Asking for a onboard upgrade-that is rude?

[EB_OBS]

I'd agree that a 24 hour window before departure would be a good starting point to sell sleeper accommodations at lower bucket prices. During peak season it's still going to be risky to wait until 24 hours before to buy that room. Just for the record, I in no way suggest eliminating on-board upgrades. In my current capacity with Amtrak I always make sure the conductors know I'm there to help and if calling reservations and assisting selling a room is needed, I can do it. Just need the AC to write out the actual ticket.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

OK, you got me wondering and curious. How exactly does an avg passenger go about knowing for certain, that there are indeed rooms still available?

you can call amtrak and ask if there are rooms or check with the ticket agent right before boarding the train to find out if there are rooms etc.

 

[had8ley]

OK, you got me wondering and curious. How exactly does an avg passenger go about knowing for certain, that there are indeed rooms still available?

you can call amtrak and ask if there are rooms or check with the ticket agent right before boarding the train to find out if there are rooms etc.

If all else fails and you really want to pin the conductor, when and if he refuses to sell you a room, call Amtrak res from your cell phone and hand it to the conductor to verify that there are rooms for sale. Unless you travel often the chances of ever seeing this conductor again are slight. Besides, he's paid to sell upgrades and is encouraged by management to do so. Seeing as management seldom ride conductors have free rein until someone pulls them in. If he still refuses, you have a legitimate gripe~ just be sure you get the name of the agent at Amtrak reservations and explain your situation; it's all on tape !!!

 

[Bootman4U]

IMO, asking someone to do what is PART OF THEIR JOB is never "rude."

 

[MJL]

I like the idea of a 24 hour window pre-trip, where rooms are bumped back down to low bucket fares. That seems a fair way to do things.

 

[MrFSS]

I like the idea of a 24 hour window pre-trip, where rooms are bumped back down to low bucket fares. That seems a fair way to do things.

I agree - if they did that they probably would never have an empty room on a train.

I made a hotel reservation for The Gathering and they are already sending me emails saying that one day before check in I can see if I want to upgrade to a bigger and better room for $15.00, if those bigger and better rooms are available.

Marketing - Marketing - Marketing!!

 

[alanh]

It's somewhat of a dicey revenue management calculation. Although they'll give up 100% of the revenue on unsold rooms, a last minute sale means a certain number of people will wait until the last minute when they would have bought in advance at a higher rate if the last minute sale wasn't available.

If it's 100% sold out with 80% at regular rates and 20% at last minute rates vs. 80% sold out at regular rates, yes, that's better for them. However, if it's a choice between 80% sold out and 100% sold out with 60% at regular rates and 40% at last minute rates, the calculation is more complicated. In that case, it might be more profitable to let the 20% go unsold.

 

[mucomix]

I like the idea of a 24 hour window pre-trip, where rooms are bumped back down to low bucket fares. That seems a fair way to do things.

I agree - if they did that they probably would never have an empty room on a train.

I made a hotel reservation for The Gathering and they are already sending me emails saying that one day before check in I can see if I want to upgrade to a bigger and better room for $15.00, if those bigger and better rooms are available.

Marketing - Marketing - Marketing!!

I like the idea of offering a upgrade deal by email the day before or so.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

when i first took amtrak back in 07 to go to Arizona with my mom to visit her brother amtrak called a few weeks before and wanted to know if we wanted to upgrade to a sleeper for i forgot how much more but it was a good deal and should have taken it. this was for the SWC.

 

[daveyb99]

If all else fails and you really want to pin the conductor, when and if he refuses to sell you a room, call Amtrak res from your cell phone and hand it to the conductor to verify that there are rooms for sale.

Talk about being RUDE. If I was a conductor and someone did that to me?

 

[daveyb99]

It's somewhat of a dicey revenue management calculation.

Then maybe ATMRAK should go to a single price for sleeper room, not this 5-tier pricing plan they have now.

Conductors would be removed from the whole process by implementing a ~20% discount on purchases made within 12-hours of departure either via amtrak.com or the 1-800 number.

 

[DKpartyguy]

When I first started travelling on Amtrak about 8 years ago, I tried in vain several times to get an on-board upgrade and never had any luck. I travelled on the Silver Meteor, Sunset Ltd, Texas Eagle, Lakeshore Ltd, Capitol Ltd, and the Crescent several times in coach. I tried on every single trip on each of these trains to get an onboard upgrade. I asked the conductor/attendant if a roomette was abvailable, and always got the same answer. "I'll check and get back to you".

Well, not once in about 8 or 9 trips did they ever return to tell me if a roomette was available.

I was not really happy travelling in coach, so I decided to just book a roomette for my next trip, which was aboard the Crescent from NY to NOLA. I have been booking roomettes ever since.

I found that trying for an onboard upgrade was far more trouble than it's worth.

I have been able, in most cases, to get a decent fare for the roomettes.

Also, I don't think I could ever do an overnight trip in coach again. The roomettes are so much better!

Just my two cents as usual....

David

 

[Guest]

I like the idea of a 24 hour window pre-trip, where rooms are bumped back down to low bucket fares.

That sounds great. Suppose I book a trip in a room a couple months out, but don't get the absolute

lowest bucket. Since there's no penalty for cancellation prior to the trip, I'm almost encouraged to

check again before departure, and if there are still rooms, buy one, and cancel my original reservation.

It would seem to me that any policy that sells off excess inventory before departure would have

to be coupled with a penalty for canceling a reservation, lest you end up with a bunch of "bucket jumpers"

 

[AAARGH!]

When I first started travelling on Amtrak about 8 years ago, I tried in vain several times to get an on-board upgrade and never had any luck. I travelled on the Silver Meteor, Sunset Ltd, Texas Eagle, Lakeshore Ltd, Capitol Ltd, and the Crescent several times in coach. I tried on every single trip on each of these trains to get an onboard upgrade. I asked the conductor/attendant if a roomette was abvailable, and always got the same answer. "I'll check and get back to you".Well, not once in about 8 or 9 trips did they ever return to tell me if a roomette was available.

I was not really happy travelling in coach, so I decided to just book a roomette for my next trip, which was aboard the Crescent from NY to NOLA. I have been booking roomettes ever since.

I found that trying for an onboard upgrade was far more trouble than it's worth.

I have been able, in most cases, to get a decent fare for the roomettes.

Also, I don't think I could ever do an overnight trip in coach again. The roomettes are so much better!

My experience is exactly the same. You ask and then nothing.

Only once did they ever get back to me and it turns out the empty room I was eying wasn't availabe for the whole trip. So it didn't matter.

 

[Guest]

When I first started travelling on Amtrak about 8 years ago, I tried in vain several times to get an on-board upgrade and never had any luck. I travelled on the Silver Meteor, Sunset Ltd, Texas Eagle, Lakeshore Ltd, Capitol Ltd, and the Crescent several times in coach. I tried on every single trip on each of these trains to get an onboard upgrade. I asked the conductor/attendant if a roomette was abvailable, and always got the same answer. "I'll check and get back to you".Well, not once in about 8 or 9 trips did they ever return to tell me if a roomette was available.

I was not really happy travelling in coach, so I decided to just book a roomette for my next trip, which was aboard the Crescent from NY to NOLA. I have been booking roomettes ever since.

I found that trying for an onboard upgrade was far more trouble than it's worth.

I have been able, in most cases, to get a decent fare for the roomettes.

Also, I don't think I could ever do an overnight trip in coach again. The roomettes are so much better!

Just my two cents as usual....

David

The conductors have a lot of more important work so upgrades are last on the list and it is easy for them to eventually forget while doing everything else. I go and sit in the lounge car near where they have all their paperwork and when they get back to their "office" I ask them there. Once they are settled and not busy they are much more receptive to upgrades. I have never had any trouble getting them to sell a room if it is available by going to them and not expecting them to come to me.

 

[RTOlson]

Since there's no penalty for cancellation prior to the trip, I'm almost encouraged to check again before departure, and if there are still rooms, buy one, and cancel my original reservation.

It would seem to me that any policy that sells off excess inventory before departure would have

to be coupled with a penalty for canceling a reservation, lest you end up with a bunch of "bucket jumpers"

There already is a minor penalty -- Amtrak only gives you a non-refundable exchange voucher if you cancel of a sleeper reservation within seven days of the trip.

If we're talking hypotheticals, I think it would be simple for Amtrak to amend the exchange policy to prevent people from attempting to reuse a voucher on the same train they just cancelled the reservation for.

