Call your travel agent for a copy of Crystal’s tempting Cruise Atlas . Crystal passengers are an enthusiastic lot; many of them have traveled dozens of times on the ships, often booking several cruises back to back.

Based in New York City and loosely affiliated with a British group of the same name, the World Ship Society has branches in such outlying ports as Vancouver and Cape Town. Even if you can’t make it to meetings, membership is worthwhile just for the newsletter and notices of upcoming cruises. The big event for 1998 will be a New England trip on Holland America’s Veendam in October, for the 125th anniversary of the line’s founding. For gala events like this, some of the specialists in ship’s memorabilia exhibit and sell their wares. World Ship is also laying plans for a 1999 cruise on the QE2 , to mark the thirtieth year since Cunard’s flagship was launched. For information on joining the Port of New York branch of the World Ship Society, write the membership secretary at P.O. Box 384, New York, NY 10185-0384.

The Steamship Historical Society, founded in 1935 for those interested in steam navigation, now has members in twenty-five countries. Its dozen local chapters hold regular meetings, and there are two national gatherings each year. The society also offers group discounts on cruises. Next spring’s big trip will be the maiden eastbound transatlantic voyage of Holland America’s brand-new Rotterdam VI , sailing from New York to Lisbon. To find out more, write the Steamship Historical Society, 300 Ray Drive, Suite 4, Providence, RI 02906.

The Rotterdam it replaces has, by the way, received a reprieve. After ship buffs filled a series of sentimental farewell cruises in 1997, the liner was bought by Premier Cruises and rechristened the Rembrandt . Soon it will be sailing in Latin American and Mediterranean waters.