How Will Labadee Hold Up?

[NMTraveller]

While Royal/Celebrity may be slow in making the correct decision,  at least they finally got there...

Edited March 14 by NMTraveller

[NMTraveller]

39 minutes ago, Liao said:

UGH...I'd rather Labadee

You can join the Army  ..  Free travel.  Dangerous places.

Edited March 14 by NMTraveller

[prmssk]

2 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Multiple threads on the RCCL boards. They are subbing Perfect Day for all Labadee stops for the next bit of time.

There isn't space to substitute Coco Cay for a lot of them (Coco Cay already has 2 ships most days) and some of those ships that go to Labadee also have Coco Cay already on their itinerary.  Like someone else said, I heard Grand Turks was a substitution for the Oasis (which already has Coco Cay on their itinerary).

[hcat]

On 3/12/2024 at 8:23 PM, PTC DAWG said:

I’ve never had any issues near Cancun, and especially Cozumel

 

in Cozumel..which we enjoy...we were treated to a  gun display  pointed at cruisers returning from the port..but we were not the targets..Scary regardess.

 

.We  and others were permitted past the check point to go to the ship but held in the hot sun en masse by Mex soldiers/ police and not able to  make that rt turn to the ship for quite awhile..... 

 

 Seems there was some issue with the ferry passengers...but we were the ones  held...they had  big guns and bullet belts so not our place  to argue!

 

Glad Labadee is taken off itins.. What is Grand Turk like?

[NMTraveller]

On 3/12/2024 at 5:23 PM, PTC DAWG said:

I’ve never had any issues near Cancun, and especially Cozumel

 

They did have an explosion on the ferry from Cozumel to Playa in 2018...

 

 

Edited March 14 by NMTraveller

[hcat]

36 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

They did have an explosion on the ferry from Cozumel to Playa in 2018...

 

 

interesting..I think we would have heard about that.

 

. We have been there so many times.. They are very big on the drug sniffing  dogs!

[NMTraveller]

4 minutes ago, hcat said:

interesting..I think we would have heard about that.

 

. We have been there so many times.. They are very big on the drug sniffing  dogs!

I recall another instance a while back where they found the explosives,  but no explosion ...

[cruiseny4life]

11 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

They did have an explosion on the ferry from Cozumel to Playa in 2018...

 

 

Just as a follow up, since this video seems to claim the explosion was caused by a mechanical failure (which I was going to point out)...then I did more digging. Apparently it was a homemade explosive that caused the explosion. 

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1GN01V/

[Jeremiah1212]

[stevenr597]

RCCL has announced that they are stopping, for at least one week, at Labadee.  

[NMTraveller]

10 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Just as a follow up, since this video seems to claim the explosion was caused by a mechanical failure (which I was going to point out)...then I did more digging. Apparently it was a homemade explosive that caused the explosion. 

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1GN01V/

That was the local officials claiming that it was mechanical.  They tend to cover up the violence so as to not to scare tourists away.  There was a cartel that claimed responsibility...  It looked like the video title.  An explosion.

Edited March 15 by NMTraveller

[phoenix_dream]

21 hours ago, hcat said:

interesting..I think we would have heard about that.

 

. We have been there so many times.. They are very big on the drug sniffing  dogs!

There was a lot on the news about it at the time 

[keesar]

22 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I recall another instance a while back where they found the explosives,  but no explosion ...

That was the same day as the explosion.  We were on the ship in Cozumel that day and the ferry to the mainland was cancelled.  Glad we were not on the ferry.

[cruiseny4life]

12 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

That was the local officials claiming that it was mechanical.  They tend to cover up the violence so as to not to scare tourists away.  There was a cartel that claimed responsibility...  It looked like the video title.  An explosion.

Yes. Tis what I said. The video claimed mechanical failure. I wanted folks to know it was caused by an explosive device as the video did not state this and left room for conjecture. The Reuters article does not.

[Oceangoer2]

On 3/12/2024 at 12:15 PM, hcat said:

Off topic story:

 

Some years ago we cruised on Royal C. to the .Mex Riviera  .One stop was Acapulco where there had been ongoing gang wars.

 

A few days before we stopped there, a tourist was shot and killed in the crossfire in the port area..  Our Captain sent a long letter about port safety etc,  but left the choice of getting off to indiv cruisers.

