Summary of Winning Bids on Priceline, Hotwire, etc.

[montREALady]

Just won the Marriott San Juan Resort And Stellaris Casino for 4 nights post-cruise, March 27-31st for $115. I was on my last re-bid when it was accepted. YAY! Now I just have to work on the 1 night pre-cruise stay (March 19th), we just want a 3 star for that and there's only one re-bid option/area. They rejected my last offer of $86.

[Goliath27]

Anyone have good luck when biding on south beach, miami hotels? Learned my lesson that it wasn't worth staying far from south beach if that is where I will spend all of my time when in Miami.

 

ALi

[montREALady]

Anyone have good luck when biding on south beach, miami hotels? Learned my lesson that it wasn't worth staying far from south beach if that is where I will spend all of my time when in Miami.

 

ALi

 

Have you tried the Miami thread? This one is Puerto Rico so you probably won't find any info here on Miami. And you're right, probably makes sense to get one on South Beach. Good luck!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=412923 <-- Florida Priceline/Hotwire Winning Bids thread

Edited February 22, 2011 by montREALady

[Goliath27]

Have you tried the Miami thread? This one is Puerto Rico so you probably won't find any info here on Miami. And you're right, probably makes sense to get one on South Beach. Good luck!

 

woops my mistake, I booked using this thread last time for san juan and haven't kept up with it, so All I read was the winning bids title haha. Thanks!

 

ALi

[montREALady]

woops my mistake, I booked using this thread last time for san juan and haven't kept up with it, so All I read was the winning bids title haha. Thanks!

 

ALi

 

Hehehe, I know what you mean about not keeping up. Hey, I'm doing the Carnival Victory March 20th this year, an exact year after you. They took out Dominica since you went though :(

[Goliath27]

Hehehe, I know what you mean about not keeping up. Hey, I'm doing the Carnival Victory March 20th this year, an exact year after you. They took out Dominica since you went though :(

 

I know Dominica was hit hard from the hurricane I hear, but you will have a blast and don't spend too much money in San Juan. We stayed there for 2 days before our cruise and a day after since the flights were way cheaper. Spent a bunch of my money on cabs and eating and stuff in San Juan when I should of just stayed in my room lol.

 

You will have a blast and if you can, try and reserve tours before the cruise. It was cheaper for us and Cosol Tours in St. Lucia was Awesome!

 

ALi

[montREALady]

I know Dominica was hit hard from the hurricane I hear, but you will have a blast and don't spend too much money in San Juan. We stayed there for 2 days before our cruise and a day after since the flights were way cheaper. Spent a bunch of my money on cabs and eating and stuff in San Juan when I should of just stayed in my room lol.

 

You will have a blast and if you can, try and reserve tours before the cruise. It was cheaper for us and Cosol Tours in St. Lucia was Awesome!

 

ALi

 

Apparently it was because of gas costs, etc. I know, we're beginning to realize before we even get that that SJ is expensive! The hotel costs alone! So glad we got our 4 night post-stay @ Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino for $115/night by bidding on Priceline, but the pre-cruise one night is going to cost us more I can see as I went up to $124 last night for 4*/resort and it wasn't accepted.

 

Yes, I've been looking into tours and plan on sealing all that up by the weekend. In St. Lucia we're going to the Rendezvous Resort for the day, but I did hear about Cosol Tours. Mom has been there 3 times in the last 3 years, so she's all "toured" out for St. Lucia, lol! Thanks!

Edited February 22, 2011 by montREALady

[sambeauxjangles]

First time bidding on Priceline...

Pre-cruise May 21, 2011 - Radisson Ambassador San Juan - $90 (orbitz, expedia, etc was around $145)

Post-cruise May 29, 2011 - Sheraton Old San Juan - $80 (orbitz, expedia, etc was $209)

I'm pretty happy with that!

[beachgal]

We got 2 rooms at Caribe Hilton in San Juan for 3/26, night before our cruise. Priceline books you a room but there is no guarantee on what kind of beds you get, so I always call the hotel and put a request on my reservation. I travel with girlfriends and we prefer double beds. I called Caribe Hilton today - one room already has double beds, the other is a king so they made notation that we want double beds. I've never had a problem with my request.

 

I also asked them to put us down for late checkout on Sunday so we can relax & stay at the resort as long as we can since there is no rush to get to the ship - doesn't leave until 11pm.

