A Day at Labadee, Haiti. March 13, 2024

[twangster]

I didn't plan to do a full live report from this short 4 night cruise on Liberty from Port Everglades with a single stop in Labadee, Haiti.  However Haiti has been in the news lately and so I thought I'd at least post some Labadee photos to illustrate Labadee is still as beautiful as it has always been.  

 

I booked this cruise at the last minute just three days before the sail date.  Haiti has been in the news since before I booked this cruise yet on Friday morning when I saw a relatively okay cruise fare that was open for solo cruisers to book I had no hesitation booking this cruise. 

 

I've been to Labadee countless times and I'm very familiar with the social economic and political background of Haiti.  There is no need to visit any of that in this thread.

 

I'm here in Labadee as I write this, back on the ship after a two and half mile walk around Labadee.

 

 

Spoiler alert - It's still beautiful here and I still love Labadee.

 

Next up, some photos...

[twangster]

Our arrival was on time without any special announcements.

 

 

 

Right on time the gangway was open and off I went, nearly first off the ship.

 

 

Being early off means the usual instagram photos spots were void of fellow passengers.

 

 

 

I walked up the nature path to the overlook for another view of the ship.

 

 

 

[twangster]

 

 

A quick stop at Barefoot Beach before it was heavily populated with suite guests for the day.

 

 

Next over to Nellie's Beach.

 

 

And on to Columbus Cove.

 

 

 

A short stroll through the artisan's market.

 

 

Then over to Adrenaline Beach.

 

 

 

It's an absolutely fantastic day here at Labadee.

[twangster]

More guests have been strolling off the ship and it was getting harder to take photos without guests in the pictures so it was time for a Labadee tradition.

 

The Labradoozie Society was calling my name.

 

[twangster]

Guests were streaming onto the roller coaster and by now zip liners were making their flight over water.

 

 

These featherweights stalled at the bottom and needed a rope assist to finish their journey.

 

 

In other words, it's a pretty normal Labadee day.

 

[twangster]

The point was now open so I ventured out for a look.

 

 

 

Walking along the fort the little bit of cloud cover has burned off and it's a beautiful day in full sunshine.

 

 

With the ship in full sunlight I stopped at the overlook again for more pictures.

 

 

 

Finishing at the base of pier the area was much busier now so a few last photos of the ship.

 

 

 

[twangster]

All in all it's a pretty normal day here.

 

I understand some excursions were cancelled such as Jet ski tours and Amiga island.  I don't know the reasoning and didn't ask.

 

I would not hesitate to book another cruise with only a stop in Labadee.

 

Now back to Labadee for round two with the Labradoozie Society.  

[elcuchio24]

Great to see a real world current review! Glad it was a great day. 

[lovesthebeach2]

Looks beautiful and peaceful….wish I was there. Thanks for the beautiful pics and enjoy!

[The Scurvy Pirate]

Having watched enough shoot 'em up movies and read reports of kidnapping in many areas of the caribbean, I could understand why the jet skis might be cancelled, as people are out in the middle of the open water (not behind a fenced in area) and a some gang members in a faster boat try to corral the jet ski riders as hostages.  Of course, that could happen any day, but with the heightened activities in Haiti, I could see not taking the chance.

[A&L_Ont]

@twangster thanks for the report. We will be there tomorrow. 

[lovelife]

Thanks much!  Love the pics. We're scheduled to be there twice next month.

[rockmom]

Thanks for sharing!  I'll be there next month via a short sailing on Indy, I'm also sailing solo.  I think I'll try to do the same walkabout as you just did--and end with a Labadoozie of course! I booked the cruise specifically for Labadee as it's one of my favorite ports, so I'm crossing my fingers we still get to stop there. 

[conodor]

I'll be there in 2 weeks.  Did it seem like a lot of people just stayed on the ship?  I'm in a group of 50 going to Labadie, and I'm getting a lot of questions and concerns.  Thanks!

[PhillyFan33579]

Good review and great pictures I was at Labadee last week and had a great time there with several friends. 

[Tree_skier]

Thank @twangster,  I always love your photo's 

 

I love Labadee,  Later this year we have a cruise that goes to both Labadee and Coco Cay and it'll be interesting to do a side by side comparison.

 

 

[twangster]

51 minutes ago, conodor said:

I'll be there in 2 weeks.  Did it seem like a lot of people just stayed on the ship?  I'm in a group of 50 going to Labadie, and I'm getting a lot of questions and concerns.  Thanks!

 

Not really.  The casino slots were open but there were only a handful of people in there.  It was pretty empty.

 

I had to "swim upstream" to get back on the ship this morning to post this.  The general flow was off the ship at 10am.

 

It felt like a normal stop here other than seeing the jet skis parked all day.  

[LisaLisa87]

Thanks for posting! Your photos are gorgeous. 😍 I love a good Labadoozie. Somehow that drink just tastes better there.

[twangster]

Still no Voom WiFi coverage on Labadee.

 

They had to write up paper tickets for CAS drinks.  Those typically get entered later tonight so I'll have to mentally deduct the ones I used on land to avoid going over my daily CAS complimentary drinks.

 

The local cellular provider NATCOM is included with my TMobile service.  Plenty of signal on the Columbus Cove side but no signal on the Adrenaline beach side.  Weird.  Speeds aren't terrible for a beach day.

 

[twangster]

4:13pm and it’s getting close to all aboard.  
 

Given the crowds returning I’d say most enjoyed the day on Labadee, not the ship.  
 

[A&L_Ont]

42 minutes ago, twangster said:

Still no Voom WiFi coverage on Labadee.

 

They had to write up paper tickets for CAS drinks.  Those typically get entered later tonight so I'll have to mentally deduct the ones I used on land to avoid going over my daily CAS complimentary drinks.

 

The local cellular provider NATCOM is included with my TMobile service.  Plenty of signal on the Columbus Cove side but no signal on the Adrenaline beach side.  Weird.  Speeds aren't terrible for a beach day.

 

That's who I’ll be using tommorow from barefoot beach. I minimal ship coverage signal. Just enough to confuse my phone.  I shut off my wifi and go from there. 

[Monk86]

Do eSims for USA (think the one Ill be looking at piggy backs off TMobile) work in Labadee and the US V Islands?

[twangster]

26 minutes ago, Monk86 said:

Do eSims for USA (think the one Ill be looking at piggy backs off TMobile) work in Labadee and the US V Islands?

I would check with the eSIM provider.  

[twangster]

And we’re off.  

Can you see my shadow?  Im the one waving.  
 

 

[twangster]

Another great day at Labadee is in the books.  
 

 

 

Since I saw my shadow does that mean six more weeks of cruising?

 

 

Farewell Labadee, until next time.