Royal Caribbean Haiti

[Molsonreddog]

Has anyone heard about Royal Caribbean returning to Haiti officially. I’m supposed to be going there in two weeks and was expecting to be rerouted. However, my daughter said one of her friends actually went there last week. Just wondering if anyone can confirm the official return thanks.

[CruiseGus]

Royal has returned to Labadee 

Believe first stop was  8 Oct 2024

[VC22]

They have returned to Labadee.  On Utopia now and they rerouted us from Coco Cay and Nassau to Labadee “due to weather”.

[smokeybandit]

They've already gone back and have rerouted ships there due to weather

[Molsonreddog]

Thanks for your replies. Appreciate it!!

[MarvinS]

5 hours ago, CruiseGus said:

Royal has returned to Labadee 

Believe first stop was  8 Oct 2024

Yes, I was on Adventure as the first to return to Labadee on 10/8/24.   Absolutely zero concerns or issues being there, and we felt very safe.  I saw a significant security detail near the perimeter (several soldiers each carrying a large machine gun).  They were taking security and protection very seriously.

[jarestel]

We were in Labadee on Indy last Saturday. It was quite nice.

 

[Va4fam]

New State Department warnings to avoid travel to Haiti.......any chance Royal will skip Labadee again?

Quote

 

 

[TXcruzer]

14 minutes ago, Va4fam said:

New State Department warnings to avoid travel to Haiti.......any chance Royal will skip Labadee again?

 

No, Haiti has been level 4 for quite some time

[PhillyLady]

Today an airplane trying to land in Haiti was attacked by gang gunfire. 

Supposedly gang violence is increasing again.

The prime minister was just fired and a new one was named. 

The poor country is still in a lot of chaos.

https://apnews.com/article/haiti-airport-gang-violence-5a8a96a179f26fb6cde1265483e5f4b5

[Geezer Of The Seas]

Everyone says "but Labadee is 3 or 4 hours over land from Port au Prince". 

Personally,  I think Royal (and any other cruise line with stops in Haiti) is playing with fire.  An aircraft on a 'slow' landing approach is like shooting fish in a barrel. So, what happens when/if these bad actors come into possession of high performance boats and start busting caps at a cruise ship? They don't have to board, just squeeze off a few rounds at the pool deck would be all it would take to create a story the cruise lines couldn't deep six. My opinion, of course................

[twangster]

1 hour ago, Geezer Of The Seas said:

Everyone says "but Labadee is 3 or 4 hours over land from Port au Prince". 

Personally,  I think Royal (and any other cruise line with stops in Haiti) is playing with fire.  An aircraft on a 'slow' landing approach is like shooting fish in a barrel. So, what happens when/if these bad actors come into possession of high performance boats and start busting caps at a cruise ship? They don't have to board, just squeeze off a few rounds at the pool deck would be all it would take to create a story the cruise lines couldn't deep six. My opinion, of course................

If the idea of some violence near a port concerns you avoid most US based cruise ports.  Don't ever visit a major US city.  New York?  Boston? L.A.?  Vegas?  Chicago?  Just to name a few.  The list goes on.  Many dangerous places here at home.  A tourist in some shady places in CA?  Good luck.  

 

[Geezer Of The Seas]

@twangster, we agree to disagree. Haiti has been violent and dysfunctional............forever. A catastrophic incident involving a cruise ship going into a country that has been gripped by anarchy for decades doesn't add up to good business sense. Any cruise line resume sailings to the Black Sea (Russia/Ukraine) or Mediterranean  Israel/Hamas/Hezbollah)? Not a lot of separation among them all; the 'war' in Haiti looks different is all.  It just seems  a bad idea.

Haven't been in a major metro area lately...........well Ft. Lauderdale around the port last week.  

[smokeybandit]

19 minutes ago, Geezer Of The Seas said:

@twangster, we agree to disagree. Haiti has been violent and dysfunctional............forever. A catastrophic incident involving a cruise ship going into a country that has been gripped by anarchy for decades doesn't add up to good business sense. Any cruise line resume sailings to the Black Sea (Russia/Ukraine) or Mediterranean  Israel/Hamas/Hezbollah)? Not a lot of separation among them all; the 'war' in Haiti looks different is all.  It just seems  a bad idea.

Haven't been in a major metro area lately...........well Ft. Lauderdale around the port last week.  

As you noted, Haiti has had issues forever, yet never any real problems at Labadee.

And you really can't compare Haiti to the middle east.  It's far worse there with the risk of rockets and bombs, not just small arms fire.

