Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean has announced the official cancellation of all cruise stops to one of its most famous destinations.
This is due to increasing violence in the area, which may put the safety of passengers at risk.
Let’s take a look at this cancelled destination, the real reasons behind this decision, and how to avoid future inconveniences.
Royal Caribbean Cancels Stops at One of Its Private Destinations
Some of you may have already figured it out; we’re talking about Haiti, and more specifically, Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private destination.
Cruise ships will no longer call at this destination, as stated by the cruise company, out of an “abundance of caution.”
If you are familiar with the cruise world, you will probably know Labadee. It was leased to Royal Caribbean Group in 1985 from the government of Haiti and has been used as an exclusive destination for the ships of the group: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara Club Cruises.
As you can see from the photos, it’s a beachfront resort area located on Haiti’s northern coast, and has been a favorite stop for cruisers seeking sun and adventure.
But in recent years, something has changed, and there have been many complications. Let’s see what happened.
Labadee Stop Suspension
Royal Caribbean’s suspension of Labadee visits has been an evolving situation over the past couple of years.
The cruise line first paused calls to Labadee in early 2024 when gang violence in Haiti began surging, temporarily rerouting ships to alternate ports.
After a brief resumption of visits in late 2024, the situation in Haiti deteriorated again and in April 2025, Royal Caribbean once more halted stops at Labadee for political instability and unrest in the country.
Originally, the hope was to restart Labadee calls by late 2025. However, recently it became clear that the security situation had not improved.
For this reason the cruise lune has now alerted travel agents and guests that all Labadee port visits were being canceled through April 2026.
As of now, Royal Caribbean has not announced when it will resume sailings to Labadee, indicating that future itinerary decisions depend on developments in the region.
Why Were Labadee Stops Canceled?
The decision to cancel all 2026 Labadee visits is rooted in serious safety and security concerns in Haiti.
Perhaps not everyone knows this, but Labadee is not an island. It is rather a private enclave protected by Royal Caribbean’s security and geographically isolated from the rest of the country.
However, the wider situation in Haiti has grown extremely volatile. The U.S. Department of State currently has Haiti under a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory.
The country has been under a state of emergency since 2024, and violent gangs have made parts of the country, including areas around the capital Port-au-Prince, incredibly dangerous for both locals and visitors.
Royal Caribbean’s leadership made it clear that guest and crew safety is the top priority.
In communications to booked passengers, the company noted that while
“Labadee remains a safe destination to visit, and is outside the areas of concern,” they were proactively swapping it out of itineraries out of caution.
Essentially, even though no specific incident has occurred at Labadee, the cruise line is taking no chances given the unpredictability of Haiti’s security situation.
It’s worth noting that this is not the first time Royal Caribbean has skipped Labadee for safety reasons. There were similar suspensions in 2024 when violence first spiked, and ships were quickly rerouted to other ports until things temporarily calmed down.
Unfortunately, this time the unrest has persisted and even escalated, leading to the current extended halt through 2026.
Impact on Travelers and Cruise Itineraries
For cruisers booked on Royal Caribbean itineraries that originally included Labadee, this change has several implications.
Many of 2025-2026 sailings that had Labadee on their schedule are being adjusted.
From what I can see on the official website, Royal Caribbean had more than 40 cruises planned with Labadee stops, all of which now require an itinerary change.
So, what happens to those cruises? In most cases, Labadee is being replaced by an alternate port of call on the itinerary.
According to the line, the most common replacement ports for Labadee are: Nassau (Bahamas), Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic) and George Town (Grand Cayman).
As you probably know, these locations offer beautiful beaches and tourist attractions that can somewhat fill the gap left by Labadee.
In some other cases, ships will visit Grand Turk (Turks & Caicos), Perfect Day at CocoCay (another Royal Caribbean’s private resort in the Bahamas), Bimini (Bahamas), Cozumel (Mexico), or San Juan (Puerto Rico).
The exact substitution varies by ship and sailing date, so check the company’s official communications or contact your travel agent if you have booked a cruise that is going to be changed.
From a logistical standpoint, you should also be aware that some port call times might shift due to these changes.
Royal Caribbean have noted adjustments like slightly earlier arrivals or later departures in remaining ports to optimize the new routes.
The last thing that I wanna say, and that I have learned through years of cruising, is that travel by sea always comes with a chance of itinerary adjustments, whether due to weather, political issues, or other concerns.
Travel insurance typically doesn’t cover port changes (unless you have special “cancel for any reason” coverage), so the best approach is to stay flexible.
Trust that the cruise line is acting in your best interest. Use the extra time at sea or the new port to relax and explore something new. Safety is the basis of a good vacation, and Royal Caribbean’s choice reflects that priority.
In addition, don’t forget to have a look at the 10 most dangerous cruise ports in the world, so you can pay special attention if you go there.