Royal Caribbean International has come up with a big announcement detailing a series of large-scale rerouting plans for the 2025 cruise season. The particular cruise line is temporarily removing Labadee, Haiti, from numerous itineraries for the abundance of carefulness due to rising levels of security concerns.
The change affects nearly a dozen ships that typically sail from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Port Canaveral. Meaning, there will be a full cruise line schedule update for guests to consider as they book a cruise this summer.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Rerouting Plans
As per the latest Royal Caribbean Labadee Cruise Updates, the Labadee stops have been converted into extended sea days, and other ports such as Nassau, Bahamas, and Grand Cayman are added to the itineraries of the cruise line’s top ships, including the Icon of the Seas and the Oasis of the Seas.
This port of call substitution ensures that the guest has another way of filling their day and enjoying onshore experiences even if their original cruise excursion has been canceled. Some other ships have found their way to Falmouth in Jamaica and to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, a cruise itinerary adjustment that Royal Caribbean puts forth as part of its guarantee to keep its service commitments.
Royal Caribbean mailed to its passengers who booked for the July 20 sailing on the Oasis of the Seas, and wrote, “We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and out of an abundance of caution, we're swapping our visit to Labadee for a Sea Day."
How do these Changes Affect U.S. Passengers?
This announcement has mostly affected the sailings from the major U.S. travel hub in Florida. Guests wanting a refund will receive one for all booked shore excursions in Labadee. Some affected sailings are offering onboard credits up to $150 per suite as a goodwill gesture.
In some instances, Royal Caribbean compensated for the lost Labadee call by increasing time in Puerto Rico or Nassau, allowing the U.S. passengers to experience a variety of Caribbean destinations.
Why did Royal Caribbean drop Labadee Trips?
The reason behind the sudden Royal Caribbean Labadee itinerary changes is the heightened safety concerns in Haiti. The increasing gang violence and political instability are leading to the U.S Level 4 travel advisory against all travel to Haiti.
The U.S. Department of State travel advisory noted concerns, saying “Do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care”, prompting the cruise line to pause its sailings at its private resort peninsula until situations stabilize. They even said, “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”.
Royal Caribbean has released an official statement via email stating, "Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily paused our upcoming visits to Labadee. We have already communicated with guests directly." This is the second time in less than 12 months that the cruise line has suspended its calls at Labadee, after also canceling calls for its free private retreat in the summer of 2024 due to violence escalating in Port-au-Prince.
Royal Caribbean's Future Route Plans
The Royal Caribbean hit pause on Labadee stops in April and decided to cancel several other visits to Labadee in July and August as well. As they move forward, their main focus is to consider new routes that have the potential to turn into a long-term option.
Now that Labadee is temporarily out of the picture, guests can still enjoy a fun-packed cruise adventure with visits to the Bahamas - with beaches, waterparks, and so much more. Meanwhile, the cruise will be looking into routes with ports within the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos to turn the focus into what it offers outside of Haiti.
While the Royal Caribbean Labadee port changes are unfolding, you can expect future announcements about new and improved itineraries. This is just to make sure you have a smooth cruise booking experience to the Caribbean until visits to Haiti can resume.
If you’re planning to book a cruise in 2025, connect with travel experts at GetgoTravels by calling us at (888) 604-2260 or writing to us at contact@getgotravels.com.