Royal Caribbean Bypasses Labadee Due to Local Protests

[ATC cruiser]

I was surprised to see that a March cruise had cancelled Labadee. The fact that it's a charter cruise explains a lot.

[irelandvegas]

Just a self indulgent thought here: our April 16 Navigator cruise has labadee as the first stop, then San Juan the next day at 2pm. How about arriving earlier and a longer day in Puerto Rico ?

Any thoughts?

[Clipper123]

As a Canadian, I have been to Cuba several times. My mom goes every single year and she loves it there. Part of its charm is the fact that it is untouched by the US, everything is so authentic, and Havana is a beautiful city frozen in time. It is also a very poor country by comparison to the rest of the world, but people are so happy. I only hope that once cruise ships start going there it does not become another fenced off port with Diamonds International and the usual stuff.

 

I totally agree with you and also hope my worst fears don't materialize when Cuba totally opens up to the US and commercialism :( I hope to get there at least once more before it does.

 

As for Labadee, if my sailing doesn't make it there, I hope it goes to Belize. I did read somewhere yesterday that Navigator was expected to go there today but they didn't. I really don't want another sea day or a Mexican port. The Dominican Republic would be my second choice.

[swooldri]

What a short memory they must have......Royal Caribbean went out of their way to support the island with literally tons of supplies and relief after the earthquake. RCCL Continues to be one of the few corporations to generate a profit for the country and someone on the island thought it would be a good idea to boycott the revenue source....ridiculous......

 

I believe this is the population protesting, not the government which knows that RCI is helping. The government probably gets the revenue from RCI. And the people don't see it that way. JMO

[Midwestgal]

Maybe the people are tired of only the government benefiting from it and not the people it should be helping. Like the millions of dollars in aid they received that never made it to the people in need, instead the government keept it.

Is the money from RC helping the people ? Or is it just feeding the hogs in their government?.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Midwestgal

[emory2001]

I was surprised to see that a March cruise had cancelled Labadee. The fact that it's a charter cruise explains a lot.

 

A friend of mine is going on that Beachbody cruise in March. She confirmed a LOT of Beachbody people are freaking out about the zika virus and they raised hell with Royal Caribbean about it (not really raised hell but a lot of people were very vocal with concerns). So that is why they are skipping Labadee.

 

Edited to add: They are going to Nassau instead, along with Falmouth which was always on their itinerary.

Edited January 22, 2016 by emory2001

[swooldri]

Maybe the people are tired of only the government benefiting from it and not the people it should be helping. Like the millions of dollars in aid they received that never made it to the people in need, instead the government keept it.

Is the money from RC helping the people ? Or is it just feeding the hogs in their government?.

 

good point...very well could be.............:(

[setsail]

I don't know, but I hope it's the end of these threads

[BeachChik]

I don't know, but I hope it's the end of these threads

 

Are you incapable of skipping over it? Don't read them if you don't like it. Simple.

 

Seriously every question or post has been asked over and over and over again. These boards would be empty if people didn't talk about things that have already been discussed 100 times before.

[Ron C.]

It appears that the protesting was more directed at RCCI, someone on Freedom just posted a picture of one of the boats with a sign that said "finish the project that started in the village".

[rolloman]

Maybe the people are tired of only the government benefiting from it and not the people it should be helping. Like the millions of dollars in aid they received that never made it to the people in need, instead the government keept it.

Is the money from RC helping the people ? Or is it just feeding the hogs in their government?.

 

Just curious, what proof do you have the Haitian government kept millions of dollars of aid Royal Caribbean provided? OR is this just speculation on your part? After all, most of the aid RCCL provided from what I recall was pallets of consumables. They also have employed locals with jobs.

[Midwestgal]

Just curious, what proof do you have the Haitian government kept millions of dollars of aid Royal Caribbean provided? OR is this just speculation on your part? After all, most of the aid RCCL provided from what I recall was pallets of consumables. They also have employed locals with jobs.

 

I wasn't talking about millions made from Royal but the millions in aid sent to their government from the USA after the earthquake, very little reached the people. I should of been more clear.

 

But this goes to show a government not using income and aid to help the people. Does this include money made from Royal, maybe , maybe mot.

Maybe the people are trying to make a stand and let the outside world know?

 

This is just one of the things I was thinking, not saying this is it but a possible scenario. I'm just guessing as other have been doing here.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Midwestgal

[Midwestgal]

It appears that the protesting was more directed at RCCI, someone on Freedom just posted a picture of one of the boats with a sign that said "finish the project that started in the village".

 

Interesting. I'm sure once the dust settles we may find out what really was going on.

 

Like I mentioned above I was just thinking up possible scenarios as others here have been doing.

[DrD]

Cuba is the last Country I want to visit.

 

Really? You'd rather go to Yemen? Or the Central African Republic? Or North Korea? Or Albania? Or Iraq? Or Syria?

 

I'm assuming you're joking. Or just mean the last country in the Caribbean, or something like that.

 

And yes I'd love to go to Cuba, if just for all the wonderful old cars. And it's beautiful, so I've heard.

Edited January 22, 2016 by DrD

[IndyKid]

And yes I'd love to go to Cuba, if just for all the wonderful old cars. And it's beautiful, so I've heard.

Count me in! I can see most of the major cruise lines putting Havana on their list of stops. I would just like to see it as it is now before it gets overrun with Starbucks, Micky-D's and so forth.

[Philly Steve]

We have many wonderful memories of our stops at Labadee and we can't wait to return. Hoping for a quick resolution.

[BillOh]

Maybe the people are tired of only the government benefiting from it and not the people it should be helping. Like the millions of dollars in aid they received that never made it to the people in need, instead the government keept it.

Is the money from RC helping the people ? Or is it just feeding the hogs in their government?.

 

Not based on anything but vague information from various sources, but to me that seems likely. If the government was collecting extra taxes from group A to benefit group B and Group B isn't seeing the money those people might want to make sure group A knows about this feeling powerless to effect the government.

[micmacmissy]

Its much further off than you think. As of now anything going into Cuba must be for educational purposes and must be included as part of any stop, at least when coming from the U.S. Getting even 2000 plus people to do only educational things would be a challenge. A lot still needs to change before you have U.S citizens visiting on a regular basis.

 

I just read another thread in which someone was asking about bringing coffee creamer on board- can't travel, apparently, without that particular coffee creamer.

 

I hardly think the high-maintenance cruisers would be happy with a stop in Cuba, given their lack of infrastructure and the fact that...well, it's authentic Cuba! And is not Americanized yet.

 

Now, once they move the locals out of the port area, pour down a bunch of cement and put up a Senor Frogs or Margaritaville...THEN the cruisers will be happy to stop there! (Providing the right coffee creamer is available!). :D

Edited January 22, 2016 by micmacmissy

[micmacmissy]

Count me in! I can see most of the major cruise lines putting Havana on their list of stops. I would just like to see it as it is now before it gets overrun with Starbucks, Micky-D's and so forth.

 

A frequent cruiser on these board, FamilyGoBoston, has a travel website. They just visited Cuba and there are some wonderful photos on their site- and lots of old cars! http://Www.goseeittravel.com ...you should check it out, it's pretty cool!

 

Can you imagine the whining if cruises starting stopping there in the near future? People stumbling off the ship looking for wifi and Diamonds International, and then complaining..."our taxi was a '57 Chevy with no air conditioning! I couldn't find a Cuba magnet anywhere! None of the restaurants served chicken fingers!"

 

Nope, I bet it's best for Cuba to keep the cruisers away! ;)

Edited January 22, 2016 by micmacmissy

[bouhunter]

A Labadee thread morphed into Cuba cruising. Only at cruise critic.....

Edited January 22, 2016 by bouhunter

[Biker19]

These boards would be empty if people didn't talk about things that have already been discussed 100 times before.

....and guess what, a lot of folks would be OK with that. Most folks come here for answers and don't need 50 versions of it.

[TravelerThom]

Really? You'd rather go to Yemen? Or the Central African Republic? Or North Korea? Or Albania? Or Iraq? Or Syria?

I'm assuming you're joking. Or just mean the last country in the Caribbean, or something like that.

And yes I'd love to go to Cuba, if just for all the wonderful old cars. And it's beautiful, so I've heard.

Hey, I've actually been to Albania. Lovely Roman ruins in Buthrotum. How I got there before Cuba says a lot about pollitics (we only get to go places with good human rights policies like China and Russia:confused:).

My parents discussed taking us to Cuba in the 1950s, but we went to the Bahamas instead:mad:. Cuba (and the old cars, probably even better than Uruguay:)) is still on my to do list.

[ryano]

....and guess what, a lot of folks would be OK with that. Most folks come here for answers and don't need 50 versions of it.

 

So now you are a psychic and know what "a lot of folks" would be ok with and what most folks come here for? :rolleyes:

 

Ok.

 

She is exactly right. No one forces anyone to read anything on here. If you dont like the topic, why bother to open it and comment? To run up a post count?

Edited January 22, 2016 by ryano

[BillOh]

Someone just posted this on the Crown and Anchor Facebook page :

 

I am going on a company Oasis cruise with Beachbody in March. They have just canceled the Haiti stop and we are now going to Nassau Bahamas due the concern about the Zika Virus. I've been to Nassau 3 times, what should I do?! Stay on ship or get off??

 

It may take longer than anyone thinks before RCCL goes back

 

I have seen that as well and my SPECULATION is that the charter company is making that change. There is another Navigator Charter in late Feb that hasn't made the change yet.

[John&LaLa]

....and guess what, a lot of folks would be OK with that. Most folks come here for answers and don't need 50 versions of it.

 

People come here for answers???

I thought they came here for validation or to escape boredom at work