MSC World Europa: 23-Night Middle East

Doha is the capital of Qatar, a small, wealthy Persian Gulf state on a peninsula jutting into the Arabian Gulf. The city has about 2 million people in its metropolitan area and has transformed from a quiet pearling and fishing port into one of the most architecturally ambitious cities in the Middle East, fueled by natural gas wealth.

Dubai is a city built on ambition and air conditioning, rising from the Arabian desert into a skyline of record-breaking towers, artificial islands, and mega-malls. The Dubai cruise port at Mina Rashid sits in the older part of the city near the historic Creek district, about 15 minutes from the modern skyscraper core along Sheikh Zayed Road.

Dubai is a city built on ambition and air conditioning, rising from the Arabian desert into a skyline of record-breaking towers, artificial islands, and mega-malls. The Dubai cruise port at Mina Rashid sits in the older part of the city near the historic Creek district, about 15 minutes from the modern skyscraper core along Sheikh Zayed Road.

Dubai is a city built on ambition and air conditioning, rising from the Arabian desert into a skyline of record-breaking towers, artificial islands, and mega-malls. The Dubai cruise port at Mina Rashid sits in the older part of the city near the historic Creek district, about 15 minutes from the modern skyscraper core along Sheikh Zayed Road.

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, a city of about 1.5 million people spread across an island and mainland peninsula on the Persian Gulf coast.

Valletta cruise port is one of the most visually dramatic arrivals on any Mediterranean itinerary. Ships sail into the Grand Harbour, a deep natural inlet flanked by honey-colored limestone walls that rise straight out of the water, with Valletta itself perched on the peninsula above.

Naples cruise port is one of the most popular stops on Mediterranean itineraries, and it's easy to see why. The city sits on the Bay of Naples with Mount Vesuvius looming behind it, and it serves as the gateway to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Sorrento.

Rome's cruise port is in Civitavecchia, a working port town about 80 kilometers northwest of the city. That distance is the single most important thing to understand about this stop.

Genoa cruise port is one of the main embarkation points for western Mediterranean itineraries, particularly for MSC and Costa Cruises, which both have roots here. The city is the capital of Liguria and the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, pesto, and focaccia, and it has a grittier, more working-class feel than the polished Italian cities most tourists flock to.

Marseille cruise port is France's busiest and one of the major stops on western Mediterranean itineraries. The city is France's second largest and its oldest, founded by Greek sailors over 2,600 years ago, and it has a rougher, more authentic edge than the polished Riviera towns further east.