After you've played your twenty-seventh game of shuffleboard . today, and one more lobster dinner is going to force you to grow claw crackers, find a quiet place with a comfortable deck chair. I've heard people say that a cruise ship is exciting and boring, riotous and relaxing, and they'll either never travel any other way again or move to the desert. Nevertheless, everyone seems to agree-the ships are always packed with enough people to make single-file a lifestyle.

Here's a book to take with you when you do locate an unpopulated corner of your floating pool deck. Two dozen ways to...