With room for more than 100 passengers, the American Eagle is one of 20 American Cruise Lines ships and riverboats that take tourists through our country’s waterways with stops at towns and cities of interest. Photo courtesy of American Cruise Lines

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During a recent journey through several southeastern states, I knocked on an unmarked wood door, uttered a secret password, and was admitted into a throwback Prohibition-era speakeasy in the heart of Savannah, Georgia.

My wife Fyllis and I also took a horse-drawn carriage ride through Beaufort, South Carolina — a small, picturesque town (pronounced BYOO-fert) that has served as the backdrop for more than 100 movies and television shows.

We were on a cruise to history-rich Savannah, Beaufort and other towns, relaxing as we traveled aboard the American Eagle, an American Cruise Lines ship.

Our eight-day voyage took us from Florida’s Amelia Island to Charleston, South Carolina, via the Intracoastal Waterway, a 3,000-mile-long stretch of river, canals and bays that runs from Massachusetts to Florida and then on to Texas.

The channel was so wide in some places that the marshes, sandbars and sawgrass lining the shorelines almost faded into the distance. In others, the ship slowed to a crawl as it navigated narrow, shallow sections, providing close-up views of gulls, pelicans and other wildlife.

While our 100-guest ship often had the water to itself, we occasionally spotted a barge or another boat carrying passengers whose friendly waves we returned. Dolphins seemed to enjoy following in our wake.

On-shore excursions

Our ship docked at some of the South’s most charming cities and towns, and the selection of outings at each port appealed to many tastes and interests.

For starters, we checked out the American Prohibition Museum in Savannah, the only one of its kind in the nation. Exhibits, dioramas and other displays bring the “Roaring Twenties” back to life in an immersive way.

Visitors enter into a street scene: A beer truck is parked amid a mob of angry, sign-carrying protesters (mannequins). A soundtrack broadcasts evangelist Billy Sunday railing against both “king alcohol” and Savannah — “the most wicked city in the world.”

A portrait of August Anheuser Busch Sr., the brewing magnate, suddenly comes alive and engages in a spirited debate with the nearby picture of a female member of the Temperance League, arguing the benefits of moderation versus prohibition.

After you view the exhibits, you can choose a side: There’s a fully stocked bar in the museum’s speakeasy.

In addition to the Prohibition Museum, we could take trolley or walking tours of Savannah. Those who went ashore at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, could visit alligators at a wildlife preserve or take a dolphin-watching cruise.

In Brunswick, Georgia, cruisers could visit a rice plantation that operated from 1800 until 1915, or ride on a retired shrimping trawler.

Fyllis and I opted for the shrimp boat. As its captain hauled in a net loaded with wriggling shrimp, crabs, pufferfish and other denizens of the deep, guests could handle the catch before it was returned to the ocean. Fyllis delighted in getting close up and personal with a baby manta ray.

Our penultimate stop, Beaufort, had a small-town atmosphere, streets lined by graceful antebellum homes, and overhead canopies of Spanish moss-festooned oak trees.

Hollywood’s love affair with Beaufort began in 1914 when scenes for the film The Americans were shot there. Viewing it all from a wagon pulled by a straw hat-wearing horse named Bandit added to the ambiance.

On the last day of the cruise, we took a tour of Charleston’s cobblestone streets and squares. Founded in 1670, the city’s architectural style is the unique “single house,” with a narrow, one-room-width side facing the street, our tour guide explained. That design was necessary during the Colonial era, when a wall enclosed the miniscule, 62-acre town, and space was limited. Pointing to a church that was built in 1855, our guide referred to it as “new.”

A long list of other tours was available to passengers. In Charleston, they included a visit to the magnificent Magnolia Gardens and Plantation, founded in 1676, and Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.

Food, lectures, trivia

Between ports, we could choose from almost around-the-clock activities available on the ship. Experts and guest lecturers described the next day’s shore excursions, and delved into topics like the Music of the Civil War, the Civil War at Sea and Early American Religion.

Other activities included bingo, trivia, and arts and crafts. A Veterans Appreciation Ceremony honored passengers who had served in the military, and those traveling on their own could attend a solo travelers meetup.

Evening entertainment was equally varied, including live music, a talented ventriloquist, and an equally gifted Gullah woman. She described and demonstrated the unique culture, customs and cuisine of that African American ethnic group from the coastal Southeast.

Of course, cruises are known for their abundant food options. Fresh-baked cookies were served twice a day; nibbles and drinks were available in the Sky Lounge; and a snack bar served light breakfasts and lunches on the deck.

The evening feast included a pre-dinner cocktail hour with more-than-ample hors d’oeuvres, and peaked in the white-tablecloth dining room. The dinner menus reflected the culture and tastes of the region: crabcakes, barbecued pork chops and shrimp and grits.

One evening, I overheard Jason, the executive chef, giving a pre-dinner briefing to his waitstaff. He listed the ingredients of each entrée displayed on a tray as the servers took notes and asked questions.

That attention to detail pervaded every aspect of our experience aboard and left us wishing our cruise had been longer.

If you go

American Cruise Lines’ small ships (90 to 180 passengers) are specifically designed to navigate this country’s waterways and coastlines. They’re known for offering spacious staterooms many of which, like ours, have floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that lead to an outside private balcony.

You can choose from more than 50 itineraries lasting six to 61 days through 35 states. The ships tend to skip touristy ports in favor of small, often overlooked ones.

All-inclusive fares, including gratuities, begin at $2,640 per shared cabin and cover some shore excursions and, in some cases, airfare. The price of our Intracoastal Waterway cruise was $4,030 per person. For more information, visit americancruiselines.com or call 1-800-814-6880.