For those that think Castaway Cay is just so so

[Ex techie]

Read this thread about Royal's ships being stopped from docking at Labadee. Royal's private island.

 

Seems the locals have had enough of being exploited despite Royal's attempts to shrug it off on the islands elections.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2303227

http://cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6760

 

Makes you glad DCL didn't try to take over some beaches of a country to make their own paradise, and chose a desolate island. Right?

 

ex techie

[moki'smommy]

Castaway has several things going for it. First, it is the easiest beach you'll ever do. Can't/don't want to carry your stuff? Grab a wagon. Don't want to/can't walk? Take the tram. There is a certain amount of effort inherent in any beach experience, but DCL eliminates as much of that as possible.

 

The ship docks at the island. This is one of a very few private islands where the ship can dock rather than tender. It obviously allows guests to come and go at will.

 

Only a very small percentage of the island has been developed and before DCL acquired it, there was basically nothing there. Bahamian residents run many of the excursions, post office, etc. providing employment for a small number of people.

 

DCL has multiple agreements with the Bahamian government concerning the registration of the ships, the island, etc. And the Bahamas do not have the history of unrest that Haiti does.

 

OK, the island is "Disneyfied," but what do you expect from DCL?

[Stratus22]

We love Castaway Cay. The one place my family and I look forward too, although on our last cruise which we just did, my family didn't get off. I did to do the 5K run. It was a cool, rainy and VERY windy day. Most of the stores were closed because of it but I found one that was open. It's a very easy place to get around on and you can't get lost. The people are friendly and there are plenty of chairs. Just a wonderful day to be had by all....

[Loonbeam]

I really wish they would stop using the term 'Private Island'. It's a private beach leased from a country, which brings with it a whole different set of complexities.

 

People associate private island with having the entire landmass to themselves.

[e2011]

This is too bad. I love Labadee and to be honest I like it just as much as Castaway Cay. Both have a dock for the ship and the beaches are amazing. I am not sure what has the locals upset because the cruise ships from RCCL bring them jobs, tips and a nice place to work. The alternative is to have RCCL stop going there and watch their jobs and cash disappear. Of course the citizens of Haiti that are protesting are probably not educated and cannot understand the ramifications of RCCL pulling out and going somewhere else. Maybe Sean Penn can broker a deal....

[1025cruise]

That dock also brought them hurricane relief supplies.

 

Labadee used to be a tender port. When RCCL built Oasis (and then Allure), they realized there was no way to tender that many passengers, so they worked out a plan to build a dock. Just as the dock was completed and put into operation, a hurricane hit. RCCL used their ships to transport relief supplies to Haiti via their dock on Labadee.

[Ex techie]

This is too bad. I love Labadee and to be honest I like it just as much as Castaway Cay. Both have a dock for the ship and the beaches are amazing. I am not sure what has the locals upset because the cruise ships from RCCL bring them jobs, tips and a nice place to work. The alternative is to have RCCL stop going there and watch their jobs and cash disappear. Of course the citizens of Haiti that are protesting are probably not educated and cannot understand the ramifications of RCCL pulling out and going somewhere else. Maybe Sean Penn can broker a deal....

 

From what I've read on the comments section of the CC news report and on the RCI board thread, I'm inclined to believe that the residents are angry at both parties. RCI and their Government.

 

Haiti has around 10.5 million residents.

Castaway Cay has around 100+ full time residents.

Both Labadee and Castaway Cay have full time staff employed by the cruise lines to tender to the maintenance of the island or private beach are then supplemented with additional "local" staff during ship visits.

 

So maybe an additional 50/60/70 people come to Castaway to offer their goods, and boat rides etc.

That isn't a large proportion of the Haitian island residents benefiting from RCI ships docking there.

RCI apparently pay a $12pp port fee to Haiti. But if the reports from US born residents of Haiti are to be believed, that money is syphoned off and not spent on the residents.

Also the traders that sell their goods pay a fee to someone, who pay's RCI for their pitch at the market.

This may be exactly the same arrangement DCL have with the Abaco residents for their pitch on Castaway Cay. But there have been reports of the market traders being overly aggressive with the Guests going to the market, and enough so that the ships security have had to start patrolling that area.

Also that it is a few that control which Haitians are allowed to trade.

Even that beach loungers that are stacked but advertized as free to use being commandeered by locals and unless you pay them to set up a lounger from them then you are met with disconcerting looks or refused service and made to feel they are taking someones livelihood and ability to feed their family away.

Co-co Cay is different apparently.

 

Personally from what I've read, it's a case of the have nots getting aggressive and angry at the haves using their island, and them not seeing much of a return in the form of tips or spending on their environment or benefit to their economy.

