For Julie Gulasy, spring break is a double dip pleasure.

A teacher at South Forsyth Middle School, Gulasy gets a break from her young charges to revitalize for the final countdown to the end of the school year.

ANDY NEWMAN/Carnival Cruise Lines (ENLARGE)

Several ports of departure -- including Jacksonville, Tampa, New Orleans and Charleston, S.C. -- are a fairly easy drive for Georgians. Above, the Sensation in Tampa.

As a single parent of two children, she has a cherished sliver of time with Miranda and Benny, and she strives to make the most of the wonderful week.

So this year, as Gulasy began to plan spring break, she thought "relaxation." And "fun." "Togetherness."

It all came together in one word: cruise.

Gulasy cannot wait to relax on a deck lounge with escape literature, and the children are counting the days until they are onboard.

"They are absolutely thrilled," Gulasy said. "The slides, the pools, the kids' club — there is something for everyone."

Such seems to be the thinking this year for spring breakers from Georgia, according to many local travel agents. While Destin, Panama City and other Florida Gulf beaches are still popular destinations for families and college-age students, travel agencies have seen a big increase in cruise bookings this year to Mexico and the Caribbean.

A cost-efficient vacation?

The reasons are many, agents and travelers said.

"Lots of cruises are big bang for your bucks," said Julie Welch, a travel counselor with Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Snellville. "And there's something for the whole family."

Family cruising is a big reason for the surging popularity of cruises nationwide. Ten new cruise ships were launched in 2006, making costs even more competitive. The cruise industry ferried a record 12 million passengers in 2006, according to figures from the Cruise Lines International Association. That's 12 times the number of cruise passengers in 1980.

As cruise lines look for even more new passengers, many have aimed for families. They've added onboard attractions like ice-skating rinks, teen nightclubs and kid karaoke.

With packages that are often cheaper than a week's stay at a Florida hotel — Gulasy said she's paying about $1,600 for her family of three to go on a cruise with ports of call in three Mexican cities — cruises have gone from being solely a luxury vacation to an economical one.

For Georgians, several ports of departure — including Jacksonville; Tampa; Charleston, S.C.; and New Orleans — are a fairly easy drive. That allows travelers to skip an airport hassle and the expense of flying, Welch said.

The destinations are becoming more varied, too, as cruise lines stop at islands they have developed into destinations. The Mexican port cities of Cozumel and Cancun are popular still, but new sites like Puerto Costa Maya and Half Moon Cay cater to cruise passengers seeking a unique experience.

Parents: Cruise safer for teenagers than beaches

And, many parents, particularly those of teenagers, believe that cruises with adult chaperons along may be safer than beach destinations that young people drive to — and often drink heavily at —once they arrive.

But what about the infamous "booze cruises," illnesses aboard ships and occasional serious crimes that have been reported?

Many cruise lines have tightened the rules, refusing to book teenagers without an adult — a real one, not just a 22-year-old — chaperon, and insisting that a drinking age of 21 be strictly enforced.

The cruise association reminds passengers and would-be passengers that the norovirus, a 24-hour stomach bug reported on ships, also happens at day care centers, hotels and restaurants and passengers are no more likely to acquire it on a ship than they are on land.

Gulasy was so excited about her family's cruise that two co-workers booked on the same one.

Kris Hunt, who teaches keyboarding and computer literacy at South Forsyth Middle School with Gulasy, said she looked at the price of Florida hotels, eating out and driving to and from various attractions. The cruise made economic sense as well as met all Hunt's requirements for fun, good food and relaxation.

"You get onboard, they take you to a destination, and of course the ship is a destination," Hunt said. With a price of less than $700 for a week, the cruise made perfect sense, she said.

While many cruises book during the winter, spots are still available on many ships, travel agents said. Prices may drop as departure dates approach, but rooms will be very limited.