Passenger Trains > Pullman Rail Journeys Trip

Pullman Rail Journeys just sent out an email announcing 50% off on a special Chicago to Orlando/Palm Beach/Miami trip leaving Chicago December 27th and returning January 4th. The website shows the trip is $3907 per person double occupancy full price. The price included hotel and entertainment in Florida. Sounds like a nice trip, but really short notice for something like this.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

Wouldn't say its short notice. They started selling this trip a few months ago. Likely have some open rooms and it is better to get some money from them than having them go empty. I went on pullman this year and they provide good service.

Posted from iPhone

Where is my email? I am a two time satisfied customer.

OK I got it. Wish I hadn't made plans. Great price and probably more fun than I am going to have.

Routing?

Would suggest simply checking their website. It won't be via New Orleans though!

MWP in STL

Sounds like bookings are low. Do they refund the 50% extra that earlybird bookers paid? Slippery slope...

cutboy2 Wrote:
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> Routing?

Capitol Limited to Silver Meteor

The airlines don't refund down to the lowest fare and neither do we. Three rooms left, would like to fill them.

As many of you know, VIA regularly has half price sales. I am taking the Canadian in February with the "Mooonlighters" from Vancouver to Toronto. We waited for a half-price sale to get our berths, and we were rewarded! I am sure VIA is not refunding the 50% extra that people who bought tickets before us paid....

It may have been a slippery slope in the days before yield management, but not anymore.

Ed

calzephyr48 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sounds like bookings are low. Do they refund the
> 50% extra that earlybird bookers paid? Slippery
> slope...

eee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The airlines don't refund down to the lowest fare
> and neither do we. Three rooms left, would like
> to fill them.
>
> As many of you know, VIA regularly has half price
> sales. I am taking the Canadian in February with
> the "Mooonlighters" from Vancouver to Toronto. We
> waited for a half-price sale to get our berths,
> and we were rewarded! I am sure VIA is not
> refunding the 50% extra that people who bought
> tickets before us paid....
>
> It may have been a slippery slope in the days
> before yield management, but not anymore.
>
> Ed
>
> calzephyr48 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sounds like bookings are low. Do they refund
> the
> > 50% extra that earlybird bookers paid?
> Slippery
> > slope...


Right, this isn't Walmart. Early bookers got to lock in the reservation. If you wait you may not go so you can't have it both ways.
However the reality is you may prompt people to wait in the future. There are always unintended but often foreseable consequences.
It is sometimes fun when you hear people compare what they paid for a cruise or a flight.


Bob Jordan

eee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The airlines don't refund down to the lowest fare
> and neither do we. Three rooms left, would like
> to fill them.
>
> As many of you know, VIA regularly has half price
> sales. I am taking the Canadian in February with
> the "Mooonlighters" from Vancouver to Toronto. We
> waited for a half-price sale to get our berths,
> and we were rewarded! I am sure VIA is not
> refunding the 50% extra that people who bought
> tickets before us paid....
>
> It may have been a slippery slope in the days
> before yield management, but not anymore.
>
> Ed

VIA's cancellation fee for regular "discounted" sleeper berths/rooms on the Canadian is only $100. There is no fee for full fare tickets. A friend booked a "cabin for 2" long in advance for a date on which he had to depart - it was that day or not at all. One of the 50% sales came out later, so he paid the cancellation fee, re-booked and still saved over $400.

Cruise lines are not as generous as VIA. After the final payment date (usually 90 days before the voyage) cancellation fees apply, typically increasing as the departure day gets closer.

Many luxury providers have ways to get around the last minute discounting problem.

My wife and I had been thinking about a trip to the Galapagos Islands, but the price was pretty high. We asked our travel agent to keep an eye on two particular trips.

Three weeks before the departure, she called to say that "a deal" had come up. Free airfare from NY to Ecuador, two extra nights and food credits in Ecuador, upgraded ship room, beverage credit on board. But we had to pay the advertised discounted price, which didn't include these goodies. So we received a 25% discount, and a further discount for using American Express. But we paid what people who booked two years ago had paid. Even though we received much more in things we could enjoy.

I applaud Pullman Rail Journeys for their creativity in launching their venture, and finding ways to impress demanding travelers.

The cruise companies have been doing this for years. Book early and pay top dollar. Wait until the month before departure and the deals come rolling in. The difference is you may not get a very nice cabin when you book late. Plus, they will bump those early booking passengers up to better accommodations. I suppose you could put those receiving discounted deals in the rooms over the trucks.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

eee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The airlines don't refund down to the lowest fare
> and neither do we. Three rooms left, would like
> to fill them.
>
> As many of you know, VIA regularly has half price
> sales. I am taking the Canadian in February with
> the "Mooonlighters" from Vancouver to Toronto. We
> waited for a half-price sale to get our berths,
> and we were rewarded! I am sure VIA is not
> refunding the 50% extra that people who bought
> tickets before us paid....
>
> It may have been a slippery slope in the days
> before yield management, but not anymore.
>
> Ed


Why not do like Amtrak? Jack up last minute prices.
I never understood the reason.
I'm with you Ed.Fill the spaces.

Most everyone on an airplane paid a different price.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

webmaster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The cruise companies have been doing this for
> years. Book early and pay top dollar. Wait until
> the month before departure and the deals come
> rolling in. The difference is you may not get a
> very nice cabin when you book late. Plus, they
> will bump those early booking passengers up to
> better accommodations. I suppose you could put
> those receiving discounted deals in the rooms over
> the trucks.


In my case, Linblad put me and my wife in one of the nicest cabins even though we were last minute, steep discount passengers. I was quite surprised they didn't upgrade early booked people, as there were some nice cabins which remained vacant for the cruise duration

Not quite true that airlines don't refund to lowest fare. Alaskan does something close to this. They don't refund the difference, but they do issue a credit. Change fee is also waived. So maybe only one airline does it...

http://www.alaskaair.com/content/deals/special-offers/price-guarantee.aspx

(Or does Southwest also do it?)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/14 10:22 by midwest.