Labadee is off the itinerary for Royal Caribbean sailings, as the ongoing civil unrest in Haiti has prompted cruise line officials to suspend port calls at its private enclave on the country’s north coast.
“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,” Royal Caribbean International said in a press statement. “We will continue to monitor and reassess calls as needed, and will communicate updates with guests directly.”
Port calls to Labadee were initially suspended through mid-March, but now all stops in Haiti have been cancelled until the end of April.
Alternative Port Calls
Royal Caribbean has penciled in a number of alternative port calls in place of the full-day stop at Labadee, which has been a mainstay on the cruise line’s Western Caribbean itineraries.
On Symphony of the Seas, for example, Labadee has been replaced by a Falmouth, Jamaica port call on some cruises, a CocoCay, Bahamas, stop on others, and a day at sea on the April 28 sailing.
Passengers on Independence of the Seas will get stops at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; George Town, Grand Cayman; Nassau or Bimini, Bahamas; or CocoCay for March and April sailings.
For Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is subbing CocoCay, Falmouth, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, or a cruise day for Labadee, depending upon departure date.
Haiti has been beset by violent clashes that has devolved into near anarchy in the nation’s capital, Port au Prince. The nation’s president recently resigned, and rival gangs have battled each other as well as neighborhood militias in bloody clashes for control of the city.
Labadee is a 260-acre private resort located close to the city of Cap Haitien. Leased by Royal Caribbean from the Haitian government, the resort sits on a peninsula and is protected by a high security wall and private guards.
Labadee is a 129-mile, 6-hour drive from Port au Prince, although civil strife in Haiti has not been limited to the capital.
Royal Caribbean also suspended stops in Labadee amid a coup d’etat in Haiti in 2004.
