In todays tough economic climate most people are especially careful on what they spend and for good reason. People want value for their hard earned dollar and want it to go as far as possible.

When it comes to travel we have a tendency to feel that we deserve our vacation and nothing is going to come between us and enjoying ourselves from either  a quick week-end getaway, or a vacation of a week or more. After all, we work hard for the money, to borrow from Donna Summer.

Vacationers have found that cruising offers an incredible value for the money when compared with land resorts. Cruises offers wide varitey of ships and features one would not expect at sea.

For those hesitant to fly to south Florida and embark either in Miami or Ft.Lauderdale there is a port right in Texan's backyard, the Port of Galveston. Not only can  Texans can take advantage of this close to home, drive to port, but residents of neighboring states too.

Galveston offers cruises ranging from 4,5 and 7 days and a repositioning cruise of around 14 days every spring. Carnival Cruise Line operates the 1991 built CARNIVAL ECSTASY. The ECSTASY sails the shorter cruises to Cozumel and Progresso Mexico. CARNIVAL CONQUEST, built in 2002 sails the 7 night cruise to Grand Cayman, Montego Bay Jamaica and Cozumel. Carnival recently introduced a cruise which stops in Key West Florida, Nassau and Freeport Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean International offers up the VOYAGER OF THE SEAS on 7 night cruises with ports of call in Roatan, Honduras, Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, and Cozumel Mexico. The 1999 built ship also offers an itinerary with stops in George Town, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Jamaica and Cozumel, Mexico.

Cruising from Galveston saves money on airfare and fuel cost involved in a long drive to port. Some hotels in Galveston offer free parking for the duration of the cruise when one spends a night at their property. For anyone with even a remote amount of interest in a cruise vacation, Galveston offers up an attractive option.

The video below, while dated, gives an excellent overview of Royal Caribbean's VOYAGER OF THE SEAS.