January a great month for getting vacation deals

January may be the best time of year to take a vacation, as passenger traffic drops and resorts, airlines and cruise companies all roll out deals. Yet the start of the year is often overlooked when it comes to vacation planning: Families return to school schedules, and New Year's reveling is traded for resolutions of eating in, working out and spending less. People are tired, or broke, or dreading the thought of getting on another plane.

"You could call it vacation fatigue," said Evan Eggers, president of the cruise vacation site SureCruise.com. But a lot of travelers are missing out. It's a great time to travel, Eggers said, "since you're escaping the cold and getting a killer deal."

Just how killer? Discounts range from 30 to 50 percent compared with the holidays and other busy travel periods. Hilton Hotels recently introduced a January Sale with weekend rates 33 percent off hotels in North and South America.

January and February also have the fewest airline passengers, according to the Department of Transportation, easing the airport experience. And with fewer crowds, you could have that beach or ski trail more to yourself.

To help you plan your post-holiday escape, here are some of the best bargains for popular winter getaways, whether you're seeking, sun, snow or a cruise vacation.

Hawaii, Mexico deals

It's high season for such cold-weather getaways as Hawaii and the Caribbean, where warm sands beckon sun worshippers, and discounts tend to be scarce. But it's still a heck of a lot cheaper than it was over Christmas.

Hawaii's deals may soon dry up as Alaska, Continental, Delta and Hawaiian Airlines add flights next year, bringing more visitors. So strike now to nab a bargain such as the recently offered $135 a night with breakfast at the Hotel Renew, half a block from Waikiki Beach in Honolulu.

Deal seekers may get the most bang for their buck in Mexico, which is still offering discounts to win back visitors scared off by reports of Mexican gang and drug violence and the H1N1 flu outbreak. Fares are about 40 percent less to Cancun in January on average compared with the December holidays, 34 percent less to Puerto Vallarta and 30 percent less to San Jose del Cabo, Kayak.com reports.

Occidental Hotels & Resorts, which has six all-inclusive properties in Mexico, is running a winter sale with rates starting at $81 a person a night at the Allegro Nuevo Vallarta, north of Puerto Vallarta, for travel beginning Jan. 4.

Cruise discounts

"January is currently the softest-looking month for cruise pricing of the year," said Evan Eggers of SureCruise.com.

The average price of a seven-night cruise on major lines is about $600 a person, he said, compared with $900 in December.

Some cruise lines have adopted airline-style yield-management strategies and are now changing prices multiple times a day, according to Eggers.

Travelers can check for such rate cuts by clicking on Price Cut Tattletale at www.surecruise.com and sorting by date, line or region. Another site for deals is www.CruiseCritic.com/bargains