Following an original suspension of visits to Royal Caribbean International’s private destination in Haiti in mid-March, the cruise line has once again announced it is canceling all sailings to Labadee through May 2024.
Extended Labadee Cancellations by Royal Caribbean
In response to ongoing tensions in Haiti, marked by armed attacks on citizens, Royal Caribbean has extended the suspension of all visits to the private resort of Labadee through May 2024. The proactive measure was announced in a statement to cruise line passengers.
The statement said, “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 cancellation affects the May 1 arrival of Allure of the Seas; Adventure of the Seas’ May 2, 7 and 20 calls; the May 3 call of Wonder of the Seas; visits by Symphony of the Seas on May 6 and 21; the May 11 and 25 arrival dates for Independence of the Seas; and calls scheduled for May 15 and 29 on Liberty of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean is currently deciding between an alternative destination, such as its other private resort, Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, or an added sea day. It will provide updates as new arrangements are finalized.
All guests booked for the original Labadee visits will receive automatic cancellations and refunds of any pre-paid activities to their onboard accounts.
Responding to Political Crisis
Labadee is a private resort on Haiti’s northern coast, offering an array of adventures, including Adrenaline Beach, Dragon’s Beach, Nellie’s Beach, Columbus Cove, and Buccaneer’s Bay. An exclusive Barefoot Beach Club is reserved for Pinnacle Club members, and the resort features a Town Square.
Although utilized as a private destination for Royal Caribbean cruise ships, Haiti maintains sovereignty over the resort.
The decision to cancel calls in Labadee follows a siege of the government by powerful gangs on March 12. The siege forced the prime minister of Haiti to step down and was followed by a deadly rampage that left dozens of people dead, as well as a prison break, where 4,000 inmates escaped.
Since the upheaval, the Associated Press reports more than 53,000 people have fled Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital, and food shortages are taking place across the island.
Royal Caribbean immediately suspended all calls in Labadee on March 14, despite the resort being secured by private barriers. The cancellations affected Oasis of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and Adventure of the Seas, each set to visit within days of the initial unrest, as well as Grandeur of the Seas.
By March 20, the cruise line proactively cancelled calls scheduled in April, rerouting Explorer of the Seas to Grand Cayman, Independence of the Seas to Grand Turk, and Odyssey of the Seas to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Royal Caribbean has iterated passenger safety as the reason it is avoiding Labadee, saying, “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.”
Read Also: Royal Caribbean Suspends All Visits to Labadee, Haiti
No additional cruise lines sail to Haiti and remain unaffected by the political tension. As of this date, June sailings to Labadee aboard Adventure of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas remain on course.
The Associated Press reports a transitional council has been selected to choose a new prime minister, and that a newly established Presidential Council has been created to tackle gang violence and address security needs.
