AGR Availability Question
 

I currently have an AGR redemption reservation for a roomette on train 97 from WAS to SAV on 3/30. When I made the reservation, there were no bedrooms available, so I settled for the roomette. However, I have been checking most days to see if a bedroom might open up, since I have never had a bedroom before and wanted to check it out. Plus, there are two of us so it seemed like it'd be better to have the extra room.

This morning, although seats and roomettes are both sold out, I did notice that there is bedroom availability. I called AGR immediately and asked to book the Bedroom and cancel the Roomette. However, the agent I spoke with said that he did not see any Bedroom availability. I told him I could see it on the website (indeed, I could get as far as entering payment information for the room - didn't want to go any farther), but he said he showed no availability. So I hung up and tried again - same thing from the second agent. Though both agents were very helpful, they each said there was no bedroom availability.

I still see availability on the website, so I am somewhat confused.. has anyone else ever experienced this? I plan on trying to call back once more later, but thought I would check here first to see if anyone else has ever been in the same situation. Thanks in advance.

AGR reservation
 

I have found in the past that when booking AGR rewards you go through AGR's award center which is not AMTRAK 's reservation center. How they pull up availability I am not sure.

Even though you are dealing with AGR, and not Amtrak, they are still using Amtrak's Arrow system, which is what supports the Amtrak website for booking, so there really should be no difference, but who knows.

I wonder if it's got something to do with the rest of the train being sold out.

I looked at that train and everything was sold out--including the first listing of bedrooms--but there a second listing for "bedroom" with one bedroom available. I checked other days and bedroom only appears once.

By the fourth time I called back, I finally got an answer... apparently that second "Bedroom" listing is, in fact, an accessible bedroom - despite the fact that the website does not say so. The agent noted that there were accessible bedrooms available on both the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor, but then stated that "I probably wouldn't want" an accessible bedroom. After looking on Amtrak's website, it doesn't seem like there is any particular downfall to the accessible bedroom .. however, maybe it is just poor etiquette to book and accessible bedroom when one is not actually handicapped? I guess that could've been the issue.

So, there's the answer to my question.

Edited to add: Now there is no availability on the train, period, so whether I wanted it or not it looks like the Bedroom (accessible or otherwise) is not meant to be.

If one is available, I'd prefer the non-accessible bedroom (mostly because I like the upper level), but there is no real downfall. I also don't think there is a moral or etiquette issue if you take the only thing available on the entire train. If you book an accessible bedroom when other bedrooms are available (and usable by you), that's problematic and potentially unfair.

I have not yet taken a "regular" bedroom, but I have taken a "handicapped" bedroom. Although I can't exactly say so, I don't think there is any real difference.

Except - for an AGR award, an accessible bedroom is lower (in points) than a regular bedroom! (In fact, it's the same "cost" as a roomette!)

They normally can only be booked by a "qualified" person, but within (IIRC) 14 days of departure, they are opened to anyone!

Yes, you may not feel right about taking one, but driving 56 MPH in a 55 MPH zone is wrong too.

The only down side is on a single level car, the accessible room is next to the door and near the trucks (wheels). On a Superliner, the accessible room is downstairs, while all the "regular" bedrooms are upstairs.

While it's too late now, were I confronted with that choice I would have taken the accesible bedroom. There is no real down fall to that room, especially in a Viewliner sleeper. It's a bit roomier than even the regular bedrooms and still has the bathroom and shower. The only thing that it doesn't have that a regular bedroom has, is the ability to look through the door and out the window on the other side of the train.

The door on this room faces the vestibule of the train car, so your view is technically into the next car ahead of the train. I suppose that you might hear a bit more track noise because of this, but I've never stayed in the room (only looked around) so I can't really say.

As for the moral/etiquette issue, Amtrak holds the handicapped rooms out of regular inventory until 1 week prior to departure of said train. If the room has not been booked by a party that meets the qualifications, then it is released for sale to the public at large.

This is why for weeks you saw nothing and then suddenly the surpise yesterday of finding a bedroom for sale.

There is no upper level on a Viewliner sleeper, unless you like riding on the roof of the car. :eek: And the crew tends to frown on that idea. :D

True, the door faces the vestibule, but there is a window (next to the closet) that you can look out the other side.

Plus, it can get cold and wet on the roof! :D (And watch out for the bridges! :D )

Yeah, I wasn't paying attention to what train we were talking about!

Correct me if i am wrong but the accessible room doesn't have a shower.

The accessible room does contain a toliet and shower in the room.

On a viewliner sleeper (single level), the accessible room is at one end of the car - with the door facing the vestibule. On a Superliner sleeper (bi-level), the accessible is the full width of the lower level. (All "regular" bedrooms are upstairs.)

The_traveler is correct, on a Viewliner car the accessible room does have a shower.

On a Superliner, you are correct ClimbGuy, there is no shower.

Success
 

Well, persistence pays off.. after checking a couple of times per day over the last several days, a bedroom FINALLY opened up overnight. I called first thing this morning and snagged it.. pretty glad I was able to get it just 10 hours or so before my departure. I rode in a roomette back in June on the Silver Star and am looking forward to observing the differences between the roomette and the bedroom. Thanks, AGR!