Labadee safe?

[Mum2Mercury]

9 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

Pretty sure the zipline excursions have to go out the gate to the top of the mountain.

I haven't done the zipline, so I don't know.  

[RJ257]

21 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Serious question;

 

I've been there a few times and I never saw a fence or anybody armed.  To be honest, I haven't really looked either and I haven't gone beyond Barefoot Beach either.  But, my question, have you seen guys with "machine guns"?  

Its been quite a while but yes Ive seen armed guards there. I bought some Haitian money off an officer one trip to give to my grandson who was collecting foreign currency. Not sure discussing "If I was gang..."  theory is much help. Might concern a few people.

[fsjosh]

31 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Serious question;

 

I've been there a few times and I never saw a fence or anybody armed.  To be honest, I haven't really looked either and I haven't gone beyond Barefoot Beach either.  But, my question, have you seen guys with "machine guns"?  

 

Yes, but it was many years ago. 2003 iirc. Big military truck near the fence with guys in the back with some sort of rifles. I guess I'm assuming on the machine gun part of there. I'm not sure they still do that though, but I'd assume they have them somewhere in the unlikely case of a local uprising. 

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, jsf said:

I see the other day that both the US and Canada have sent armored police cars to help  Haiti  with gang problems, are we safe going again? How is the Labadee area protected from crime?

You are safe as long as the RCCL armed guards can keep the gangs from entering the RCCL beach area. 

[Jetdriver787]

I trust the armed gangs will not be permitted to enter barefoot beach unless they are pinnacle or suite?

[smokeybandit]

2 minutes ago, Jetdriver787 said:

I trust the armed gangs will not be permitted to enter barefoot beach unless they are pinnacle or suite?

If they spend $1500 on a cabana they can

[sfaaa]

Haiti government and police are outgunned, under siege 24/7 and barely able to fend for themselves, never mind providing security in Labadee. Although I am speculating here, I won't be surprised RCCL and the local gang controlling the area may have some sort of behind the scene arrangement to leave Labadee alone in exchange for economic or monetary benefits aka protection money. This is usually how businesses are done in the third world where central government is dysfunctional, leaving local armed gang or warlord to become the de facto ruler in the area they control.

[CamCan4]

Been to Labadee once and I'd stay on ship next time. The level of harassment from the vendors was enough to deter me. My teenaged daughters were terrified because they had men grabbing their arms trying to put bracelets on them which they then want you to buy. 

[smokeybandit]

8 minutes ago, CamCan4 said:

Been to Labadee once and I'd stay on ship next time. The level of harassment from the vendors was enough to deter me. My teenaged daughters were terrified because they had men grabbing their arms trying to put bracelets on them which they then want you to buy. 

 

So next time avoid the vendor area. Problem solved

[AlohaLivin]

Yes.

[TheHawk1]

17 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

To do what? Rob people of their seapass card and snorkeling gear?

 

 

15 hours ago, Ret MP said:

I've been there a few times and I never saw a fence or anybody armed.  To be honest, I haven't really looked either and I haven't gone beyond Barefoot Beach either.  But, my question, have you seen guys with "machine guns"?  

 

I took one of Royal's excursion to a private island adventure off the coast of Labadee.  There was a guy with a machine gun guarding the island.  It's not as safe as your jokes would have people believe.

[smokeybandit]

33 minutes ago, TheHawk1 said:

It's not as safe as your jokes would have people believe.

Or, it is safe because of the protocols in place to keep it safe.

 

It's not at all uncommon to see heavily armed security at other ports that no one has any safety concerns for

Edited October 27, 2022 by smokeybandit

[reallyitsmema]

38 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Or, it is safe because of the protocols in place to keep it safe.

 

It's not at all uncommon to see heavily armed security at other ports that no one has any safety concerns for

 

Exactly, how many times have you been on a ship that has been escorted by a zodiac with a machine gun mounted on the front as it leaves the dock?

