PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – If you’re dreaming of the sound of ocean waves, the bustle of city streets, or maybe just the quiet hum of nature, you’re not alone. Summer is the height of vacation travel.

“I find it to be very therapeutic to get away, a change of scenery,” Maceon Miales, founder of Macy Travels, said.

And if you’ve waited to plan your trip until now, you’re not alone. Over 40 percent of Americans plan and book their travel last minute. Miales is seeing more of that trend now.

“And it may be because of the economy and uncertainty and things like that, that they’re not so comfortable planning so far ahead.”

Whatever your reason, there are deals to be had last minute. Especially when it comes to cruises.

“They’re filling up quickly, but then if they’ve got cancelations or last-minute rooms that they need to fill up, sometimes they’ll put a really good deal out there. About 60-90 days is a really good time to start looking if you’re thinking about a last-minute cruise,” AAA Tidewater travel Consultant, Ashley Boyle said.

She says the key to getting any good deal is flexibility.

“Obviously it’d be great to sail out of Norfolk but that could be a totally full sailing. But there’s one leaving out of Ft. Lauderdale that’s maybe half the price because they have some really good deals going on. So as long as you’re open to a little pretravel then we can get you some better savings that way,” says Boyle.

Booking flights last minute can be a gamble. Boyle says the best thing to do is–

“Purchase a refundable ticket on the front end. That way you can get your money back if the prices do drop, and purchase at the lower rate,” Boyle said.

“I tell a lot of my clients the best day to travel out on is Saturday. That usually is the cheapest day. Sometimes Sunday as well,” Miales added.

The key, again, is to be flexible.

“When you see some of the people who are doing last minute deals, it’s because they’re so flexible that they were able to see a deal and hop on it immediately. Whereas when you’re trying to work within a specific timeframe, you may not find that deal,” Miales said.

Certain apps can be a real money-saver. Hopper tracks flights, hotels and vacation rentals and focuses on finding the best deal. Experts also say to check several booking sites, not just one. Sites like Expedia, Trivago, Kayak and Hotels.com. Compare them against the actual website for the hotel, airline, or car rental.

But if don’t want to do all the work, opting to go through a travel agent might be your best bet.

“I’ve made relationships at the places where I book, so I ensure that you get top quality service. I’m also able to make you aware of how to better prepare for whatever trip that you’re taking. Oftentimes I’m able to get rooms upgraded, I provide private transportation, not shared transportation, and I pick better flights,” Miales said.

They often get insider perks.

“Some of my suppliers, like Sandals will oftentimes have a deal that’s within two weeks that’s a lot cheaper than it would have been, let’s say, six weeks ago.” And look into booking an all-inclusive travel package, which might be cheaper than booking airfare, hotel and car rental separately. AAA’s website has a feature called Trip Canvas where you can book the whole trip and see what deals are out there. In the end, procrastination may be your best friend.

“There are a couple of weeks in August because the season is ending, that a lot of suppliers have really, really cheap prices on vacation packages. So, it’s usually if you’re going to purchase the flight and the hotel, or the flight and the resort together,” Miales said.

However, there could be added costs with going through a travel agent. And you might not have as much flexibility if you want to make any changes during your trip.

For more about last-minute travel preparations — check out this article by nerdwallet.