[TXcruzer]

20 hours ago, Geezer Of The Seas said:

Everyone says "but Labadee is 3 or 4 hours over land from Port au Prince". 

Personally,  I think Royal (and any other cruise line with stops in Haiti) is playing with fire.  An aircraft on a 'slow' landing approach is like shooting fish in a barrel. So, what happens when/if these bad actors come into possession of high performance boats and start busting caps at a cruise ship? They don't have to board, just squeeze off a few rounds at the pool deck would be all it would take to create a story the cruise lines couldn't deep six. My opinion, of course................

You need to turn off the movie channels

[Southern Dan]

I am looking forward to my beach day in Labadee in two weeks!

[tonyfsu21]

11 hours ago, Geezer Of The Seas said:

@twangster, we agree to disagree. Haiti has been violent and dysfunctional............forever. A catastrophic incident involving a cruise ship going into a country that has been gripped by anarchy for decades doesn't add up to good business sense. Any cruise line resume sailings to the Black Sea (Russia/Ukraine) or Mediterranean  Israel/Hamas/Hezbollah)? Not a lot of separation among them all; the 'war' in Haiti looks different is all.  It just seems  a bad idea.

Haven't been in a major metro area lately...........well Ft. Lauderdale around the port last week.  

It does not sound like you have ever dodged machine gun fire in the Middle East. Labadee is a paradise (even at mainland Haitis current threat level) compared to that wasteland. Personally I cant wait to enjoy my next Pina Colada w/ Kraken rum on Nellie’s beach. 

[Geezer Of The Seas]

2 hours ago, TXcruzer said:

You need to turn off the movie channels

I have no movie channels. Your point?

[Geezer Of The Seas]

9 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

It does not sound like you have ever dodged machine gun fire in the Middle East. Labadee is a paradise (even at mainland Haitis current threat level) compared to that wasteland. Personally I cant wait to enjoy my next Pina Colada w/ Kraken rum on Nellie’s beach. 

No, but during the course of my career I was shot at, bottles thrown at fire apparatus I was driving, physically attacked by patients I was dispatched to care for............all in the 'tourist capital of Florida'.  Any points for that? 

 

[Reigert2008]

It’ll be interesting to see if anything happens with cruises since the FAA has now banned flights from going there for 30 days.

 

https://apnews.com/article/haiti-violence-gangs-airport-90dc8d26bc58eb9b214385ac10f315a2

 

I I’ve been to Labadeee several times and have always felt safe during the visit, but no one wants to be on the first cruise that has an issue.  Much like these flights that were shot at.  Luckily nothing catastrophic occurred.  I think it’s reasonable for people to ask questions about these things especially when new events occur.

[bobroo]

If they are shooting holes in a landing airplane, i’m sure it would never occur to those ol’ boys to shoot out the windows of a larger and slower moving cruise ship. Or, a series of hokes just above the waterline.
 

Ya’ know, firearms being a God given right and all; their presence and use is just as common as blowing your nose. Everyone is entitled.

No cause for concern here, their just plink’in….Labradoozies for everyone!!!

 

 

 

 

[Mike45orlando]

My bigger concern for Labadee is Captain Kidd and his band on pirates emerging from Davey Jones's Locker and attacking Columbus Cove Beach.

[Srp431]

Our family is planning to stay on the ship during our Freedom of the Seas Christmas cruise this December, hopefully they may start to notice an increase of people staying onboard, similar to Nassau (minus the political instability)

[Mike45orlando]

5 minutes ago, Srp431 said:

Our family is planning to stay on the ship during our Freedom of the Seas Christmas cruise this December, hopefully they may start to notice an increase of people staying onboard, similar to Nassau (minus the political instability)

We have been to Labadee twice since they reopened and it was great as always.

And the beaches were packed.

[TXcruzer]

21 hours ago, Geezer Of The Seas said:

I have no movie channels. Your point?

my point is Haitians with high performance boats "busting caps" in cruise ships would only be happening in a movie

[steverk]

It's also worth noting that a medical emergency while at Labadee would be a major problem right now. If Royal sends you to a hospital, you would have a very difficult time getting home even if you aren't used for target practice. 

If they kept you on board to go somewhere else, well then you have a whole different set of problems. 

I like Labadee and feel for the people of Haiti, but I'd prefer to skip it for the time being. 

[smokeybandit]

5 minutes ago, steverk said:

It's also worth noting that a medical emergency while at Labadee would be a major problem right now. If Royal sends you to a hospital, you would have a very difficult time getting home even if you aren't used for target practice. 

It has always been a problem. There was a recent (year or two?) medivac from there and they sent them to the DR.

