Labadee port replacement?

[Lizard2022]

We still have Labadee on our schedule for Mariner Jan 15.  It seems like more than just a security concern, and more like Labadee isn't even available due to damage in the near future.  I wish RCI would hurry up and let us know what our port changes are.  For instance, if we go to CocoCay instead, the thrill water park costs a bit more than Dragon's Tail Coaster, and I'm sure my kids will want to do it.  It would just be nice to be able to plan.

[brillohead]

7 hours ago, Lizard2022 said:

I wish RCI would hurry up and let us know what our port changes are.  ....    It would just be nice to be able to plan.

This is what kills me.  I absolutely adore the Royal Caribbean ship-side product, but their shore-side customer service, to put it bluntly, SUCKS!

We've known for ages that Grand Cayman isn't accepting cruise ships at all in 2021, yet they're still selling excursions for my December cruise.   🙄

[Bradison]

On 10/18/2021 at 1:31 PM, Blauelini said:

With Coco Cay now up and running with the pier and the improvements still in the pipeline, I forsee RC doing away with Labadee permanently. No reason to have it anymore. Labadee was started way before Coco Cay was around. Will help RC bottom line dumping it. I was never impressed with it and Coco Cay blows it away.

But its fixed costs and infrastructure are long since paid for.  If the security concerns are addressed it is a no brainer as it is no doubt a cash cow for RCI.  You are only thinking of your perspective and not RCI's.  We have been there twice and enjoyed it both times and specifically booked our next cruise because it went to both Labadee and Coco Cay.  Unfortunately, like others here Labadee has been replaced by a sea day.

[perfect match]

On 10/18/2021 at 4:19 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

Crew members recently told cruise passengers that Labadee has been taken over by locals.     They are living in the dorms royal had for workers, other buildings and the beach.    They said the whole area is trashed.     

If and when Royal is able to go back to Labadee they may decide just to write-off the property as a loss instead of trying to relocate all the locals that moved in and renovate the section of the island.

pour Alluer cruise last month was supposed to go to Labadee  and Falmouth. They were replaced by Cozumel and Costa Maya. We were told by several different crew members that Labadee had been taken over by locals. They said Royal wasn’t planning to go and try to recover the space until at least after the elections are held there. While I don’t have any official confirmation of that, based on everything else I have heard going on in Haiti, I think I’d be more surprised to hear that Labadee was still secure than to hear that it had been taken over. 
 

As much as I was looking forward to going to Labadee, I was glad when our cruise itinerary was changed and we did not go there.

[Ocean Boy]

8 hours ago, Bradison said:

But its fixed costs and infrastructure are long since paid for.  If the security concerns are addressed it is a no brainer as it is no doubt a cash cow for RCI.  You are only thinking of your perspective and not RCI's.  We have been there twice and enjoyed it both times and specifically booked our next cruise because it went to both Labadee and Coco Cay.  Unfortunately, like others here Labadee has been replaced by a sea day.

The place is leased not bought. That is an ongoing cost. You also have no idea how trashed the place may be and the cost of bringing it up to speed. What is the cost of increasing security? What is the liability to RCI from bringing customers to the area? How to you secure the open water front with a village across the bay? How much money do people actually spend during their stop there? Will passengers feel safe? Can they keep their employees who are stationed there safe?

 

Right now Labadee, located in a disaster of a country, is bringing in zero revenue to a company that was shut down for months.  Who knows if RCI is paying on the lease, which is an expense, during this mess. There are many points to consider if you want to see this "from RCI's perspective".

[BeWillie]

We are sailing on the Anthem on NYE.  We just got an email today replacing Labadee with St. Thomas.  Due to the changes we are losing out on a cabana we got at a very discounted rate at Labadee ($157 instead of the standard $263).  Also due to the changes, our stop in San Juan is now from 4 - 11 instead of 1 -10.  This means we won't be able to do the trip to El Yunque that we wanted.  However, we will be away from home on a cruise ship on a New Years cruise so all will be okay!!

 

Dear Guest,

As part of the guidance received from the CDC, we’ve implemented new boarding and as a result, we’ll now depart from Cape Liberty, New Jersey at 5:00 PM, instead of 3:00 PM. Separately, to maintain your safety and wellbeing, we’ll no longer visit Labadee due to the current political and security situation in Haiti, so instead, we’ll visit Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. As a result of this change, we’ve adjusted the time we’ll spend in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We know how much time and effort go into planning your vacation, and we’re sorry for any inconvenience caused by this. We’re excited to take you to a new port and know you’ll have an excellent time! Below, please find our revised Anthem of the Seas December 31^st, 2021 itinerary.

