Colts88 Posted January 14, 2009 #1 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I read the guidelines and think this is ok since I am not promoting a travel agent. I just wanted to give a good tip to travelers. I just booked a room for pre-cruise at Intercontinental Miami during spring break and got the room for $207. Everywhere else the room goes for $387. I also rented a car on priceline for $67 dollars instead of the $127 I was quoted with Alamo. I feel I've saved a lot. I hope this post will be helpful to other Carnival travelers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurbanfan Posted January 14, 2009 #2 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I love The Intercontinental Hotel:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare finoky Posted January 14, 2009 #3 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I love The Intercontinental Hotel:) Uh huh, what she said!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ialvarado2 Posted January 14, 2009 #4 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I read the guidelines and think this is ok since I am not promoting a travel agent. I just wanted to give a good tip to travelers. I just booked a room for pre-cruise at Intercontinental Miami during spring break and got the room for $207. Everywhere else the room goes for $387. I also rented a car on priceline for $67 dollars instead of the $127 I was quoted with Alamo. I feel I've saved a lot. I hope this post will be helpful to other Carnival travelers. I am really sorry to give you some bad news, but I hope it helps someone else before bidding on priceline. Ok, here it goes... You paid TOO MUCH for your hotel, Intercontinatal at downtown Miami has been going on priceline for about $97-$119 per night. $207 is a lot. Priceline makes money with the people that overbid. They might reject once or twice at a high price to make you think you need to put more. So, my advice is to start always at RIDICOULOSLY LOW prices... (yes... they tell you is almost impossible, but is not) I've gotten the Omni in different cities for about 80 dlls, and the Hyatt in Jax for $65 per night... better than motel 8. Still... you paid WAY less than other people, so you should be happy.... Sincerly, A priceline fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser4life04 Posted January 15, 2009 #5 Share Posted January 15, 2009 How does priceline work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach410 Posted January 15, 2009 #6 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I am really sorry to give you some bad news, but I hope it helps someone else before bidding on priceline. Ok, here it goes... You paid TOO MUCH for your hotel, Intercontinatal at downtown Miami has been going on priceline for about $97-$119 per night. $207 is a lot. Priceline makes money with the people that overbid. They might reject once or twice at a high price to make you think you need to put more. So, my advice is to start always at RIDICOULOSLY LOW prices... (yes... they tell you is almost impossible, but is not) I've gotten the Omni in different cities for about 80 dlls, and the Hyatt in Jax for $65 per night... better than motel 8. Still... you paid WAY less than other people, so you should be happy.... Sincerly, A priceline fan. But this is during spring break, that price 97-119 is probably not during high season. I am not good with priceline, I am always too quick at raising my price or changing my category then regrettting it and not liking the hotel they pick for us. Twice I have gotten stuck in hotels that were under renovation. My friend has wonderful luck. We did get get a room (suite) for $75 in downtown Tampa for our next cruise that is going for $249 or $150 for govt employees. But again, I read its undergoing renovations and the reviews arent great, I hope they are done by our trip in March! And in hindsight, I would have been ok with a lower start hotel for 1/2 the price, as we are getting in late the night before anyway. O well, I look at it this way, a 2 star hotel's going rate is $75 if we booked directly. Its just such a gamble, but I am sure I will use it again to save a few bucks, more DOD's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TanIslandGirl Posted January 15, 2009 #7 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I've always wanted to try Priceline but when I read the fine print i seem to remember it saying something like, the rooms they offer are for two people only. Has anybody ever been able to get a room through them can accomodate more than two people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverpar Posted January 15, 2009 #8 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I love The Intercontinental Hotel:) Ditto!! I got rooms at the IC last December for 131.00 a night..booked it through easy click travel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipty2 Posted January 15, 2009 #9 Share Posted January 15, 2009 There is a really good site that gives you simple instructions on how to use Priceline or you could go directly to their site. Here it is http://travel.gocurious.com/priceline-help/priceline-help-2.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duhe98 Posted January 15, 2009 #10 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I would think hotel pricess go up for Springbreak... I am really sorry to give you some bad news, but I hope it helps someone else before bidding on priceline. Ok, here it goes... You paid TOO MUCH for your hotel, Intercontinatal at downtown Miami has been going on priceline for about $97-$119 per night. $207 is a lot. Priceline makes money with the people that overbid. They might reject once or twice at a high price to make you think you need to put more. So, my advice is to start always at RIDICOULOSLY LOW prices... (yes... they tell you is almost impossible, but is not) I've gotten the Omni in different cities for about 80 dlls, and the Hyatt in Jax for $65 per night... better than motel 8. Still... you paid WAY less than other people, so you should be happy.... Sincerly, A priceline fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trock Posted January 15, 2009 #11 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I love The Intercontinental Hotel:) We did the IC! :p.. and the Fountainbleau! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrenalineRush Posted January 15, 2009 #12 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I would think hotel pricess go up for Springbreak... Even during Springbreak the OP overbid. Biddingfortravel is a great site to use for research. You can read through the treads and find out the lowest accepted bid for anytime of year. When using priceline, I always want my first bid to be rejected, then I can slowly up my bid until it was accepted. The OP got a lower rate than most..more than likely a bid of 100-115 would have gotten a win. Its very seldom it takes a bid of $200 to get any hotel on Priceline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trock Posted January 15, 2009 #13 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Even during Springbreak the OP overbid. Biddingfortravel is a great site to use for research. You can read through the treads and find out the lowest accepted bid for anytime of year. When using priceline, I always want my first bid to be rejected, then I can slowly up my bid until it was accepted. The OP got a lower rate than most..more than likely a bid of 100-115 would have gotten a win. Its very seldom it takes a bid of $200 to get any hotel on Priceline. sky auction even has better hotel deals than priceline... but I would say the OP got a great deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrenalineRush Posted January 15, 2009 #14 Share Posted January 15, 2009 sky auction even has better hotel deals than priceline... but I would say the OP got a great deal Good deal, but she bid double what she should have to get that level of hotel in Miami, even during Spring Break. To me if you are going to use Priceline its best to bid as low as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trock Posted January 15, 2009 #15 Share Posted January 15, 2009 :D Good deal, but she bid double what she should have to get that level of hotel in Miami, even during Spring Break. To me if you are going to use Priceline its best to bid as low as possible. I have never used it.. so i am unfamiliar how it works.. but i have used sky and the deals on there are unbelievable!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharismaticWoman Posted January 15, 2009 #16 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Priceline has saved me hundreds of dollars. I never book directly though a hotel's website. There is a four-star all suite hotel that my husband and I visit a few times a year just to get away and I always win the hotel (eventually) for $36.00 bucks. You will never see that price on the hotel's website. I enjoy being surprised when I go new places by the hotels I get though priceline. We have only been disappointed once, but we were only staying one night and we got a good deal, so it didn't matter. I must give props (hope this is ok, if not, oops) to biddingfortravel, they tell you how to rebid in the same zone without waiting 24 hours. It's like a total game to me, I get all nervous and then all giddy about the great hotel we got! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisinInNC Posted January 15, 2009 #17 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Has anyone ever booked a cruise through Priceline?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharismaticWoman Posted January 15, 2009 #18 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I just went to skyauction to check it out, never used it before. I found a hotel that was "on sale" for 69 bucks, but then listed a additional fee for taxes, etc for 49 bucks! That seems crazy, that means that now the room is actually $120. Are all of the deals like this or is it just particular hotels? The taxes and fees cost almost as much as a night at the hotel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colts88 Posted January 15, 2009 Author #19 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I just wanted to say that I appreciate all the feedback I've received from this post. One thing I wanted to clarify is that I first started my bid at 150. THen I got a response that said increase your bid by at least 25 dollars to increase your chances. THat is what to get the room. Since I am new to priceline, I'm not exactly sure how it works and probably could have gotten a better deal. iIth all that being said, I'm still pretty pleased with the prices I got. By the way, the car rental was the same way. I started bidding at 30 dollars and kept increasing until my bid was accepted at 50. Best of Luck to those who decide to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colts88 Posted January 15, 2009 Author #20 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I didn't wait 24 hours to rebid. I'm not sure what that's all about. Maybe you are supposed to wait 24 hours to bid again??? Somehow I was able to bid again right away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharismaticWoman Posted January 15, 2009 #21 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I didn't wait 24 hours to rebid. I'm not sure what that's all about. Maybe you are supposed to wait 24 hours to bid again??? Somehow I was able to bid again right away. For hotels, priceline will only let you bid once every 24 hours in the same zone, for the same date and same star level. So if you wanted to stay in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, on June 5, in a 4-star hotel - after your bid was turned down the first time, you'd have to wait 24-hours before you can re-bid that exact same combination. However, there is a way around this. Biddingfortravel explains this way better than I do. It's a great place to start before you use PL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprint Posted January 15, 2009 #22 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I've always wanted to try Priceline but when I read the fine print i seem to remember it saying something like, the rooms they offer are for two people only. Has anybody ever been able to get a room through them can accomodate more than two people? I use Priceline all the time. Yes, they only guarantee you one bed, however, I have always called the hotel immediately after my booking to change to two doubles (there are 4 of us). I have never had a problem.....I guess there's always a first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flvol77 Posted January 15, 2009 #23 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Price line is awesome - we have disney and Universal passes and we like to stay in orlando for two or three days at a decent hotel. I have landed the Omni for 59 a night, we always seem to end up at the Radission Celebration....the most we have paid was 38 a night and the least was 32 a night. You have to do your research and be good with whatever you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flvol77 Posted January 15, 2009 #24 Share Posted January 15, 2009 For hotels, priceline will only let you bid once every 24 hours in the same zone, for the same date and same star level. So if you wanted to stay in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, on June 5, in a 4-star hotel - after your bid was turned down the first time, you'd have to wait 24-hours before you can re-bid that exact same combination. However, there is a way around this. Biddingfortravel explains this way better than I do. It's a great place to start before you use PL. Really? I have never had this trouble. If your bid gets turned down they want you to change your preferences, all you have to do is log out and then log back in and bid again. We have stayed in Orlando maybe 10 times from August to Oct and it worked every time for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
407dm Posted January 15, 2009 #25 Share Posted January 15, 2009 watch out if priceline just makes a reservation for you this past summer I went to book a priceline room and they didn't take my priceline bid but "booked" a room for me the place was NOT up to priceline standards so they just forwarded my reservation I had used them many times but got burned on this one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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