 

That and them wanting more and more money from RCI's Guests. What used to be a $1 tip (discouraged by RCI with signs now removed) now wanting $2 per lounger.

 

You can totally see the reason the residents would be pissed at part of their island being reserved for foreigners taking extravagant vacations when you are living hand to mouth, and the money make is being used by politicians to fund their corrupt lifestyles. But it doesn't make it right for the Guest either way.

 

I'm glad Castaway is a private island, and doesn't have to deal with these local tensions, or hasn't yet.

 

ex techie

[moki'smommy]

A private landmass, be it owned by the cruise line or leased from the local government is far preferable to a leased section of a beach.

 

And the Bahamian government is making plenty of money from what used to be an uninhabited rock. No, the island doesn't employ many Bahamians, although some are involved in selling their wares and running excursions. But they do collect a port charge every time a ship docks at the island.

 

Unfortunately, the Haitians don't look at what happened in 2009--that's ancient history. It's more like "what has this big ship done for me lately?" I don't mean to negate the efforts that Royal allowed on their behalf, but that's not what they are looking at today.

 

And yet another point for Castaway--I don't have to tip anyone for setting up my "free" beach chair!

[Ex techie]

Even Royal's disaster relief food drops were allegedly taken and sold off.

Such a shame for the people living there, but not unsurprising since it happens a lot in countries with similar Governments.

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

It seems it has been going on for many years and RCI haven't been able or willing to stop it.

 

November 8th, 2007, 02:27 PM

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coaster coaster is offline

Cool Cruiser

 

Join Date: Sep 2000

Location: Tampa, FL

Posts: 1,024

Default Labadee harassment

A little late posting this as this happened over a year ago. We were on Mariner of the Seas and were surprised how aggressive the people who work at Labadee are. We were followed by some guy wanting to tell us about the area. It made us uncomfortable as obviously he was looking for a tip for something we didn't want. We went on the other side of the Labadee which is rocky just to look and two men rushed with chairs looking for a tip. We walked away from them. Tried to grab chairs ourselves after they walked away and they rushed us again.

 

We decided to go to the beach area near the ship and chairs were stacked near a guy and we just decided to do without the chairs. We had no money on us because we thought this area was cashless and it is a private area for RCI. Our past experiences with NCL's and Disney's private Bahamas island did not prepare us for this either. We felt uncomfortable not giving these people money even though they are annoying and seemed to expect a tip. Strange to say, but it is how we felt. Wife was in tears at one point because of the pestering. Does this kind of thing happen on a regular basis or was it a fluke?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=658362

[eroller]

I've been to all of them several times. Castaway Cay is the best of the lot by far. Best designed, cleanest, most convenient, and most picturesque. I love it and it's the standard to which I hold every other private island to. So far none have quite made the grade.

 

Here is how I rate them:

 

1. Disney's Castaway Cay

2. HAL's Half Moon Cay

3. Royal's Labadee

4. NCL's Great Stirrup Cay

5. Princess Cays

6. Royal's Coco Cay

 

I'm looking forward to the next private island in the Bahamas, which will be MSC Cruises Ocean Cay. It promises to have more acreage of beach than any other private island, and also will have docking capability like Disney's Castaway Cay.

 

 

[e2011]

Wow! Thats was an interesting post from 2007. We have been to Labadee 3 times and I guess we were lucky. Never had any harassment at all. We were in the Concierge area of the beach so perhaps that was the difference. I can say the cabana rentals were $250 vs $500 for Disney and they were very nice and a just a bit bigger than the Disney cabanas. (This was for the Barefoot Beach over the water cabanas which are concierge level. I understand the other cabanas at the regular beach are $450.)

 

I would not be surprised at all if the government pockets all the money from RCCL. The Haitian govt. is known to be one of the most corrupt in the Caribbean and that is saying a lot! Very sad for those people. The leaders skim off all the money and the rest live in squalor. As has been said, having a whole island is far better than just a chunk of beach. Maybe RCCL will rethink and improve Coco Cay or rent a new island.

Edited January 26, 2016 by e2011

[Ex techie]

I'm looking forward to the next private island in the Bahamas, which will be MSC Cruises Ocean Cay. It promises to have more acreage of beach than any other private island, and also will have docking capability like Disney's Castaway Cay.

 

That really does look like a greta island!

The first thing that strikes me though is there is no apparent "backstage" area as Disney would call it.

No area for water desalination, crew quarters, power generation, waste management or treatment.

Although it is an "artists" impression, I would think they would show some area un populated.

