Just imagine:  you’re far away from the daily demands of life, sunning yourself in tropical climates in the middle of winter, or experiencing the drama of untamed nature up close as you tour the wilds of Alaska.  You’re ready for a break after all, ready to get away from all the chores and responsibilities that beckon you at every turn, that vie endlessly for your attention.  The question is, where do you go to truly escape?

Nowadays, we’re all so connected — or shackled — by technology that it seems like a “getaway” really only means a roaming charge on your cell phone or locating the nearest Internet café where you can check your email.  Then again, there is a certain comfort knowing that you can call home to make sure little Johnny hasn’t just seen “Risky Business” and gotten some bright ideas for while you’re away — or call the neighbor to find out why he’s not answering the phone.

A terrific compromise to your getaway-but-stay-connected needs is a winter cruise. Cruises offer you the all the amenities of home, plus the luxuries you’d find at any number of high-end hotels and resorts.  The added benefits are that you have the opportunity to travel to a number of destinations without having to pack up for each jaunt, and with hours — if not days — at sea, you’ve made good your escape in a way that flying to Vegas doesn’t allow.

With so many cruise line and package options from which to choose, travel agents and cruise lines offer competitive rates for most any budget.  Depending on how much time you’ve got, you can go for day-long excursions, short trips (3-5 days) or take off for an entire month.  But with so many options, how do you decide which cruise, cruise line, and package is right for all your needs?

The first question you should answer is: how many days do you have?  Winter cruises run the gamut from day trips to month-long excursions.  If you’re looking for a day trip, you might consider taking off to Catalina Island.  If you take the early morning express ferry that leaves from San Pedro it will take you just about 45 minutes to get to Catalina.  That leaves you the entire day to explore the island.  Catalina is a terrific spot for outdoor enthusiasts, (you can do everything from kayaking and snorkeling to hiking) history buffs, (Catalina offers tours that include a history of the island, its inhabitants, and visitors) and sightseers. (the shopping alone is worth the trip.)

There is also a slower ferry to the island, and it provides its own pleasures.  In February and March, the height of whale watching season, such a trip provides a terrific opportunity to observe whales on their migration.  Even the Catalina Express takes time to stop for a good whale sighting opportunity.  One year when I took the express ferry the boat stopped to watch a whale breaching and dipping in all it enormous glory.  Express ferry fares range from $6.00 for a round trip infant’s ticket to $43.00 for an adult round trip ticket.  The Catalina Express takes off daily from berth 95 at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro.

Another terrific day trip is to the Ventura Harbor, just a 45 minute drive from downtown Los Angeles.  There you can take harbor cruises and day trips to the Channel Islands, which include protected wildlife sanctuaries and a national park.  Island Packers, for example, take year-round cruises to the Channel Islands and various seasonal whale watching excursions.  With two convenient harbor locations (Ventura and Oxnard) you can pack a lunch, camera, and kids, and experience wildlife right outside your front door.  If you’re thinking about a winter cruise, don’t wait until the last minute.  It’s important to make reservations between 5 days and 3 weeks in advance, but sometimes a call the day before will secure you a reservation.

Depending on which of the Channel Islands you wish to visit, your travel time will vary. Anacapa Island  takes 1 – 1.5 hours one-way.  East Santa Cruz Island (Scorpion Anchorage) takes approximately 1 hour one-way.  Mid-Santa Cruz Island (Prisoners Harbor) takes 1 – 1.5 hours (depending on the boat you take) one-way.  Santa Rosa Island takes 2 – 2.5 hours one-way.  San Miguel Island takes 3.5 – 4 hours one-way.  Santa Barbara Island takes 2.5 – 3 hours one-way.

If you’ve got a few days to spare, or want the outlaw feeling of taking off while the rest of the world is headed to the office, consider a 4-day jaunt to Baja, Mexico.  Carnival Cruise Lines, for example, will leave from the Port of Los Angeles on a Monday evening, and return to Los Angeles on Friday morning.  In between, you’ll have stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada.  Trips such as this one can start at only $299 per person, and they can go hundreds of dollars higher.  If you’ve got even more time, there are a number of cruises that take you to Mexico and beyond, and you’ll spend enough time on the water in between ports to soak up the sun, solitude, and fun.

Though most cruise lines offer a variety of cruises year round, some further specialize to offer seasonal cruises.  The so-called Mexican Rivera Cruises, of which the 4-day Baja cruise is one, are among the most popular winter cruises. Other Mexican Riviera cruises head father south to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.  Monika Heigh, of Sea and Shore Travel at the West Hills Shopping Center in West Hills cautions advance planning.  The earlier you plan your trip, the better fares you will find.  More on fares later.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Ecstasy also offer 3-night/4-day Baja cruises, and the Ecstasy is the largest of the cruise lines that head for Baja and Catalina.  Carnival’s Elation takes a longer, 7-night Mexican Riviera Cruise, (both from Los Angeles and San Diego) while Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ Vision of the Seas offers its own 7-night Mexican Riviera Cruises. (both from Los Angeles and San Diego) Stops for both lines include Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.  Holland America Cruise Lines started a Sea of Cortes cruise that is quickly gaining popularity.  The Sea of Cortes, that body of water in between Baja, California and Mexico, is teeming with diverse marine life and an abundance of small islands, instantly turning your vacation into a nature cruise.

