Also, what's the cheapest agency for a last minute flight? My husband and I live in New York and want to go on a cruise to the Caribbean/Bahamas/Barbados or somewhere in that part of the world. Thanks
Check Expedia.com and search around on there until you find the cheapest cruise. Then call the private corp. customer service hotline DIRECTLY! So if you figure out Carnival has the best deal on expedia... then look up the number for Carnival and call them directly. They are usually more willing to give you a great deal + a bonus or maybe an upgrade. Tell the person on the phone what you are willing to pay and ask her to work with you.
I've found the best deal on Flights is Priceline
Good luck and HAVE FUN!!!... (P.S. I hope you already have a passport.... those take about 6-8 weeks)
No one agency will have the best deal on every cruise. It depends on factors like access to group space, volume with the particular cruise line, willingness to discount (where allowed) or use points to get you onboard credit/amenities.
I'd suggest you try http://www.cruisecompete.com
This is the only place where agents compete against each other to try to get you the best deal. They also have a section listing last-minute cruise specials here:
For flights, I like http://www.Kayak.com They have good coverage of most airlines, and the site is very user-friendly (I particularly like the feature where you can move bars on the side of the screen to narrow flights by departure/arrival times).