Royal Caribbean Extends Labadee Suspension Until Mid-2027 Amid Ongoing Haiti Security Concerns

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Royal Caribbean has confirmed it will continue to suspend calls to its private destination at Labadee, Haiti, until at least the end of June 2027, extending a decision that had already removed the port from itineraries throughout 2026.

Aerial view of Labadee, Haiti

The cruise line said the move has been made as it continues to assess conditions in Haiti, with guest and crew safety remaining the priority. The extension affects all scheduled visits to Labadee during the first six months of 2027, with passengers already being informed of changes to their sailings.

“As we continue to evaluate conditions in Haiti and our ability to deliver the best vacations responsibly, we have decided to extend the suspension of ship calls to Labadee through June 2027. This decision was made with the safety and well-being of our guests and crew members in mind. We have communicated these changes directly with guests.”

Royal Caribbean statement

The cruise line had previously announced in January that all Labadee calls for the remainder of 2026 would be cancelled. With this latest extension, the destination has now been removed from all published itineraries until at least July 2027.

Originally, Royal Caribbean had scheduled 62 visits to Labadee during the first half of 2027.

Those calls included voyages by several of the fleet’s largest and newest ships, including Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas, alongside Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.

Replacement Ports Added To Itineraries

Guests booked on affected cruises began receiving revised itineraries from 14th July 2026, with replacement ports varying depending on the sailing and berth availability.

Alternative destinations being introduced include Nassau in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Puerto Plata and Samana in the Dominican Republic, Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, and Ponce in Puerto Rico.

Labadee Zip Line

Passengers booked aboard Star of the Seas’ 2nd May 2027 sailing were informed:

“As you prepare for your vacation, we wanted to share an update to your May 2, 2027, itinerary. We’ve reviewed our sailing plans and made an adjustment to the ports of call we will visit. Instead of visiting Labadee, we’ll now enjoy a day in Perfect Day at CocoCay.”

Some sailings are seeing additional itinerary adjustments beyond the removal of Labadee.

For example, guests booked on Legend of the Seas’ 28th March 2027 voyage were advised that Falmouth, Jamaica, had also been removed from the itinerary. In its place, the ship will now call at Ponce, Puerto Rico, while Labadee has been replaced by Samana in the Dominican Republic.

Royal Caribbean told guests:

“Instead of visiting Labadee, we’ll now enjoy a day in Samana Port, Dominican Republic…Additionally, we’ll now visit Ponce, Puerto Rico from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM instead of Falmouth, Jamaica.”

The ship’s 14th February 2027 sailing has also been revised, with both Labadee and Falmouth replaced by calls to Costa Maya and Cozumel.

Any shore excursions booked for Labadee, along with Falmouth where applicable, will be automatically cancelled and refunded. Guests do not need to take any action to receive their refunds.

Why Royal Caribbean Continues To Avoid Labadee

Royal Caribbean first suspended visits to Labadee after Haiti experienced severe political instability and escalating gang violence during 2024. While the country’s crisis intensified dramatically that year, political and economic unrest has been building since 2018.

Labadee

Labadee itself is located on Haiti’s northern coast, around 134 miles from the capital, Port-au-Prince, where much of the country’s violence has been concentrated. The resort is separated from surrounding areas by security fencing and is protected by a dedicated private security presence across its 260-acre site.

Despite those security measures, Royal Caribbean has continued to take a cautious approach as conditions across Haiti remain unstable.

The US Department of State continues to advise against all travel to Haiti, maintaining a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory because of crime, kidnapping, terrorism, civil unrest and limited access to healthcare.

While Labadee has historically remained isolated from much of the violence affecting the rest of the country, Royal Caribbean’s latest decision signals the company does not yet believe conditions are suitable for resuming regular calls to the private destination.

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