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PCRF/Amtrak trips


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#1 saxman

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Posted 08 January 2016 - 09:04 AM

Thanks Kevin. Just booked the CS on a paid trip. Now here's to hoping I can get the days off and book the rest using AGR points. My big worry now is booking with points, but then later not getting the right days off and incurring a 10% point penalty for changing for cancelling. Probably the worst aspect of the new change. 



#2 jis

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Posted 08 January 2016 - 02:11 PM

Apparently according to the AGR guy that I spoke to, if you book using old rules then come cancellation time the old rules apply, i.e. no 10% penalty on tickets booked using AGR 1.0 reward. can anyone please validate or refute this understanding?

 

If the dates for the trip do not change within the next three days, I am locked in for these dates. Dates changing later will just cause me to drop from the group activities and do my own private fest on these dates. :)


Edited by jis, 08 January 2016 - 02:13 PM.


#3 pennyk

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Posted 08 January 2016 - 02:25 PM

Apparently according to the AGR guy that I spoke to, if you book using old rules then come cancellation time the old rules apply, i.e. no 10% penalty on tickets booked using AGR 1.0 reward. can anyone please validate or refute this understanding?

 

According to the agent with whom I spoke, any change on or after 1/124/16 will be subject to the new rules.  I will forward you question to someone who knows much more about AGR than I do.

 

Edit:  I forwarded your question to that someone and he said the agent is wrong.  I will PM you with the entire text.


Edited by pennyk, 08 January 2016 - 03:19 PM.


#4 jis

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Posted 09 January 2016 - 01:02 PM

Well, please ask him to train his agents because so far the only official word that I have from Amtrak is from the agent and he said in no uncertain terms that I aget all the points back as long as I follow the current rules for cancellation. ;)



#5 pennyk

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Posted 09 January 2016 - 01:51 PM

Well, please ask him to train his agents because so far the only official word that I have from Amtrak is from the agent and he said in no uncertain terms that I aget all the points back as long as I follow the current rules for cancellation. ;)

done



#6 KevinKorell

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Posted 20 January 2016 - 12:54 PM

I know that people, myself included, are making Amtrak reservations this week to take advantage of the old Guest Rewards redemption rules before they change. Keep in mind that any trips you planned to pay for, there really isn't any rush at this time, other than the normal fluctuations and buckets filling as more people reserve those trains.

With that in mind, remember what I said above that the Pacific Surfliner trips in Southern California are just penciled in. This day could turn into a Metrolink trip, possibly Metrolink in one direction with Amtrak in the other, or Amtrak Pacific Surfliners to a different destination. Therefore don't panic and buy these just yet. The ultimate activity we end up doing that day is still up for discussion.


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#7 KevinKorell

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Posted 20 January 2016 - 01:52 PM

Apparently according to the AGR guy that I spoke to, if you book using old rules then come cancellation time the old rules apply, i.e. no 10% penalty on tickets booked using AGR 1.0 reward. can anyone please validate or refute this understanding?

Refuted.

When I called to reserve, I was read the riot act about the cancellation penalties under the new rules, even though I booked the trip under the old ones.


Kevin Korell


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#8 steve4031

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Posted 24 January 2016 - 06:01 PM

I've booked all sleeper travel plus business class on cascades sea-pdx. Mike Hammond booked last night and he stated that the agent told him he was getting the last roomette on 7. He's in 18 in the transition car.

#9 saxman

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Posted 26 January 2016 - 07:36 PM

I was able to book too, but had some trouble with one agent who insisted I take the published route between CHI and SEA, consisting of train 5 to 14. Arrow was messing up right then and not offering train 7 for some reason, even though I could see the rooms were available. Finally I got a better one to book my desired route: 98 to 51 to 7. Thus far used vouchers to pay for the SWC. Now here's to hoping I can get the days off and not have to incur the 10% point penalty.



#10 KevinKorell

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Posted 01 February 2016 - 12:45 AM

I want to say at the outset of the announcement that the use  of 2- or 3-letter abbreviations for Amtrak trains is discouraged.  This board is a board of inclusion, thus it should be made clear to somebody reading our board from the outside who might be thinking of joining us on the trip just what trains we are talking about.  While I don't mind if we shorten a name from Empire Builder to the Builder, or Chief for Southwest Chief, I don't want to see EB (which can be mistaken for eastbound), SWC, or CS.  If this continues, picture yourself being put off said train in the most remote wilderness.  Should you survive to contact authorities about your situation, would you tell them you were on the EB, or the Empire Builder?  Hmmmmm........

 

The three letter station codes are different because in most cases they are close to the actual name of the town or city, and/or they usually match the better known airport code in that city.



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