The time has finally come, and you deserve it: you've racked up enough vacation time, you've worked hard and saved some extra recreation money, and it's time to take a much-needed trip with your family (or maybe even by yourself). But with all of the options available to you, where's the best and most affordable place to vacation if you're interested in getting far away from your native town? For kicking back, relaxing and forgetting about your troubles for a while, there are many different vacation options that could fill the ticket perfectly.

Choosing which is best for you can be a very subjective process, but there are some things you can take into account that will make your final vacation travel destination easier to conclude. In this particular article, we're going to focus specifically on on two of the most popular types of vacations: cruises and resort hotels (both domestic and abroad).

Cruises, of course, offer a unique experience unlike any you can have at a land-based hotel, and they can be surprisingly affordable for both couples and families. There is a relatively large variety of cruise vacation companies to chose from when planning your trip, and different packages and bargain deals that can bring the prices down even further. In fact, anyone who can afford to pay for a week long vacation at a modestly-priced nicer hotel is likely to have the funds available to book a cruise vacation, instead. And one of the best things about a good cruise line is that the ship itself isn't just about looking at the external sights; many cruise ships today offer shopping, dining, sporting and plenty of other recreational activities, as well.

While cruises are a great experience that everyone should have a chance to enjoy at some point in their life, there are also more than a few advantages to choosing a resort hotel vacation, instead. First, the options available to you are much more broad and include a more diverse selection of locations and prices. While the number of cruise ship vacation are always limited to certain locals every year, there is seemingly no end to the volume of high-class hotels that can be found in virtually every city in the world.

And while the nicest resort hotel vacations can cost as much or more than a cruise, there are also a large number of very affordable resort vacation packages to choose from, as well. And if you feel like taking a classy vacation, but don't want to leave the United States, you can still do both at a first-class resort in all fifty states.

In the end, the choice between cruises or resort vacations will come down to your budget, the amount of time you have available, and your own personal tastes. But it doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to one or the other; remember, this vacation doesn't necessarily have to be the last one you ever take in your life!