By PAUL MOTTER

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, but there is still time to think about giving your loved one something you both want and need - a cruise. You just got through the holidays with all of the family gatherings and other big celebrations. Wouldn't it be great for just the two of you to get away and spend some time alone together?

Nothing says "I Love You" like a romantic cruise. What better way is there for you to give all of your attention to your mate? After all, on a cruise neither of you has to worry about your job or any household duties. The room steward does all the cleaning, and the chef does all the cooking! You do all the relaxing and dining.

You can take adventurous shoretrips horseback riding or zip-lining through the jungle - get your life-juices flowing again, Or you can just relax in your stateroom and concentrate on each other. The motion of the ocean, the endless horizon of the open sea. There is no better way to remember how alive you are, and how much you appreciate your better half.

Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday this year, and there are just a few cruises where you will be at sea during the big day. We have listed them below. There is a 3-day cruise out of Miami to Nassau, and another 3-day cruise from Port Canaveral to Nassau. On the West Coast we have Carnival Paradise sailing from Long Beach to Ensenada.

If a longer cruise is more your idea of the ideal romantic vacation - and why wouldn't it be, you cannot beat our number one special to the right: the Norwegian Star 7-night Mexico Cruise to Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. It leaves on either February 7th or February 14th. You sail from Los Angeles and this cruise repeats every week.

Surprise her the week before for the best rate, February 7th starting at just $399, or better yet - check out the balcony prices for each of the cruises leaving from Feb. 21 through April - as low as $649 per person - for a balcony cabin on a 7-day cruise! You can't pass up a deal like that.

Here are the top Valentine's Weekend cruises (All prices were derived from the website of one of our sponsors):

Feb 12 Three Nights:

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