 

[Gingee]

I have asked a couple times for a upgrade from coach but they didn't come back to me either. Well maybe I only asked once because I think we have only traveled in coach two times. If I have to go through two nights, I want SLEEP - not scrunched up in a seat trying to get positioned.

And the bathrooms in coach get discusting. I wonder why?

 

[daveyb99]

I have asked a couple times for a upgrade from coach but they didn't come back to me either. Well maybe I only asked once because I think we have only traveled in coach two times. If I have to go through two nights, I want SLEEP - not scrunched up in a seat trying to get positioned.
And the bathrooms in coach get discusting. I wonder why?

as I have said before: buy in advance and you will never be disappointed.

 

[AlanB]

Since there's no penalty for cancellation prior to the trip, I'm almost encouraged to check again before departure, and if there are still rooms, buy one, and cancel my original reservation.

It would seem to me that any policy that sells off excess inventory before departure would have

to be coupled with a penalty for canceling a reservation, lest you end up with a bunch of "bucket jumpers"

There already is a minor penalty -- Amtrak only gives you a non-refundable exchange voucher if you cancel of a sleeper reservation within seven days of the trip.

If we're talking hypotheticals, I think it would be simple for Amtrak to amend the exchange policy to prevent people from attempting to reuse a voucher on the same train they just cancelled the reservation for.

That minor penalty wouldn't be a problem or show stopper, since no voucher would be issued in that case. One simply trades one ticket for the other, then the leftover amount is placed on a voucher or if small enough a direct refund might even be issued.

In fact, since you aren't really cancelling, just changing things, I'm not even sure if the 7 day rule would apply.

 

[Mike S.]

My story...50/50 positive/negative.

My partner and I were traveling from NYP to BUF in a roomette. We wanted to see about upgrading to a bedroom just to try it out. When the conductor collected our tickets outside of NYP we asked. He was very prompt and came back with a price. However, it was really expensive. Like 200 bucks more to upgrade. His advice to us was to wait until Albany and then upgrade. This ends the positive.

In Albany, we asked the new conductor (our old one got off at alb)...he was a loud blowhart type. He barked out how the Lake shore sells out months in advance and "everything is sold out". I know this was BS b/c i've got a laptop with internet and I could clearly see that there were bedrooms available in both 49 and 449. I didn't even try to argue but it left a bad taste in my mouth.

I called amtrak the next day and complained. I basically said...."you guys are in business to collect money and you should never turn someone down that is trying to spend more". My only downfall is not getting the name of the conductor.

Mike S.

 

[darien-l]

I've asked for upgrades about 5 times on the California Zephyr, and most of the time got either "I'll get back to you" (never happened), "Not right now, maybe after Grand Junction" (passing the buck to the next conductor), or "There's nothing available" (not true).

Finally, a few weeks ago, I got an upgrade! Here's how it happened:

I went on a short trip from Denver to Glenwood Springs with a friend. When checking in with the conductor at Denver Union Station, I asked about upgrading to a roomette. The reply was the usual "I'll check and get back to you." Fat chance.

On the return, I checked amtrak.com the day of departure, and saw that there were roomettes available at the lowest bucket ($106). As we were boarding the train, I noticed that we had the same conductor as on the outbound. I approached him and said that we were still interested in an upgrade. As before, he said "I'll check and get back to you." After sitting in coach for 10 minutes, we made our way to the lounge car, and on the way there, ran into the conductor. I politely reminded him that we were still waiting to hear about an upgrade. He stared a us for a few moments, then said "Yes, I remember." I informed him that we will be in the lounge car. We sat there for about 30 minutes without hearing from the conductor.

Finally, I heard his voice, turned around, and saw him telling some factoid about the passing scenery to the lounge car passengers. He had what appeared to be whiskey on the rocks in his hand. He noticed us, a look of recognition crossed his face, and he disappeared for a few minutes. When he came back, he said we can have the upgrade for $106. For the benefit of my companion (who was new to Amtrak, and would be sharing the expense), I asked for a quick tour of the sleeper car. He agreed, but as the other lounge car passengers overheard our conversation, they asked if they could join the tour as well. The conductor ended up leading quite an entourage to the sleeper cars, his drink still in hand. To my surprise, he stopped at bedroom E, and asked us if we'd like to have it for the price of a roomette. I immediately said "yes," and whipped out my credit card. He took it, and then lead the rest of the passengers on a tour of the sleepers. The poor guy ended up dealing with quite a few upgrade requests at the end of it. In a few hours, he stopped by our bedroom, returned the credit card, and told us to put down "roomette 8" instead of "bedroom E" when we go to dinner, because that's how he processed the official paperwork. We appreciated him bending the rules for us.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

