Libya off vacation lists again

CITING visa issues and other problems, cruise lines and tour operators are canceling visits to Libya just two years after the U.S. government lifted a ban on Americans traveling to the socialist North African nation.

Among companies reporting visa woes are Travcoa, a Newport Beach tour operator, which has canceled Libya trips through April; and Miami-based Oceania, which will substitute four Italian ports for Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya, on the May 21 sailing of its Insignia ship.

Silversea Cruises, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is canceling Libyan port calls next weekend by its Silver Wind ship.

In that case, the company has “safety and security concerns” related to unrest over publication of cartoons in the West, said spokesman Brad Ball.

Steven LeTellier, vice president of Pinnacle Travel Document Systems, based in Washington, D.C., said Libya first balked, then finally in December refused to issue visas to U.S. tourists.

LeTellier, whose company handles Libyan visas for several tour and cruise operators, said he hadn’t been able to get an explanation for the refusal.

In its Libya consular information sheet, the U.S. State Department has also reported visa delays and denials.

In a telephone interview last week, Nagen Mustah, culture and information consul at the Libyan People’s Bureau in Ottawa, Canada, said, “There is no problem for visas for the American people.” He declined to answer other questions.

Because Libyan liaison offices in the U.S. do not issue visas, Americans commonly request them through the office in Ottawa.

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Airline note

INDIANAPOLIS-based ATA Airlines emerged from bankruptcy last week after downsizing its fleet, work force and destinations. Its network includes Hawaii and the West Coast.

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Luxury resort opening in West Indies

SINGAPORE-based Amanresorts, best known for running exclusive Asian resorts, is venturing into the West Indies.

The Amanyara, on Providenciales Island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, was to have opened Wednesday. It covers 99 acres in Northwest Point Marine National Park.

Guests can choose among 40 cottages, each measuring 1,250 square feet, with private terraces. There’s also a restaurant. A spa, a fitness center, a beach club and a diving center are expected to open later. Rates begin at $1,350 per night. Information: (800) 477-9180, www.amanresorts.com.

-- Jane Engle