Room A is marginally smaller and laid out a little differently. Some people try and avoid it, but really the differences aren't that great.

Over the trucks shouldn't make a difference at all, since there's a whole nother floor between you and the ground.

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I was thinking more "motion/vibration" than noise. When I go by room A (or N) when passing through cars, and we cross over something (a switch etc.), I can feel it more than I would if I'm in the center rooms. Makes a bit of difference (to me anyway) in terms of sleeping better. And the "Bonine" helps a little.

Immediatly upon boarding, ask you SCA if he/she would ask if any of the other passengers

would be willing to switch rooms. I have been asked several times to switch roomettes to

acxomodate a family and I always oblige. We have had double bedrooms on Amtrak and an

European train and enjoyed them. I hope your family can be accommodated.

Thanks all for the info. I guess I would need two people to switch since I have two "non-ajoinable" cabins. Seems like too much fuss so I'll probably just suck it up.

I just had the brilliant (ha) idea that I might try to downgrade one room to a roomette... Seems like no point in having two of the bedroom rooms since we are going to be crammed into one of them when not sleeping or in the lounge. My cunning plan....

That's a pretty good idea.

Just-Thinking-51 said:

B) Call back, to move someone around before the train leaves should not be that big of a issue.

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Would Amtrak actually do that?

Someone else was already assigned, by number/letter just like the OP, a specific bedroom. Would reservations simply move one passenger to please another passenger? I mean, move the passenger already assigned bedroom "M" to bedroom "A" so that the OP can have bedrooms "M" and "N"? Honestly, I don't know if I would be all that pleased if I was forced to move to bedroom "A".

Cho Cho Charlie said:

Just-Thinking-51 said:

B) Call back, to move someone around before the train leaves should not be that big of a issue.

Click to expand...

Would Amtrak actually do that?

Someone else was already assigned, by number/letter just like the OP, a specific bedroom. Would reservations simply move one passenger to please another passenger? I mean, move the passenger already assigned bedroom "M" to bedroom "A" so that the OP can have bedrooms "M" and "N"? Honestly, I don't know if I would be all that pleased if I was forced to move to bedroom "A".

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All due sympathy/respect to the OP, but to be frank, I would not like that either... especially if I had negotiated the original assignment I wanted successfully. :angry2:

This happened to me a lot when I was flying. I always flew solo, and most of the time in Bus. class. I always picked a certain window seat in a certain row in a 2-2-2 config (I had my reasons h34r: ). I was able to negotiate well enough in advance to have that choice. Because I always flew solo, the seat next to me would pretty much be the last to get assigned, if at all (sometimes, I actually got lucky). More often than not, it would be assigned to one person in a couple who either:

1. Made reservations at the last minute and could not find a pair of seats together;
2. Was upgraded to Bus. class at the last minute, just to fill up business class.

And, inevitably, I'd be asked if I would switch to an "inferior" seat so that the couple could "sit together." Thus, forcing me into a position of having to refuse, which I always did as politely as possible. Many would not even ask politely. It's as if they felt they had an inherent right to sit together. One would usually have to sit with me anyway, and would "evil eye" me all throughout the flight. Sometimes, I'd not want to get up to use the "facilities." Some got so indignant that they'd try to get the flight attendant to "order" me to move. Again, as politely as possible, I'd stand my ground. FA's can only force you to move in the event of a "medical or safety emergency" (i.e. your seat mate is having a heart attack or something and the medics need access). Of course, I'd move for that, but I won't move just for the "convenience" of another passenger.

Point being, once assigned, I don't think Amtrak would switch a room unless the assignee released it on their own, or unless the room went "out of order" or something. I agree the OP can ask if someone is willing to switch (probably best at check in time - be there before the others are and get the request in early), but I wouldn't count on that working.

Thanks to everyone who has posted! I agree about being asked to switch cabins...as I said before I would be uncomfortable asking people to switch, especially two different groups just to accommodate someone (me) who is booking relatively last minute.

Anyway I just got off the phone with the most amazing, helpful Amtrak agent. Seriously 2 thumbs up. She wasn't able to get us together but happily downgraded one of the bedrooms to a roomette which saved us $370. I figured one bathroom between us will suffice. Because of what I read here I asked to keep the cabin N and downgrade the A cabin to a roomette, which she did. Then she said she was checking and had found an A cabin at a much lower rate...in fact by moving to a different car and staying in an A cabin our total savings over the original trip was $764. Holy cow! For that kind of refund I'll listen to the clanking A noise all night long....

Thanks again all....

Cazzy said:

Thanks to everyone who has posted! I agree about being asked to switch cabins...as I said before I would be uncomfortable asking people to switch, especially two different groups just to accommodate someone (me) who is booking relatively last minute.

Anyway I just got off the phone with the most amazing, helpful Amtrak agent. Seriously 2 thumbs up. She wasn't able to get us together but happily downgraded one of the bedrooms to a roomette which saved us $370. I figured one bathroom between us will suffice. Because of what I read here I asked to keep the cabin N and downgrade the A cabin to a roomette, which she did. Then she said she was checking and had found an A cabin at a much lower rate...in fact by moving to a different car and staying in an A cabin our total savings over the original trip was $764. Holy cow! For that kind of refund I'll listen to the clanking A noise all night long....

Thanks again all....

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Way to go! There is, actually, no effective difference between an "A" and an "N" since they are both at opposite ends of the car (they are mirrors of each other). But congrats on getting the lower rate! It may also work out better in one respect. Because the "A" and "N" rooms don't ajoin with others (i.e. no partition), you may not get as much noise from your neighbors.

:hi: Congrats on a Great deal! Sometimes the "Squeaky Wheel" does get the Grease! I wouldnt worry about the noise in any Bedroom as has been said, they are upstairs and the AutoTrain is a "Short" Trip as LD Routes go! Enjoy yourselves, take some Fine Adult Beverages with you to Celebrate your Good Fortune, you can now afford it! :lol:

Cho Cho Charlie said:

Just-Thinking-51 said:

B) Call back, to move someone around before the train leaves should not be that big of a issue.

Click to expand...

Would Amtrak actually do that?

Someone else was already assigned, by number/letter just like the OP, a specific bedroom. Would reservations simply move one passenger to please another passenger? I mean, move the passenger already assigned bedroom "M" to bedroom "A" so that the OP can have bedrooms "M" and "N"? Honestly, I don't know if I would be all that pleased if I was forced to move to bedroom "A".

Click to expand...

If you been traveling recently you notice that the E-Mail you get contains your room number again. So I am just thinking that the able to switch rooms by not telling you your room number was a failed experiment. Too many people request a certain room, and not happy when it shifts.

By not telling at the time of your booking where your room was, it was quite easy to shift room assignents for a group, or a family in the sleeping car.

I like bedroom "A", and I have never request a certain room before. I have also swap rooms with other guest.

I think the OP is very happy with his outcome, (Good job call center) but Amtrak did not earn as much as they could of, by simple provide the request room.

Multi ways to look at this issue, but in the end the customer seem happy, and that works.

While I'm a little late to the party here; on the Auto Train Amtrak will NOT move people around to accommodate such a switch prior to check in at the station. No phone operator is allowed to do such a thing for any train in fact.

Now, the AT with it's unique setup, can and does make last minute changes at the station. In the case of Cazzy, I think that you're pushing your luck, since as you noted, you'd actually need two sets of people to move. Had you only needed one, you might have had a chance. But the station personnel will sometimes entertain requests, and even occasionally as I found out a couple of years ago will take the initiative to do smart things. I went to check in down in Sanford about 3 or 4 years ago, holding tickets to rooms 11, 12, 14, and 15 (Family Room). The agent checking us in went to get our stuff and then went to talk with a manager. I'm standing there thinking "Oh my God, something's wrong. They double booked; bad ordered our car, etc."

A few minutes later she comes back to tell us that she got permission to move the people in 13 to 11, such that they weren't stuck in the middle of my family. Needless to say, I was not only happy that I didn't have a problem, but that the agent had used her head and was thinking about that poor couple in the middle of my extended family that included several children. I've no doubt that everyone was much happier with that minor re-arrangement.

And with the Auto Train, once on board, it would be very rare to find any attendant that would even consider asking people to swap. That is best done in the station; but of course nothing could be guaranteed, especially in this case.

AlanB said:

And with the Auto Train, once on board, it would be very rare to find any attendant that would even consider asking people to swap.

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You'd think that on the Auto Train this could be accomplished with considerably less pain than on other LD trains, since there's no chance of a swap

messing up someone else's arrangements further down the line.

fairviewroad said:

AlanB said:

And with the Auto Train, once on board, it would be very rare to find any attendant that would even consider asking people to swap.

Click to expand...

You'd think that on the Auto Train this could be accomplished with considerably less pain than on other LD trains, since there's no chance of a swap

messing up someone else's arrangements further down the line.

Click to expand...

Yes; but why do something on board that can just as easily be done in the station. That way the crew goes out with an accurate manifest.

AlanB said:

fairviewroad said:

AlanB said:

And with the Auto Train, once on board, it would be very rare to find any attendant that would even consider asking people to swap.

Click to expand...

You'd think that on the Auto Train this could be accomplished with considerably less pain than on other LD trains, since there's no chance of a swap

messing up someone else's arrangements further down the line.

Click to expand...

Yes; but why do something on board that can just as easily be done in the station. That way the crew goes out with an accurate manifest.

Click to expand...

That, and it would seem that a switch like that would be much easier to manage by the check in staff than the OBS crew. The check in people can mange all the sleeper cars at once. The SCA is probably only responsible for their own particular car(s), plus all their other duties. But the "requester" would have to be one of the very first to check in to get the maximum chance for a switch.

This may not be applicable to the Auto Train, but I've had SCA's on other trains talk to other passengers who were boarding later in the trip to propose a room swap in order to avoid forcing me to change rooms midway. That just kind goes with the territory when you're making last minute reservations a week or two out. In my view it tends to work out well enough for sleeper passengers. It's the folks in coach that aren't ever given the chance to select or reserve anything at all that I feel sorry for. Coach travel seems to be more about luck than planning. All you can do is show up and be pointed toward whatever is left in whichever car they'll allow you to sit.