Another Priceline Travel Tip - Try A Cruise Or An All-Inclusive Resort To Stretch Those Vacation Dollars

This year is no different. Priceline said it has cruises currently available for as little as $47 a night, per person, based on double occupancy. The price of a cruise includes stateroom, unlimited food in the main dining areas, entertainment and most onboard activities. Visits to local ports are also free. Expect to pay extra for alcoholic drinks, spa treatments, shore tours and excursions, tips, reservations at a ship's gourmet restaurants and, of course, casino wagering.

Cruise lines also have trimmed the cost of a cruise by expanding to 22 departure ports along the U.S. coast, putting millions of Americans within easy driving distance of the pier. Now, instead of paying for a flight, cruisers can drive or even take public transportation to the ship.

The best way to select the right cruise is to visit Priceline Cruises at www.pricelinecruiseoutlet.com to browse the cruises, and then have a conversation with a Priceline Cruise specialist at 1-800-735-8000. "Different cruise lines and even different cruises tend to attract specific age groups, singles, families with kids and retirees," said Tom Trotta, Priceline's Senior Vice President, Vacation Packages and Cruises. Trotta is a veteran of the cruise and all-inclusive resort industries. "Since on-board entertainment and activities are centered around these target groups, it pays to choose a cruise where you know you're going to have a good time. Bottom line, there is a cruise to satisfy every type of traveler."

Priceline Cruise customers can choose from a broad range of cruises at great prices covering the Bahamas, the Caribbean, coastal Canada, Europe, Mexico, the South Pacific, South and Central America, Hawaii and Alaska. Cruise lengths can be 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, or 12 nights or more.

Priceline Cruise customers can research their ideal cruise according to several criteria. They can browse the featured best-deal cruises offered on that day. They can enter a particular month and see all the available cruises and destinations for that time frame. They can pick a departure port or destination and see all the cruises being offered. Or they can pick their favorite cruise line and see its offerings and prices. For each cruise line, customers can see individual ship statistics, deck plans, cabin layouts and descriptions of the ship's public areas and attractions.

For each cruise, customers can view sailing times, itineraries, off-ship activities and sightseeing suggestions and maps of the cruise.

Here are some examples of cruises available at Priceline Cruises www.pricelinecruiseoutlet.com 1-800-735-8000:

-- Cruise from New York

7 night Canada/New England from $549 per person aboard Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Victory. $78 per person per day - 67% savings.

Bonus: Ask about FREE upgrades.

-- Cruise from Miami

4 night Western Caribbean from $189 per person aboard Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Imagination. $47 per person per day - 78% savings.

Bonus: Ask about FREE upgrades on select sailings.

-- Cruise from Port Canaveral

7 night Eastern Caribbean from $549 per person aboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas. $78 per person per day.

Bonus: Ask about FREE upgrades. $100 Free Onboard Spending on select holiday sailings.

-- Cruise from San Diego

5 night Baja Mexico Cruise from $239 per person aboard Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Elation. $48 per person per day - 76% savings.

Bonus: Ask about FREE upgrades on select sailings.

For vacationers who like to set down roots and stay put for a long weekend, or a week, all-inclusive resorts offer another budget-friendly vacation alternative. All-inclusives are most common in Mexico and the Caribbean. All-inclusive resorts typically provide accommodations, food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, entertainment and sports equipment (including non-motorized watercraft) in their per-night price.

"Like cruises, all-inclusive resorts come in many sizes and cater to specific groups and activities, so it's important to learn about the resort before booking," said Trotta. "Some welcome families with children of all ages. Others require that children be at least teenagers. And some are strictly adults-only. Some offer a variety of sports activities, while the main attraction at others is the nightlife or the opportunity to stretch out on the beach and do absolutely nothing."

Trotta pointed out that, while there may be a price difference between a cruise and an all-inclusive resort, both represent solid vacation values. "The price of an all-inclusive vacation package will run higher than a cruise," he said.

"Both options include accommodations, food and entertainment. But unlike a cruise, an all-inclusive vacation will also include airfare, beverages, tips and more activities in the price. Both options have a high level of customer satisfaction and help manage your vacation dollars."

Priceline.com is currently offering specially priced all-inclusive vacation packages. Customers who purchase a four- to six-night package will receive $50 off per package. Customers who book seven or more nights will receive $100 to $150 off per package. To qualify for the special offer, packages must be booked by July 31, 2008 and travel must be completed by December 15, 2008.

