CONTACT CLIPPER CRUISE LINE ( WWW.CLIPPERCRUISE.COM ) to find out about forthcoming trips to a wide range of destinations on its four sleek and comfortable vessels. On Clipper, all the cabins are outside, wardrobe is relaxed, there are no Vegas-like shows, and meals are tasty, easygoing affairs, free of assigned seating.

Other companies that share this attitude and offer similar itineraries in the Northwest include American West Steamboat Co., Cruise West, and Special Expeditions. I highly recommend picking a cruise that begins or ends in Vancouver—purely because, with its big-city diversions framed by alluring beaches, parks, and jagged mountains, it is my favorite destination of any I have encountered while on the road for American Heritage . I never miss a chance to add a few days there, and last fall I stayed in the heart of downtown at the very agreeable Granville Island Hotel. Being surrounded by water on three sides kept the nautical theme going, as did a visit to the city’s excellent Maritime Museum, which offers inspiring views of bay and beach from its own spit of land. There you’ll learn more about the first inhabitants who made their lives along that demanding coast, and the outsiders—the Spanish, British, Russians, and Americans—who explored it, competed for it, and staked their claims.