Royal Caribbean Halts Visits to Labadee, Haiti Private Resort

Citing safety issues, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is halting visits to Labadee, its private resort in Haiti, through early autumn.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines halts visits to Labadee, Haiti, citing safety reasons_evelynkanter — Photo: RCCL

In March, RCCL suspended trips through the end of May, which is now extended through early autumn. Instead of Labadee, ships will opt for additional days at sea or an alternative port stop.

The change affects several ships in the fleet, including Adventure of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas.

Passengers with booked cruises that include stops at Labadee are being informed of the itinerary change, according to RoyalCaribbeanblog.com, a site that monitors the cruise line.

Labadee is on the pristine and relatively isolated northern coastline, walled off from Haiti residents and with a private security force.

Even so, the decision reflects the dangerous conditions in Haiti, which has been embroiled for months in widespread gang violence, resulting in food shortages and healthcare issues, and potential dangers for RCCL passengers and crew.

US Dept. of State Travel Warnings

U.S. State Department has recommended avoiding travel to Haiti, which is is currently under a Level Four travel advisory.

That’s the same “do not travel here” category as nations like Russia, Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Gaza and Burkina Faso, due to high risks of kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and inadequate healthcare services.

“Due to the continuing situation in Haiti, we’ll now visit Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, instead of Labadee, Haiti,” RCCL advised booked passengers in an email. “We’re sorry for the change – your safety is our top priority.”

Personal Safety Issues in Turks & Caicos

But safety is also an issue in the Turks & Caicos Islands, where at least three Americans face a mandatory 12-years in prison for having bullets in their luggage. No weapons – just bullets – apparently forgotten after recent hunting trips at home.

I just got this email press release from Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Josephine Connolly :

We are dedicated to preserving the charm of our destination while upholding the highest standards of safety and hospitality.
Our visitors can rest assured that they are in good hands, and we look forward to welcoming them with open arms.
Travellers are strongly advised to search their luggage before they travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands to ensure they do not inadvertently bring in forbidden items.
The Turks and Caicos Islands reserve the right to enforce its legislation and all visitors must follow the law enforcement procedures.

At the same time RCCL is dropping Haiti, it is building a new private resort for passengers in Nassau, Bahamas, set to open in 2025.

Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, to the east. The Dominican Republic is under a Level 2 advisory, where visitors are advised to be more cautious.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.