Royal Caribbean is reportedly pausing visits to its private destination of Labadee, Haiti, due to escalating unrest in the region, according to passenger reports.
This potential decision (the cruise line has yet to directly confirm this) comes after a similar seven-month pause in stops to Labadee in 2024. It also comes just months after the cruise line reassured guests that the private destination was safe. Even during a period of regional instability, Royal Caribbean had intended to continue sailing there.
Apparently, something has changed.
So far, passengers sailing on Voyager of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas have reported that their itineraries have been changed, with Labadee being removed as a port of call and swapped for another port.
A passenger on Voyager of the Seas reported that the captain announced that “Royal Caribbean have [cancelled] all stops to Haiti for the next month due to the ongoing situation which is rapidly escalating.”
Itinerary Changes Reported by Passengers on Voyager and Oasis
Passengers on Voyager of the Seas, currently on a 5-night Eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida, which departed on April 14, 2025, indicate the ship will now visit Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic instead of Labadee.
The ship’s other scheduled stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas remains on the itinerary.
Passengers on Oasis of the Seas, which departed from Port Everglades on a 6-night Western Caribbean voyage on April 13, 2025, have also reported receiving notification of a change.
According to these passenger accounts, a letter from the cruise line stated that “out of an abundance of caution, instead of visiting Labadee on Thursday, we’ll enjoy a beautiful day in Nassau, Bahamas, on Friday.”
This itinerary also includes calls on CocoCay and Falmouth, Jamaica.
Potential Impact on Future Sailings Based on Schedules
The cancellation of these Labadee stops, as reported by passengers, is now raising questions about future calls at the private destination.
Based on current schedules, both Voyager of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, along with other Royal Caribbean ships like Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Grandeur of the Seas, have scheduled visits to Labadee throughout April and May.
It is possible that more itinerary changes will be announced by the cruise line in the coming days and weeks, but we’ll stay tuned for those developments.
Broader Concerns and Previous Stance
This potential move by Royal Caribbean follows a recent decision by its sister company, Celebrity Cruises, to change a few sailings to skip Labadee.
The U.S. government currently has a Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisory in place for Haiti, citing risks of kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited healthcare.
Much of the unrest has been concentrated in areas far from the private resort of Labadee, which is about 100 miles from the capital of Port-au-Prince. The port also has its own private security team and truly is separate from the rest of the country.
Despite Labadee’s isolation and private security, Royal Caribbean has still been careful in its return to the port.
After resuming visits to Labadee in October 2024, the cruise line suspended shore excursions that required guests to leave the controlled cruise port area. One recent visitor noted that “The only thing different about this cruise is Royal has canceled the excursions that leave the area right about the pier/compound.”
The Priority of Safety
Based on passenger accounts of onboard announcements and letters, Royal Caribbean’s decision to temporarily avoid Labadee appears to be sudden, or perhaps the cruise line is looking ahead and not liking what it sees.
The safety of passengers and crew is a priority for any cruise line, and I’m sure we’ll get more details on this developing story in the coming days.
Cruise Fever has reached out to Royal Caribbean for a statement and will update this article with any recent announcements or developments.
