Voyages of Discovery's mv Discovery goes to some of the world's most exotic out-of-the-way locations. Photo by Deb Roskamp

k, let's face it. We're still in a recession. People are working longer and harder and often times for not as much money. People are forgoing daily trips to Starbucks and extravagant meals out. BUT what we are not willing to give up is our vacations. The American vacation is a sacred institution, and right now we need it more than ever. There was a period in time when the cruise experience meant white dinner jackets, skeet shooting and seemingly endless buffets. It was an experience that many felt only spoke to those with deep pockets and discretionary income. Cruises still offer those luxurious components. Well, maybe not the skeet shooting. But today, the cruise also means something else never more timely: VALUE. I recently experienced three very different cruise vessels that fit the bill for both: WORLD-CLASS CRUISE EXPERIENCES and VALUE.

Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas' Royal Promenade runs nearly the entire length of the ship. Courtesy: RCCL

Royal Carribean - Mariner of the Seas

The recently repositioned Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas has the distinction of being the largest ship ever to offer cruise vacations from the West Coast. At 1,020 feet long and 142,000 gross registered tons it is too big to even make it through the Panama Canal. Quite simply, this floating monster of a pleasure palace is a destination unto itself. Amenities include a rock climbing wall, nine- hole miniature golf course, adults-only Solarium, fitness center, 16 bars and themed lounges and seven restaurants, Casino Royale casino, Broadway- style productions, and an ice-skating rink with performances by a cast of international skaters on the level of Circ du Soleil. I must confess I was quite curious, and perhaps a little apprehensive, upon reading about the vessel's Royal Promenade; a boulevard of shops, restaurants, bars and lounges that run nearly the length of the ship. After all, who wants to sit inside when the Pacific Ocean is right out your door? To my surprise, I spent virtually all of my time sitting at sidewalk tables at the Promenade's wine bar and the Anglo-Irish pub, people watching. Did I mention that there's also a Ben and Jerry's on the promenade? The theatre and ice skating rink are well situated so that patrons spill out onto the walkway. There's even a parade each night.

Royal Caribbean.com

The best view in the house. Passengers ponder Kodak Alley aboard the mv Discovery. Photo by Deb Roskamp

MV Discovery

The 650-passenger mv Discoveryoffers all the creature comforts and amenities of an upscale cruise experience yet, due to her mid-size, goes to some of the world’s most exotic out-of-the-way ports usually restricted for larger vessels. A visit to Murmansk, the largest city north of the Arctic Circle, anyone? For fans of Slumdog Millionaire, there's even a departure from Mumbai. On my mv Discovery cruise from Ushuaia to the white continent of Antarctica, I found myself surrounded by a passionate clientele of repeat cruisers, who were as excited about their time on the vessel as the destinations. Forget limbo and hairy chest contests, this is an intimate and sophisticated cruise experience. Easily the most popular onboard event is the lecturers, conducted by a collection of scientists, naturalists and historians, who offer insight into the culture, history, flora and fauna of the destinations. It is not unusual for the events to be packed. The ship's amenity of three restaurants, five elegant lounges, library, health club and spa, and two swimming pools only compliments the experience. After a zodiac landing and trek on Antarctica, followed by a spa experience and massage, and then an elegant multi- course meal, I began to wonder what I have ever done to deserve this VIP treatment.

Voyages of Discovery.com

The Splendor is the largest Carnival ship to offer cruise vacations from the West Coast. Courtesy: Carnival

Carnival Splendor

I love Carnival. For decades it has been a favorite cruise line of mine. Carnival has also always screamed value, with an inclusivity that speaks to a wide demographic of ages and income. The new 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor represents an entirely new class of vessel for the line. Like the above mentioned Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Sea, the 113,300-ton Splendor is also too large for the Panama Canal, and now constitutes the largest Carnival vessel to operate in the West Coast. Everything is bigger and better. New additions include a sliding sky dome over the mid-ship pool which features a massive LED screen displaying movies, concerts, sports and other programming. Seeing passengers snuggled under blankets on lounge chairs at night, with the stars overhead, watching a movie was a first for me.

Miniature golf is one of the many amenities offered on the Mariner of the Sea. Courtesy: Carnival

Another innovation is the largest health and wellness center in the fleet: The two-level 21,000-square-foot "Cloud 9 Spa" featuring a thalassotherapy pool, 17 private treatment rooms, and elaborate thermal suite. Adjacent to the facility are 68 spa staterooms and suites, another first. Truth be told, the food in the Carnival main dining is also my favorite on all cruise lines. The menu is fixed (and often unwaveringly), and the chefs have the dishes down to a science. The new lido food court is endless, with serving stations devoted to dishes from India and Mongolia, plus sushi, deli sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, bbq, with seemingly never a wait. For a touch of elegance there are also as series of world-class super clubs. The Carnival Splendor is now offering cruises for the Port of Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera. Now has never been a better time to book a cruise vacations.

Carnival.com