I've asked for upgrades about 5 times on the California Zephyr, and most of the time got either "I'll get back to you" (never happened), "Not right now, maybe after Grand Junction" (passing the buck to the next conductor), or "There's nothing available" (not true).
Finally, a few weeks ago, I got an upgrade! Here's how it happened:

I went on a short trip from Denver to Glenwood Springs with a friend. When checking in with the conductor at Denver Union Station, I asked about upgrading to a roomette. The reply was the usual "I'll check and get back to you." Fat chance.

On the return, I checked amtrak.com the day of departure, and saw that there were roomettes available at the lowest bucket ($106). As we were boarding the train, I noticed that we had the same conductor as on the outbound. I approached him and said that we were still interested in an upgrade. As before, he said "I'll check and get back to you." After sitting in coach for 10 minutes, we made our way to the lounge car, and on the way there, ran into the conductor. I politely reminded him that we were still waiting to hear about an upgrade. He stared a us for a few moments, then said "Yes, I remember." I informed him that we will be in the lounge car. We sat there for about 30 minutes without hearing from the conductor.

Finally, I heard his voice, turned around, and saw him telling some factoid about the passing scenery to the lounge car passengers. He had what appeared to be whiskey on the rocks in his hand. He noticed us, a look of recognition crossed his face, and he disappeared for a few minutes. When he came back, he said we can have the upgrade for $106. For the benefit of my companion (who was new to Amtrak, and would be sharing the expense), I asked for a quick tour of the sleeper car. He agreed, but as the other lounge car passengers overheard our conversation, they asked if they could join the tour as well. The conductor ended up leading quite an entourage to the sleeper cars, his drink still in hand. To my surprise, he stopped at bedroom E, and asked us if we'd like to have it for the price of a roomette. I immediately said "yes," and whipped out my credit card. He took it, and then lead the rest of the passengers on a tour of the sleepers. The poor guy ended up dealing with quite a few upgrade requests at the end of it. In a few hours, he stopped by our bedroom, returned the credit card, and told us to put down "roomette 8" instead of "bedroom E" when we go to dinner, because that's how he processed the official paperwork. We appreciated him bending the rules for us.

are amtrak employees allowed to drink on the job. any other place they would be fired in a heart beat. at least you got your upgrade after some persistence with the conductor.

 

[Meat Puppet]

How to get a real upgrade.

Ask conductor when he takes your tickets if any are available.

DONT say you checked with amtrak and know that xxx and xxx are open

In about 30 minutes conductor will be at a lounge table come up to him and ask if any

roomettes are available and if so you will pay in exact change cash. Through him a $20 for his effort for looking for an upgrade. DO NOT leaev lounge car until he gives you an answer......

I am 7 for 9 at this method.

Remember Exact change, pleasant attitude, and a $20bill for the conductor=booya room upgrade!!!!!!!

 

[Guest]

I have asked a couple times for a upgrade from coach but they didn't come back to me either. Well maybe I only asked once because I think we have only traveled in coach two times. If I have to go through two nights, I want SLEEP - not scrunched up in a seat trying to get positioned.
And the bathrooms in coach get discusting. I wonder why?

as I have said before: buy in advance and you will never be disappointed.

only your wallet will be disappointed.

 

[MrFSS]

How to get a real upgrade.Ask conductor when he takes your tickets if any are available.

DONT say you checked with amtrak and know that xxx and xxx are open

In about 30 minutes conductor will be at a lounge table come up to him and ask if any

roomettes are available and if so you will pay in exact change cash. Through him a $20 for his effort for looking for an upgrade. DO NOT leaev lounge car until he gives you an answer......

I am 7 for 9 at this method.

Remember Exact change, pleasant attitude, and a $20bill for the conductor=booya room upgrade!!!!!!!

I guess I don't understand why I have to pay a $20.00 bribe to get someone to do something they are already supposed to do!