“Where to go for New Year’s” is one of December’s fastest-rising searches in the United States, and the honest answer depends on three things: how far you will travel, whether you want a party or a quiet midnight, and how much the dates are allowed to cost. Here are the ten New Year’s trips Americans actually book, with what each one is like on the night and the catch that comes with it.

1. A cruise with a countdown on deck

The single most popular New Year’s trip in the country. Ships sailing over the 31st from Florida, the Gulf, the Northeast and the West Coast run a countdown party on the pool deck or in the atrium, champagne, a balloon drop and a gala dinner. The catch: New Year’s week is priced at or above Christmas week; book by mid-October. Our guide to holiday cruises by US home port lists where the ships leave from.

2. An all-inclusive resort in Mexico or the Caribbean

Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Punta Cana and Jamaica include the gala dinner and beach party in that week’s rate. Adults-only resorts throw the better parties; family resorts wind down earlier. The catch: January 1 is a hard day to fly; stay through the 2nd.

3. New York for the ball drop

The classic, and more complicated than it looks: Times Square access starts in the afternoon with no re-entry, so most visitors watch from a hotel bar, a restaurant with a package, or a rooftop. The catch: hotels sell out in October and the minimum stays are real.

4. Las Vegas

Fireworks from the Strip’s rooftops, every big act in residence and the warmest major-city New Year’s in the country. The catch: the Strip closes to cars, and the hotel rates on the 31st are the highest of the year.

5. Walt Disney World or Disneyland

Fireworks at midnight at Magic Kingdom and the Hollywood Studios, with the parks open past midnight. The catch: the parks reach capacity; arrive early and book a dining package for a view.

6. Europe: Edinburgh, London, Vienna, Prague

Hogmanay in Edinburgh is a three-day festival; London’s fireworks on the Thames need a ticket; Vienna’s Silvesterpfad turns the old town into a street party; Prague’s fireworks are over the river. The catch: transatlantic fares over the holiday are high; book the moment the dates are firm. See Europe tours.

7. A river cruise over the New Year

A Rhine or Danube sailing that crosses the 31st includes a gala dinner on board and, in Budapest or Cologne, fireworks from the river. Quieter than a city, with the Christmas markets still open in many towns. The catch: few departures; they sell out by September. See river cruises.

8. Hawaii

Fireworks over Waikiki and a midnight that falls hours after the mainland’s. The catch: the two weeks around New Year’s are Hawaii’s peak; book flights and rooms together, early. See Hawaii trips.

9. A mountain cabin or ski resort

Torchlight parades and fireworks at the ski resorts of Colorado, Utah and Vermont; a fireplace and a bottle of something for everyone else. The catch: the week between Christmas and New Year’s is the most expensive week of the ski season.

10. Somewhere on January 2

The contrarian’s choice. Celebrate at home and leave on January 2 or 3, when cruises and resorts drop to some of the lowest prices of the year, often half the New Year’s rate for the same cabin or room. The catch: none, really, if your calendar allows it.

Three rules for any of them

• Travel the day before. A December 31 arrival is a gamble with winter weather.
• Insure the trip. Weather, illness and cancelled connections peak in late December. See the travel insurance page.
• Book the party with the trip. Dinner packages, countdown events and fireworks viewing sell out before departure.

Booking from anywhere in the country

Dove Travel & Cruises International plans New Year’s trips by phone and email for travelers across the United States. Tell us where you live, the kind of night you want and the budget, and we send a short list with real prices and the dates that cost less. No planning fee. Start on the cruise page, the all-inclusive page, or find your state on the locations directory.

New Year’s trip questions

What is the most popular New Year’s trip in the US?

A Caribbean or Mexico cruise that crosses the 31st, followed by all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean.

When should I book a New Year’s trip?

By mid-October for cruises and resorts, by September for European river cruises, and the day the dates are firm for New York or Las Vegas hotels.

What is the cheapest way to travel around New Year’s?

Leave on January 2 or 3. Early January is one of the cheapest weeks of the year for cruises and resorts.

Do you book trips for people outside Tennessee?

Yes. We plan by phone and email nationwide and book from your nearest airport or port.