( CNN ) -- When it comes to saving money on travel , we all know to check discount sites , follow our favorite airlines on social media and monitor our frequent flier points . But did you know that you can save big bucks just by opening your mouth ? It turns out that some honest-to-goodness human-to-human interaction can help you win discounts on hotel , cruise and flight bookings . We asked four travel experts -- Matt Kepnes of NomadicMatt.com ; George Hobica , founder of AirfareWatchdog.com ; Jaime Freedman of Travelzoo.com ; and Clem Bason , president of Hotwire.com -- for simple questions every traveler should be asking to save money . Their answers , er , questions , are below . 7 gross wonders across America . Is there an upgrade available ? Though it may not be in our nature as Americans to haggle or barter for a deal , never feel too shy to request upgrades at airports and hotels . `` Just ask all the time , '' says Clem Bason , president of Hotwire.com . `` Ninety-eight percent of people simply do n't ask . The worst answer you 'll get back is no . '' Jaime Freedman of Travelzoo.com says , `` I 've seen instances where at the very last second they had business class available , so they offered it as an up-sell incredibly inexpensively . '' Budget Travel : Top 10 most-visited cities in the world . George Hobica , founder of AirfareWatchdog.com , notes that airlines would rather up-sell you a seat in business or first class at a fraction of the cost than be forced to give away those expensive seats for free to members of loyalty programs . US Airways , for example , runs a last-minute program called GoUpgrades ; beginning 24 hours before your flight , unsold first-class seats can be purchased for Â¬between $ 50 and $ 500 depending on the length of the flight . When it comes to hotels , the same policy applies : Ask and you ( may ) receive . `` Always say what you 're celebrating , '' says Freedman . `` Drop that it 's your honeymoon , your birthday . You just never know what kind of little special things a hotel has in store . '' If you have kids , she says , ask about a suite upgrade . And if you 're a member of a hotel chain 's loyalty program , Bason recommends asking for waived fees , free parking , kids ' meals , breakfast or Wi-Fi . Travel snapshots : Autumn color around the world . Has the price changed for my seat/room ? `` Most people do n't realize that there 's a pretty good chance that a hotel booking is going to go down in price between the time you book it and the time you arrive , '' says AirfareWatchdog 's George Hobica . Hotel rooms and airline seats fluctuate in price , so once you 've booked , it ( literally ) pays to check the price for a ticket or room every day until your vacation . If you see that the price has gone down , call the airline or hotel directly to see what they can do for you . In many cases , you may be able to cancel your reservation and rebook at a lower price . According to a 2011 post by Hobica on AirfareWatchdog.com , airlines like JetBlue , Southwest and Alaska Airlines may offer you a travel voucher for the difference in price . Others , depending on policy , might simply allow you to cancel your flight and rebook at the lower rate . But buyer beware : Change fees can apply to rebooked flights , so be sure your discount is worth it . Budget Travel : 10 places you 'd rather be on a Wednesday . Are you running any local deals ? Being savvy with social media can obviously pay off when traveling . Restaurants , spas and museums may use local deal sites -- like Groupon or LivingSocial -- to offer discounts on admission or services . It 's always a good bet to sign up in advance for such websites to begin tracking where deals are occurring in your vacation destination . `` Go where the deal is , '' says Freedman . `` More and more companies are starting [ to offer local deals ] as the competition increases . '' Do n't know where to start ? Ask your friendly neighborhood concierge , says Bason . This especially applies at resort hotels , he says , where the concierge is likely to have or know about promotions and specials that might not be otherwise advertised . The added benefit is that you get to experience your destination like a local . `` When [ deals ] are sourced locally , it means you 're going to places that are n't designed for tourists , '' says Freedman , and are consequently less expensive . Hey , why should locals have all the fun ? Budget Travel : 30 irresistible photos of fall . What 's the resident rate ? What you do n't know about booking a cruise can cost you . One hidden savings gem : the resident rate . You may be able to cruise for less if you 're willing to depart from a port in your own state . And with ports of departure now in over a dozen states , you have a better chance than ever before of being able to leave from your home state . If you live reasonably near a cruise port , ask your agent about the rate for in-state residents , which Freedman says cruises offer at a deep discount to increase sales . `` It 's wonderful when you can cruise from home . Basically you 're going on a Caribbean vacation with no airfare . '' Freedman notes that while discounts for residents can vary , in-staters may be able to save up to 25 percent on a cruise . In addition , when it comes to cruises , negotiate with your travel agent when you cruise , says Hobica . Agents are offered incentives from the cruise line and can pass that along to you . Do n't be afraid to ask for perks like shipboard credits , which will help you save you on amenities . Is there a tourism card available ? Matt Kepnes of NomadicMatt.com suggests always asking at the tourism office about a city pass . Popular destinations like Paris , London and New York offer passes that include admission to high-profile attractions . Some even include free public transportation or allow you to skip notoriously long lines at tourist hotspots . New York City offers several varieties of passes that allow you to tailor your experience . The CityPass ( $ 89 for adults , $ 64 for children ) gets you admission to six main attractions including the Empire State Building Observatory , the American Museum of Natural History , the Statue of Liberty , and Ellis Island . You save 46 percent on combined admission -- that 's $ 76 per adult ! Where are you going tonight ? Ok , that question may sound a little creepy . But do n't let that stop you from asking tourism board or visitor center staffers for their own personal recommendations -- not where they send tourists , but where they go themselves . They 'll know where to find the best off-the-beaten-path venues and cultural events , says Freedman , as well as which ones are running deals . When it comes to sustenance , chances are they wo n't point you in the direction of expensive tourist traps . As Kepnes says , `` You 're not going to find New Yorkers eating in Times Square . '' Eating at local restaurants or buying at markets the locals use will save you a huge mark-up and give you a more authentic taste of the area . What strategies do you use to trim costs on vacation ? Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2011 Newsweek Budget Travel , Inc. , all rights reserved .
See if the price has changed for your seat or not ; you may need an adjustment . Know about local attractions from sites like Groupon or LivingSocial . Find out about tourism sites that offer attractions .