Carolyn in Granspass Oregon: My husband and I want to attend a wedding in Punta Cana in February at the Dreams Palm Beach Resort; however we know nothing about traveling outside of the 50 states. Cost is important, which is why we are saving now for the trip. The wedding party has advised us to use the bride’s recommended travel agent. Would you expect that she could get us the best flight rate?

A travel agent might not you the best deal on a flight, but they can get you the best hotel room because they probably block booked the rooms. Here’s the best way to do handle this situation. Go online and price the tickets and then ask the travel agent what they’re going to charge you for the flight. Also, call the airline directly and have a conversation. The biggest myth out there is that all the inventory is on the web– it’s not. Having that conversation costs you nothing and you might learn about a flight or a time of day to take a flight that the web will never tell you. Then call the hotel too. Maybe the travel agent doesn’t have the best rooms at the hotel; maybe they don’t have the best rates at the hotel. Maybe they booked so far in advance they got blocked in and booked in at a much higher rate. It doesn’t hurt for you to call directly. Don’t ask to speak to reservations, you’ll be rerouted to an 800-number that won’t help you. Ask to speak to the manager on duty or the director of sales. Don’t tell them you’re coming for the wedding. Just tell them you’re coming for the weekend and see what happens. Good luck, Carolyn.

To get the best hotel rate follow Peter’s advice. Also, find out the best day of the week to buy cheap tickets.

Craig in Miami asked: With today’s global society, do travelers even need to get shots to visit to countries such as India?

I’m not a doctor. I don’t even play one on TV. My advice is to consult your physician. Your doctor knows your own medical history. You can consult with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta to see what’s really required in the destinations that you’re traveling. Now there are some people that will go to India and tell you to get malaria shot or take malaria pills. That’s not something I’ve ever done because in my experience I’ve seen people react so negatively to the pills that they have almost blacked out.

I would also ask your doctor pack an emergency medical kit. I’m not talking about just bandages and some antiseptic wipes, but also different mediations for any conceivable event you might come up against. I’ve had one packed for me and for 4 years I never even opened the box- never had to. Then one day about a year and half ago I was in such pain in the middle of nowhere and didn’t have any medical assistance nearby and I opened the box and found relief. Now if you’re going to pack that box with you when you travel, make sure you have a letter from your doctor explaining what it is and why they gave you the prescriptions.

Check out these immunization insider tips.

By Peter Greenberg for Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio