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New York, New York

Commentary by Editor Paul Motter
New York summer cruise season is here!
I love New York. It's a city where the majority of people don't even own a car, because they don't need one. But there are two times of year when you need to escape the city, in the dead of winter when it is too cold, and in the height of summer when the countryside has come back to life.

One N.Y. cruise option which is extremely popular but rarely mentioned is the four or five-day getaway cruise from New York City to New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia. These destination ports are charming college towns with thriving street scenes amidst dramatic rocky coastlines. But the ports are not the reason for taking these cruises. You take these cruises for the ships, which offer fun, great food, and fantastic value, starting at just $329 pp!

And there are several more cruises sailing out of New York this summer, the city is once again the ship passenger hub it was back in the heyday of Ocean Liners. Besides Manhattan, you can now leave from Bayonne New Jersey or Red Hook, Brooklyn. Here is a listing of other NY City cruise options:

• This Friday and Saturday nights (May 4 & 5) cruise to nowhere on Norwegian Dawn. Balcony cabins are just $79 (plus $39 taxes & fees).
  
  
• Norwegian Crown is making seven-night cruises to Bermuda. Norwegian Spirit makes eight-night cruises to Bermuda and adds in the Caribbean islands of Tortola and St Thomas.
  
  
• Crown Princess, leaving from Red Hook, Brooklyn, is making nine-night roundtrip Caribbean cruises to San Juan, St Martin, St Thomas and Grand Turk. In the fall Princess will offer cruises up the east coast to New Brunswick, Halifax, Bar Harbor Maine, Boston, and Newport RI.
  
  
• Royal Caribbean's fun-filled mega-ship, Explorer of the Seas, offers nine-night cruises out of Bayonne New Jersey (roundtrip) to Labadee, the Dominican Republic, St Thomas, and San Juan.
  
  
• The new Celebrity Journey, part of the Celebrity Expeditions line, is making seven-day Bermuda cruises all summer long. This small and intimate ship (700 guests) offers great food and plenty of time in port for golfing in Bermuda.
  
  
• And for the ultimate New York Cruise, jump on the ultimate ship, Queen Mary 2, the first true ocean liner built in almost 50 years. Sail roundtrip from New York City to Europe: one 24-night journey includes England, Barcelona, Cannes, Rome, Gibralter, Lisbon and back home again. A separate 22-night journey will take you to England and then to the Norwegian Fjords. Roundtrip New York, to Europe and back, with no planes.
  
  

Don't miss out, New Yorkers, these ships are offering you tremendously easy and cost-effective summer vacations. All you need is a suitcase and one finger to hail a taxi to the pier. Go to places the trains don't reach, see the world, see the sea. It's a sight for sore eyes.

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