Concord Monitor The latest chic ports of call for the jaded or adventurous cruiser are in Moammar Gadhafi's socialist Libya. Little more than a year after the United States lifted its long-standing ban on travel to the North African nation, Holland America, Silversea and several other cruise lines are putting Libya on their itineraries. And it's a hot ticket. The appeal: a forbidden-fruit country with extensive, well-preserved Roman ruins and memorable Saharan scenery. The most popular Libyan ports of call, usually found on 10- to 16-day Mediterranean cruises, are Tripoli and Benghazi.
Two of Silversea's four cruises that call on Libya this year have sold out. They're so popular that the luxury line, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., plans nine next year, said spokesman Brad Ball. "There's a large group of travelers out there (who) are always looking for bragging rights in regard to being the first person to visit new and exotic places," Ball said.
Companies offering cruises in Libya include: Travel Dynamics International; Silversea, Holland America and Clipper Cruise Line. |