[Toddcan]

23 hours ago, rockmom said:

There are several threads on this, it comes up pretty often. Labadee is nowhere near Port Au Prince, which is where all the unrest happens.  It is a very long drive between the two.  Royal's area is a secured compound in an area where there's not much else.   

 

 If you every drive that route, take the Hwy 1, not the 3.  It's paved all the way on the 1, but not the 3. And you go through more larger towns with stores, gas, etc.  Beautiful drive along the coast from PaP to St Marc, and then desert to Gonaives and then through the amazing mountains through to Cap.  I've driven that route at least 25 times, but I don't think I would do it now... 😞  

[bedfordmom]

18 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Pretty sure the zipline excursions have to go out the gate to the top of the mountain.

I have done jet ski excusions twice and each time, locals have kayaked out in primitive kayaks to us  to sell their wares. Of course, we have no money on us as we are out in the water and it felt so heart breaking.  

[rockmom]

3 hours ago, Toddcan said:

 If you every drive that route, take the Hwy 1, not the 3.  It's paved all the way on the 1, but not the 3. And you go through more larger towns with stores, gas, etc.  Beautiful drive along the coast from PaP to St Marc, and then desert to Gonaives and then through the amazing mountains through to Cap.  I've driven that route at least 25 times, but I don't think I would do it now... 😞  

I have no plans to drive it--I was trying to show the OP that Port Au Prince is a very long way from Labadee.  

[RJ257]

7 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Or, it is safe because of the protocols in place to keep it safe.

 

It's not at all uncommon to see heavily armed security at other ports that no one has any safety concerns for

You are correct. This past April the beach in Roatan at Infinity Resort was heavily armed .

[bucfan2]

11 hours ago, RJ257 said:

You are correct. This past April the beach in Roatan at Infinity Resort was heavily armed .

I'll second that...it was last month when we were there.  Cancun has them everywhere.  Feel safer in Labadee than we do in NYC or Portland.

[Ret MP]

2 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

I'll second that...it was last month when we were there.  Cancun has them everywhere.  Feel safer in Labadee than we do in NYC or Portland.

Tragically funny, but true!

[Ret MP]

6 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Tragically funny, but true!

I've got a photo and/or video or two, somewhere, of U.S. Coast Guard vessels patrolling around cruise ships in Port Everglades, Port of Miami, and Port Canaveral, with M-60s or SAWs (machine guns for you civilians) mounted and manned on the bow of the vessels.  AND, local law enforcement in their vessels patrolling around the port and ships. What's my point?  Well, it shows that today we have threats everywhere.  Yes, some more than others.

Edited October 28, 2022 by Ret MP

[A&L_Ont]

22 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Exactly, how many times have you been on a ship that has been escorted by a zodiac with a machine gun mounted on the front as it leaves the dock?

Everytime I sail from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral.😉

[reallyitsmema]

13 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Everytime I sail from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral.😉

 

Yup.  You should have seen the upped security when we sailed from Port Everglades during the air show on the beach.  It also coincided with fleet week, so there were lots of Navy ships in port.  Multiple boats creating a perimeter.  If a pleasure boat strayed a little too close, they had friends beside them very quickly! 😄  It was awesome watching the airshow from the ship before we sailed.

[Toddcan]

19 hours ago, rockmom said:

I have no plans to drive it--I was trying to show the OP that Port Au Prince is a very long way from Labadee.  

Thanks for the clarification 😉

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 10/26/2022 at 8:50 PM, CamCan4 said:

Been to Labadee once and I'd stay on ship next time. The level of harassment from the vendors was enough to deter me. My teenaged daughters were terrified because they had men grabbing their arms trying to put bracelets on them which they then want you to buy. 

we were there in June. Zero harassment of any kind. Some elderly dude playing an instrument pointed to a table with some trinkets, I said - no, sorry, no cash, and that was it.

[RedIguana]

23 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

Exactly, how many times have you been on a ship that has been escorted by a zodiac with a machine gun mounted on the front as it leaves the dock?

Every port is the US.