ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- I stared for a time at the museum-case model that portrayed early Abu Dhabi as a sandy flat with a loose scattering of mud huts, on which the most sophisticated architectural feature were the goat pens. I half expected to see tiny figures swinging crude stone tools.

That is, until I noticed the brass plaque.

``Abu Dhabi, 1959.''

It appeared that the United Arab Emirates' capital city, which from our ship looked like a solid wall of modern skyscrapers stretching for miles, had, well, grown up. I read the second part of the plaque and it all made sense.

``Pre Oil Era Model.''

Fueled by the black gold under the golden sands, the major cities of the Arabian Peninsula's emirates, kingdoms and sultanates have morphed in a few decades from rural villages to modern, sprawling, metropolitan hot spots, a task that took New York City at least three centuries.

But as these oil-rush boom towns harbor world-class economies and indulge in fanciful architecture of the future (possibly to the point of obsession in the case of Dubai) what happens to the rich heritage of Arabia's past?

I boarded a Costa ship last year to sail the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman out of Dubai -- the first regular cruise in the region by any line -- that included stops in three United Arab Emirates, the island nation of Bahrain and the still-off-the-radar sultan-ruled nation of Oman. The route seemed perfectly suited for sampling and exploring a part of the world most Westerners will never see, to peel back a few cliches and stereotypes associated with Islamic life, and to find out if it's possible to ogle the modern marvels and experience the flavor of old Arabia through its people, places and rituals.

HUGE DESERT

The Arabian Peninsula is the size of Alaska, Texas and California combined (give or take Rhode Island), and 9 out of every 10 square feet belong to one of the most inhospitable patches of land on the planet. The Arabian Desert includes the largest contiguous stretch of sand anywhere, and generously offers daytime temperatures normally associated with baking bundt cakes or branding steers.

All of which makes it a perfect destination to explore by sea, bypassing the bone-bleaching heat and choking dust of land travel in the desert, and allowing casual travelers to experience a truly foreign culture -- with the option of familiar surroundings at the end of the day.

Italian cruise line Costa launched the seasonal seven-night voyages in late 2006, in part based on the growing buzz over the homeport.

''Dubai was really an up-and-coming hot spot, not only for Europeans, but for customers around the world,'' says Lynn Torrent, President of Costa Cruise Line America. ``It has gone amazingly well. So much so that we doubled the capacity.''

The line plans to base two ships in Dubai to sail the same weeklong itineraries (one day apart) starting in mid-December.

In most ways that matter -- cabin size, basic amenities, public areas, food, bars and lounges -- Costa's ships are comparable to those of other mass market brands, although the flavor is decidedly Italian. On a recent trip with my wife, Ann, Europeans accounted for all but a tiny fraction of the passengers (just 16 from the United States). If you've never been on a European-oriented voyage, idiosyncrasies include: later dining; measurements in metric; much better coffee; and announcements in five languages (English was typically toward the end).

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