Here is a sampling of the all-inclusive package specials. To see full details of these packages or browse prices from other cities, click on the accompanying link. NOTE: Some browsers may require pasting of the link.

-- Jamaica. Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort Montego Bay. $533 per person. Includes round-trip airfare from Miami and 4 nights at the 3-star all-inclusive resort.

www.priceline.com/vacations/lang/en-us/featuredHotel.asp? FT=Y&HID=1599304&DID=7550&DNAME=Jamaica&DAC=MBJ&DEST=Y

-- Cancun. Oasis Palm Beach. $592 per person. Includes round-trip airfare from Dallas and 4 nights at the 3-star all-inclusive resort.

www.priceline.com/vacations/lang/en-us/featuredHotel.asp? FT=Y&HID=1675503&DID=3240&DNAME=Cancun&DAC=CUN&DEST=Y

-- Punta Cana. Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort. $665 per person. Includes round-trip airfare from New York and 5 nights at the 3-star all-inclusive resort.

www.priceline.com/vacations/lang/en-us/featuredHotel.asp? FT=Y&HID=1324005&DID=3150&DNAME=PuntaCana,D.R.&DAC=PUJ&DEST=Y

-- Bahamas. Breezes Bahamas. $759 per person. Includes round-trip airfare from Fort Lauderdale and 4 nights at the 3-star all-inclusive resort.

www.priceline.com/vacations/lang/en-us/featuredHotel.asp? FT=Y&HID=1851603&DID=7570&DNAME=Bahamas(Nassau)&DAC=NAS&DEST=Y

-- Cabo San Lucas. Royal Solaris Los Cabos. $805 per person. Includes round-trip airfare from Los Angeles and 5 nights at the 3-star all-inclusive resort.

www.priceline.com/vacations/lang/en-us/featuredHotel.asp? FT=Y&HID=1891603&DID=3230&DNAME=CaboSanLucas&DAC=SJD&DEST=Y

-- Puerto Plata. Riu Bachata. $847 per person. Includes round-trip airfare from Kansas City and 5 nights at the 3-star all-inclusive resort.

www.priceline.com/vacations/lang/en-us/featuredHotel.asp? FT=Y&HID=8144505&DID=3190&DNAME= PuertoPlata,D.R.&DAC=POP&DEST=Y

-- Cancun. GR Solaris Cancun. $880 per person. Includes round-trip airfare from Chicago and 5 nights at the 4.5 star all-inclusive resort.

www.priceline.com/vacations/lang/en-us/featuredHotel.asp? FT=Y&HID=1634505&DID=3240&DNAME=Cancun&DAC=CUN&DEST=Y

Prices and availability are subject to change at any time. Quoted prices include all taxes and fees.

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About Priceline.com(R) Incorporated

Priceline.com Incorporated (Nasdaq: PCLN | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) www.priceline.com provides online travel services in 21 languages in over 60 countries in Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Included in the priceline.com family of companies is Booking.com, a leading international online hotel reservation service, priceline.com, a leading U.S. online travel service for value-conscious leisure travelers, and Agoda.com, an Asian online hotel reservation service.

Priceline.com believes that Booking.com is Europe's largest and fastest growing hotel reservation service, with a network of affiliated Web sites. Booking.com operates in over 60 countries in 17 languages and offers its customers access to over 45,000 participating hotels worldwide.

In the U.S., priceline.com gives customers more ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises than any other Internet travel service. In addition to getting great published prices, leisure travelers can narrow their searches using priceline.com's TripFilter advanced search technology, customize their search activity through priceline.com's Inside Track features, create packages to save even more money, and take advantage of priceline.com's famous Name Your Own Price(R) service, which can deliver the lowest prices available.

Priceline.com also operates the following travel websites: Travelweb.com, Lowestfare.com, RentalCars.com and BreezeNet.com. Priceline.com also has a personal finance service that offers home mortgages, refinancing and home equity loans through an independent licensee. Priceline.com licenses its business model to independent licensees, including priceline mortgage and certain international licensees.

SOURCE: Priceline.com Incorporated

Priceline.com Press information: Brian Ek, 203-299-8167 brian.ek@priceline.com