Priceline Celebrates William Shatner's 90th Birthday With Weeklong Discount Promotions

Today is a sacred day for those who’ve spent the last several decades traveling to the melodramatic corners of the galaxy via  the USS Enterprise: It is the 90th birthday of William Shatner. And while the great star is no longer an active part of the “Star Trek” franchise, he is still the “Priceline Negotiator” for the Booking Holdings Inc BKNG online travel agency, Priceline.

To celebrate William Shatner Day, Priceline has announced a weeklong series of special travel-related deals beginning today and running through March 28.

Gifts For Shatner Fans: In honor of Shatner, travelers tapping into the Priceline platform will receive an extra 10% off flight, hotel and rental car Express Deals with the code SHATNER10. Priceline VIP Loyalty members will receive special discounts including 15% off hotel Express Deals.

To further oomph up the celebration, all Priceline VIPs and Email Insiders will receive a “mystery coupon,” and 2,000 of these coupons will include 90% off for Hotel Express Deals.

For those who are not Priceline VIP members, the company is offering a free sign-up period through March 24, 11:59 p.m. EDT, in order to gain eligibility for the mystery coupon promotion.

“A birthday this big deserves more than just a cake,” said Priceline CEO Brett Keller. “So for this week only, the Negotiator is dusting off his price-chopping skills to make birthday deals for everyone. On behalf of the entire Priceline family, we wish Bill a very happy 90th birthday."

In a statement issued by the company, Shatner observed the start of his ninth decade by declaring, “In honor of my birthday, Priceline is giving the gift of travel deals to all. Discounts for everyone — I can't think of a better way to celebrate!”

Live Long and Prosper Shatner signed as Priceline’s celebrity spokesperson in 1998 — the company was mulling Bill Cosby for the job before tapping the one-time Capt. James T. Kirk. In a 2018 interview with the Wall Street Journal, Shatner recalled the then-new company was unable to pay him in cash and he agreed to accept compensation in stock. After the marketing campaign featuring Shatner began to appear, Priceline stock took off and Shatner was a happy man.

“I had a good chunk of stock,” Shatner said. “I was rich.”

But that was until the dot-com bubble burst and Priceline’s stock plummeted. Shatner cashed out in 2002 when the stock back down to roughly one dollar a share — but shortly afterward, the stock began to ascend once more. When asked how much he could have made had he kept the stock, Shatner glumly replied, “I don’t even want to go there.”

(Photo: William Shatner as the “Priceline Negotiator.” Photo via Priceline.)