42 Night Cruise sailing from Muscat to Istanbul aboard Minerva.

Cruise Description:

Follow the ancient trade routes of the Arabian seas, along the coasts of Arabia and Africa, which still hold the same promise of wealth and adventure which inspired the tales of Sinbad. Discover modern Islamic culture, the ancient Egyptian civilisations along the Nile in Luxor as well as the rose red, Nabataean Petra.

Travel through holy lands as Minerva sails from the Red Sea, through the Suez Canal into the Eastern Mediterranean. From Nabataean Petra, the Pyramids and Coptic Orthodox monasteries, to the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, Roman Ephesus, the Aegean island of Patmos where St John wrote the Book of Revelation and the Acropolis of classical Athens, discover sites and pilgrimage centres that resonate to the narratives of the world's major religions.

Springtime in Greece and the Black Sea, archaeological sites covered in wild flowers and blossom on the trees. Follow the ancient Greeks north along the Aegean coast, through the Bosphorus and across the Black Sea to the Crimea, colonised by the Greeks in the 6th century BC. Discover palaces of Tsars, the Soviet past, stroll along historic promenades overlooking the Black Sea and enjoy impressive skylines of domes and minarets as Minerva berths in the heart of Istanbul.

Highlights of this cruise:

Muscat
Muscat has long been the arrival point into Oman for goods and people and is still a 'very elegant town with very fine houses', as observed by Portuguese admiral Alfonso de Alburqueque in the 16th century. Discover this pristine city on a guided tour viewing the Sultan Qaboos Palace and the famous twin forts guarding the city. Travel inland to explore traditional fish markets and visit Nakhl Fort at the foot of the Hajar Mountains.

Salalah
Dhofar's 'perfume city' of Salalah is so named because of its plantations of bananas, papayas and, of course, frankincense trees. Dhofar's trading history can be discovered on a visit to the ruined city of Samhuram, the most important pre-Islamic settlement in the region, while on the outskirts of Salalah you can visit Job's tomb, sheltered in a small house near a mosque.

Massawa
Explore the alleyways and streets of the old town, flanked by low, whitewashed buildings, porticoes and arcades. Many of the buildings were destroyed during the struggle for independence but are now being restored; a unique opportunity to explore a town little visited by travellers from the west.

Safaga
Is the gateway to Luxor on the banks of the river Nile. Discover magnificent Karnak Temple, visit the pharaohs' tombs in the Valley of the Kings or visit the less frequented Valley of the Queens and the fascinating Deir El Medineh workers' tombs.

Aqaba
Aqaba leads to the remarkable Nabataean city of Petra, a former caravan city that linked Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia. Hidden in folds of mountains and accessed via a narrow siq, Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, a blend of Eastern traditions with Hellenistic architecture. Alternatively, a jeep ride will take you deep into the desert landscape of Wadi Rum, where extraordinarily shaped mountains rise out of the rose-red desert.

El Sokhna
El Sokhna is the gateway to Cairo. Enjoy a full day visit to Giza's famed Pyramids, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and the Cairo Museum, a treasure house of Egyptian Antiquities.

Alexandria
More Mediterranean in feel than African, the city retains some Belle Epoque buildings, grand squares and evidence of Roman civilisation. Officially opened in 2002 the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a striking 21st century replacement for the original founded by the first Ptolemy in the 3rd century BC. Discover the treasures of the Archaeological and Manuscript Museums.

Haifa
Sitting on the slopes of Mount Carmel, towering over Israel's third largest city is the Carmelite Monastery of Stella Maris, where the order was founded in 1150. Next door and older still is the cave where the Bible tells us Elijah hid from King Ahab. For great views of the bay and the city below, ride there and back by way of the funicular. Down in the town, explore the old Arab district of Wadi Nisnas. In its time, HAIFA has been a refuge for Jewish immigrants, a British enclave during their occupation of Palestine, and the centre of the Baha'i faith. Excursion choices take you around the Bible landmarks of Galilee and to Nazareth, where the Church of the Annunciation is said to stand where Mary and Joseph's house once stood.

Kusadasi
On a full-day call explore spectacular Ephesus, and walk down well trodden marble streets, viewing the restored façade of the Library of Celcus, Hadrian's Temple, baths and houses and the majestic 25,000 seat theatre where St Paul spoke out against the makers of silver shrines. Or discover one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the remains of the Temple of Artemis, and the great civilisations at Seljuk. Minerva sails late this evening, allowing you plenty of time to bargain for rugs or try a Hamman.

Athens
The ancient port of Piraeus is where you can visit the Acropolis of Athens and its new museum. Alternatively take a local boat cruise along the Corinth Canal, smaller than the Suez Canal but no less impressive.

Volos
Enjoy a full day call at Volos, visiting Meteora, where from the 11th century onwards, monks built monasteries on almost inaccessible pinnacles of sandstone, sculpted into fantastic shapes by wind and rain over thousands of years. Or ascend the slopes of Mount Pelion in a beautifully restored train.

Yalta
Enjoy a full day call at Volos, visiting Meteora, where from the 11th century onwards, monks built monasteries on almost inaccessible pinnacles of sandstone, sculpted into fantastic shapes by wind and rain over thousands of years. Or ascend the slopes of Mount Pelion in a beautifully restored train.

Sevastopol
See some of the most significant sites of the Crimean War, including the battlefield of Balaclava - scene of the ill-fated Charge of the Light Brigade, and view the magnificent Panorama, a huge circular painted canvas and probably one of the best of its kind, celebrating the defence of Sevastopol. Alternatively, discover Bakhchisarai Palace, an excellent example of Renaissance and Muslim architecture. Minerva berths just ten minutes' walk from the city centre, ideal for exploring at leisure during your full-day in port.

Istanbul
Enjoy the penultimate day of your cruise sailing back across the Black Sea to the magnificent city of Istanbul, spanning the divide between Europe and Asia. The following day explore the heart of Old Istanbul, the lavishly decorated Aghia Sophia and the famed Blue Mosque, or Topkapi, the Ottoman Sultans' palace a fascinating complex of pavilions, kitchens, barracks, audience chambers, kiosks and sleeping quarters. End the day by wandering around the Grand Bazaar.