3 people in a roomette?

[sproksch]

My wife, 2 year old son, and I will be traveling on the Auto Train in the fall. They wouldn't let us book a roomette for the 3 of us because our son is just over 2 years old so we had to buy an extra coach seat. So we booked my wife and son in the roomette and put myself in coach (I really couldn’t see booking a full bedroom for two adults and one toddler). The agent on the phone said that the coach passenger wouldn't be allowed in the sleeper, but I was wondering if that's just the official rules or if they'll give us a break on the train.

I took several trips with roomette accommodations back in the 90's and I remember my old man, brother and me would travel in a roomette (one booked with a coach ticket) and they never hassled us on the train when we would all be in the roomette together.

It’s been about 10 years now since I’ve traveled with sleeper accommodations and wonder if anything has changed over the years or if the crew is strict on not allowing coach folk into the sleepers? Should I talk to the porter to make sure it’s cool? If nothing else I’ll try and play the “cranky toddler” card.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

It is rather hard to generalise.. I saw one guy arrested by the Sherrif for smoking aboard train, another train stank of cigarette smoke and nothing was said!

I suggest that if you are upfront with the crew, they might help you out. There are safety rules, and any employee who gives you the "go ahead" is taking their own risks in assisting you..

I think the rules are tighter these days, but if you just stay in the roomette "as a guest of the ticket holder" and don't try to get the free meals, etc, that might work?

Others will have advice, but my feeling is it all depends on the crew, and your ability to "charm" them!

Ed B)

 

[gswager]

Is there a family room on Autotrain?

 

[AlanB]

I'd call Amtrak back and ask to speak with a supervisor. There is no reason that you can't book three people into a roomette when one of them is a child. Amtrak allows this every day on all of it's other routes, so I can't imagine that this is an Auto Train thing.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Is there a family room on Autotrain?

Most of the sleepers on the Autotrain are just standard Superliner Sleepers, which have one Family Bedroom per car.

I'm not sure how the Superliner Deluxe Sleepers are configured wrt Family Bedrooms.

 

[AlanB]

Is there a family room on Autotrain?

Yes, usually 5 or 6 of them depending on just how many sleepers they put on the train.

And to sproksch, the Family room is something else to consider. Usually they are cheaper than a bedroom, but more expensive than a roomette. However, that room has 4 beds in it, two adult sized and two child sized. There would also be a bit more room for your two year old to play in the family room when compared to the roomette.

 

[AlanB]

Is there a family room on Autotrain?

Most of the sleepers on the Autotrain are just standard Superliner Sleepers, which have one Family Bedroom per car.

I'm not sure how the Superliner Deluxe Sleepers are configured wrt Family Bedrooms.

Typically the AT runs with 2 Deluxe sleepers per train, on occasion I've seen 3, but that was before one was wrecked a few years ago. Deluxe sleepers have the same configuration downstairs as any regular sleeper, it's only the upper level that is different.

And then there are usually 3 to 4 regular sleepers on the train. Hence the 5 to 6 family rooms per train that I mentioned in my post above that I was writing even as you were making this post.

 

[the_traveler]

You said your son is "just over 2 years old". I don't know if that is "2 years 11 months" or "2 years and 1 week". Personally, I would have "not told the whole truth" and said that he is just under 2 years old! (I don't think they do ID checks or proof him.) That way you could have saved the extra fare.

You do know that the beds in the roomette are small. I don't know his size, but it may be tight for 2 people in the same bed. (A roomette has only an upper berth and a lower berth.)

And welcome to the forum!

 

[yarrow]

don't know specifically about roomettes but in march amtrak tightened up their occupancy rules in general. for example, you can no longer book 3 adults and a child in a family bedroom and if you want two adults and a child in a standard bedroom you can't book it online but have to call.

also, the op referred to a "porter". the correct term is sleeping car attendant and were you to call him/her a porter it would be a mistake

 

[-Jamie-]

don't know specifically about roomettes but in march amtrak tightened up their occupancy rules in general. for example, you can no longer book 3 adults and a child in a family bedroom and if you want two adults and a child in a standard bedroom you can't book it online but have to call.also, the op referred to a "porter". the correct term is sleeping car attendant and were you to call him/her a porter it would be a mistake

For our last trip, we booked 3 adults in a standard bedroom online and had no problem. Why would 2 adults/1 child cause a booking issue?

 

[had8ley]

don't know specifically about roomettes but in march amtrak tightened up their occupancy rules in general. for example, you can no longer book 3 adults and a child in a family bedroom and if you want two adults and a child in a standard bedroom you can't book it online but have to call.also, the op referred to a "porter". the correct term is sleeping car attendant and were you to call him/her a porter it would be a mistake

For our last trip, we booked 3 adults in a standard bedroom online and had no problem. Why would 2 adults/1 child cause a booking issue?

Because it's in a roomette and the child is technically needing to be ticketed. Personally, I find just two adults having adequate room let alone a playful two year old to go along with the rest of the limited space. I would say he/she is having his second birthday NEXT month...the term porter went the way of George Pullman~ into the history books.

