Winter in New York may be brisk, but it's one of the most affordable times to visit the Big Apple. Plus, you can expand your horizons with the one-night Weekend Getaway cruises offered by Norwegian Cruise Line (www.ncl.com). There’s just one Saturday departure – February 18 – scheduled for 2012, but you can plan early for November and December sailings in 2013. Embarking from Manhattan’s West Side, the sleek Norwegian Gem glides down the Hudson River, past New York’s classic “canyons of steel” cityscape, and into New York Harbor under the gaze of Lady Liberty. As the mega-ship continues to drift towards the horizon, passengers on this short cruise vacation can kick off their evenings gambling at the onboard casino, dining at one of the 12 restaurants, or dancing under the stars. Ships dock back in the city early Sunday morning, leaving a full day to cap off a perfect Gotham visit.

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