Day	Port of Call	Arrive	Depart
Fri	Cape Liberty, New Jersey		5:00 PM
Sat	Cruising
Sun	Cruising
Mon	San Juan, Puerto Rico	4:00 PM	11:00 PM
Tue	Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
Wed	Philipsburg, St. Maarten	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
Thu	Cruising
Fri	Cruising
Sat	Cruising
Sun	Cape Liberty, New Jersey	6:00 AM

The vibrant capital of Puerto Rico, San Juan offers something for every traveler - world-famous beaches with crystal clear waters, incredible cuisine, rugged natural beauty, and a rich history that goes back 500 years. Enjoy exploring colonial landmarks, like Blackbeard’s Castle, or sip on some local lager at a quaint microbrewery in Charlotte Amalie. Then in St. Maarten, discover beautiful beaches, rolling hills, and mountains - all offering spectacular panoramic views. Whether you’re looking for thrills or simply want to chill, these ports have something for everyone!

Our Shore Excursions team will automatically reschedule any pre-paid Royal Caribbean International shore excursions impacted by this change. Any pre-paid Royal Caribbean International shore excursions booked for Labadee will automatically be refunded to your original form of payment. In the next few days, your updated tour information will be e-mailed to you. In the meantime, feel free to browse all the exciting shore excursion options for your sailing in Cruise Planner.

Thanks for your understanding. We can’t wait to welcome you onboard Anthem of the Seas!

Edited October 20, 2021 by BeWillie

[SheSailsFL]

For my April sailing, Labadee has been changed to Cozumel.  The app still shows Labadee but when I log in to “manage my cruise” on the full site and search for my reservation number & sail date, the change is visible.  

[NC State]

Our April sailing is still showing Labadee. 

[Bradison]

On 10/20/2021 at 7:17 AM, Ocean Boy said:

The place is leased not bought. That is an ongoing cost. You also have no idea how trashed the place may be and the cost of bringing it up to speed. What is the cost of increasing security? What is the liability to RCI from bringing customers to the area? How to you secure the open water front with a village across the bay? How much money do people actually spend during their stop there? Will passengers feel safe? Can they keep their employees who are stationed there safe?

 

Right now Labadee, located in a disaster of a country, is bringing in zero revenue to a company that was shut down for months.  Who knows if RCI is paying on the lease, which is an expense, during this mess. There are many points to consider if you want to see this "from RCI's perspective".

The hinge point of my post was "if security concerns can be addressed" which would imply a return to previous satisfactory conditions.  I realize that is a big "if" at the moment but not impossible with time.  You don't just stop paying a lease so it is indeed a fixed cost until it expires.  The infrastructure has been established and paid for and if it is trashed then that is what insurance is for.  From a business perspective the place is a cash cow given that every drink and every excursion is a profit source for RCI alone.  Simple fact is that if they can get back to the previous levels of security and safety they are highly incentivized to get back to business at Labadee

[Pratique]

5 minutes ago, Bradison said:

The hinge point of my post was "if security concerns can be addressed" which would imply a return to previous satisfactory conditions.  I realize that is a big "if" at the moment but not impossible with time.  You don't just stop paying a lease so it is indeed a fixed cost until it expires.  The infrastructure has been established and paid for and if it is trashed then that is what insurance is for.  From a business perspective the place is a cash cow given that every drink and every excursion is a profit source for RCI alone.  Simple fact is that if they can get back to the previous levels of security and safety they are highly incentivized to get back to business at Labadee

I am guessing that there is a force majeure clause in the lease; Haiti has a long, difficult history that would have been considered. And in any event, it's unclear how enforceable a contract is under Haiti's legal system or what standing the property owner would have in an international court. But yes, it's to everyone's benefit to get Labadee up and running again (what else is the property owner going to do with it?), so I'm sure if there is a will then there is a way to get it done. Right now it seems like circumstances are beyond anyone's immediate control. I could see Royal terminating the lease, though, if things don't improve in the next year. More wait-and-see.

[brillohead]

9 minutes ago, Pratique said:

And in any event, it's unclear how enforceable a contract is under Haiti's legal system or what standing the property owner would have in an international court.....(what else is the property owner going to do with it?)

The property owner is the Haitian government itself, as I recall.

[BirdTravels]

46 minutes ago, Bradison said:

The hinge point of my post was "if security concerns can be addressed" which would imply a return to previous satisfactory conditions.  I realize that is a big "if" at the moment but not impossible with time.  You don't just stop paying a lease so it is indeed a fixed cost until it expires.  The infrastructure has been established and paid for and if it is trashed then that is what insurance is for.  From a business perspective the place is a cash cow given that every drink and every excursion is a profit source for RCI alone.  Simple fact is that if they can get back to the previous levels of security and safety they are highly incentivized to get back to business at Labadee

I don't think that it is an "if". I think there is no time (measured in decades) that the security issues will be addressed that would allow RCI to assume the risk of having passengers on the island. 

