Onboard Sleeper Upgrades

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cpotisch

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Sep 2, 2017
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Brooklyn, NY
Hola! 12 days until I ride #422 from Pomona, CA to CHI. I’m currently booked in the Family Bedroom, but ideally want the full Bedroom. It’s currently sold out, but has become available again a few times. If there are any available when I board, is the upgrade charge always be set at the low bucket fare? I think that’s how it used to work, but I’m not sure anymore.

As always, thanks in advance for any help!
 
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There is no longer any price break for purchasing on board. Even if you purchase through the conductor, which is strongly discouraged ("check back after the next crew change point"), you will pay the same current bucket price as if you ordered directly through the web site. So, if you see the full bedroom at a price you're willing to pay now, grab it. If there's another vacant one and it drops a bucket below yours (big "if"), you ought to be able to rebook and get a partial credit as a voucher.
 
I changed rooms once I boarded a train when I realized that a "better" room was a no-show. I phoned Amtrak and changed my room with a phone agent. My new room reservation immediately updated on the conductor's phone. That situation was a bit unusual and worked very well for me.

I agree that purchasing before boarding is the best procedure. Conductors are often too busy to facilitate a purchase.
 
OK, I'll bite. Where is POS?
Next to NEG. Honestly, I don't have a clue! The answer might be in the timetable though.
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POS is Pomona, CA. Second stop on 2/422. To clarify my question: are onboard upgrades always priced at the low bucket fare, vs whatever the current Arrow price is?
 
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I see. Was that always the case? I thought it at least used to be the low bucket when onboard.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum
 
It's been several years since on-board sleeper sales were tied to the low bucket. Which seems like a bit of a loss at first, but even back then it was nearly impossible to convince the conductor to actually sell you anything. So, in a strictly practical sense there was virtually no demonstrable change at all.
 
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You have a better chance of a better rate before boarding 422. Use AMSNAG to monitor the pricing so you can quickly grab the lower fare. I this this all the time, receiving emails when the drop occurs.
 
You have a better chance of a better rate before boarding 422. Use AMSNAG to monitor the pricing so you can quickly grab the lower fare. I this this all the time, receiving emails when the drop occurs.
I've had Amsnag alerts set up for this since the end of December. I've gotten a few 'false alarms', though. Like it will send me literally seven alerts for seven changes that apparently all happened at the exact same second. Or sometimes it will send me an alert that says the room became sold out even though it was already sold out for 10 days.
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So while Amsnag is sometimes useful/correct, it's often quite useless.
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If you do change your reservation to get a bedroom, I suspect that the new ticket-change penalty rules will apply. Given that you are effectively cancelling the family room, there'll be surcharge for that as well.

If a bedroom opens up, I strongly urge you to call Amtrak reservations to determine if you'll have to pay a penalty. On board with the conductor, I don't know, but I'd guess he'd call Amtrak reservations to ensure the computer makes the change and charges you accordingly.
 
If you do change your reservation to get a bedroom, I suspect that the new ticket-change penalty rules will apply. Given that you are effectively cancelling the family room, there'll be surcharge for that as well.

If a bedroom opens up, I strongly urge you to call Amtrak reservations to determine if you'll have to pay a penalty. On board with the conductor, I don't know, but I'd guess he'd call Amtrak reservations to ensure the computer makes the change and charges you accordingly.
I was originally booked in a roomette, but upgraded to the Family Bedroom with no fees/penalties.
 
I've met people in the past--way in the past- that told me they got a call from Amtrak to move up from coach to sleeper at a very advantageous price. Anyone know if that's still happening?
 
Nope.

Amtrak's out to actually make money now. Back in the '99 or '00, I was able to upgrade to a roomette from coach onboard the Texas Eagle from St. Louis to Dallas for $35. Then, around 2007, after I booked a coach trip from Albuquerque to San Diego, I was called and offered a sleeper for $100.

That was about the last of it. 12 years ago. It's been "current bucket" ever since. I've even tried with the conductor, who calls Julie to get the price (before the iPhone days).

We used to also get blankets and pillows overnight in coach.

Used to have fresh flowers and real linen in the dining car.

Used to always run on time. Ok - just joking on that one.

Used to get a minimum of 100 AGR points on a $6 ride.

Lots of "used to's". Wonder if people liked Amtrak more because of the freebies than because it was a train... Amtrak is slowly becoming United on Wheels.
 
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If you do change your reservation to get a bedroom, I suspect that the new ticket-change penalty rules will apply. Given that you are effectively cancelling the family room, there'll be surcharge for that as well.

If a bedroom opens up, I strongly urge you to call Amtrak reservations to determine if you'll have to pay a penalty. On board with the conductor, I don't know, but I'd guess he'd call Amtrak reservations to ensure the computer makes the change and charges you accordingly.
No, because you're essentially taking the credit in the form of a voucher (so you get 100% of the value you paid into it) and then using that to pay for the new room, so you'll just have to pay the difference.
 
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