GALVESTON, TEX.
Cruises first started sailing out of the Port of Galveston terminal year-round in 2000 (portofgalveston.com).

Cruise Lines: Carnival, Royal Caribbean.

Moody Gardens, in Galveston (courtesy Port of Galveston) [enlarge photo] DOWNLOADABLE CRUISE CHECKLIST Download the handy checklist, print it out, cut on the dotted lines, and take it with you. You can also give them to your friends! If you don't already have it, you will need Adobe Acrobat, a free (and easy!) plug-in, to read the checklist. Download the checklist Download Adobe Acrobat MARCH 2007 ISSUE • Table of Contents • Dream Trips • Lighthouses of Croatia • Family Camps • Eat Like a Local: Chicago • Trips That Can Change Your Life: Adventure Biking • Road Trip: The Olympic Peninsula • 40 Best

Where Ships Go: Both lines depart year-round for Mexico and the western Caribbean; Royal Caribbean also sails to Central America and on occasional transatlantic cruises, such as a 12-night trip in April stopping in Key West and the Azores before ending in Barcelona.

Transportation & Parking: The Galveston Island Trolley ($1.25) stops between 21st and 22nd Streets, a few blocks from the cruise terminal (409/797-3909). The parking rates at the Port of Galveston lot vary depending on duration, but they end up costing $10 per day, more or less, for most cruises. You can save $5 by prepaying for parking.

Lodging/Parking Deal: Several Galveston hotels, including La Quinta Inn and Suites, allow free long-term parking for guests, even if you only stay there for one night (1402 Seawall Blvd., 409/763-1224, lq.com, from $65).

In the Area: Moody Gardens is a massive complex with a hotel, a spa, an IMAX 3-D theater, and a 10-story glass pyramid that's filled with a variety of tropical plants and animals (One Hope Blvd., 800/582-4673, moodygardens.com, $9.25).

NORFOLK, VA.
This month, the port unveils a new 80,000-square-foot cruise terminal that includes exhibits on Virginia maritime history (757/664-1000, cruisenorfolk.org).

Cruise Lines: Carnival, Royal Caribbean.

Where Ships Go: Royal Caribbean sails to Bermuda from April to July; Carnival goes to Bermuda and the Bahamas in June and October only.

Transportation & Parking: Free Norfolk Electric Transit buses (757/222-6100, gohrt.com) run regularly between several downtown stops and the Cedar Grove parking lot, where another free shuttle connects to the port. Parking at Cedar Grove is $10 a day, and since spots are always available, prepaid parking isn't offered.

Lodging/Parking Deal: A package from the Radisson Hotel Norfolk combines a one-night stay, breakfast for two, parking for the duration of your cruise, and transportation to and from the cruise terminal (700 Monticello Ave., 800/333-3333, radisson-norfolk.com, from $189).

In the Area: D'Art Center features the work of 50 resident artists in five galleries, and visitors often have opportunities to meet the artists (208 E. Main St., 757/625-4211, d-artcenter.org, free). The Hampton Roads Naval Museum hosts exhibits on the area's naval history and is the entryway for self-guided tours into the bowels of one of the Navy's largest battleships, the USS Wisconsin (One Waterside Dr., 757/322-2987, hrnm.navy.mil, free).