Cuba Cruises Canceled After Reported Threat

A Canadian company that planned to begin cruises from the Bahamas to Cuba on Saturday, allowing U.S. citizens to visit the island without violating U.S. travel restrictions, canceled the trips last week because of reported security threats.

The company, Toronto-based Cuba Cruise Corp., cited “potentially violent opposition and a recent bomb threat.” It did not identify the source of the threat.

The trips were to have consisted of educational programs on Cuban history and culture, plus visits to Havana under the auspices of a host organization. Although most U.S. citizens are restricted in visiting Cuba, certain people, such as academics and people whose visits are “hosted” in Cuba, are allowed.

The president of Cuba Cruise Corp. is Sam Blyth, former chairman of Toronto-based World Cruise Co., which halted an around-the-world cruise in mid-trip in Tahiti earlier this year because of financial problems and said it would cease operations.