Denied on Priceline...HELP!

I have only used Priceline one other time a couple of years ago and was successful. Tonight I tried to get a 3 or 4 star in Long Beach Ca. for $80 and then $90. I was denied both times. We will be in Long Beach on March 1st for one night pre cruise. Is it to late of a date for me to get a good rate on Priceline. I can't try again until tomorrow night (24 hrs.)

You might be disappointed that you didn't get a winning bid but look at it this way: If you had gotten that winning bid with say on the first try at $85 its possible you might have over bid. I would bid two or three dollars higher on the next bid and do this over a 10 day period. This way you don't over bid and just maybe you'll get that winning bid tomarrow. Good luck. Tim

I would bid two or three dollars higher on the next bid and do this over a 10 day period. This way you don't over bid and just maybe you'll get that winning bid tomarrow. Good luck. Tim

Sorry, but I don't get it. I truly believe I'm as thrifty as anyone, but to spend 10 days to save $2-$3???? what about the value of your time & effort.? You're spending $1000-2000 for your cruise. You bid what you need to bid to get the reservation that you want & don't lose sleep over $10. Don't sweat the small stuff!!!!

Try san pedro ca.

it's at the port i got the crown plaza for feb 23rd for 65$ and alot of pepole i know got that rate also.

John

njcruisefan....We thought about San Padro but would rather stay in Long Beach. There is more to do around the hotels with out having to take taxis.

vivian02...thanks for the tip, i'll try that tonight.

Any more thoughts from anybody else would be appreciated.

Thanks

sorry double post

Try hotwire.com. I looked and they are showing a 3* hotel for $89 plus fees and taxes for 1 night March 1 to 2. Good Luck! Ken...

Keep trying, don't give up. Also, check out http://www.betterbidding.com and ask for a bidding strategy. It's a message board similar to this one. They have been huge help to me in preparing for our trip to New York this summer.

Happy Cruisin'

Sorry, deleting double post

Also check biddingfortravel.com for bidding information.

Also check biddingfortravel.com for bidding information.

You also picked a really bad time to insist on Long Beach. The place is just lousy with conventions the first week of March, with everything from the SoCal Golf Show, to a BYU Ambassadors group, to an Indian Cultural group.

Sorry, but I don't get it. I truly believe I'm as thrifty as anyone, but to spend 10 days to save $2-$3???? what about the value of your time & effort.? You're spending $1000-2000 for your cruise. You bid what you need to bid to get the reservation that you want & don't lose sleep over $10. Don't sweat the small stuff!!!!

There's another website that specializes in bidding for travel on things like priceline. The only warning I can give you, is don't overbid, or the moderators there will eat you alive. (They gave me hell for bidding $5 more than other people had)

Read this thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=592208&highlight=Priceline and pay special attention to the second post. Worked for me (twice).

Daveco58...Thanks for the information on the conventions. Does this mean that we will have hard times getting into restaruants, shopping etc.? By the way, I gave up on Priceline. We are staying at the Best Western at the Convention Center. How much am I going to regret that decision? And please tell me that the hotel is a deacent place to stay. Thanks for your help! Any information would be a help.

Daveco58...Thanks for the information on the conventions. Does this mean that we will have hard times getting into restaruants, shopping etc.? By the way, I gave up on Priceline. We are staying at the Best Western at the Convention Center. How much am I going to regret that decision? And please tell me that the hotel is a deacent place to stay. Thanks for your help! Any information would be a help.

Best Western is fine. I don't think you will have any particular problems - there are a ton of restaurants in the area. It's just the big hotels you get on Priceline, are also the same ones that get all the convention business. And even Denny Crane can't get a deal when they are full. LOL.

I just got 2 rooms at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro for $68 each room per night. I am new to Priceline and not sure of all the ins and outs of bidding. I bid $65 for a 3 star in San Pedro as most of the posters here have done. I was denied. I upped it to $68 and added in the Long Beach area and then I was accepted at the Crowne.

I am new to Priceline and not sure of all the ins and outs of bidding......................I upped it to $68 and added in the Long Beach area and then I was accepted at the Crowne.

This time things worked out for you, but you made one minor mistake with your method. If you knew the following, and it didn't make any difference as to where the hotel was, that's fine too. Your mistake was that when you added the "Long Beach" area and increased your bid, you could have ended up in Long Beach. That area also has 3* hotels, and one of them could have accepted your bid. As I said, if you knew that fine, I've done it on ocassion, when it didn't make any difference in which area we stayed. You should have added "Long Beach Airport", as that area doesn't have any 3* hotels, thereby eliminating the possibility of ending up there. Priceline will not downgrade you. If you bid 3*, you will get one, unless they upgrade you, which happens every once in a while. Go to http://www.biddingfortravel.com and read "Hotel FAQ" #9, it explains the rebidding process.

This time things worked out for you, but you made one minor mistake with your method. If you knew the following, and it didn't make any difference as to where the hotel was, that's fine too. Your mistake was that when you added the "Long Beach" area and increased your bid, you could have ended up in Long Beach. That area also has 3* hotels, and one of them could have accepted your bid. As I said, if you knew that fine, I've done it on ocassion, when it didn't make any difference in which area we stayed. You should have added "Long Beach Airport", as that area doesn't have any 3* hotels, thereby eliminating the possibility of ending up there. Priceline will not downgrade you. If you bid 3*, you will get one, unless they upgrade you, which happens every once in a while. Go to http://www.biddingfortravel.com and read "Hotel FAQ" #9, it explains the rebidding process.

Thanks for clarifying this for me. I added the Long Beach area because we are going to have a car and actually do want to tour the Queen Mary so being in Long Beach would have been okay, too. But thanks for the info about the airport area, I didn't know that and I will keep it in mind next time....:)

There's another website that specializes in bidding for travel on things like priceline. The only warning I can give you, is don't overbid, or the moderators there will eat you alive. (They gave me hell for bidding $5 more than other people had)

The owner/administrator has personally abandoned the site, so no more worries of getting chewed out. The site is still up and going, however assistance is in the form of volunteers who help whenever they have any spare time, as opposed to the near 24/7/365 support in years past.

The owner/administrator has personally abandoned the site, so no more worries of getting chewed out. The site is still up and going, however assistance is in the form of volunteers who help whenever they have any spare time, as opposed to the near 24/7/365 support in years past.

Are you referring to biddingfortravel.com or a different site? Just curious.

Are you referring to biddingfortravel.com or a different site? Just curious.

Yes, BiddingForTravel.com, who I assume giblert was referencing in his/her post.

I haven't been to that site in a long time partly because she was sooooo militant about it. I'm really surprised to read that.

I haven't been to that site in a long time partly because she was sooooo militant about it. I'm really surprised to read that.

Yes, the owner/administrator hasn't been active since November 2006.

If you have the time and/or interest, you can follow at the link below, however I warn you the thread is 45 pages and nearly five years ongoing.

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=301930

That's a really interesting link Beav. Thanks for posting.

I sort of got the impression when poking around on BFT last night that maybe she was ill. There was a post of hers in the announcements section in Aug 06 that made me think that.

Sheryl Is Back

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It's been a while and I want to express my sincere appreciation to the many board members who've been running the show around here. It will take some time before I'm at full steam so everyone's patience is appreciated.