 

[Tony]

I have traveled in the Viewliner roomettes many times. I don't think overall size and layout is much different from the roomettes on the Autotrain.

While sleeping will be pretty tight, during the day what you can do, is lower the top bunk. There is still plenty of headroom for two adults to sit comfortably in the seats, while the kid uses the top bunk as a play area (tree fort). I have seen many parents do this, enough to say it is not at all uncommon.

I have even seen two adults and a teenager in a roomette. The sleeping car attendant ever made a single comment about it.

 

[-Jamie-]

don't know specifically about roomettes but in march amtrak tightened up their occupancy rules in general. for example, you can no longer book 3 adults and a child in a family bedroom and if you want two adults and a child in a standard bedroom you can't book it online but have to call.also, the op referred to a "porter". the correct term is sleeping car attendant and were you to call him/her a porter it would be a mistake

For our last trip, we booked 3 adults in a standard bedroom online and had no problem. Why would 2 adults/1 child cause a booking issue?

Because it's in a roomette and the child is technically needing to be ticketed. Personally, I find just two adults having adequate room let alone a playful two year old to go along with the rest of the limited space. I would say he/she is having his second birthday NEXT month...the term porter went the way of George Pullman~ into the history books.

A booking issue for the roommette, yes, but yarrow said it was a booking issue for the bedroom. Personally, I think 2 adults and a 2-yr-old in a roommette would be more uncomfortable that attempting to sleep in coach.

 

[Tony]

Personally, I think 2 adults and a 2-yr-old in a roommette would be more uncomfortable that attempting to sleep in coach.

It has been a while since I had to deal with a 2-yr-old, but the privacy of a roomette would mean the parents would not have to be constantly "dealing" with the typical noise and activity level of a 2-yr-old. I mean, in coach, it would be pretty difficult keeping a toddler from constantly bothering everyone else around.

Constantly dealing with a 2-yr-old on a long trip can be very stressful, and traveling on Amtrak is suppose to be stress free.

 

[-Jamie-]

Personally, I think 2 adults and a 2-yr-old in a roommette would be more uncomfortable that attempting to sleep in coach.

It has been a while since I had to deal with a 2-yr-old, but the privacy of a roomette would mean the parents would not have to be constantly "dealing" with the typical noise and activity level of a 2-yr-old. I mean, in coach, it would be pretty difficult keeping a toddler from constantly bothering everyone else around.

Constantly dealing with a 2-yr-old on a long trip can be very stressful, and traveling on Amtrak is suppose to be stress free.

Even in the sleeper it's quite possible to bother the passengers around you. You just don't see their disapproving looks if you're in a sleeper. I know on one of our trips there was a family that upgraded from coach to a bedroom and they had a small child that kept yelling and with all doors closed, we could still hear them loud and clear at the other end of the car. Thankfully they got off a few hours later and we only had to deal with it for the afternoon. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that all small children will cause a problem with other passengers. I've known some that are perfect angels. Just saying that is possible to bother people in the sleeper almost as easily as it is in coach.

 

[p&sr]

There is still plenty of headroom for two adults to sit comfortably in the seats...

Assuming neither of them is very tall...

while the kid uses the top bunk as a play area (tree fort). I have seen many parents do this, enough to say it is not at all uncommon.

Sounds like fun. Does the kid ever go flying when the Train bounces on a sharp curve?

 

[p&sr]

I mean, in coach, it would be pretty difficult keeping a toddler from constantly bothering everyone else around.

But the Toddler is Perfectly within his Rights to bother people. He paid his fare, the seat is rightfully his, and he cannot be expected to cease being his own natural self.

For a break, either the Toddler or the ones he is bothering can go to the Lounge Car (and bother a different crowd for a while, to keep things interesting), or walk around downstairs and look at the Luggage Racks. Just don't show them how the Door Handles work!

 

[Tony]

There is still plenty of headroom for two adults to sit comfortably in the seats...

Assuming neither of them is very tall...

True. If you are a professional basketball player, you might find it a problem.

However, for everyone else, it is fine.

while the kid uses the top bunk as a play area (tree fort). I have seen many parents do this, enough to say it is not at all uncommon.

Sounds like fun. Does the kid ever go flying when the Train bounces on a sharp curve?

Never even close.

The top bunk has those side barrier straps, and when we put the top bunk down, we make sure to connect them.

BTW, why would that be more of a problem using the top bunk during the day, than at night?

 

[Tony]

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that all small children will cause a problem with other passengers. I've known some that are perfect angels. Just saying that is possible to bother people in the sleeper almost as easily as it is in coach.

But the Toddler is Perfectly within his Rights to bother people. He paid his fare, the seat is rightfully his, and he cannot be expected to cease being his own natural self.

Even a toddler who is generally well behaved, can't maintain that for 20+ hours of a long overnight train ride.

