Imagine being able to travel without dealing with lengthy immigration procedures, no queuing up for check in and no running out of one hotel to another each time you want to move to a new destination. You can leave your bags in a room that you will use from day one through the entire trip. All these conveniences come together on a cruise holiday exploring each port of call at a relaxed pace.

As I reached Dubai to embark a cruise ship bound for countries along the Persian (Arabian) Gulf, including Muscat, I was thrilled to be among the 2,100 passengers from more than 50 countries on board one of the world’s largest cruise ships.

The staircases and common areas of the 13-storey ship were adorned with art works of famous artists and the décor radiates a heart warming ambience. On board is a shopping arcade, a photo shop, gaming, art auction, cinema, theatre and a number of restaurants. There was also an all-day casual dining venue offering a variety of edibles from around the world, with free flow of lemonade, fruit punch, iced tea, assorted herbal teas, coffee and hot chocolate. For night owls there were spots which come alive with easy listening and fun quiz competitions.

On the sundeck, there was the pool, a jacuzzi, a solarium and a spa. The aft side of the ship offered plenty of fun, thrill and adventure for families at the water slide, children’s pool, the climb-the-wall tower, tennis court and a mini golf. Among the main attractions of the cruise holiday were shore excursions and Muscat, the capital of Oman was one of the port of calls in our itinerary. We docked by a small horse-shoe shaped harbour called Sultan Qaboos Port of Muscat in the proximity of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The awe inspiring Muttrah mountain range characterises Muscat, a derivative of ‘masquat’ meaning the cliffs. However, the origin of the word Muscat is controversial. Some authors claim that the word has Arabic origins from moscha, meaning an inflated hide or skin while others claim that the name Muscat means anchorage or the place of ‘letting fall the anchor.’ According to old Persian derivatives, Muscat means strong-scented or Maas-gat meaning ‘fishing place.’ (Moscha Portus).

Since the early 1st century, Muscat has enjoyed the reputation of being an important trading port between the East and the West. It was ruled by indigenous tribes from one time to another and its potential attracted foreign influence.

A mosaic of multi-ethnic society, Muscat is the largest modern city in Oman with a population of 1,090,797 (2008). The metropolitan area spans approximately 1500 square km and comprises of six provinces.

On a half day land tour, we drove past the residential area of Shati Al Qurum with its elegant white washed villas with the rocky western Al Hajar mountains in the distance that dominate the landscape of Muscat.

An hour’s drive took us to the landmark of the capital: the Grand Masjid, built by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Just before our coach entered the parking lot, we saw the very first glimpse of the white pearl like mosque, with its minarets and domes behind a grove of tall palm trees.

Later in the day we moved back towards the port to visit the colorful Muttrah Souq along the coastline. At the entrance of the alley into the central souq, the alluring scent of Arabian perfumes and spices float in the air. Here you could bargain for carpets, handicraft made of copper, camel bone, wood and leather. Traditional hand-made Omani dresses, daggers, antiques, custom gold and silver jewellery could also be bought at the souk.

The tour continued towards Muscat's picturesque coastal road through the charming fishing village of Sidab and to the old city of Muscat for a visit to the magnificent Al Alam Palace, the official residence of Sultan Qaboos. The architecture of the palace is an interesting fusion of oriental and Arabesque styles brilliantly festooned in rich hues of gold and blue.

The palace is strategically positioned between the two medieval fortresses of Jalali and Mirani which were built by the Portuguese during the late 16th century. Our tour concluded with a visit to Bait Al Zubair, a private museum (owned by His Excellency Mohammad Al Zubair, advisor to His Majesty), which displays a private collection of Omani artillery, jewellery, traditional costumes, household objects, books, photographs, paintings and maps.