Travel Warning - Haiti

[Jobro2]

I just read this travel warning re: Haiti...with such a warning out, how can RCCL still be stopping in Labadee?? We are due to stop in Labadee in June and this makes me extremely nervous...I would seriously consider not leaving the ship, even though I have heard how wonderful Labadee is. Does anyone know if RCC is still stopping there even with this warning?

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_917.html

[shipknotshore]

We are scheduled to stop in Labadee on our April 30th cruise. Hopefully issues will be solved by then. I can't see the ships stopping there after this warning.

[MrsPete]

I think they're still sailing there because the RC portion of Hati is separated from the rest of the country by fences and guards. Still, it is cause for concern.

 

If you'd be afraid all day long, staying onboard could be a good idea. You'lll have free run of the pool area,and they often run spa specials during port days.

[Radio]

Maybe they are still going there because of the specifics of the warning.....

 

" Travel can be hazardous within Port-au-Prince. Some areas are off-limits to embassy staff, including downtown Port-au-Prince after dark. The embassy has imposed a curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., which could change periodically. "

 

 

I think that Port-au-Prince is several hundred miles from Labadee......

 

Just thinking out loud....

 

Radio

;) ;)

[katiel53]

I thought Labadee was a private island off the coast of Haiti. Geez, how dumb I am. I can't believe a cruise line would take people to an island with the chance that their passengers would be hurt. Think of what would happen if they did.

[Ericknow32]

If there was any real danger to their passengers than Rccl would not stop there

[rykersdad]

does anyone still want to jump the fence to site see?:)

[wwinfl91]

The RCCL beach area is separated from the rest of Haiti by a tall fence with barb wire on top. There are armed guards who patrol the fence and keep the"unwanted" natives away. The natives who you will meet in the beach area are either contracted or employees of the cruise line. The souvenir stands and other attractions are all run by the cruise line and they pay big money to "the powers that be" in Haiti to maintain the seperation.

 

Now if they offer tours that go away from the beach area I would strongly suggest turning those down and enjoy a nice day at the beach similar to what other cruise lines offer in the Bahamas. I sure wouldn't want to wander around away from the guards and secured area.

 

You might do some web searches on "Labadee Haiti" and see if anything negative has been posted but even if some instances have occurred I suspect RCI would have done everything they could to keep them out of the traditional media but they might still make the Internet.

 

If nothing else take a quick trip to the beach and if you feel uncomfortable go back to the ship on the next boat and spend the day on the ship.

 

Here's a bunch of reviews from Tripadvisor to check out.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147306-d150230-Reviews-Labadee-Haiti.html

 

Have a great next cruise.

[hdawson]

I cannot remember when there wasn't a travel advisory about Haiti. Almost all the time it relates to the population centers such as Port au Prince.

Labadee is on a pennsula on the north coast. It is far removed from any population centers. It is very safe. Royal Caribbean is not going to risk the safety of their passengers, crew or ships. Not good business.

Labadee is a paradise. Just gorgeous, and lots to do or not do. One of my favorite stops.

[hstrybuf]

What hdawson said! ;) If RCCL really thought there was any danger to their passengers, they simply wouldn't stop there until they felt it was safe.

[jebl]

There used to be a disclaimer in the brochure advising that due to the political climate at the time, stops in Labadee could be cancelled. Perhaps the security is better now or RCL just doesn't print the disclaimer.

 

I am sure if there was any danger to the pax and/or crew, the ships would alter their itinerary.

[gizfish]

If I remember correctly, there have been times in the past when the unrest in Haiti was so bad that RCCL was skipping that stop. Apparently, they feel this current warning doesn't justify a change in itinerary.

[SeaBrz]

I visited Labadee the week of Jan 15 2004 just before the violent overthrow of Aristide. We were on the last Mariner cruise to Labadee for a while, but there were one or more RCI ships that stopped that week after we left.

 

Maybe someone here can tell you what replaced the Labadee Day for a while because I know that RCI ships didn't stop for several weeks.

 

On a completely different note -- I vacationed in the Dominican Republic in February 2002 and inquired about visiting Haiti. (Haiti and DR share the same island, but have a guarded border between the two.) At the time, 3 years ago, the two governments had worked something out where Haitian natives were allowed to market goods near the fenced border one day a week. Every Wednesday, DR security officers opened a gate and people from the DR were allowed to shop at the Haitian market for 3 hours.

 

I wanted very much to go, but was repeatedly warned by DR people that my "heart would be broken" so I didn't. I regretted that decision occasionally after that, so when I went to Labadee, two years later, I spent a lot of money on Haitian art, trinkets, and tips. I have no idea if the money from the vendors on Labadee gets back to the neediest people in Haiti, but it eased my guilty-american-conscience for a while.

 

Hopefully Haiti is recovering now. At the time, I could not believe that two countries could occupy the same island, and live like there were two centuries dividing them!

