Royal Caribbean has canceled all port calls to Labadee, Haiti for the entirety of 2026, citing ongoing civil unrest and violent crime as the primary reasons. The cruise line announced the cancellations by early July 2026 amid persistent security concerns related to gang activity in Haiti.
Scope of Cancellations and Itinerary Changes
The cancellations impact dozens of cruise itineraries across 12 Royal Caribbean ships scheduled to visit Labadee in 2026. In most cases, the cruise line is substituting Labadee port visits with stops in alternative Caribbean destinations such as Nassau, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Cozumel, Mexico; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; and San Juan, Puerto
Rico. When alternative ports are unavailable, some itineraries include an additional sea day instead of a port call.
Background: Civil Unrest and Previous Pauses
Haiti has been under a state of emergency since March 2024 due to widespread gang violence controlling much of Port-au-Prince. Royal Caribbean’s private cruise destination Labadee is located on Haiti’s northern coast, several hours away from the capital. The cruise line initially paused visits to Labadee for several months in 2024 because of safety concerns, briefly resumed calls, then canceled again in spring 2025 after violence expanded beyond Port-au-Prince. These ongoing security issues prompted the extended cancellation through the end of 2026.
Traveler Impact and Alternative Ports
Passengers booked on 2026 cruises with scheduled visits to Labadee have received early notification about itinerary changes. Most affected cruises now include alternative port calls or replace Labadee with sea days to maintain schedule continuity. Nassau, where Royal Caribbean recently opened a new Royal Beach Club, is among the primary replacement ports, along with other established locations such as Grand Turk, Cozumel, Puerto Plata, and San Juan.
Official Statements and Travel Warnings
Royal Caribbean communicated the cancellations via email to travel agents, stating, “We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and out of an abundance of caution, we’re cancelling our visits to
Labadee through December of 2026.” The U.S. Coast Guard also issued safety advice concerning Haiti’s ports: “The U.S. Coast Guard has concerns about security in the ports of Haiti. Until those are addressed, the Coast Guard advises mariners and passengers traveling through the ports of Haiti to exercise caution.” The U.S. State Department continues to maintain a Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisory for Haiti.
Travel Advisory Context and Future Outlook
Royal Caribbean’s decision aligns with the ongoing Level 4 travel advisory issued by the U.S. State Department due to unresolved security risks in Haiti. The suspended visits to Labadee are expected to persist throughout 2026,
with potential for cancellations extending into 2027 if safety conditions remain unstable.
