A sailor at heart, where can I begin my life at sea?

I'm very tempted by the idea of booking a cruise to see the highlights of a destination ('Rhythm of the Mekong, February 13). Can you recommend any cruise itineraries closer to home?

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I'm very tempted by the idea of booking a cruise to see the highlights of a destination ('Rhythm of the Mekong, February 13). Can you recommend any cruise itineraries closer to home? Jumping aboard a floating hotel is a popular way to cover long distances without the sometimes torturous, time-wasting effort of waiting in airport lounges. Cruising around the UAE is about to become easier with the opening this week of the new cruise terminal in Dubai. The Italian firm, Costa Cruises (www.costacruises.co.uk) which sails from Dubai to Oman, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Bahrain, has added two new ships to its fleet. A seven-night cruise aboard the Costa Luminosa in March costs from US$770 (Dh2,829) per person, full board. Royal Carribean International (www.royalcarribean.com) is basing its ship Brilliance of the Seas here until April. A seven-night cruise from Dubai to Oman, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain costs from $699 (Dh2,567) per person, full board.

Libya is a great cruise destination, allowing passengers easy access to the fine historical sites - Cyrene, Leptis Magna and Sabratha - along the Mediterranean coastline. Book the 10-day Roman Africa cruise with Noble Caledonia (www.noble-caledonia.co.uk) before March 31 and save $463 (Dh1,700) per person. The MS Island Sky departs Heraklion in Crete, on November 10 and docks in Tobruk, Derna, Benghazi, Khoms, Tripoli, Zuwara and Valletta in Malta. The voyage costs from $5,217 (Dh19,162) per person, full board, but not including flights.

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