What tour operators usually mean when they say their trips are educational is that you'll witness a hackneyed historical re-enactment, the main purpose of which is steering you into a gift shop.

Smithsonian Journeys (run by the Washington-based Smithsonian Institution), on the other hand, actually delivers. Its tours are staffed by guides such as Jay Fraser, a retired history professor from Georgia Southern University who now leads a nine-day holiday cruise down the southeastern coast. You'll start out in Charleston, where you'll visit Drayton Hall, a plantation-house-turned-museum, and stroll the city's gas-lit cobblestone streets. You'll spend Christmas morning onboard en route to Beaufort, S.C. There you'll take a walking tour of the well-preserved colonial village center. A trolley ride in Savannah, a visit to the manses of Jekyll Island's Millionaire's Village and a tour of the ruins of slave quarters at Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island round out the itinerary, which ends with a stop on Amelia Island, Fla.

The vessel that makes this journey is the four-year-old American Glory. The ship accommodates 49 passengers, who have five room classes to choose from (all have private baths and either a king or two twin beds, as well as TVs with satellite connections; some of the larger staterooms have private balconies). Local musicians perform onboard, but the typical cruise casino and disco scene has been replaced by quiet libraries and lectures.

Length of trip Dec. 22-30
Cost Starts at $3,555 per person
Web site smithsonianjourneys.org