[CruisinDawn]

Labadee is a beach on the island but is well gaurded, you can't even go to Hatti if you want to. I feel very safe there and would not miss the BBQ & Dragons Breath Point for anything. Wow the fossils in the rocks are amazing. Why would they attack a few on the beach with little to no money!! We won't bring any money ashore next time because that market isn't worth it to us (two shop keepers fought over our purchase of a $1 wood flute) We wouldn't shop there again for nothing, CoCoCay is the way to shop!! Get off tho and enjoy the food and sights, best picture of the Voyager we have.

 

Bon Voyage

Dawna

[TheParrotHeads]

does anyone still want to jump the fence to site see?:)

 

Too funny--I had the same thought. :D

[TPKeller]

I think that Port-au-Prince is several hundred miles from Labadee......

According to my map, Port-au-Prince is about 85 miles south of Labadee. I don't think there are any two places in Haiti that are "several hundred" miles apart! ;) But due to the condition of their infrastructure, it probably might as well be that far.

 

Theron

[sally r]

Labadee was canceled on our Brilliance cruise in 2004 due to political unrest. Nassau was our subsitute port. We are now booked on the Voyager for October, mostly to stop at Labadee. Guess what? October is the next Haitian election and they are already talking about the unrest. I will be watching very closely in case I need to cancel!

[DeanD]

We were on the enchantement maybe 10 years ago and none of the RCCL ships were stopping there. They stopped in the Bahama's as well even for the Western Caribbean trips.

[debshomespun]

We were in Labadee in May/03 from the Explorer. It was one of my favorite stops! The beaches are beautiful. There are the best photo ops available at this stop.

 

We are going on the Navigator this May, mostly for the Labadee stop, and I can't wait.

 

If RC thought it was unsafe for pax. and crew, they would never stop. Just think of the lawsuits from the "Passangers" if anything did happen.

[ziggydaddy]

We went there in January of this year. I felt very safe and would go again in a second. RCCL has great security there. You are on a small peninsula of land surrounded by water on three sides and only attached to the mainland on the very end. Unless you purposely try and get into trouble there is almost no way for trouble to find you. If you get the chance to go to labadee enjoy it feel comfortable and relax. I can guarantee you will be much safer there then you will be in Miami, or for that matter most any large city in the US.

[ironmuscle]

Here is my advice for passengers going to Labadi, don't think of it as part of Hati, just enjoy the beaches and the sun, remember you are on vacation! this is part of your cruise that you worked hard for, saved up for and dreamed about.

 

To say that hati is hell on earth would be an understatement, but there really is nothing you can do. If RCCL feels that there is any trouble going on they will not let you off the ship. I feel 100% safe on the beach and there are guards that are armed to prevent anyone from coming to harm. Trust me being 6'2 265, I would make a huge target :)

 

Go get a tan , slash in the water and thank God you don't live there.

 

ironmusclebod@yahoo.com

[Charles4515]

We went there in January of this year. I felt very safe and would go again in a second. RCCL has great security there. You are on a small peninsula of land surrounded by water on three sides and only attached to the mainland on the very end. Unless you purposely try and get into trouble there is almost no way for trouble to find you. If you get the chance to go to labadee enjoy it feel comfortable and relax. I can guarantee you will be much safer there then you will be in Miami, or for that matter most any large city in the US.

 

I would not worry about the security at Labadee. I walked to the border of Labadee---I am very curious----and the security is very serious, uniformed men with machine guns.

[emcemt]

Scientists say the earth can get hit by a meteor at any given time.....go run to the shelter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:

[gfsu]

Everytime these threads come up it makes me laugh. Labadee is by far one of the prettiest places we've been, if you feel safe getting off the boat in Nassau or Ocho Rios you should feel beyond safe in Labadee. The only people there are either working or on vacation.

[TPKeller]

You know...

 

I'm certainly not an alarmist. I visited Labadee myself and had a nice time there, and I felt safe. But for folks who are posting questions about it, I think they deserve a much better response than being snickered at.

 

It is a legitimate question. RCCL has suspended stops there in the past when conditions have been too dangerous. Why did they do that? Didn't they have the same guards with the same machine guns during those times as well? What made it suddenly too dangerous to go there? Obviously the answer is that the unpleasantness and turmoil of Haiti threatened to invade the sanctuary of Labadee, and it was seen as a credible danger.

 

I have no doubt that RCCL keeps well aware of the situation there, and will make wise and appropriate decisions that will keep passengers and crew safe. Just as with dozens of other aspects of a cruise, this is a situation where the passenger experience is a "show" and what goes on behind the scenes is not always pretty or perhaps even safe.

 

Having questions about things like this shows that a person is thinking and seeking information that will help them be prepared. Making fun of them for it doesn't help anyone.

 

Theron