FLL hotel on Priceline?

[LindaKE]

I want to try to get a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale on priceline. We would like to be either near the airport or near the dock. I'll start off asking for a 4*. If I can't get a 4*, would there be good 3*'s in either of those 2 areas? What areas do I say I want in order to be sure it is near the dock? I've never tried priceline, so I'm a little nervous about commiting myself to something I'll later regret.

 

LindaKE

 

Sun Princess(Alaska)

Carnival Inspiration

[doone]

Linda, don't be nervous, I was leary before I tried priceline and was very happy with my hotel that my bid was accepted at.

 

There are a couple of web sites that will help you make the determination of where to bid. One is www.biddingfortravel.com and www.biddingforfun.com excellent sites.

 

This is what I bid for, I started at 4 *, downtown, then backed down my request to a 3*, I was rejected on the 4*. So I bid 3*, downtown Ft. Lauderdale for $40, came back with a re-bid to add $12 to my bid, so I did, got my bid accepted at $52 and received the Marriott Hotel and Marina. This hotel was very, very nice and for the price, you couldn't go wrong. They have a free shuttle to the pier the next morning, but we needed to find our own transportation from the airport to the hotel when we arrived. Hope this helps, but I am sold on priceline now. Getting ready to bid in the next few months for my hotel in Ft. Lauderdale for next March. Any other questions, ask away.

[Nanatravel]

Linda, do read those two sites thoroughly before you start to bid. The only 4* near the port is the Hyatt (which was going from about $80-125 depending on the season) and you would bid in the FLL Beach zone. Be careful if you add the Airport zone or beach zone for 3stars. I would recommend adding a 3* in the Ft. Lauderdale Downtown zone first. Again, depending on the season, a bid of $50 for a 3* FLL Downtown could get you the Marriott, Embassy or even Renaissance (which is actually considered a 4*). Airport hotels aren't close to any dining or stores, so you could be stuck at the hotel. Base your judgement on time of arrival. For us it really didn't matter since we arrived after 5 p.m. the night before our cruise. The Wyndham at the airport does have a free shuttle from the airport and they did accommodate us for a fee to a local restaurant and to the pier the next morning. We had a family of 7, so we paid the driver for his services. They do not offer these additional services. Good Luck

Bon Voyage

 

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[LindaKE]

Thanks! I'm crossing my fingers and taking the plunge.

 

LindaKE

 

Sun Princess(Alaska)

Carnival Inspiration

[doone]

LindaK, good for you. Please let us know how you make out. Its really quite exciting, I think.

[KELGARSMOM]

hi, just wondering. i went through priceline, 3*s, downtown/beach area and got the holiday inn on the beach. seems ok, just wondered if anyone had stayed here and knew the cost of taxi/shuttle from airport/hotel and hotel/pier. we have 4 people in our group. thanks!

[LindaKE]

I got the Renaissance for $82. I bid $65 and they countered for $82. We're going in February.

 

LindaKE

 

Sun Princess(Alaska)

Carnival Inspiration

[dosi]

Linda KE--Just so you know for the future PL often accept less than the counter offer they give you. All you have to do is add another zone THAT DOES NOT HAVE ANY HOTELS IN THE STAR CATAGORY YOU ARE LOOKING FOR--ie you want a four star hotel so you add zones that only have 3 stars or less--and up your bid by half of the additional amount they want. It almost always works.

 

doris

 

"I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine"--Caskie Stinnett

 

Elation 10/20/02

Paradise 9/21/03

Star Princess 10/24/04

[Sue's Mom]

KELGAR'SMOM - did you get a response to your question about cost of taxi? I am also interested to know as there will be six of us looking for somewhere to stay in November.

[gayla59]

3* Downtown has a good group of hotels and it is less than $10 to the port from any of them. If they don't have an airport shuttle, I think it is around $20 from there ot downtown. With 6 of you and all the luggage, you may want to get a van, they will help you accomplish that at the airport. FLL is pretty easy to navigate.

 

Gayla

 

We can hardly wait

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[Gradelady]

I recently got the Hyatt Pier 66 for $85 pre cruise in July. Took a few tries...

 

Horizon

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[zurmolly]

I have been trying for Feb..Bid 4 and 3 zone in the beach and downtown area for 100.00! and nothing...Geez.. .

[Gradelady]

Don't give up...I was getting frustrated and then, one day PL offered a counter offer, instead, I added a zone and upped my bid by $10 and I got what I wanted. It took about 3 weeks before I got what I wanted.

 

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[seagulls]

Zurmolly the Renaissance seems to be the hotel that most people are having success with. I got it for 2 nights early February pre cruise for $72. And 1 night post cruise $75. It seems to me that we are not getting the Embassy Suites too often anymore and nothing is as reasonable as it was a year ago. Maybe waiting is the answer but I like to have everything in place way ahead and even though I wanted the Embassy suites I am content with the Renaissance for the price we got it.

[Sue's Mom]

Gayla - thanks for the response. Much appreciated and useful.

[zurmolly]

Seagulls, what zone and how many stars? Thanks, Jan

[seagulls]

Jan hold tight. I was a complete novice at this and I was guided by my good friend Gayla. I have asked her to post the steps she gave me. I bid on a 3* and they told me "congratulations you have been upgraded to a 4*". This seems to be the hotel that everyone is getting. Good luck.

[gayla59]

The strategy Seagulls used was bid 3* Downtown $65, when turned down she added Pompano and raised it to $70, when turned down she bid $72 and added Miramar. They accepted that and gave her the 4*.

If you aren't getting it at a price you want to pay, see about a cancellable hotel and just try each week for what you want on pricceline. A friend stayed at Spring Hill Suites and said it was fine, but out near the airport.

 

Gayla

 

We can hardly wait

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[seagulls]

Zurmolly I have to add that I was turned down when I bid on the post cruise night . I had to up it to $75. Thank you Gayla for helping Zurmolly.

[zurmolly]

Thanks so much for all the info. I finally got our air last night..Now just have to get the hotel...

[Nanatravel]

We stayed at the Doubletree Galleria, which is about 2 blocks West of the Holiday Inn across from the beach. It was a $20 taxi ride from the airport and $15 to the port. Hope this helps.

Bon Voyage

 

Celebrity Millennium 2/22/04

Carnival Conquest 10/26/2003

Carnival Legend 4/11/2003

Carnival Pride 2/23/2002

Celebrity Galaxy 11/2001

Grand Princess 3/2001

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Rhapsody of the Seas 3/1998

Celebrity Century 3/1997

Celebrity Zenith 11/1996

Legend of the Seas 6/1995

Celebrity Horizon 4/1994

 

 

[Rustynail]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn by the beach in December adn found it to be quite acceptable. Unfortunately they don't offer a shuttle to the port however if my memory serves me right it was only a $12.00 cab ride.

 

I think it was approx $20.00 from the airport.

 

We loved the ability to walk the beach and to sit outside and have dinner.

 

Enjoy!

 

Dan

 

CARRIBEAN PRINCESS JAN 2005

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[HOLLYW]

I just won my bid on Priceline today! I got the Embassy Suites in Ft. Lauderdale for $60 on September 10th. Yippee!

[suekay]

That's a great price at a great hotel. From what I've read, the Embassy Suites isn't coming up much on Priceline this year. Congratulations!

[cruisinsince75]

Hollyw, thanks for the info. We tried it, but it seems the rates go up dramatically in November. We tried at $60, $70, and ended up at $82 and got upgraded to the 4 star Renaissance right down the street. I had checked on this hotel, but passed because the cheapest rate online was $189!!!

 

Don

 

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