POR-AU-PRINCE — A major cruise line has canceled trips to a popular Caribbean destination after the US Government issued an urgent crime warning.
Royal Caribbean will not stop at its private beach resort in Labadee, Haiti, until at least May 2026, citing growing safety concerns tied to the country’s worsening political instability.
This decision follows the U.S. State Department’s reissued Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for Haiti, warning travelers of ‘kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, and limited health care’.
‘If you had plans to sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship to the Caribbean anytime soon, there is one destination the cruise liner won’t be visiting for a while,’ the company told passengers.
‘Out of an abundance of caution, we have paused our upcoming visits through April 2026,’ a spokesman told Fox News Digital, adding that the cruise line is directly notifying affected guests.
The cancellation affects dozens of Royal Caribbean itineraries that previously included stops at the scenic resort on Haiti’s northern coast, set with white sand beaches, coral reefs and jungle-covered hilltops.
Royal Caribbean’s website describes Labadee as a place where ‘the natural beauty of Haiti’s spectacular coasts wait to be discovered around every corner’.
The updated U.S. travel advisory, reissued in July 2024, highlights extreme risks for tourists, including targeted attacks, violent crime and near-total collapse of public infrastructure.
‘Do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, and limited health care,’ the U.S. State Department explicitly warns.
The advisory goes on to describe the security situation in detail.
‘Kidnapping is widespread and often involves well-planned operations. Victims – including U.S. citizens – have been injured, killed, or held for ransom, with families paying “tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars” for their release,’ it says.
Other threats include mob violence, gangs designated as terrorist organizations and limited emergency response.
In addition, U.S. commercial flights no longer operate in or out of the city and the FAA has prohibited American carrier flights to the airport, according to the U.S. Department of State.
Due to these threats, Haiti has been under a State of Emergency since March 2024, and in July 2023, the U.S. ordered nonessential government employees and their families to evacuate.
While Royal Caribbean had already begun diverting ships from Labadee earlier this year, the company has now extended the suspension for at least another 20 months.
The cruise line said it will reassess whether to return to the port before May 2026, depending on regional safety conditions.
In the meantime, ships originally scheduled to dock in Haiti will instead visit alternate ports, including Jamaica, the Bahamas, Royal Caribbean’s private island CocoCay, the Dominican Republic and others.
Some itineraries may also replace the Haiti stop with an additional day at sea.
Despite the suspension, interest in Caribbean cruises remains strong. According to AAA’s first-ever Cruise Travel Forecast, an estimated 19million Americans plan to cruise this year, with 72 percent choosing Caribbean destinations.
Cruise expert Stewart Chiron, known as ‘The Cruise Guy,’ told Fox News Digital that 2025 is shaping up to be another record-breaking year for the industry, with demand surging in the Caribbean, Alaska, and Europe.
As the situation in Haiti remains volatile, Royal Caribbean emphasized that the safety of its guests and crew remains its top priority.
‘We are communicating with our guests directly,’ the company said.
By SAMANTHA RUTT/Daily Mail