Royal Caribbean has stopped all visits to its private destination of Labadee, Haiti due to violence and lawlessness in the country.
Labadee is the name of a beach area reserved exclusively for the use of Royal Caribbean ships and its passengers on a peninsula in northern Haiti. It's walled off from the rest of the country and Royal Caribbean employs a private security force there.
Royal Caribbean has leased the 260-acre site since the 1980s, and it's 130 miles north of Port-au-Prince (about a six-and-a-half-hour drive) and has not been impacted by other periods of unrest in the country.
There news reports of violence and killings in and around the capital of the country, Port-au-Prince, due to gang activity.
In March, Royal Caribbean announced "in an abundance of caution" its cruise ships would halt visits while the cruise line monitors the safety of the situation.
Prioritizing the safety of its guests and crew members is why Royal Caribbean made the decision, as it does in any part of the world which faces geopolitical issues.
"Please know that the safety and comfort of our guests are always our highest priority. Our Global Security and Intel Team is closely monitoring the evolving situation in Haiti, and in an abundance of caution, we are temporarily making adjustments to sailings visiting Labadee," the cruise line announced.
As the summer 2024 cruise season approaches, many are wondering what is happening with scheduled visits to Labadee and what are the chances it will still occur.
Visits cancelled through May 2024
Royal Caribbean has cancelled all visits to Labadee in April and May 2024.
"We have suspended all visits to Labadee fleetwide through May 2024, and we continue to monitor the situation with our Global Security & Intelligence team," the company posted on their website in their latest update.
For sailings beyond May 2024, Royal Caribbean is monitoring the situation and will advise guests booked on cruises that have a scheduled stop to Labadee if something changes.
Usually these updates come in an email to passengers and travel agents in the weeks leading up to a cruise.
There is no set timeframe when a stop can be cancelled by, as the change could occur right up to the day the ship is scheduled to visit. We've seen emails go out much sooner than that, but it's important to note itineraries can change at any time.
Her is the official statement by Royal Caribbean:
We have suspended all visits to Labadee fleetwide through May 2024, and we continue to monitor the situation with our Global Security & Intelligence team. Please know that the safety and comfort of our guests are always our highest priority. We are committed to keeping you informed, and itinerary modifications are being communicated directly to guests ahead of their sailings. Please check back for any potential changes. Thank you for your understanding.
Factors influencing Royal Caribbean’s decision
While there has been no reported incidents of violence in Labadee, an abundance of caution seems to be the primary factor in cancelling calls to Labadee.
Royal Caribbean has a team at headquarters that monitors incidents that could impact their cruise ships. From severe weather, to political situations, to economic factors, these are all taken into consideration when it comes to the safety of its guests, crew, and ships.
In March 2024, Royal Caribbean announced its first ever world cruise would bypass the Middle East due to unrest in the area of the Red Sea.
As the situation deteriorated there, Royal Caribbean took proactive action to change the sailing and move the ship elsewhere.
Where are Royal Caribbean ships are going instead of Labadee?
With Royal Caribbean ships getting re-routed away from Haiti, alternative ports of call are the first choice in trying to update an itinerary.
Each ship has its own replacement option, as choices of where a cruise ship can go instead depend on factors contingent on that day. That means a ship cannot just change where it goes arbitrarily. It's dependent on availability of an open port.
Some ships have gone to Grand Turk; Perfect Day at CocoCay; or Falmouth, Jamaica.
In other cases, the ship stays out at sea and a sea day replaces the visit.
There is no obligation or requirement for the cruise line to replace the scheduled port visit with another port.
