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Tampa priceline zone help

Kokomos

By Kokomos,
in Florida Departures

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Kokomos

Kokomos

Posted
Posted

Weve never been to Tampa but have had great luck with priceline. Which area should I be choosing for pre and post cruise nights. Safe areas please.

Also where is the port when looking at this map?

 

Thanks

Wanda

 

Brandon Area Details Busch Gardens Area Details Tampa Airport (TPA) & Westshore Area Details Tampa Downtown Area Details Tampa East - Fairgrounds Area Details Tampa North Area Details seemap.gif

 

115.gif

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WELUV2CRZ

WELUV2CRZ

Posted
Posted
Weve never been to Tampa but have had great luck with priceline. Which area should I be choosing for pre and post cruise nights. Safe areas please.

Also where is the port when looking at this map?

 

Thanks

Wanda

 

Brandon Area Details Busch Gardens Area Details Tampa Airport (TPA) & Westshore Area Details Tampa Downtown Area Details Tampa East - Fairgrounds Area Details Tampa North Area Details seemap.gif

 

115.gif

Wanda,

Live just North of Tampa, so hopefully I can help. I would stay away from Busch Gardens Area, Tampa East-Fairgrounds and Tampa North. The Tampa Airport & Westshore are areas closest to the Port. Brandon is a bit far. There's some great hotels in both Downtown area & Westshore Area. The Westshore Area is a "business district. Close to the airport and only about a $20.00 cab ride to Port. My downtown favorite is Marriott Waterside. In Westshore area, my favorite would be Renaissiance @ International Plaza. If you narrow it down to a few, let me know and I can offer my opinon.

Good Luck.

Cindi

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Timmys_mom Great Review Rare

Timmys_mom

Posted
Posted

I bid Downtown, 3 star only and got the Hyatt for $90+fees and taxes.

 

Started at $70, downtown only and 3 star

Added Brandon (no 3 stars in the zone) and changed bid to $80

PL countered with $102, but I passed

Added Tampa North (again, no 3 stars in that zone) and changed bid to $90

 

Final bid was accepted.

 

The Hyatt has a shuttle to the pier for $4 per person.

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  • 4 months later...
rebeccajo68

rebeccajo68

Posted
Posted

I keep looking at biddingfortravel.com to help in trying to figure out how to bid on priceline but I don't understand the site at all. Can you bid and then turn around and bid again only higher? Can you do that immediately. How long do they keep your bid if they can't fill it right away. I'm SOOOOOOoo confused

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rebeccajo68

rebeccajo68

Posted
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If I bid and it is turned down, I don't have to worry that they will find a room for that price and charge me do I?

If I go back and start all over and bid again...I worry about doing that over and over and being charged more than once for a room on the same night.

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signman

signman

Posted
Posted

Rebecca, tell me what you've bid so far.

 

You will not be charged if you are turned down. You will not get charged twice, because once you are accepted you will stop bidding.....right.

 

But before you go back to bidding, find a backup hotel and make a fully cancellable reservation. According to Expedia, there are many options in the $129-149 range. Make your reservation directly with the hotel, so you will not have any fees from a third party if you cancel. Consider using hotel points if you have them. This is a good scenario for that.

 

My educated guess is that you will not have any luck until you are within just a few days of your departure to Tampa, that's why you need a backup. Occupany and prices are high so hotels would be foolish to sell rooms thru PL far in advance.

 

Once you start to bid, you will only want to bid for 4 star hotels in the TPA-Westshore zone, for 3 stars in that same zone plus Downtown, and possibly for 2 1/2 in TPA-Westshore. When you are bidding and are offered the opportunity to change your star level DO NOT DO IT. Only make changes to the zones you are bidding.

 

Here's your step by step guide.

 

Start with 4 star in TPA-Westshore zone. Bid $80 and if rejected up your bid by $5, add a zone and bid again

 

Start 4 star TPA-Westshore $80 if rejected

add Downtown zone, raise to 85 if rejected

add Brandon, raise to 90, if rejected

add Busch, raise to 95, if rejected

add East, raise to 100, if rejected

add North, raise to 105 Stop bidding Exit PL

 

If these prices are too high, make your first bid a little lower.

 

Go back into PL and start a brand new bid.

Start 3 star TPA-Westshore at $65, if rejected

add Downtown, raise bid to 75, if rejected

add North, raise bid to 85, if rejected

add Brandon, raise as high as you are comfortable with. This is your last chance at a 3 star. Exit PL

 

Go back into PL and make one bid only for a 2 1/2 star in TPA-Westshore zone. Your bid should be the highest you are comfortable with.

 

If totally unsuccessful, wait 72 hours and then repeat exact same sequence again. You can do this every 72 hours.

 

In the meantime read thru http://www.biddingfortravel.com The information there will now start to make more sense to you.

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signman

signman

Posted
Posted

Rebecca, just saw your posts on Tampa hotels thread. Wish you would have posted same info here, instead of me having to draw everything out of you. I don't think you have a chance of getting a downtown hotel for $60 unless it is a day or two before you leave. Right now there is more availability in the Westshore area at better prices than downtown.

 

Wouldn't it be easier to go to Nashville and fly Southwest?

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rebeccajo68

rebeccajo68

Posted
Posted

Thank you for all of your help. I have been considering going to Nashville and flying in but here is my thinking.

 

I have a $300 credit with Delta. Sometimes the weather around here can be crazy the early part of April. Could be 70 could be 20 and snowing. If it does snow around that time, getting to Nashville is very difficult because of the plateau.

 

The information on Priceline is very good too. Thanks for taking that kind of time.

 

Rebecca

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