Popular cruises suspend island stop over escalating gang violence: What to know
As summer travel quickly approaches, cruise lines are steering clear of a Caribbean island due to safety concerns.
Royal Caribbean recently altered its sailing itineraries to exclude Labadee, a picturesque peninsula on Haiti’s northern coast, which has long been a highlight of Royal Caribbean’s Western Caribbean itineraries.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily paused our upcoming visits to Labadee," Royal Caribbean said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The cruise line informed guests directly of the change in their itineraries, the spokesperson said. Sister brand Celebrity Cruises had already removed the stop on its cruises in recent weeks, the Miami Herald reported.
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Chris Grow, a security consultant with more than 38 years of international experience in travel risk management and the co-author of "A Step-by-Step Guide to Essential Travel Safety Considerations," discussed cruise travel safety with Fox News Digital.
"Some of these islands are very touchy with what’s happening, and their politics can change from day to day," he said. "One minute you’re OK and the next minute it’s time to get on the boat and leave."
Grow advised travelers to remain aware of where the U.S. consulate or embassy is located, to keep digital and physical copies of their passport and be aware of local political and social climates that can change rapidly.
"This isn’t to present fear," he said. "You want travelers to have fun, but please understand there’s a reason we say these things."
John Lovell, the president of Travel Leaders Network, told Fox News Digital that since the situation in Haiti is deteriorating, it was wise of the cruise behemoth to consider alternative routes.
"The good news is that Royal Caribbean has another place in the Caribbean exclusively for their guests: Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas. It has several beaches, the Caribbean’s largest freshwater pool, a water park and more," he said.
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"I hope that things will settle down and that ships will call on Labadee again. Not only is the beach incredibly beautiful, but it provides employment to Haitians at the resort and support to entrepreneurs with the onsite Haitian straw market."
Just days before Royal Caribbean’s announcement, the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince issued a fresh security alert warning of "widespread protests with potential for violence between police, protestors, and criminal gangs."
Haiti is currently rated at Level 4 by the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisory "due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care," which means the U.S. government recommends travelers not go to the country.
"The U.S. government is very limited in its ability to help U.S. citizens in Haiti. Local police and other first responders often lack the resources to respond to emergencies or serious crime," the U.S. travel advisory states.
It remains unclear when or if Labadee will return as a regular port of call. While Royal Caribbean has emphasized the "temporary" nature of the suspension, no timeline of a return has been communicated.
Gangs in Haiti killed at least 5,600 people last year, according to a new United Nations report. The report from the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights said an additional 3,700 were injured or abducted.
Just a year ago, the streets of the Caribbean nation were overtaken by violence. On March 4, 2024, Port-au-Prince's Toussaint Louverture International Airport was taken over by armed gangs.
Following the gang takeover, Haitians and Americans were left trapped. Fox News Digital previously reported that, in 2024, gangs controlled 85% of Port-au-Prince and all the roads and highways in and out of the capital.
In early December 2024, at least 207 people were massacred in Port-au-Prince by the Wharf Jérémie gang. The victims, many of them elderly, were accused of using voodoo to harm the gang leader’s son. Their bodies were mutilated and burned and others were thrown into the sea.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.
Fox News Digital's Caitlin McFall and Azhar Fateh contributed to this report.