[TXcruzer]

12 hours ago, steverk said:

It's also worth noting that a medical emergency while at Labadee would be a major problem right now. If Royal sends you to a hospital, you would have a very difficult time getting home even if you aren't used for target practice. 

If they kept you on board to go somewhere else, well then you have a whole different set of problems. 

I like Labadee and feel for the people of Haiti, but I'd prefer to skip it for the time being. 

Enlighten us as to what is different in your scenario than what has been the challenge for the past decade or more.

[steverk]

40 minutes ago, TXcruzer said:

Enlighten us as to what is different in your scenario than what has been the challenge for the past decade or more.

Idk. Maybe you could have hopped a plane out of Haiti and now you can't. 

[TXcruzer]

9 minutes ago, steverk said:

Idk. Maybe you could have hopped a plane out of Haiti and now you can't. 

No, they have NEVER transported anyone over the island to PAP, any emergency has always been taken to the DR by helicopter.

[steverk]

Looking over the posts in this thread, they've taken on a dogmatic, almost religious, fervor. It's clear that some don't feel comfortable going to Labadee right now and some don't.  Neither side is going to change.

So I think it's time to move on from this thread. 

[VC22]

I will say I felt safe when we were there the end of October on Utopia.  I wasn’t sure if I would get off the ship, but ultimately I did and had a good time (until the weather turned bad and we left port two hours early).  The beaches were all open, staff was friendly, and I never once felt unsafe.  
The capital is on the other end of the island and it would be an arduous trek to get to Labadee.  Certainly something could happen, but honestly that’s just about anywhere in the world nowadays.  I’m not saying this to discredit those who feel unsafe, but caution should always be exercised especially when in foreign countries.  
One of my travel companions didn’t feel comfortable so they stayed on the ship.  If Royal wasn’t confident in their ability to keep passengers safe then they wouldn’t be stopping there. 

[WAYNO]

I will not disparage folks that are uncomfortable visiting Haiti.

For terrorists wanting to expand their geography, a mountainous jungle and fences will not prevent that. 

And for terrorists shooting at airplanes to get attention, they could easily choose a different target.

Bottom line, if a person feels safe in spite of the situation, so be it. Folks will follow their convictions.

 

 

 

[michael bradley]

I have visited Labadee multiple times.  I have also lived previously in port au prince and la gonave.  Am visiting Labadee again in Jan and March.  Planning on buying HERO insurance for my trip as an additional add on to my international coverage.  HERO includes intervention, evacuation, and transportation.

[atseau]

           Do not worry there is a fence.

[Hannah89]

We’ve just been told by the insurance company recommended by RCS that we wouldn’t be covered for Labadee if we got off the boat. Our government advised against all travel to Haiti so multiple other insurance companies won’t cover us. What are the options if one of the 1000s of passengers randomly falls ill? There’s limited / no infrastructure in place and MSF only recently were able to return their workings because unsafe conditions for them. If people are happy to target civilian aircraft …… 

[TXcruzer]

12 hours ago, Hannah89 said:

We’ve just been told by the insurance company recommended by RCS that we wouldn’t be covered for Labadee if we got off the boat. Our government advised against all travel to Haiti so multiple other insurance companies won’t cover us. What are the options if one of the 1000s of passengers randomly falls ill? There’s limited / no infrastructure in place and MSF only recently were able to return their workings because unsafe conditions for them. If people are happy to target civilian aircraft …… 

previously any and all medical issues were air evacuated to DR

[tomhf]

 An illness or injury at Labadee would be no less dangerous than if it occurred on a sea day. They aren't going to send you to a Haiti medical facility, so it has no additional risk than a sea day. People can worry if they want. Crazy stuff could theoretically happen. But just read the comments of every person who's visited Labadee. The only negative comments relate to pushy souvenir-sellers. 

[bcarney]

On 11/13/2024 at 6:53 PM, smokeybandit said:

There was a recent (year or two?) medivac from there and they sent them to the DR.

I think that has been standard policy for quite a while.  This is a medivac from the pier at Labadee from 2011. You have to zoom in quite close, but there is a phone number on the tail that starts with 809 which is the DR's area code, so I googled it and it appears on the US Embassy in the DR's Medical Assistance page.

 

[smokeybandit]

3 hours ago, bcarney said:

I think that has been standard policy for quite a while.  This is a medivac from the pier at Labadee from 2011. You have to zoom in quite close, but there is a phone number on the tail that starts with 809 which is the DR's area code, so I googled it and it appears on the US Embassy in the DR's Medical Assistance page.

 

Based on the registration number that's a DR helicopter,  too