[montREALady]

First time bidding on Priceline...

Pre-cruise May 21, 2011 - Radisson Ambassador San Juan - $90 (orbitz, expedia, etc was around $145)

Post-cruise May 29, 2011 - Sheraton Old San Juan - $80 (orbitz, expedia, etc was $209)

I'm pretty happy with that!

 

Nice! The 3.5 star selection and prices aren't great since now it's less than a month away for us!

[montREALady]

Yay! I just got the Marriott for $110.00 a night each for 2 rooms, 2 nights from March 18-20th 2011.

Also got it for 1 night post cruise for the same price March 27th - 28th.

I chose San Juan, Resort and got them both on the first try.

 

Cyberjane, will you be on the Carnival Victory by any chance?:)

[montREALady]

So I tried for a few nights to bid on our one-night pre-cruise hotel, kept getting rejected. Tried 3* at first because we said, heck, we're only there for a night, but then we said we'd aim for 4*/resort after getting the Stellaris post-cruise for $115/night and I had just bid $90 for a 3* on the 19th and got rejected. Figured it was a few bucks difference for a better hotel. Except the list prices were lower post-cruise. Since Monday night, hotels have become booked up and the choices have become slimmer and slimmer for 4*/resort, the Stellaris booked up on Monday, then the Conrad last night leaving only 2 hotels for that star level and one was the La Concha who doesn't seem to be taking bids and the Intercontinental is $300/night list price! To top it off the La Concha went up $10 yesterday. So when my last re-bid of $135 got rejected for 4*/resort last night, I decided to go back to 3*. My first bid of $95 got rejected, then I bid $105 for the 2nd and last re-bid because I didn't want to try $100 and risk waiting another 24hrs before I could bid again. I just wanted to get it over with, lol.

 

Pre-Cruise, March 19th, checkout March 20th

Verdanza Hotel, 3.5*

$105 + tx a night

Can't really tell from the reviews, because some are bad then some are good, so we're just going to enjoy it no matter what! It's close to the airport, $11.50 7min cab ride, $1 per bag and about 11mins from the port.

 

Post cruise, March 27-31st

San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Resort

$115 + tx a night

I'll relax for 2 nights post cruise and Mom for 4 :)

Edited February 23, 2011 by montREALady

[Weluv2cruise2007]

I just got the Verdanza for $85 post cruise on the 6th. Looks nice enough on line, but I think it's a little far from OSJ :mad:

Oh well...website said it was on the bus route.

[montREALady]

I just got the Verdanza for $85 post cruise on the 6th. Looks nice enough on line, but I think it's a little far from OSJ :mad:

Oh well...website said it was on the bus route.

 

6th of March? Wow, what a difference a couple weeks make! I bid up to $90 the other day and got nothing, $95 got rejected last night. I think we're arriving in the middle of spring break (March 19th). Yeah, a cab to OSJ from there is about $20 each way. Thank goodness when we leave it's to catch our cruise, we won't be going back! It's close to beaches though. Call them to see what kind of room you got, I got a deluxe cabana, their toll free # is 800-625-0312, I spoke to a helpful lady named Sandra.

[galliegirlie]

I've been bidding 3.5+ for the past few months trying to get the Sheraton OSJ. I would always start at $80 then work up to $100+, but never won anything. I chaulked it up to the Spring Break/Easter travelers. This morning I tried again started at $85, and got a reply requesting that I increase to $110. I figured why not considering all my past tries, and it came back saying I had won the Carib Hilton. I was hoping for the Sheraton OSJ simply for the ease of sightseeing all day, but the Hilton would have been my second choice, and given that it is a resort I'm sure it will be worth it. We probably won't get to enjoy the resort to the full extinct since we are getting in to town late Thursday night, and plan to spend all day Friday exploring OSJ, but we'll make the best of our time there.

[montREALady]

I've been bidding 3.5+ for the past few months trying to get the Sheraton OSJ. I would always start at $80 then work up to $100+, but never won anything. I chaulked it up to the Spring Break/Easter travelers. This morning I tried again started at $85, and got a reply requesting that I increase to $110. I figured why not considering all my past tries, and it came back saying I had won the Carib Hilton. I was hoping for the Sheraton OSJ simply for the ease of sightseeing all day, but the Hilton would have been my second choice, and given that it is a resort I'm sure it will be worth it. We probably won't get to enjoy the resort to the full extinct since we are getting in to town late Thursday night, and plan to spend all day Friday exploring OSJ, but we'll make the best of our time there.