Even on sort rides in coach, I remember my kid dropping the snack tray down, and then slamming it back up. Dropping the snack tray down and then slamming it back up. Dropping the snack tray down and then slamming it back up. Dropping the snack tray down and then slamming it back up.

I wish p&sr was there to explain to the passenger in front of us, that the kid is "is Perfectly within his Rights to bother people" like that, and of course, force that passenger to accept it. :huh:

Of course, in a roomette, such a problem can't easily happen.

 

[Walt]

There is still plenty of headroom for two adults to sit comfortably in the seats...

Assuming neither of them is very tall...

If I remember right, I think there is still around 5' of head room under the bunk in the Viewliner roomette. That is more headroom than one finds even in an SUV, and tall people seem to fit, seated, in an SUV.

 

[sproksch]

Thanks to all for the advice! It sounds like we'll be alright.

And thanks for heads-up on the 'sleeping car attendent / porter' terminology - I've been reading alot of railroad history books lately.

Thanks,

 

[AlanB]

Thanks to all for the advice! It sounds like we'll be alright.
And thanks for heads-up on the 'sleeping car attendent / porter' terminology - I've been reading alot of railroad history books lately.

Thanks,

Sproksch, please don't take the chance that you hit a crew that wants to follow the rules. Call up Amtrak again, and ask for a supervisor. The supervisor should be able to book all three of you into the roomette without issue.

If you don't do that then two things happen. One, you are at the mercy of the crew to let you into the sleeper. Yes, the odds are that they will, but there are no guarantees. Second, you will find yourself holding a dinner reservation for the coach dining car and your family holding a reservation for the sleeper dining car. And in this case it is quite possible that the crew will not only not accomodate you in the sleeping dining car to join your family, they may not be able to. On the AutoTrain everyone gets dinner, but most times all seatings get sold out for each of the two respective dining cars. So just because you happen to get a 5:30 dining time for the coach dining car, doesn't mean that the 5:30 seating in the sleeping dining car isn't sold out.

That would leave you dining seperately from your family!

I highly recommend dropping the dime to call Amtrak back and speak with a supervisor to get yourself reticketed properly so that you can join your family in the sleeper.

 

[p&sr]

Even on short rides in coach, I remember my kid dropping the snack tray down, and then slamming it back up.
I wish p&sr was there to explain...

Yeah, I do a certain amount of that myself. Playing with the tray, that is. Or using it for drum practice. Or making funny noises with the footrest. Or re-adjusting the back of my seat all the time.

Mostly, though, it's up & down, up & down all day. Grabbing my luggage, searching for a particular map, & putting the luggage back up on the overhead rack. Then getting it down again and searching for a specific schedule, & putting it back up again. Then remembering something else I wanted to check, but not remembering where in the luggage I stashed it, so semi-unpacking on my seat then re-arranging and putting it back up again.

Then it's usually time to take a walk. Up to the front of the car, down to the back, three round trips. Maybe every 20 minutes or so. (It only gets tricky at night, when people's legs [or heads] are sticking out into the aisle all over the place.)

Good thing I'm not hyper-active or something, anyway.

The one time I had a problem with kids being TOO noisy was when they brought electronic noise-makers. The kids would push buttons and spin dials, then the machine makes a LOUD random animal sound, or rings a bell or toots a horn, or makes noises like automobile crashes or motorcycles revving up. Their poor mother just sat there complacently in a perpetual state of utter exhaustion.

Just before we (the rest of us in that car) were about ready to seize or smash the offending device... the Batteries died. Halleluja!

 

[Walt]

Kind-of going back to the original question, if the choice is between having two adults and a toddler in coach, vs two adults and a toddler in a roomette, I thought I would mention this.

In coach, you all would have to sleep sitting up. In a roomette, you could give the toddler the upper bunk, and the two adults could still attempt to sleep sitting up in the two chairs. There is no requirement that you turn the two chairs into one bed, at night.

I also remember as a parent, that if your kid is comfortable, it makes the trip much more relaxing even if you yourself aren't as comfortable. Basically, a happy kid makes for happy parents.

While we mentioned here that a roomette would keep your kid away from bothering the other passengers. It is equally true that a roomette would keep the other passengers away from bothering your kid, possibly allowing him/her a better chance of getting to sleep on time, and sleeping thru the night.

 

[had8ley]

Kind-of going back to the original question, if the choice is between having two adults and a toddler in coach, vs two adults and a toddler in a roomette, I thought I would mention this.
In coach, you all would have to sleep sitting up. In a roomette, you could give the toddler the upper bunk, and the two adults could still attempt to sleep sitting up in the two chairs. There is no requirement that you turn the two chairs into one bed, at night.

I also remember as a parent, that if your kid is comfortable, it makes the trip much more relaxing even if you yourself aren't as comfortable. Basically, a happy kid makes for happy parents.

Many a trip my wife rode in the upper bunk with our grand daughter. The safety harness kept her contained and I was able to help her down if need be. Sleeping upright when you have the ability to have two beds sounds a little tough on the parents. The toddler might awake refreshed but mommy and daddy might not be in the most jovial of moods.