Labadee Status - Celebrity has cancelled all port calls until at least April 2025. Any emails from RC this far out?

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, laura85 said:

I’ve been to Labadee twice and really love it! I have a cruise booked for January 2025 and have not received and new info on Labadee, and the itinerary still lists Labadee. However, I fully expect it to get canceled. I saw an article that Royal has officially suspended stood there through September 2024, and I’m guessing it will continue to be pushed back until things are much better there. I understand why Royal is doing this, and hope for things to get better for Haiti’s sake most of all. 

Not getting better there. And two American missionaries killed there today does not help. 
 

Royal and other cruise lines continue to call at DR which is just a few hours drive from Labadee (across the Haitian border). We decided to stay at the port at Puerto Plata when we called there in March and April. 

[leaveitallbehind]

17 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 Royal and other cruise lines continue to call at DR which is just a few hours drive from Labadee (across the Haitian border). We decided to stay at the port at Puerto Plata when we called there in March and April. 

Why shouldn't they? I believe the ports of call there are quite safe. The Dominican Republic and Haiti are two separate countries that just happen to share a common, but secure, boarder on a large island.  The issues with Haiti are separate and have no impact on the DR, whose government is stable.  I realize a "Level 2" travel advisory has been issued there which calls visitors to exercise increased caution.  But that same advisory exists for Denmark, Costa Rica, Turks and Caicos, France, Germany, and Italy.  Just saying.

Edited May 25 by leaveitallbehind

[orville99]

53 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

March and April

That’s too bad. Puerto Plata is a very nice city with a lot of very interesting things to see and do within a 10-15 minute walk from the pier.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Why shouldn't they? I believe the ports of call there are quite safe. The Dominican Republic and Haiti are two separate countries that just happen to share a common, but secure, boarder on a large island.  The issues with Haiti are separate and have no impact on the DR, whose government is stable.  I realize a "Level 2" travel advisory has been issued there which calls visitors to exercise increased caution.  But that same advisory exists for Denmark, Costa Rica, Turks and Caicos, France, Germany, and Italy.  Just saying.

Yup. That magic “line in the sand” on a small island makes everything safe. All of the Haitians crossing in to the DR every day are magically all good people once they cross the border. 

[orville99]

18 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Yup. That magic “line in the sand” on a small island makes everything safe. All of the Haitians crossing in to the DR every day are magically all good people once they cross the border. 

The DR has been quite vigilant in sending them all back as soon as they are caught entering without a valid visa.

Edited May 25 by orville99

[KuffMUp]

On 5/25/2024 at 11:57 AM, BirdTravels said:

Yup. That magic “line in the sand” on a small island makes everything safe. All of the Haitians crossing in to the DR every day are magically all good people once they cross the border. 

I would much rather call at DR than some of the Mexican stops. Far more travelers being injured or killed. 

[Cruisin Kay D]

Cabo Rojo is much too close to Haitian border!!  Look at a map of the DR.  Puerto Plata is much farther from border with Haiti, as are Samana & Puerto Cana, etc.   Family who stayed at a DR resort on the eastern coast said their were guys with guns all around the exterior of the resort, and they never left the resort.  Don't ask me the name, cause I cannot remember it.....

Edited June 5 by Cruisin Kay D

[pcur]

In the past RCCL has been very hesitant to go back to countries with this kind of criminal and dangerous activity happening.  It took them over a decade to go back to Mexico.

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

In the past RCCL has been very hesitant to go back to countries with this kind of criminal and dangerous activity happening.  It took them over a decade to go back to Mexico.

When did they not go to Mexico?  I feel like they've been going to Cozumel forever.

[George C]

Shame , we always liked ladabee been there ten or so times , as already said rccl invested lots of money there , coco cay needs a suite beach like ladabee has. Shame for the Haitian employees that worked there .

[not-enough-cruising]

5 hours ago, time4u2go said:

When did they not go to Mexico?  I feel like they've been going to Cozumel forever.

i assume she was referring to the Pacific side

[pcur]

19 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

i assume she was referring to the Pacific side

I am.  Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[ReneeFLL]

On 5/24/2024 at 10:57 AM, smokeybandit said:

Now that Celebrity is visiting Coco Cay, maybe visiting Labadee isn't as necessary.

They probably make more money from passengers on Coco Cay than Labadee.

[Ocean Boy]

12 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

They probably make more money from passengers on Coco Cay than Labadee.

I'm sure that is true. There are many more ways for RCI to extract money from guests on Coco Cay than on Labadee. There are more extra cost venues directed toward kids at CC, too.

[smokeybandit]

13 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

They probably make more money from passengers on Coco Cay than Labadee.

Maybe,  though I bet expenses are higher at Coco cay

[Ocean Boy]

28 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Maybe,  though I bet expenses are higher at Coco cay

That is to be expected as there is more infrastructure at CC.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

So has there actually been anything "official" from RCI about either skipping Labadee or substituting another port and how long, it at all, it will be lasting?  In other words, have only peolple with cruises in the next X months been notified of a change?

[Southern Dan]

I believe the "skipping Labadee" update has been sent to people cruising through September on Royal at this point.  I'd expect an update within the next 4-6 weeks regarding the rest of 2024's sailings.

[BND]

I think everyone needs to forget about Labadee for a long time.  The situation is not getting better and as long as they can't have a stable government it won't.  We're scheduled there next Spring on Adventure, but I don't expect we'll be going there.