If you’re hoping for another year of dirt-cheap cruising, I have news for you: That ship has sailed.

After foundering in the recession, cruise lines have been buoyed by a recent surge in bookings. And that is bringing higher prices.

With that in mind, here are five ways to trim your budget sails in 2010:

Head for Mexico: With recent fares as low as $429 for seven-day, round-trip sailings from Southern California, the Mexican Riviera (Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta) is hard to beat for savings. Prices have been pounded by California’s weakened economy, Mexico’s drug wars and the entry of bigger ships into the market, experts say.