How does Priceline work?

[Ocruise]

Hi all. We are thinking of trying priceline for a one night stay in Miami mid-July pre cruise.
From what I read, it looks like they charge your card without you getting to select the hotel?
If we are interested in a 4 star hotel in Miami for one night, do you think 80.00 or 90.00 is a reasonable bid? How low can I bid?

Thanks for any/all feedback,
Marina

6/03 ~ Celebrity ~ Horizon- Bermuda
7/03 ~ Carnival ~ Paradise - West. Carrib.
7/04 ~ Disney 4TH of July Wonder cruise - Bahamas
7/04 ~ RCCL - Explorer - West. Carrib.
8/04 - NCL - Pride of Aloha - Hawaii
2/05 - Golden Princess - Southern Carrib.

[jleq]

The website below will answer your questions:

Bidding for travel--hints about Priceline (http://p071.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding)

http://pw2.netcom.com/~jleq/sleazy2.gif

[dosi]

You can most likely get a four star in Miami in July for around $60. However you can easily get the 3 star Sheraton or Hyatt downtown for around $35. Wouldn't you rather use that extra $25 for foo foo drinks??

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

[cuppy]

The Miami Raddison often goes for $35 - it is listed as a three star.

We had this hotel in January and we were pleased

View my photos at
http://community.webshots.com/user/cuppyb

Voyager of Seas - Canada
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=9400d3&cdt=2004;5;30;23;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500

Jewel of Seas
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00bfff&cdt=2004;11;29;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500

Navigator of Seas
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008080&cdt=2005;1;2;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500

RCCL Explorer of the Seas 1-3-04
RCCL Majesty of the Seas 10-27-03
Carnival Ecstasy 5-26-03
NCL Sky 5-19-02

[yst347]

First you should make a reservation at a hotel that will suit your needs that you can cancel if you are succesful with priceline.

When you bid on priceline select the downtown zone only and 3 star quality level.

If your bid fails add the Southwest Miami zone and increase your bid to $40. (The southwest Miami zone has not hotels in the 3 star or higher quality levels so you cannot recieve a hotel here but by adding the zone priceline allows you to rebid immediately.)

If this bid fails increase your bid to $45 and add the North Miami zone (DO NOT ADD THE NORTH MIAMI BEACH ZONE by mistake it does have hotels at the 3 star or higher level so you could get a property here, the North Miami zone doesn't so it is a free rebid.)

If this fails wait 4 days and try again starting back at downtown only for
$35.

Repeat this cycle until you either win a bid or it's time to cruise and you stay in your backup reservation. If you win a bid don't forget to cancel your backup reservation.

Elation 11/2003
Conquest 01/2003
Jubilee 11/2002
Victory 02/2001
Destiny 02/2000
Geotide 11/1992
United States 06/1962

[cuppy]

YST thanks for the info on the other Miami zones. I was not aware that the other areas didn't have a 3 star in them.

Will have to try this out next time I bid

View my photos at
http://community.webshots.com/user/cuppyb

Voyager of Seas - Canada
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=9400d3&cdt=2004;5;30;23;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500

Jewel of Seas
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00bfff&cdt=2004;11;29;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500

Navigator of Seas
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008080&cdt=2005;1;2;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500

RCCL Explorer of the Seas 1-3-04
RCCL Majesty of the Seas 10-27-03
Carnival Ecstasy 5-26-03
NCL Sky 5-19-02