Another increasingly popular cruise takes you from Los Angeles to Hawaii, where you’ll sail around the Hawaiian islands and stop at several ports.  This trip, like most every cruise, can be made one-way or round trip.  The round-trip Hawaiian cruise will take 11 days, so it’s one of a number of perfect winter vacation getaways.

Though the popular Alaska cruises run from May to September only, you can catch a “repositioning” cruise.  All major cruise lines, en route to Florida from Alaska, offer cruises through the Panama Canal.  You can hop aboard in San Francisco or Los Angeles, and then make your way to ports in Texas, Louisiana, or Florida in about 10 days, depending on which cruise you pick.

More extreme adventurers might consider flying to Texas, Louisiana, or Florida first, and then cruise to South America, the Caribbean, or Mediterranean.  There are more than 30 cruise ships sail out of the Florida ports alone every week between Christmas and Easter.  You’ll have to head out of state to make the world cruises, but if you can sail to Asia, the South Pacific, or South America this winter, go for it!

When you see commercials on television for a major cruise line, you might worry that cruises are floating cities, with the same unwanted business found in any landlocked metropolis.  Sea and Shore Travel’s Monika Heigh assures us, however, that today’s large ships can still be intimate.  Architects have designed privacy into modern ships.  Most ships have up to 60% balconies off of cabins, which, 10 years ago, were largely beyond the financial reach of most vacation travelers.  Now, says Monika, you can view your own “unobstructed personal sunset” from your own private balcony.  Moreover, the cabins themselves have become larger and more inviting, and there are many places on board ships that give the feeling of privacy and intimacy.  Ships now typically have about 10 restaurants from which to choose, as well as a variety of facilities, both of which help to prevent vacationers from feeling crowded.

Still, there are times when the volume of travelers can become a bit daunting.  Disembarking at a port-of-call, for example, can become a bottleneck of people, so it’s important to plan your time getting off and back on the ship.  Moreover, the crowds and size of the ship mean you often won’t get to smaller ports.

Still, if you find yourself drawn to the idea of a cruise, but not an enormous floating resort, consider a smaller boat from one of the major lines.  These smaller ships sustain about 700 passengers.  For example, the Tahitian Princess is a popular smaller ship that can get to destinations other, larger-capacity ships simply can’t reach.

Theme cruises used to be popular, but with shorter trips (and so less time between ports) that trend has waned.  Larger travel agencies do put together theme cruises and charter ships to host them, and several cruise lines offer theme oriented cruise ships devoted to cooking and wine, for example.  These are often organized around a celebrity, such as a talk show host, with whom the travelers can interact and socialize.  Though there are no family focused theme cruises, whole cruise lines have marketed themselves to the family market with favorable results.

So, you know where you can go, and you know how many days you have to take a trip.  The next questions are: how much does it cost, and how far in advance do I have to plan?  Your budget will determine the amount of luxury you get, but few will be shut out of a winter cruise for lack of finances.   That’s some of the best news about cruises.

Per person costs depend on the ship, time of year you wish to travel, and the capacity already sold.  Cruise rates are variable, but the best ones are found months in advance.  In addition, weekend getaway cruises, such as the 3-night Baja cruise, fill up quickly.  If you can finagle a weekday trip your fares will lower significantly.  Still, the shorter trips will almost invariably be cheaper than those that are longer.  October-December cruises are often the least expensive, and there’s still time to nab something for December.  In addition, since family trips usually occur around holidays and school vacations, cruises fill up faster during the winter holidays.  A 7-day cruise during Christmas might run you $1500, while the same cruise in January could be had for $599.

Still, there are some good ways to secure decent fares.  Since fares depend in part on how much capacity has been reached, try checking to see how much space is left.  Cruise lines will offer “dump” prices, so check with your travel agent.  Going online to look at prices may be convenient, but you won’t always get the best prices.  It’s better to see what’s offered, compare prices, and then start making calls.  Group prices are also generally lower than individual.

Most of the major cruise lines dock at the Port of Los Angeles, which also happens to be the busiest port on the West Coast.  Just 25 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, 10 miles east of Long Beach, and 18 miles south of the Los Angeles International Airport, the World Cruise Center at the Port of Los Angeles welcomes a large number of cruise lines year round.  As many as 3 full-size vessels, which carry up to 3000 passengers, can dock at the two passenger terminals at one time.  Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruise Line, Cunard, and Carnival are some of the cruise lines that use Los Angeles as a departure port.

Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International, and Princess Cruises homeport year-round at the World Cruise Center.  These cruise lines offer year-round cruises to a variety of destinations.  Each cruise line offers trips that last anywhere from 3-14 nights.

The larger cruise lines offer most of the same amenities, including the aforementioned private balconies, valet service, massages and other salon and spa services, fine dining, social activities, and entertainment such as Broadway-inspired musicals and gambling.  At least one cruise line even offers “enrichment” courses and lectures by professors and other luminaries on topics in fields ranging from anthropology to cosmology. In addition, cruise lines have also worked to make ships more accessible to wheelchair-bound travelers.  In short, with today’s cruises, there’s something for everyone.

If you’re planning a family cruise out of the Port of Los Angeles, you might consider staying in one of several affordable hotels near the port.  Traditional family attractions are also convenient to the port, including Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm.  The World Cruise Center is owned and operated by the Port of Los Angeles, and recently underwent a $17 million renovation which allows it to handle the largest cruise ships in the world.  Secure parking is available for $10 per day, and with 2560 spaces.

Web sites devoted to cruises and cruise information:
http://www.cruiseman.com/october20.htm all kinds of information on everything about cruises, from fares to what ships are being built.
http://www.cruisecritic.com/bargains/index_breakdown2.cfm
http://www.cruisemates.com/
http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/itineraries/
http://www.cruisereviews.com/
http://www.portoflosangeles.org/Facilities/wcc.htm
Port of Los Angeles cruise line listings sites and contact information:
http://www.catalinacruises.com/
Parking Concepts Inc., (800) 540-PARK
Carnival Cruise Lines: (888) CARNIVAL(227-6482) www.carnival.com
Celebrity Cruises: (800) 722-5941 www.celebritycruises.com
Crystal Cruises: (800) 446-6620 www.crystalcruises.com
Cunard Line:  (800) 5-CUNARD (286273) www.cunardline.com
Holland America Line: (800) 426-0327 www.hollandamerica.com
Norwegian Cruise Line: (800) 327-7030 www.ncl.com
Princess Cruises: (800) 774-6237 www.princesscruises.com
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises: (800) 285-1835 www.rssc.com
Royal Caribbean International: (800)327-6700 www.royalcaribbean.com
Other cruise ship information:
http://www.islandpackers.com/

Travel agent/cruise bargain sites:
http://vacations.seaandshores.com/
(or call: (888) 887. 4771 and ask for Monica)
http//:www.vacationstogo.com
http//:www.cruisehotfares.com
http//:www.bestpricecruises.com
http//:www.cruiseleaders.net
http//:www.BeatAnyCruisePrice.com
http//:www.ecruises.com

Directions to the World Cruise Center:

*    From Los Angeles International Airport - West Los Angeles
San Diego Freeway(405) south to the Harbor Freeway(110), then south on the Harbor Freeway to the CA 47 - Terminal Island exit. Merge right to the Harbor Blvd. Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.
*    From Long Beach
West on Ocean Blvd. to CA 47. Continue west on CA 47 across the Gerald Desmond Bridge and the Vicent Thomas Bridge to the Harbor Blvd. to San Pedro Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.
*    From Malibu, Pacific Palisades - Santa Monica
California 1 south to Santa Monica Freeway(10), Santa Monica Freeway(10) east to the San Diego Freeway(405), south on the San Diego Freeway(405) to the Harbor Freeway(110), then south on the Harbor Freeway to the CA 47 - Terminal Island exit. Merge right to the Harbor Blvd. Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.
*    From The San Fernando Valley and the North
San Diego Freeway(405) south to the Harbor Freeway.(110), then south on the Harbor Freeway to the CA 47 - Terminal Island exit. Merge right to the Harbor Blvd Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.
*    From Hollywood
Hollywood Freeway(101) south to the Harbor Freeway(110), then south on the Harbor Freeway to the CA 47 - Terminal Island exit. Merge right to the Harbor Blvd Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.
*    From Pasadena and Downtown Los Angeles
South on the Pasadena - Harbor Freeway(110) to the CA 47 - Terminal Island exit. Merge right to the Harbor Blvd Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.
*    From The Inland Empire and the East
San Bernardino Freeway(10) or Pomona Freeway(60) west to the Harbor Freeway(110), then south on the Harbor Freeway to the CA 47 - Terminal Island exit. Merge right to the Harbor Blvd. Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.
*    From Anaheim - Buena Park and Northern Orange County - Riverside Areas
Artesia - Riverside Freeway(91) west to the Harbor Freeway(110), then south on the Harbor Freeway to the CA 47 - Terminal Island exit. Merge right to the Harbor Blvd Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.
*    From Irvine - Southern Orange County Areas and the South
San Diego Freeway 405) north to the Harbor Freeway(110), then south on the Harbor Freeway to the CA 47 - Terminal Island exit. Merge right to the Harbor Blvd Exit. Proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection and turn right into the World Cruise Center parking lot.

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