Travel to Labadee Haiti, concerns

[pay in your Med i care]

To the OP - either stay in New Jersey, or if you want another shopping mall, go to St Thomas.

 

To the other posters who have sent a semblance of sanity - I have not to been this port yet, going in April, and I cannot wait, I am VERY anxious to see Labadee and yes, Haiti.

 

I booked my itinerary because it includede Haiti, and we do travel to see something differant, don't we?

 

 

I totally agree with your philosphy! We, too, want to expereince the beauty of different cultures. We had the opportunity to be in Labadee in Dec. of '07. My folks were also on this cruise (we're active, energectic, and in our early 50's).

 

My husband and I looked forward to this "beach day" - we were not at all dissapointed - we read reviews on-line so as to know what to expect - and we had a most enjoyable day. We will gladly look forward to going back on future cruises.

 

My folks are a bit more mature in age - one is in their 80's and one in their 70's. They debated about going on shore, but both decided to do so. They stayed the bulk of the day and thoroughly enjoyed it! I was so surprised - they said how much there was to see and do. What this told me was that RCCL did their job in preparing a location so as to meet the needs of many diverse folks.

 

Enjoy!

[sandytoes03]

Labadee is 100% fine!! Relax and enjoy!

[kingsgirl]

Labadee is 100% fine!! Relax and enjoy!

 

 

I agree. I think it is perfectly safe too. It's the rest of Haiti to worry about if you ever travel there.

[RichardE954]

I read this article and thought I would share it with fellow cruisers. I considered this itinerary but got scared as I researched more about it, I know its a section of the island reserved for RCCL and is fenced off surrounded with armed guards, but Americans are warned to stay away. Just putting this here as a precaution for those who might want to know this.

 

Americans warned against travel to Haiti

 

 

WASHINGTON (CNN) --With Haiti wracked by civil unrest, the United States urged Americans Tuesday to leave the country "if they can do so safely."

"The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer travel to Haiti and urges American citizens to depart the country if they can do so safely," the travel warning said.

In issuing the warning, the State Department said families of diplomats and non-emergency workers of the U.S. Embassy have been authorized to leave on a volunteer basis.

Haiti has been wracked by violence in recent weeks with armed opponents of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide taking control of several cities. (Full story)

Authorities believe the rebels are a combination of former paramilitary troops and former supporters of Aristide, who was ousted in a military coup in 1991 but won a new term as president in 2000.

The rebels seized Gonaives, a city of about 200,000 on the Caribbean coast north of Port-au-Prince, Thursday after a battle with police. Since then, witnesses said, the rebels have taken control of the nearby port town of St. Marc, the towns of Grand Goave and Petit Goave in southern Haiti, and the northern towns of Trou du Nord and Listere.

The Red Cross has put the death toll in Haiti at 40 over the last week.

The State Department said Americans in Haiti should be aware that the U.S. Embassy has banned travel by its staff outside Port-au-Prince and that the embassy's ability to provide emergency services outside of the city is "limited and decreasing."

The State Department said Aristide has used government resources to "pay for violent gangs to attack opposition demonstrators" and that the violence is spiraling.

"The government has failed to maintain order in Port-au-Prince or in other cities and in some instances has assisted in violently repressing the demonstrators," it said.

American citizens who remain in Haiti are advised to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy.

 

Our cruise stopped in Labadee last summer and it was our favorite port of the whole trip.

[sakapfet]

I totally agree with your philosphy! We, too, want to expereince the beauty of different cultures. We had the opportunity to be in Labadee in Dec. of '07. My folks were also on this cruise (we're active, energectic, and in our early 50's).

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Dont worry, once Genesis starts visiting Labadee there will be excursions to these places and more:

 

The Citadelle

The Citadelle Laferrière or, Citadelle Henri Christophe, or simply the Citadelle (in English, spelled Citadel), is a large mountaintop fortress located in northern Haiti, approximately 17 miles south of the city of Cap-Haïtien and five miles uphill from the town of Milot. It is the largest fortress in the Western Hemisphere.UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1982—along with the nearby Sans-Souci Palace. Henri Christophe built the Citadel after Haiti gained independence from France at the beginning of the 19th century

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Palace Sans Souci

the Sans-Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I (better known as Henri Christophe) of Haiti. Construction of the palace started in 1810 and was completed in 1813. It is located in the town of Milot, Nord Department. Its name translated from French means "without care."

Close to the Palace is the renowned Citadelle Laferrière, built by Henri Christophe to repell a feared French invasion

 

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Pictues of 2 of the many waterfalls: