In recent days, major violence has rocked the Caribbean nation of Haiti. In the midst of unrest between armed gangs and the government, the gangs have stormed prisons in the capital of Port-au-Prince, gunfights have erupted in the streets, major airlines have halted flights to/from of the country, and thousands of Haitians have been displaced.
As a result, the government has declared a state of emergency through at least April 3 in the area of the country where Port-au-Prince is located. One leader of the gangs fighting government forces — Jimmy Cherizier – has threatened that there will be “a civil war that will end in genocide” if the current prime minister does not resign.
While there are numerous news sources covering the spiraling situation, we wondered what might happen with Royal Caribbean’s private destination on the island, Labadee. As the only cruise port in Haiti, it’s seeing a unique situation.
This spot sits secluded on a peninsula in the northern part of the country, near the city of Cap-Haitien. It’s a popular port of call on Royal Caribbean trips, complete with a massive beach, rides, shopping, and more. Given everything that’s happening, we reached out to the cruise line to get the latest on if ports of call will continue.
No Labadee Cancelations as of Now
As of now, Royal Caribbean says they “have not canceled any calls or sailings” that visit the Labadee port.
In a statement to Cruzely, a representative told us that:
“The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. Our global security teams are closely monitoring the situation in the area. At all times, we remind guests to remain aware of their surroundings while ashore and follow all State Department guidelines. Should any changes be required, guests will be notified directly.”
More specifically, the cruise line emphasized several points regarding Labadee and the current situation in the capital:
- We are aware of the recent travel advisory for Haiti.
- The safety and security of our guests is our top priority.
- Please note that the civil unrest in Port-au-Prince is 128 miles south of our private destination, Labadee.
- This is equivalent to a six-and-a-half-hour drive time from Port-au-Prince to Labadee.
- Only guests and employees are permitted onsite, and we have private security to limit access to the area.
- Guests visiting Labadee are not permitted to leave the resort at any time, for their safety and comfort.
- In the meantime, we’re continuing to monitor the situation very closely with local authorities and our security team.
- Should anything change regarding our visits to Labadee, we’ll contact any impacted guests and travel agents immediately.
- We have not canceled any calls or sailings visiting Labadee at this time.
If Changes Do Occur, Royal Caribbean Will Be in Touch
To be sure, the current situation in the capital is dire and shows no signs of stopping yet. While the cruise line hasn’t made any changes as of now, should the violence spread, then we think canceling calls on the port will be in the cards.
As for now, there are ships scheduled for the port nearly every day through the rest of the month. If you are on an upcoming trip that features a stop in Labadee, then be prepared for the possibility of a change. The cruise line will be in touch to alert you of any itinerary adjustments.
We are scheduled for a stop next Month. I would suggest not stopping in Haiti and changing to a Cocoa Cay stop.
I also emailed because my parents are leaving next week to celebrate my mom’s 80th birthday on Royal Caribbean and received the same response. They have to take into consideration that there are thousands of prisoners on the run in Haiti. “ON THE RUN” they could go anywhere on the island and hide in remote sections including Labadee. If I was Royal Caribbean or any other cruise, I would not be near Haiti until it is safe to visit. It’s too risky and they can do anything at this time out of desperation. Hoping they change their minds.
I’m pretty sure “state guidelines” recommend not visiting Haiti. I called as well and got the same “read off per verbatim” response. If the safety of guests were top priority they wouldn’t be risking guest safety by stopping. You could have the same “6 hour away” response in some countries in the Middle East but they skipping this area right now. Does anyone know how far a boat ride it is from Port-au-Prince to Labadee? Seems like someone could get in from that avenue to me.