How Will Labadee Hold Up?

[Arizona Wildcat]

6 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, we were there —- about 30 years ago, on a RC cruise. What I was wondering is what is there? When we were there, it was just an undeveloped beach. So whatever is there now must have been added since then. And unless whatever is now there is fantastic, we’d treat it as a sea day. We are going on a cruise this month on another line that has a stop in Nassau, Bahamas. Travel warnings are out for that place also. Unless we take a ship’s excursion, we’ll treat that as a sea day.

As discussed.  It is a 6-8 acre compound surrounded with chain link fence and barbed wire.  A security gate to enter or exit with armed security.  Shops etc set up inside.

[PTC DAWG]

31 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, we were there —- about 30 years ago, on a RC cruise. What I was wondering is what is there? When we were there, it was just an undeveloped beach. So whatever is there now must have been added since then. And unless whatever is now there is fantastic, we’d treat it as a sea day. We are going on a cruise this month on another line that has a stop in Nassau, Bahamas. Travel warnings are out for that place also. Unless we take a ship’s excursion, we’ll treat that as a sea day.

Was in Nassau recently, no issues, lots of improvements at the port.  I always like to venture out to the John Bull store..nice things I can’t afford.

[Charles4515]

54 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

Labadee local crime bosses may not have a say much longer. The big national armed gang boss (an ex policeman) is trying to unit all the armed gangs into a single rebel force aiming to overflow the government and take over the entire country. 

Whoever is the next government will probably continue an arrangement with RCG. 

[Charles4515]

37 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, we were there —- about 30 years ago, on a RC cruise. What I was wondering is what is there? When we were there, it was just an undeveloped beach. So whatever is there now must have been added since then. And unless whatever is now there is fantastic, we’d treat it as a sea day. We are going on a cruise this month on another line that has a stop in Nassau, Bahamas. Travel warnings are out for that place also. Unless we take a ship’s excursion, we’ll treat that as a sea day.

Labadee has been redone a few times over in the last 30 years. Not just an undeveloped beach anymore. The RCG has a huge investment. They have built a dock a few years ago. There is also a zip line and roller coaster. 

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

  Just in case anyone wonders - those guards that work for RCG and patrol the perimeter border area of the Labadee compound are well armed.  

Are they Haitian?

[Liao]

32 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

Labadee has been redone a few times over in the last 30 years. Not just an undeveloped beach anymore. The RCG has a huge investment. They have built a dock a few years ago. There is also a zip line and roller coaster. 

But is it worth it to have to go through armed guards and a chain link fence ringed with barbed wire, just to spend time on a beach...

[sfaaa]

43 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

Whoever is the next government will probably continue an arrangement with RCG. 

Armed gangs are totally drunk with greed and power. What is enough to them today will not be sufficient any more tomorrow. RCCL will find this out soon enough if it thinks everything will be business as usual going forward.

[Charles4515]

31 minutes ago, Liao said:

But is it worth it to have to go through armed guards and a chain link fence ringed with barbed wire, just to spend time on a beach...

You don’t go through armed guards or chain link fence to get to the beach. The armed guards and chained link fence is to keep anyone not invited out of Labadee. 

[Charles4515]

28 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

Armed gangs are totally drunk with greed and power. What is enough to them today will not be sufficient any more tomorrow. RCCL will find this out soon enough if it thinks everything will be business as usual going forward.

I won’t predict if it will be business as usual going forward. If past history is a precedent it will be. Just a different bunch of armed gangs than the past. The only thing that will change the cycle is if the Haitian people take power. 

[Jim_Iain]

I'm not a big fan of Labade.   The last couple times we had stops there we just decided to stay aboard.   We aren't into laying on a beach, water parks and slides nor anything else they have ashore.

 

Just my humble opinion.

[prmssk]

43 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I won’t predict if it will be business as usual going forward. If past history is a precedent it will be. Just a different bunch of armed gangs than the past. The only thing that will change the cycle is if the Haitian people take power. 

I won't predict what RCG will do either but although past history includes many times were it was business as usual despite violence, there are examples of times where the violence and unrest got bad enough that RCG stopped going there.  The second half of 2021 into 2022 is one example.

 

What I'm reading in the reports to me, sounds like an escalation of the violence that has existed for a long time.  We shall see how it all plays out and what RCG does over the next days and weeks.  The Symphony of the Seas is scheduled to visit there tomorrow.

Edited March 5 by prmssk

[Brimtown]

Any armed attack on tourists at Labadee would be a quick way to get the US military involved. 

[markeb]

2 hours ago, Liao said:

But is it worth it to have to go through armed guards and a chain link fence ringed with barbed wire, just to spend time on a beach...

 

You don't. You walk down a pier to the enclosed compound. Most people who don't do the zipline will never see the perimeter security. If you do, it's pretty impressive. If you don't, you probably won't even realize it is an enclosed compound.

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I'm not a big fan of Labade.   The last couple times we had stops there we just decided to stay aboard.   We aren't into laying on a beach, water parks and slides nor anything else they have ashore.

 

Just my humble opinion.

No water parks or slides here..just laid back beaches that I saw

[Charles4515]

30 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

No water parks or slides here..just laid back beaches that I saw

Labadee has a water park. Labadee has a water slide. Labadee has a zip line. Labadee has a coaster. Labadee has kayaks. Labadee has wave runners. It is a multimillion dollar investment. 

Edited March 5 by Charles4515

[zeberdee]

I take it from the comments, that the American travel insurance companies are still covering trips to Haiti/Labadee and Haitian waters?

UK travel insurance isn't.

[Brimtown]

23 hours ago, prmssk said:

Generally, the violence has been far from Labadee to allow cruise ships to continue to visit safely although that always could change. 
 

I’m scheduled to visit Labadee next month on a RC ship so we shall see. I don’t see any Celebrity ships on the schedule until October, although RC has ships stopping there pretty regularly. 

 

Cap-Haitien, which isn't far from Labadee, has seen a spike in violence as well. It's not just confined to the capital, but spread to basically every large city. 

 

That said, it would be suicide for any gangs to attack tourists at Labadee, try to rob them or hold them for ransom. Given the large number of American tourists on any RC ship, any such action would very likely draw a response from the US military. I don't think the gangs are that stupid. 

[Cruise till you drop]

Looks like a Royal ship (Symohony) in there today

Edited March 5 by Cruise till you drop

[Pinboy]

23 hours ago, gold1953 said:

this is a private guarded area of Haiti, no locals allowed unless staff

That’s correct UNTIL a bunch of Thugs want to “ join “ the fun(?) and enjoy (?) a few $$(US) or a piece of jewelry or 50 while you are in the water or at the bbq.

We are wimps and will remain on board— 

Merci beaucoup (Thank You ).

 

[Liao]

On 3/4/2024 at 9:35 AM, gold1953 said:

this is a private guarded area of Haiti, no locals allowed unless staff

So was Libya…

[SusieV]

I haven't been there in about ten years but Labadee is one of my favourite ports. I love sitting on the beach and reserving a cabana, and enjoying the nice lunch buffet.

[PTC DAWG]

10 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Labadee has a water park. Labadee has a water slide. Labadee has a zip line. Labadee has a coaster. Labadee has kayaks. Labadee has wave runners. It is a multimillion dollar investment. 

I obviously didn’t venture far, I did see the zip line overhead…I guess my comments were based on comparing it to Coco Cay..our 5 day on Royal hit both of those ports on the short cruise..I enjoyed Labadee better…it also helped that we weren’t joined by an Oasis Class ship 2 hours after we arrived. 
 

I hope they are able to keep it safe..

[Rustyman]

Getting back to basics, going on a cruise is for enjoyment and/or to unwind, it’s hard to understand why a cruise company would want to go somewhere that could jeopardise the experience. Today’s news from Haiti suggests the gangs are trying to overthrow the prime minister and are in control of the capital. The situation appears to be out of control just now so I’m a wee bit surprised that RC hare visiting Labadee today.

[Charles4515]

36 minutes ago, Rustyman said:

Getting back to basics, going on a cruise is for enjoyment and/or to unwind, it’s hard to understand why a cruise company would want to go somewhere that could jeopardise the experience. Today’s news from Haiti suggests the gangs are trying to overthrow the prime minister and are in control of the capital. The situation appears to be out of control just now so I’m a wee bit surprised that RC hare visiting Labadee today.

They are there because there is nothing in the Labadee area that would jeopardize the experience. 

[Brimtown]

4 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

They are there because there is nothing in the Labadee area that would jeopardize the experience. 

 

Look at a map and see how close Cap-Haitien is to Labadee. While they're not seeing the same level of violence as the capital city, there has been some violence and gunfire just as recently as this past weekend.