Royal Caribbean has extended the suspension of all visits to its private destination Labadee, Haiti, cancelling calls through at least April 2028. This decision affects 44 itineraries across nine ships in the cruise line’s fleet.
Itinerary Alterations and Substitute Ports
The affected vessels include Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas, each undergoing multiple itinerary changes.
Replacement ports vary depending on the sailing. For example, Allure of the Seas’ July 18, 2027 sailing now includes
Nassau, Bahamas, instead of Labadee during its six-night itinerary from Miami, with an added sea day to maintain the voyage structure. On its February 6, 2028 sailing, the same ship substitutes San Juan, Puerto Rico, for Labadee and shifts a visit to Samaná Port, Dominican Republic, by one day.
Other substitute destinations reported include Grand Turk, Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, Cozumel in Mexico, and Samaná Port, with some itineraries adding extra sea days when alternative ports are not feasible. These changes reflect operational considerations such as berth availability, port capacity, and ship size requirements.
Passenger Refunds and Operational Impact
Royal Caribbean has informed
passengers of itinerary adjustments and is automatically processing refunds for prepaid shore excursions originally booked for Labadee. Excursions affected by itinerary changes at other ports are being rescheduled when possible. Tours that cannot be accommodated are cancelled with refunds issued within 14 business days, requiring no action from guests.
The cruise line has implemented this streamlined procedure following previous mass itinerary changes to reduce inconvenience for passengers with bookings made months or years in advance.
Background on Closure and Security Concerns
The initial suspension of Labadee visits began in March 2024 following a surge in gang violence and a prison breakout in Port-au-Prince. Visits briefly resumed
later in 2024 and early 2025 but were suspended again in May 2025. No guest visits have occurred since that time.
Labadee is located on Haiti’s northern coast about 150 kilometers from Port-au-Prince. Despite its geographic separation, the overall political instability and security issues in Haiti have led Royal Caribbean to act ‘out of an abundance of caution’ in suspending all visits. The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for Haiti on July 10, 2026, citing risks such as crime, gang violence, kidnapping, terrorism and civil unrest.
Support for Local Staff and Future Outlook
Although passenger operations are suspended, Royal Caribbean
continues to support local employees who depend on Labadee. The cruise line’s ships occasionally make unannounced stops at Labadee to deliver supplies to staff without passengers disembarking.
Labadee has been part of Royal Caribbean’s portfolio since 1986, consistently contributing to the local economy through employment and tourism infrastructure. The cruise line has not announced any definitive plans to resume visits beyond the April 2028 suspension period and is maintaining a cautious approach dependent on safety improvements.
