Labadee opening soon?

[harry0]

13 minutes ago, BND said:

From many I know who have served there as missionaries and others who have worked there in other capacities. They may want to work, but until they figure out how to fix their problems, nothing is going to change.  And, they are very dependent on the US and outside organizations for many things.  

Agreed-lets hope Haiti can become a peaceful and stable country-that is my prayer!

[ONECRUISER]

4 hours ago, harry0 said:

Thanks one cruiser-The list is impressive. But the following story is common and goes to the fact help from our country does not get to the people. A couple days ago  a new generator on its way to a hospital was taken by gangs and the hospital had to close and people died.

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article257331337.html 

 

Not sure if the US sent it but this is common-its not only gangs that block the aid ; corrupt and dysfunctional government plays their part too. Missionaries on the ground have paid the right people and have their own security and aid has a better chance of getting to where it needs to go.

Understand. Sorry, I do feel for you

Edited January 17, 2022 by ONECRUISER

[HicksRA]

Got this email from the concierge today. Can’t imagine them sending this today unless they plan on stopping there…

 

[nferr]

On 1/16/2022 at 12:46 PM, leisuretraveler223 said:

Assuming the complex is in good shape and running appropriately, which goes without saying if Royal is going to return, I would have ZERO concern about stopping there.

 

Gangs aren't going to target a cruise ship destination, it's nonsensical.  They've taken missionaries.  That's when a bunch of gang members ambush a dozen unsuspecting volunteers in some rural village.  To worry that the gang members would try and infiltrate a secure facility with THOUSANDS of visitors and an armed security presence is absolutely nonsensical.

 

It's like worrying about Somali Pirates trying to hijack a cruise ship.  either way, they're looking for the path of least resistance to a payday.  Nothing about Labadee would fulfill any of that.

 

I swear some people are scared to walk out of their own houses for fear of getting run over in the street. Jeez.

[crusinthrough]

On 1/14/2022 at 9:55 PM, HicksRA said:

I just saw a post on the site that cannot be mentioned with pictures of a very clean looking Labadee saying that it’s not overrun by locals and Royal is trying to hire employees back with an intended stop by January 27th. 

Labadee being overrun by locals came from CC.  When cruising started this summer a crew member supposedly told someone this happened.   I asked in a thread how would a non officer crew member know what's  going on in Labadee? The response was not only was it overrun but RC was looking to get out of it's lease.  I guess it wasn't possible for some to believe the start up of private islands could be a phased approach like with ships and ignore the fact that Labadee was being added to new itineraries.   So much for getting information from crew members.  

 

16 hours ago, pstone1 said:

I saw a job posting last week for a Shore Excursions Manager at Labadee too!

 

There’s really no need to spread paranoia.  Those that are comfortable will be excited to visit Labadee again.  If you are afraid to go to Labadee, then either stay on the ship or cancel your cruise!  That’s what Cruise with Confidence is for!

 It would not be CC if there was no paranoia and pages of speculation on any given topic.  

[HicksRA]

I just asked the suite concierge about Labadee and she said we are definitely going to Labadee next week. 

[topnole]

9 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

Labadee being overrun by locals came from CC.  When cruising started this summer a crew member supposedly told someone this happened.   I asked in a thread how would a non officer crew member know what's  going on in Labadee? The response was not only was it overrun but RC was looking to get out of it's lease.  I guess it wasn't possible for some to believe the start up of private islands could be a phased approach like with ships and ignore the fact that Labadee was being added to new itineraries.   So much for getting information from crew members.  

 

 It would not be CC if there was no paranoia and pages of speculation on any given topic.  

So what exactly is the reason for them not going to Labadee for all this time?   
 

There is a lot of talk on this thread about there being no threat to passengers and that it is paranoia to think otherwise.  To that I say it isn’t inconceivable that significant risks could exist.  I know nothing about the local situation, but I do know they aren’t going for a reason.  What exactly is it?
 

There is no level of security that will exist around the Royal leased area that would stop an armed group determined to do whatever they want to do.  What we deem as rational is not how they view things.  So trying to get in the heads of others and apply our logic to suggest they wouldn’t target cruise passengers, boats, or even ships doesn’t really work that well.  The only thing stopping an armed group from exacting their will on Labadee is their desire to do so.  That to me isn’t very comforting given they high level of lawlessness and violence in the country.  
 

Yes, this isn’t entirely new and it has been going on for decades, but that doesn’t mean the risks aren’t real and significant at this time.  Not saying they are, but they could be and I hope the risks never materialize into a tragic scenario.  

Edited January 18, 2022 by topnole

[John&LaLa]

On 1/16/2022 at 12:46 PM, leisuretraveler223 said:

It's like worrying about Somali Pirates trying to hijack a cruise ship.  either way, they're looking for the path of least resistance to a payday.  Nothing about Labadee would fulfill any of that.

 

So, why does Royal spend tens of thousands of dollars to hire mercenaries for protection between Dubai and the Suez Canal?

 

And force the passengers into 'blackout' protocols for 3 or 4 days

[John&LaLa]

On 1/16/2022 at 9:07 PM, fantom1979 said:

 

Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines have never put the lives of their passengers in danger by stopping at a port that they shouldn't have, right?

 

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/royal-caribbean-white-island-volcano-lawsuit-13646547

 

Different situation, and it's not like the actual ship was anchored off of White Island

[John&LaLa]

21 hours ago, HicksRA said:

Got this email from the concierge today. Can’t imagine them sending this today unless they plan on stopping there…

 

 

Some here would just say it's a cash grab😉

[leisuretraveler223]

5 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

So, why does Royal spend tens of thousands of dollars to hire mercenaries for protection between Dubai and the Suez Canal?

 

And force the passengers into 'blackout' protocols for 3 or 4 days

 

Through an abundance of precaution.  Have you read many reports about a cruise ship being hit by pirates?   This entire conversation is nonsensical.  They aren't going to go into the beehive when they can catch one bee out in the wildflowers.

[John&LaLa]

4 minutes ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

 

Through an abundance of precaution.  Have you read many reports about a cruise ship being hit by pirates?   This entire conversation is nonsensical.  They aren't going to go into the beehive when they can catch one bee out in the wildflowers.

 

Absolutely. FWIW, I think I actually saw a pirate 'ship' during our Mariner transit. Small skiff, 2 or 3 folks. Kinda sad.

 

The ships std crew and some fire hoses could have held them off.😉

 

But then again, there was always the Achile Lauro

Edited January 18, 2022 by John&LaLa

[orville99]

26 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

The ships std crew and some fire hoses could have held them off.

Youngest, her spouse, and MIL/FIL spent 4 weeks on the QM2 B2B2B round trip from NYC through the Med and back to NYC, and if the firepower on that ship is any gauge of how modern cruise ships are equipped to fend off attack, I would not be worried about a repeat of an Achile Lauro type of attack. Between the Sonic Cannons, the well-stocked armory and other deterrents (that she had described to her on her bridge tour when they were passing by Gibraltar on their way to Rome), they were very comfortable with their safety onboard.

 

I would imagine that RCL ships are similarly equipped.

[John&LaLa]

3 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Youngest, her spouse, and MIL/FIL spent 4 weeks on the QM2 B2B2B round trip from NYC through the Med and back to NYC, and if the firepower on that ship is any gauge of how modern cruise ships are equipped to fend off attack, I would not be worried about a repeat of an Achile Lauro type of attack. Between the Sonic Cannons, the well-stocked armory and other deterrents (that she had described to her on her bridge tour when they were passing by Gibraltar on their way to Rome), they were very comfortable with their safety onboard.

 

I would imagine that RCL ships are similarly equipped.

 

Ok, but as I said earlier, many cruise ships pick up mercenaries when transiting the Arabian peninsula. Ours boarded in Dubai, but could not load their arsenal until Oman, I believe

 

I have no knowledge of Cunard, however

[HBE4]

Just out of curoisty, in the past 36 years when Royal opened Labadee in 1986, how many attacks were made on tourists? How many were taken hostage?  I did search via google but came up empty.

 

I did come across this though, posted today in CC news section:

"Royal Caribbean confimed to Cruise Critic it intends to resume calls on Labadee on January 27, after an almost two-year pause in operations."

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/6702/

[HicksRA]

For all you scaredy cats, I’ll let you know if we get attacked by pirates or natives on the island. 

[AstoriaPreppy]

1 hour ago, topnole said:

So what exactly is the reason for them not going to Labadee for all this time?   

 

There’s so much nefarious magical thinking surrounding Haiti on this board, it’s comical. Here I was thinking Labadee was just annoying because the beach is rocky, yet unbeknownst to Royal Caribbean and the passengers it’s actually a Hellmouth second only to Sunnydale. 

Maybe Labadee hasn’t been used because Royal was working on building up a fully vaccinated and staffed facility, and not because the line was worried about marauding gangs overtaking the tourists on the beach?

 

[Charles4515]

2 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

There’s so much nefarious magical thinking surrounding Haiti on this board, it’s comical. Here I was thinking Labadee was just annoying because the beach is rocky, yet unbeknownst to Royal Caribbean and the passengers it’s actually a Hellmouth second only to Sunnydale. 

Maybe Labadee hasn’t been used because Royal was working on building up a fully vaccinated and staffed facility, and not because the line was worried about marauding gangs overtaking the tourists on the beach?

 

 

Getting the local workers vaccinated definitely could be one of the reasons. 

 

As for rocky beaches those are only on one side of Labadee. The beaches on the side the dock is on Nellies Beach, Colunbus Cove and Barefoot Beach (the suite beach)  are not rocky.  Columbus Cove, the beach which is the farthest from the dock is the best and a pretty nice beach. If people don't want to walk there is a tram.

[HBE4]

14 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

Maybe Labadee hasn’t been used because Royal was working on building up a fully vaccinated and staffed facility, and not because the line was worried about marauding gangs overtaking the tourists on the beach?

 

This and probably with limited cruising itinerary's and capacity restrictions, Royal could get by with just one private island and will start phasing in Labadee as they continue to ramp up.

[rockmom]

2 hours ago, topnole said:

So what exactly is the reason for them not going to Labadee for all this time?   
 

 

Probably several reasons, one of which is already mentioned--vaccinating the staff there, is probably one of them.  Also, as you can see in other comments, they are in the process of hiring new/additional staff. Lastly, just because it was not 'overrun by locals and gangs', doesn't mean it wasn't in need of some extensive maintenance.  Over two years it has been hit by an earthquake, tropical storms and just general exposure to sea, sand and salt. Perfect Day was the smart one to ramp up with due to it being newer, many things there are sturdier, not to mention its close proximity to the U.S. and Nassau, much easier to go back and forth.  And lastly, yes, making sure the crew that is there now cleaning up, and prepping for guests, is safe.  

Edited January 18, 2022 by rockmom

[ReneeFLL]

5 hours ago, HicksRA said:

I just asked the suite concierge about Labadee and she said we are definitely going to Labadee next week. 

Hope things go as planned since we are scheduled to go for the March 4th Wonder cruise. I haven’t been there in ages and have been wanting to go back.

[MommaBear55]

3 hours ago, HicksRA said:

For all you scaredy cats, I’ll let you know if we get attacked by pirates or natives on the island. 

I think those are the vendors on the pathway. 

[Merion_Mom]

Royal Caribbean has confirmed that Harmony  will be the first ship to call on Labadee since the shutdown, calling on January 27.

 

Royal Caribbean Poised to Restart Cruise Operations at Labadee (cruisecritic.com)

[John&LaLa]

14 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

Royal Caribbean has confirmed that Harmony  will be the first ship to call on Labadee since the shutdown, calling on January 27.

 

Royal Caribbean Poised to Restart Cruise Operations at Labadee (cruisecritic.com)

 

I wish our January 29th Odyssey would go there intead of the construction zone known as Nassau

[binro01]

Nice to see this. It gives Royal another option if an Eastern Caribbean Island or even a western Island like Grand Cayman denies entry to the port.