 

Apparently the Sheraton OSJ only accepts reservations from 2 nights and up. Nothing for 1 night. That's probably why you never got it.

[galliegirlie]

Apparently the Sheraton OSJ only accepts reservations from 2 nights and up. Nothing for 1 night. That's probably why you never got it.

 

I was bidding for a 2 night stay (Thursday, Friday). Oh well, I'm happy with what we got. We'll just take a taxi or bus into town.

[montREALady]

I was bidding for a 2 night stay (Thursday, Friday). Oh well, I'm happy with what we got. We'll just take a taxi or bus into town.

 

Ahhh, okay, then they probably didn't have availability. Caribe looks great, actually a co-worker of mine is there as we speak :D. We got the Verdanza pre-cruise, not in OSJ, but a cab ride away. I get in too late for it to matter anyway. When we go to OSJ, we're not going back to the hotel since our cruise leaves that night.

[beckaroo]

Thinking about trying the Priceline site.

What hotel and price are you guys coming back with on a 3 1/2* for one night? Did not know if I should stick with Hotel Milano at $120.00 for the night or try my luck.

[montREALady]

Thinking about trying the Priceline site.

What hotel and price are you guys coming back with on a 3 1/2* for one night? Did not know if I should stick with Hotel Milano at $120.00 for the night or try my luck.

 

Try looking on Priceline's regular site to see what 3.5* hotels are listed for your dates of travel to get an idea of what's out there. Whatever the hotel list price is, you can pretty much gauge that the "name your price" would be about 1/2 of that. I've noticed that the closer to the date (less than a month), the harder it is to get the price you may want or even the hotel. It really is a gamble, but it's something I noticed this last time I bidded. I know Sheraton Old San Juan is 3.5, Verdanza is...When are you leaving? Put the Milano on hold, then take the chance and bid for a couple days not going over the $120. Can't hurt. If you win a hotel through Priceline, cancel the Milano. Good luck.

[bcs819]

First time bidding on Priceline...

Pre-cruise May 21, 2011 - Radisson Ambassador San Juan - $90 (orbitz, expedia, etc was around $145)

Post-cruise May 29, 2011 - Sheraton Old San Juan - $80 (orbitz, expedia, etc was $209)

I'm pretty happy with that!

 

we're sailing with you. Can you tell me what level you bid at? What *** I mean? Thanks.

[montREALady]

Try looking on Priceline's regular site to see what 3.5* hotels are listed for your dates of travel to get an idea of what's out there. Whatever the hotel list price is, you can pretty much gauge that the "name your price" would be about 1/2 of that. I've noticed that the closer to the date (less than a month), the harder it is to get the price you may want or even the hotel. It really is a gamble, but it's something I noticed this last time I bidded. I know Sheraton Old San Juan is 3.5, Verdanza is...When are you leaving? Put the Milano on hold, then take the chance and bid for a couple days not going over the $120. Can't hurt. If you win a hotel through Priceline, cancel the Milano. Good luck.

 

Here's proof that it's really a gamble. When I was bidding, the only 3.5* was the Verdanza, I won my bid for $105 on Feb. 23rd (only had one rebid, and after $95 was rejected, I just bid $105 to be done with it :o). Another person in my roll call won the Embassy Suites across the street (3.5*) on Feb. 26th for $88 for the same date! That hotel wasn't even showing up as being available the whole time I was bidding. :rolleyes:

[pattycake08]

Thank you all for your recent comments using Priceline. I just got the Radisson Ambassador for $75.00. I followed the suggestions regarding free bidding by picking another zone that you already know doesn't offer the star quality you want. I ended up picking 6 zones & only increasing my bid by $2.00 each time, until it finally said you won in San Juan which is of course the city I wanted all along.

[SassyCheryl]

First time bidding on Priceline...

Pre-cruise August 13, 2011 - Radisson Ambassador San Juan - $85.00 with taxes $102.28

 

Prices listed on hotels.com, orbitz, and expedia around $175.00-$215.00.

 

Priceline took my 1st bid... Probably could have started at $75.00 :rolleyes:

[crusingforfun]

When would you bid for pre-cruise stay in December? We need 1 night on 12/16.

 

Thanks!