International

Royal Caribbean suspends Labadee visits amid Haiti’s escalating violence and instability

Thursday, 17 April 2025 9:00AM UTC

Royal Caribbean International has temporarily halted cruise visits to Labadee, Haiti, as the nation grapples with rising gang violence and a state of emergency. The move threatens local livelihoods already impacted by diminished tourism and ongoing unrest in the capital and beyond.

Two days after Haiti’s transitional government approved a so-called “war budget” aimed at funding efforts to combat gang violence, the nation suffered a significant financial setback as Royal Caribbean International announced the suspension of its operations to Labadee, a private port on Haiti’s northern coast. This decision followed an earlier removal of Labadee from the itineraries of Royal Caribbean’s sister line, Celebrity Cruises.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson stated, “Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily paused our upcoming visits to Labadee,” adding that the company had already communicated the change directly to affected guests. The news reached local Haitian vendors on Tuesday night, many of whom rely heavily on the limited tourist activity generated by the cruise ships. This suspension marks the second occasion within the past year that Royal Caribbean has excluded Haiti from its Caribbean routes; the line had previously halted visits to Labadee through September 2024.

Although Royal Caribbean did not specify the precise reasons behind its latest suspension, background information indicates that the decision comes shortly after the Haitian transitional government declared a nationwide state of emergency on April 8, in response to an escalating wave of violence, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince. A source familiar with security matters noted that while northern Haiti has not been as severely affected by gang activity as the capital, the overall state of emergency has nonetheless contributed to instability.

Further compounding security concerns are recent alerts issued by the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince, which highlighted the potential for widespread protests and associated violence. The United States Department of State has maintained a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti for several years, citing high rates of kidnappings, general crime, civil unrest, and deteriorating healthcare infrastructure.

Tourists arriving by cruise ship had remained one of the few steady sources of visitors to Haiti amid ongoing turmoil. However, this steady flow was disrupted by last year’s closures of Toussaint Louverture International Airport, Haiti’s main gateway, during periods of heightened gang-related violence. Data reviewed by the Miami Herald indicated that fewer than 180,000 air passengers travelled to Haiti in 2023—a stark contrast to over one million in 2018. The Federal Aviation Administration also continues to enforce a ban on US jetliners landing at the airport, which has narrowed access further.

Haiti’s Finance Ministry has not disclosed the extent of the losses from diminished airport operations, but it is known that the country imposes one of the highest taxes on airline tickets in the region, charging $100 per ticket alongside a $10 tourist tax levied on non-Haitian nationals.

The unrest in the capital has prompted a serious humanitarian crisis, including recent warnings from several foreign governments about threats by gangs and their allies to destabilise the transitional government. On Sunday, the US State Department joined with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a coalition of 15 member states, to caution against any attempts to seize control of Haiti by force. Following this, the United Kingdom and France issued a joint statement on Wednesday emphasizing their commitment to sanction enforcement aimed at those who seek to undermine stability in Haiti. The joint statement read, “We are committed to maintaining pressure on those who seek to destabilize Haiti via the implementation of sanctions, and we call on authorities to fully implement the sanctions regime in Haiti.”

Amid these tensions, Haitians took to the streets to protest against the ongoing violence and the transitional government’s policies. However, during one such demonstration, the protest leader—himself a member of a local self-defence brigade in the Canape-Vert neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince and assigned to the National Palace police unit—halted the march shortly after it began. He informed the crowd that intelligence suggested approximately 300 individuals were prepared to attack the assembled protesters, effectively putting an early end to that particular demonstration.

The suspension of cruise operations and the continuing security challenges underscore the multifaceted crisis confronting Haiti, affecting both its economy and social stability. The withdrawal of tourist traffic from Labadee, in particular, threatens the livelihoods of local vendors who depend on this source of income, while the broader concerns over violence and governance continue to shape both domestic and international responses to the situation.

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.thestreet.com/travel/royal-caribbean-is-cancelling-stops-at-this-caribbean-cruise-port - This article confirms Royal Caribbean's cancellation of visits to Labadee, noting the suspension is due to increased gang violence and political unrest in Haiti, despite Labadee's remote location and heavy security. It also explains the ongoing Level 4 U.S. travel advisory for Haiti citing widespread crime and unrest.
https://www.paxnews.com/news/cruise/royal-caribbean-once-again-cancels-visits-labadee-haiti - Pax News reports on Royal Caribbean's latest cancellations of visits to their private beach in Labadee, Haiti, attributing the decision to safety concerns amid worsening national unrest and gang violence.
https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-suspends-visits-to-haiti-due-to-worsening-unrest/169905 - This source details Royal Caribbean's suspension of Labadee stops following escalating violence in Haiti, including changes to specific ship itineraries such as Voyager of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, and confirms the broader context of the U.S. Level 4 travel advisory and recent state of emergency declared by the Haitian government.
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2025/04/15/royal-caribbean-canceling-again-visits-private-destination-haiti - Royal Caribbean Blog provides detailed information on the operational pause at Labadee due to escalating gang violence and government 'war budget' efforts against armed groups. It also highlights passenger communications and itinerary changes for multiple ships, as well as the ongoing security issues that prompted these decisions.
https://cruisefever.net/royal-caribbean-cancels-stops-to-haiti-on-at-least-two-ships-passengers-confirm/ - Cruise Fever corroborates reports of Royal Caribbean suspending visits to Labadee on at least two ships due to worsening unrest in Haiti and includes passenger accounts of itinerary changes and announcements made onboard, supporting the article's claims about the economic impact and tourist disruption.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative references events from April 2024, including a state of emergency declared on April 8, 2024, and recent cruise suspensions with specific dates up to September 2024 and shortly after. No indications of recycled or outdated information were found, and the situation aligns with ongoing security concerns known in 2024.

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The direct quote from the Royal Caribbean spokesperson about pausing visits is found without a precise original date or source beyond this narrative. The joint statement from UK and France is cited but not traced to an exact primary source. The quotes appear credible within context but lack easily found earliest or original online references, increasing the chance that this is an original report or early coverage.

Source reliability

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative resembles reporting typical of mainstream reputable news outlets with a detailed, multi-faceted presentation of facts and official statements. However, the exact publisher is not specified in the provided content, so while the detailed sourcing and tone suggest reliability, absolute certainty about the origin's credibility is limited.

Plausability check

Score: 9

Notes: The claims about Royal Caribbean suspending visits due to security issues in Haiti are consistent with known travel advisories, the US State Department's Level 4 travel warnings, and documented gang violence and humanitarian crises in Haiti during 2024. The specifics about airport closures, cruise line actions, and government responses align well with publicly known facts and trends, enhancing plausibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative presents a fresh and timely account of Royal Caribbean's suspension of Haiti cruise visits amid escalating gang violence and political instability declared in early April 2024. Quotes, although not directly sourced to their earliest public appearance, appear genuine and contextually fitting. The detailed treatment and alignment with established travel advisories and regional security developments support high confidence and reliability. No evidence suggests recycling of old news or fabricated content.

Haiti
Royal Caribbean
gang violence
tourism
security crisis