The Priceline Bidding Primer
Oct 8, 13, 10:45 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,218
Dec 2, 13, 2:05 am
#17
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 55
With regards to cancellation, I had a relatively hassle free experience after accidentally booking the wrong dates. They seem to have a very streamlined and automated process for dealing with these kinds of situations. You have to explain the situation to customer service (I used online chat), have them cancel the reservation while refunding you everything but the first night, then rebooking to be refunded the remaining amount minus a $25 fee.
Got this clearly automated email after dealing with cs.
I'm sure they have ways of dealing with abuse: my situation was an actual mistake.
Got this clearly automated email after dealing with cs.
Dear priceline Customer,
We understand you inadvertently entered the incorrect information when submitting your recent Hotel request. We cancelled your current Hotel reservation minus a cancellation fee of $95.22, and issued a refund in the amount of $190.44. To obtain an additional refund of your cancellation fee minus a $25.00 change fee, simply follow the steps outlined below:
1. Please submit a new Hotel request with the correct information on our website at http://www.priceline.com. You can either name your own price, or choose an itinerary where the price and the hotel's name are already displayed prior to purchase.
2. Once you have a new, confirmed reservation, please call our automated system at +1 212 444 0022 (when calling from Norway) or 1-800-657-9168 (when calling from the United States or Canada ). When prompted, simply enter the trip / itinerary number associated with your ORIGINAL (now cancelled) reservation (itinerary number 16638441394), followed by the phone # you provided when you submitted your request. Then, just follow the system prompts to provide us with your NEW itinerary number. Once our automated system verifies your new accepted request, it will refund your $95.22 cancellation fee minus a $25.00 change fee. It will also send you an email confirming this refund.
3. Please remember that you must correct the incorrect information you entered on your previous request in order to receive a refund. If your first new request is not accepted, you may continue to resubmit as many times as you would like (following the above criteria) until you get an accepted request.
We are very happy that we are able to offer this cancellation to you; however, under normal circumstances, reservations cannot be changed or cancelled.
Thank you for choosing priceline for your travel needs.
Sincerely,
The priceline.com Customer Service
We understand you inadvertently entered the incorrect information when submitting your recent Hotel request. We cancelled your current Hotel reservation minus a cancellation fee of $95.22, and issued a refund in the amount of $190.44. To obtain an additional refund of your cancellation fee minus a $25.00 change fee, simply follow the steps outlined below:
1. Please submit a new Hotel request with the correct information on our website at http://www.priceline.com. You can either name your own price, or choose an itinerary where the price and the hotel's name are already displayed prior to purchase.
2. Once you have a new, confirmed reservation, please call our automated system at +1 212 444 0022 (when calling from Norway) or 1-800-657-9168 (when calling from the United States or Canada ). When prompted, simply enter the trip / itinerary number associated with your ORIGINAL (now cancelled) reservation (itinerary number 16638441394), followed by the phone # you provided when you submitted your request. Then, just follow the system prompts to provide us with your NEW itinerary number. Once our automated system verifies your new accepted request, it will refund your $95.22 cancellation fee minus a $25.00 change fee. It will also send you an email confirming this refund.
3. Please remember that you must correct the incorrect information you entered on your previous request in order to receive a refund. If your first new request is not accepted, you may continue to resubmit as many times as you would like (following the above criteria) until you get an accepted request.
We are very happy that we are able to offer this cancellation to you; however, under normal circumstances, reservations cannot be changed or cancelled.
Thank you for choosing priceline for your travel needs.
Sincerely,
The priceline.com Customer Service
Jan 4, 14, 9:44 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 750
good to know, looks like better than hotwire
With regards to cancellation, I had a relatively hassle free experience after accidentally booking the wrong dates. They seem to have a very streamlined and automated process for dealing with these kinds of situations. You have to explain the situation to customer service (I used online chat), have them cancel the reservation while refunding you everything but the first night, then rebooking to be refunded the remaining amount minus a $25 fee.
Got this clearly automated email after dealing with cs.
I'm sure they have ways of dealing with abuse: my situation was an actual mistake.
Got this clearly automated email after dealing with cs.
I'm sure they have ways of dealing with abuse: my situation was an actual mistake.
Jan 5, 14, 2:05 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,665
Norway, US or Canada?
From previous a post "please call our automated system at +1 212 444 0022 (when calling from Norway) or 1-800-657-9168 (when calling from the United States or Canada )." Priceline has an interesting 3-some for its services. And you call New York if you are in Norway. What's going on in Norway?
Aug 14, 14, 9:55 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: 대한민국 (South Korea) - ex-PVG (上海)
Programs: UA MM / LT Gold (LT UC), DL SM, AA PLT (AC), OZ, KE; GE and Korean SES (like GE); Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,996
he was on a military rate of $99 – and I had paid $50
Last edited by relangford; Aug 25, 14 at 10:05 pm Reason: Correct typo
Feb 21, 15, 9:58 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,151
Of all the (largely forgotten) Priceline "name your own price" services, I like car rentals the best. Probably because they use only the major companies, and a car is pretty much a car (unlike hotels, where "4 star hotels" can be quite different and you can get stuck with a bad one). That said, I still only use priceline for maybe 5% of my domestic car rentals. That's because codes and coupons are usually better, and I like utilizing the frequent renter programs (like National's Emerald Aisle) that get you better cars and loyalty points.
But, sometimes, the published rates are just bad and you want to do better. You can usually tell if a Priceline bid will be promising by looking at Hotwire's opaque rates. I tend to bid about $4/day less (but watch the total price!) and it's usually successful. The most absurd thing is when you enter your bid, priceline always tells you it's probably too low and you'd have a better chance bidding a couple bucks more. Ignore the advice and keep your original bid. (I'm a little mystified how this suggestion can be "legal," because it's obviously pure deception -- Priceline knows darn well whether your bid is too low to be accepted!).
But, sometimes, the published rates are just bad and you want to do better. You can usually tell if a Priceline bid will be promising by looking at Hotwire's opaque rates. I tend to bid about $4/day less (but watch the total price!) and it's usually successful. The most absurd thing is when you enter your bid, priceline always tells you it's probably too low and you'd have a better chance bidding a couple bucks more. Ignore the advice and keep your original bid. (I'm a little mystified how this suggestion can be "legal," because it's obviously pure deception -- Priceline knows darn well whether your bid is too low to be accepted!).
Jul 8, 16, 9:00 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 167
Priceline Currency Conversion
When you make a purchase through Priceline and change your currency to CAD, so that the summary of charges shows:
Will your credit card be charged that exact amount in Canadian funds? Or is that just an estimate and Priceline will still charge in USD to be converted by your credit card?
Total Charges C$XXX.XX
Prices are in CAD.
Prices are in CAD.
Jul 14, 16, 12:53 pm
#23
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,665
When you make a purchase through Priceline and change your currency to CAD, so that the summary of charges shows:
Will your credit card be charged that exact amount in Canadian funds? Or is that just an estimate and Priceline will still charge in USD to be converted by your credit card?
Will your credit card be charged that exact amount in Canadian funds? Or is that just an estimate and Priceline will still charge in USD to be converted by your credit card?
Oct 2, 17, 12:54 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Gold, DL MM 8/22/16!
Posts: 2,563
Usually no. But might be worth your while to check, by bidding up to the express deal level. Or close enough that the little extra for an express deal is worth it to you for the added information of the amenities. The comparison of course has to be by the total, not just the the original bid/night vs express rate/night.
For the record, once in a great while hotel on-line rack rates can beat bidding. I speak from experience. Las Vegas, and the particular lesson only cost me $5 but it was memorable. So it also might be worth your while to check directly with the hotel.
For the record, once in a great while hotel on-line rack rates can beat bidding. I speak from experience. Las Vegas, and the particular lesson only cost me $5 but it was memorable. So it also might be worth your while to check directly with the hotel.
Last edited by Romelle; Oct 4, 17 at 4:46 pm