[malmalisme]

On 10/18/2021 at 7:34 AM, alexgtp said:

We are on Anthem NYE21 and it is still showing on our itinerary. Waiting to get an email with an update.

 

Nothing yet, but I did get the "ROYAL UP" email. LOL

You already got Royal Up? I’m on Symphony NYE and haven’t heard anything yet. 

[alexgtp]

7 minutes ago, malmalisme said:

You already got Royal Up? I’m on Symphony NYE and haven’t heard anything yet. 

Yes and 4 emails about the 30% off sales and 2 about finish booking your cruise you left un-booked.

 

But nothing about the change to itinerary.. LOL

[whitshel]

Odyssey Dec 26th changed to Nassau 

[Ethanol95]

Anybody seen any itinerary changes for Wonder yet to replace Labadee?

[3eaglesfam]

My March 05 sailing on Symphony still shows Labadee as well.  I am hoping to hear something soon as I have paid for a cabana at Nellies Beach.  I would rather know of a change sooner rather than later so I can start planning excursions for other places.  

 

[rockmom]

13 minutes ago, 3eaglesfam said:

My March 05 sailing on Symphony still shows Labadee as well.  I am hoping to hear something soon as I have paid for a cabana at Nellies Beach.  I would rather know of a change sooner rather than later so I can start planning excursions for other places.  

 

I'm on your same sailing and we have a bungalow booked, but my biggest concern is that this stays an eastern itinerary and doesn't flip to a western as we've done western so many times and have no desire to visit Cozumel (or for that matter Nassau) yet again.  We have rebooked/lifted and shifted this cruise a few times, trying to keep either an eastern or southern itinerary.  Really hoping we hear something soon, but my guess is that it will be a while before they decide.  They already canceled the on excursion we had booked for St. Thomas and there's nothing else that was even close (kayak and snorkel in mangroves), so we are already on the hunt for something good there again.  Let's hope we know something soon!  

Edited October 25, 2021 by rockmom

[OnTheJourney]

On 10/18/2021 at 1:31 PM, Blauelini said:

Labadee was started way before Coco Cay was around. Will help RC bottom line dumping it. I was never impressed with it and Coco Cay blows it away.

I'd hate to see Labadee go. Those suite-level buffets on the Barefoot Beach were the best ever. From what I hear, there are NO perks for suite guests on Coco Cay. I have no interest in the more disney-like water park setup that they've created there. Will be going there next year, but I'm sure I'll be wishing it was Labadee instead. 

[NYCrews]

My December 26 Odyssey cruise still shows my Labadee excursion on my cruise calendar, but Labadee has been removed as one of our stops. As someone mentioned, Nassau is now added. (Although, not a word from Royal yet.) Not a great substitute. Wish they would give us a second day at Coco Cay instead.

[brillohead]

11 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

I'd hate to see Labadee go. Those suite-level buffets on the Barefoot Beach were the best ever. From what I hear, there are NO perks for suite guests on Coco Cay. I have no interest in the more disney-like water park setup that they've created there. Will be going there next year, but I'm sure I'll be wishing it was Labadee instead. 

You don't have to go to the water park -- there are plenty of other parts of the island that aren't "Disney-like".

[OnTheJourney]

Thankfully I just discovered that we're not going there anyway. The new itinerary (from the previously canceled one) goes to Grand Bahama Island instead of Coco Cay. I'm good with that, having never been to the Bahamas. 

[nessachelle]

My Feb 2022 is still showing Labadee as a port.  I booked this cruise specifically for that stop but will survive as long as they don't change it up too much.  We are also set for Nassau, St. Thomas and Puerto Rico.  I don't really care much about Nassau but we picked this specific cruise because it hit ports we had never visited. I would prefer Coco Cay over Cozumel but if they take away St. Thomas or Puerto Rico then I will definitely be taking credit and booking a different cruise.

[cruisin from florida]

On 10/18/2021 at 1:02 PM, brillohead said:

My December 12th Jewel sailing still says it's going to Key West and Grand Cayman!  LOL  

 

Our Nov. 28 cruise said that until last week. Our new itinerary is Bimini, Costa Maya, Cozumel. 

We expected that things would change. We're still excited to be cruising in just over a month! Hope you enjoy your eventual ports!

 

[AuntieSasa]

I am booked for a theme cruise on Feb 9 2022, and have been told by the organizers that the planned Labadee stop would be changed, but they are not sure to what as of yet.  I am ok with the change, but hoping that it is to another port and that another day at sea is not put in it's place.  Our cruise is a music one, and we have a lot of rockers, not sure if some of the ports will have issues with us- lol