1. Watch for repositioning cruises where a cruise line will offer substantial savings just to reposition its ships. For example, cruise lines are gearing up for Europe voyages starting in May so they are offering transatlantic cruises for as little as $34 per night or for Alaska cruises, you can sail to Vancouver from Los Angeles for as little as $173 per person.
2. Forfeit a view by taking an interior cabin. If you are looking for the cheapest fare then stop looking for a cabin with a view. You won't be spending much time in a cabin anyways so save some money and look for interior or inside cabins. If none is available, then look for oceanview cabins that have an obstructed view.
3. Watch the news and look for unpopular cruises. On November 27, 2007, the MS Explorer cruise ship was evacuated and hours later, sunk off Antarctica. In December, Princess cruises slashed their 17-day South American Explorer cruise prices and offered February 2008 passengers an incredible offer, $999 including airfare to Buenos Aires.
4. If you don't mind being a little adventurous or asking for directions in a foreign place then save some money sailing from an unknown or hard-to-get-to port. Choose a cruise that leaves from Savona, Italy rather than from Rome, Italy and save yourself up to $1,000.
5. Wait for last minute cruise deals where cruise lines drastically reduce fares to fill the ship up. Here you can get free upgrades, free champagne and free onboard credits or a whole suite with balcony for the price of an interior cabin.

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The first thing I tell people is don't pay the asking price. That means, don't just walk up to a car rental counter and ask for the price. You will always get ding'd if you do that. Instead, find a computer that is connected to the internet and book it online.

If you are looking for a cheap rental, check out Dollar, Thrifty, Budget and Enterprise. Each of these companies provide pretty new vehicles at their locations for a low rate.

1. The first place when you reach the company's website to check is their Specials page. Depending on how long you need your vehicle, check if there are any dollar savings off a weekend, weekly or monthly rate. Most of these specials are in the form of a promo code or discount code. Take note of it before you leave the page.
2. If you work for a large corporation, check with your company and see if they have a preferred car rental agency and what the discount is. Most large corporations have corporate accounts with Hertz or Avis, and not any of the discount ones that I have listed. With the right corporate code, you may be able to get better rates with their companies or you may get special privileges. I would compare the prices with these discount companies just to see which one offers the better deal.
3. If you don't have a corporate code then ask your friends if they know of any. For example, if you belong to Costco, they have codes for Alamo, Budget, Avis and Hertz. And if you golf and belong to the USGA, you can use their special code for Hertz. (I believe the last time I looked, the code was printed on the USGA site under benefits.) Having a code will save you up to 25% off your total rental costs.
4. When you pick up your car, stay firm on your booking. Because their rates are substantially discounted, they will try to encourage you to upgrade the vehicle for an additional cost. Or if they ran out of the size that you had booked for, they will try to charge you for a larger size car. Either way, stay firm and demand that they honor your booking.
5. Check with your car insurance company and credit cards to see if there are any car rental coverages that are included. For instance, most gold credit cards offer comprehensive coverage on car rentals. This will save you up to $10 per day if you decline the coverage from the car rental agencies but remember to use the gold card to pay for the rental. Also, some car insurance policies allow you to take the coverage you have on your home vehicle and transfer it to the rental car. This could potentially save you another $20 per day.

I personally take no coverage when I rent because my AllState insurance allows me to take my coverage and transfer it to the car rental and my gold American Express card covers the liability. I have to stay firm at the counter, and decline their coverages and not flinch when they say I am responsible for the whole car in case something happens to it. I know AllState and American Express are behind me on it.

If you plan to take the cruise that leaves from Galveston, Texas on April 27th and departs for 13 nights to Barcelona, Spain then take this to heart. When you get to Barcelona, don't just get on the plane and head home. Please don't leave this beautiful city without visiting some of the sights such as the Sagrada Familia, the quirky buildings in Park Guell and the site of the Olympics game.

Being in Barcelona for three days last December, I can tell you that the city has a lot to offer. Don't plan to see it all in less than two days because you won't enjoy it. Staying three days was not enough but we managed to get around the city and take in most of the sights. The best way to see Barcelona is by bus. I recommend the Bus Turista, a double decker bus that circles the city, covering all points of interest including the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Mila (or La Pedrera), Casa Battlo, the Olympics site, Montjuic and the Gothic Quarter. Along the route, the bus passes by the University, Barcelona Cathedral and La Ramblas. You can get on and off at any Bus Turista stop with a valid ticket. Tickets may be purchased on board or in advance from tour companies such as the tour company that we are affiliated with.

The bus circles the entire (red) route in an hour but will take longer during busier traffic hours. On the first time around, we decided to stay on board and take in the audio program. When the bus circled around, we decided to get off at the Sagrada Familia for a closer look. Inside, Gaudi wanted the church to resemble a forest of trees, reaching towards the heavens. He was a genius, creating plaster models and leaving drawings behind for today's builders to finish his work. It truly looks like a forest inside, with the columns made out of different materials. A lift is available to take you high into one of the pinnacles, which has been dedicated to one of twelve apostles. The view from up top is spectacular.

The other architectural wonders of Gaudi are equally impressive. The man was certainly ahead of his time when he had designed La Pedrera, Casa Battlo and Park Guell. Be sure to give yourself ample time to visit each of his work which can be found throughout Barcelona.

You make your way out of the lobby and into the next hotel. The lady at the desk is ready to check you in, under the conference rate of $99 per night, a saving of over $200 to stay at the Hyatt instead of the Best Western across the street. What a great deal! The only thing is, is your conscience - are you going to tell her the truth that you are not in town for the conference? Heck no. Why does she care?

Believe it or not, hotels do cater to conferences and events happening in town. The discounts can vary, depending on how many attendees come into town for the conference. Take for example, the RSA Conference in San Francisco during the April 7 - 11, 2008. They estimate over 17,000 people will be attending, so they have negotiated with several hotels in the area and have come up with some pretty good rates. I've compared their rates with rates I've obtained using my traveller's search engine (which is a culmination of Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, etc.). Here's the comparison:

• JW Marriott - my price $319, their price $289
• Westin St Francis - my price $284, their price $249
• W - my price $440, their price $279
• St Regis - my price $469, their price $379
• Prescott - my price $323, their price $174

Depending on the hotel, you can save anywhere from 10-40% off. Don't feel bad that you are staying with them and not attending the conference. It's not like you're staying for free. You are a paid customer and a welcomed guest of the hotel.

If you're interested in being in San Francisco during this time, book a hotel of your choice by calling reservations and telling them you are attending the RSA Conference.