[QUOTE=thunderl;16880039]I'm planning to take a 7-day Cruise with my wife November 6th. I'll be flying from Southern Cali (read: LAX or SAN) to Miami. I have a 33k on Delta for a free flight, but am open to other options to getting both of us there for free. Also, are there any rewards programs/credit cards that can help with the price of the cruise itself?

I am a newbie too. We used Marriott's Rewards page to book our cruise through Cruises Only. They award points 6-8 weeks after cruising. We received a better rate and more upgrades than any of the other sites I checked. (many!) Also spoke w/many at hotel and on ship. It seems like we did very well.