 

We went ahead with our Royal C excursion to a beach resort.

(beautiful property  with water views, sumptuos lunch ,  very upscale,  great  service)   Felt like the rich and famoymys for the day!

 

BUT,   our tour was escorted by a Security Van ( the "gun car"),  and we passed through double  armed security check points to get there.  The beach itself was off limits... rough water..and had soldiers along the perimeter with guns and bullet belts.

 

We felt secure there, and coming and  going but grabbed a few gifts at Port and hurried back to our ship..

 

At this point in our lives we are not looking for adventure tourism..just a nice cruise!

 

Prayers for Haiti!

Seems these 'armed' situations aren't new to the Caribbean and other areas.  Many, many years ago we were 'protected' by Venezuelan police at the port but allowed to enter the country after proving through 3 pieces of ID that we were who we said we were.  Then in Jamaica our resort was surrounded by heavy wire and guards with strong advice to not leave the property.  Arriving at Miami airport from Canada after 9/11, we were literally faced with heavily armed police (bigggg policemen with biggg guns) as we approached a gate at security;  I was 'searched' verrry carefully (and embarrassingly so) but they let DH through.....I must have looked suspicious in my tight black jeans and black tee...haha.  This is now the world we live in and adjusted to.  Having said that, I personally would not leave the ship at Labadee.  It's too close to trouble (130 miles) to the capital and I think the escapees would find us vulnerable despite there being guards at the perimeter.

Edited March 15 by Oceangoer2

[Dolebludger]

According to news reports, the violence in Haiti is getting much worse in the Capitol city. Roads in and out are blocked by gangs. Foreigners are finding it almost impossible to fly out. So I wonder, have there been mass cancelations od cruise stops there?

[markeb]

2 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

According to news reports, the violence in Haiti is getting much worse in the Capitol city. Roads in and out are blocked by gangs. Foreigners are finding it almost impossible to fly out. So I wonder, have there been mass cancelations od cruise stops there?

 

Post #209.

[TourDeCruise]

Labadee is still on our December Apex itinerary. We booked a Celebrity excursion for Amiga Island. Any thoughts on this? Are we better off to stay on Labadee instead of going to Amiga island or even just stay on the ship? 

[NMTraveller]

Too early to tell what December has in store for Haiti ...

[stevenr597]

Just read today the food riots have broken out in…..Cuba.  The State Department has issued an alert for, of all places, Nassau, about crime.  In Granada a retired couple had their boat hijacked and they were killed.

Sadly, the Caribbean is not as safe as it used to be. 

[Salt Lifer]

29 minutes ago, stevenr597 said:

Just read today the food riots have broken out in…..Cuba.  The State Department has issued an alert for, of all places, Nassau, about crime.  In Granada a retired couple had their boat hijacked and they were killed.

Sadly, the Caribbean is not as safe as it used to be. 

How sad for that couple and their loved ones.  

[GregRoyKelly]

RC has suspended stops in Labadee for now. I do not know about Celebrity but one could only assume their ships will be redirected as well.  My cruise there is not until November so I shall be waiting to hear later in the year. Will be hoping for stability by then, but the lawlessness and gangs right now is alarming.

[hcat]

News says many Americans

(humanitarian workers, Church members) are trapped in Haiti, fleeing the violence in the  main city. 

 

Not much yet from US State Dept..but at least one gov says he is hoping to faciltate rescues,  as done elsewhere...

 

May not be a good cruise port for awhile..chaos must end first!

[Jeremiah1212]

2 hours ago, TourDeCruise said:

Labadee is still on our December Apex itinerary. We booked a Celebrity excursion for Amiga Island. Any thoughts on this? Are we better off to stay on Labadee instead of going to Amiga island or even just stay on the ship? 

 

Celebrity is not scheduled to call on Labadee until November. The only gauge you can get is to watch what Royal Caribbean does this fall. 

[Red G]

I've noticed that Celebrity has no scheduled ships visiting the Caribbean out of Ft. Lauderdale next summer.  When the new Caribbean schedule was announced months ago, I recall something about Reflection cruises for 2025-26 being released in February.  Any idea when or what can be expected in this regard?