Change to Itinerary

[happy to be sailing]

We are cruising the Panama Canal on Dec 29. Just got notified we will not be stopping at Turks. They subbed it with Labadee Haiti. Do you think if Turks gets up & running that they will change it back?How is Labadee?Never been there or heard much about it?

[39august]

Labadee is gorgeous. It is a lovely beach day. There are also a couple of "markets" with local, and pushy, vendors, if shopping is your thing.

[bionicman97]

Labadee is very nice and there is a lot to explore. My family liked it a lot more than cocoacay (nothing wrong with cocoacay). It is more senic.

[DonnaK]

Labadee is wonderful!!!! It's a relaxing beach day, and the scenery is unlike that of any other private island because it is mountainous. You can find a nice shady spot on the bay side facing the ship (Barefoot Beach or Hideaway Beach) and the surf is gentle, the water is crystal clear, and the sand is powdery white. Rent a beach mat for $10, or better yet, bring your own inflatable ones from your local dollar store, and take to the water. Across the peninsula, on the ocean side, the surf is rougher and there is beach grass, so there's some snorkling opportunities (but not as great as other snorkling islands in the Caribbean).

 

RCI brings a BBQ lunch ashore. There is a Haitian Flea Market where the locals sell their handicrafts, but it can be a rather intimidating and high pressure. Many people don't realize that there's a small building behind the flea market that houses the Artesan's Market, which sells much of the same merchandise at fixed prices, so it's less scary and still a bargain.

 

There are several excursions offered, such as zip line, however it's really not neccessary to purchase one unless you really want to, because the beach is just so lovely that it's enough!

 

Don't be too disappointed about this itinerary change - you're going to like Labadee. I've attached a map, but don't know how to make it larger. The peninsula is quite small, and very walkable so you can see the entire area within a short amount of time. If it's too hot or you are tired of walking, there's a tram that circles the area too.

 

PS: You might want to wear those inexpensive water shoes because there's sharp coral under the sand. Although we've never seen/felt it ourselves on the bayside of the peninsula, some people have reported getting their feet cut.

[sas80]

We are cruising the Panama Canal on Dec 29. Just got notified we will not be stopping at Turks. They subbed it with Labadee Haiti. Do you think if Turks gets up & running that they will change it back?How is Labadee?Never been there or heard much about it?

 

I would be bummed too...But, look at it this way - you are still going to get to cruise! Unlike everyone's vacations whom were just "displaced" because of Ike. Even better....your car probably wont get flooded by a tropical storm while you are gone! Bonus!

 

Really tho...worse things could happen, right?

[Dave Wojo]

We had a fantastic beach day at Labadee. You can also ride the zip line! :D

 

This shot was taken just prior to "launch".

 

Here's a shot of the ship and Labadee, taken from the zipline platform.

[happy to be sailing]

Thanks for the pictures. I feel better already about Haiti.

[BDL]

If you regularly donate blood, if you get off the ship in Haiti you will not be allowed to donate for one year. This happened to me several years ago and I know I read about it recently on one of the CC boards.

 

Just so you're not surprised.

[amickeyfriend]

Labadee is my favorite place in the entire Caribbean. Be happy.:)

[jillyfish]

Dave - Awsome pictures !!