Maybe the ship will provide all of the power, fresh water?

It also looks like a man made island. Like a reclaimed island. Using sea sand to build up a rock in the sea to make it an island?

 

Very interesting though!

 

ex techie

[eroller]

That really does look like a greta island!

The first thing that strikes me though is there is no apparent "backstage" area as Disney would call it.

No area for water desalination, crew quarters, power generation, waste management or treatment.

 

 

 

It is an existing island, very near Bimini. MSC has signed a 100 year lease with the Bahamas government to acquire the island, and will work with the government to develop it. Currently the island is mostly used for sand extraction, so I assume there are already a lot of sandy beaches.

 

Here is a more detailed rendering of one section of the island. The section is near the marina and I believe you can see some of the back-of-house areas. Perhaps water and fuel tanks, a helicopter pad, and perhaps living quarters.

 

[Ex techie]

Wow! Thats was an interesting post from 2007. We have been to Labadee 3 times and I guess we were lucky. Never had any harassment at all. We were in the Concierge area of the beach so perhaps that was the difference. I can say the cabana rentals were $250 vs $500 for Disney and they were very nice and a just a bit bigger than the Disney cabanas. (This was for the Barefoot Beach over the water cabanas which are concierge level. I understand the other cabanas at the regular beach are $450.)

 

I would not be surprised at all if the government pockets all the money from RCCL. The Haitian govt. is known to be one of the most corrupt in the Caribbean and that is saying a lot! Very sad for those people. The leaders skim off all the money and the rest live in squalor. As has been said, having a whole island is far better than just a chunk of beach. Maybe RCCL will rethink and improve Coco Cay or rent a new island.

 

The 2007 post was just for reference of how long this racket has been going on.

Here is the post I most recently read.

 

don't think I'm cheap, but perhaps ignorant about the "going rate" -- I had a negative experience during my recent visit to Labadee on Jan 9.

 

My family first went to the Adrenaline Beach Cabanas area. My wife and young daughter went down to begin playing in the sand and in the water while I arranged to set up a couple of beach chairs. An RCI "guide" offered to set up the two chairs at "no charge", and I figured I'd give him a $5 tip (after all, I could just as easily unstack two chairs and return them at the end myself -- I would only have had to carry them for less than 100 feet).

 

He set up a blue tent for us as well, which took about 30 seconds of snapping the plastic pole pieces together. At the end, he wasn't happy with his $5 tip, so I asked what it should be because I honestly didn't know. He told me the cabana price of whatever it was (north of $150, I was never going to pay that price and others didn't either as many remained empty) and I should "pay what I think it is worth" for the chairs and tent in comparison to the cabana price. So I gave him an extra $5 and he left, disgruntled.

 

In general terms I have some inkling of understanding into the low wages paid to RCI employees and their standard of living is very low compared to those of us who can afford to go on a cruise**. But I wasn't trying to intentionally stiff somebody and this guy's attitude was all wrong. I don't mind being educated, but don't act like a jerk about it.

 

Ultimately that $10 was completely wasted because as soon as the chairs and tent were set up, my wife and daughter returned and decided we should leave because the waters at Adrenaline Beach were flithy...there was a lot of floating garbage (including, um, let's call it several used personal hygiene items). We left and went to the Barefoot Beach Cabanas area instead. Was much nicer there and I was able to grab two chairs from a stack and set them up myself without being hassled by anyone.

 

I'm still not sure what to think about this experience as I have mixed feelings about it.

 

**Side note, I wonder how the crew/employees feel about cruise passengers due to the wealth gap. Some seem happy to have a job but I feel badly for them when I know many are practically paid slave wages and could probably never afford to pay what we pay for our families to go on cruises. Not to mention the decadence of cruising in itself...lots of money spent on shopping, food, drinks, etc. plus the unimaginable amount of food waste, and so on.

Post:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48786479&postcount=92

 

Thread started Nov 15, 2015 by a CC mod:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2281376

 

I didn't post just on the back of a thread or post from 2007.

It was after having read into the challenges at Labadee over the years and more recently.

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

It is an existing island, very near Bimini. MSC has signed a 100 year lease with the Bahamas government to acquire the island, and will work with the government to develop it. Currently the island is mostly used for sand extraction, so I assume there are already a lot of sandy beaches.

 

Here is a more detailed rendering of one section of the island. The section is near the marina and I believe you can see some of the back-of-house areas. Perhaps water and fuel tanks, a helicopter pad, and perhaps living quarters.

 

 

It looks like a great island!

Very much man made to get the maximum you can from it and deliver the best beach experience!

That is a very large marina though?

Why so large?

 

And whoever designed the stern of that ship should be thrown overboard for style and design criminal charges! lol!

 

ex techie

[eroller]

 

And whoever designed the stern of that ship should be thrown overboard for style and design criminal charges! lol!

 

ex techie

 

 

 

I LOVE the stern of the ship. It's the new MSC SEASIDE. I can't wait to sail on her. I love the fact it's not just a box and there is a pool and glass elevators at the very stern of the ship. This design has TONS of deck space, I think the most of any newbuild. Needless to say I'm already booked on one of her first cruises. She will be christened by Sophia Loren in Miami at a brand new terminal built just for the new ship. Of course the new island as well. MSC is making a big splash in North America and spending tons of $$ not only to build a brand new ship with an entirely new design, but lots of infrastructure surrounding the cruise experience as well.

 

I'll admit based on looks alone she doesn't compare to the Disney ships, but not many do. Perhaps QM2 and only a handful of others are in the same league. But compared to what all the other cruise lines are producing, SEASIDE is quite innovative and it's refreshing to see a completely different design.

 

[SOPHIHEYY]

Hate Labadee. Couldn't find a working toilet there last year in March. We were sailing Celebrity, loved the cruise, but man that place was awful for how much we paid to be there. Immediately left to go back to the ship since I couldn't even relieve myself on the island anywhere!!

 

Absolutely LOVE castaway cay.

[e2011]

I LOVE the stern of the ship. It's the new MSC SEASIDE. I can't wait to sail on her. I love the fact it's not just a box and there is a pool and glass elevators at the very stern of the ship. This design has TONS of deck space, I think the most of any newbuild. Needless to say I'm already booked on one of her first cruises. She will be christened by Sophia Loren in Miami at a brand new terminal built just for the new ship. Of course the new island as well. MSC is making a big splash in North America and spending tons of $$ not only to build a brand new ship with an entirely new design, but lots of infrastructure surrounding the cruise experience as well.

 

I'll admit based on looks alone she doesn't compare to the Disney ships, but not many do. Perhaps QM2 and only a handful of others are in the same league. But compared to what all the other cruise lines are producing, SEASIDE is quite innovative and it's refreshing to see a completely different design.

 

 

I just booked a January 2018 cruise on the Seaside! It looks amazing.

[Cruzaholic41]

Read this thread about Royal's ships being stopped from docking at Labadee. Royal's private island.

 

Seems the locals have had enough of being exploited despite Royal's attempts to shrug it off on the islands elections.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2303227

http://cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6760

 

Makes you glad DCL didn't try to take over some beaches of a country to make their own paradise, and chose a desolate island. Right?

 

ex techie

 

I'm not sure what you were trying to accomplish by posting this here, but what you're suggesting is totally off base. Haitians were protesting the fact their greedy government keeps the thousands of dollars they make from ship visits and does nothing to improve the daily lives of the locals living in the region. It was a spin off from protests surrounding the sitting government that refuses to vacate. The locals actually like RCI because RCI does more in the way of donations than anyone else. blocking the ships was a form of blocking $$$ to their corrupt government.

 

This is info I know from having lived in Haiti while my husband was stationed there, not from reading Cruise Critic threads.

 

Did you know RCI built a school there and provided all the uniforms for the kids to wear? Did you know RCI donates all their used mattresses and other furnishings from ships that visit Labadee? RCI has done a lot more for the Haitian locals than any of the other cruises lines, including Disney, have done for the Bahamian locals.

 

As for the islands themselves, I love Castaway Cay but when it comes to activities, Labadee tops my list of favorites.

[moki'smommy]

OK, I'm not sure what reports of a Royal ship being unable to dock at their private beach is doing on a Disney board.

 

And honestly, I don't know what DCL has done for the Bahamian locals other than paying a lot of money in port charges and employing a relatively small number of people. I do know that they do charity projects for some of the ports they visit, particularly focusing on children's hospitals. I know that while we were in various European ports, the characters visited hospitals and orphanages. On one cruise, Ducky Williams designed and supervised the construction of a mural that was ultimately placed in a children's hospital after having been painted by guests on board. There have also been cruises where guests were provided with an easy means to make a donation of money and/or supplies, clothing, etc. to one of the islands affected by a hurricane. These are just things that I know have happened on cruises that I've personally been on. I suspect there is more that happens behind the scenes.

 

But again, it is perhaps not the point to compare the charitable works of various lines. It is wonderful that Royal donates mattresses and furniture to people who can certainly use it rather than having these items end up in a landfill somewhere. Hopefully they were able to arrange the donations in such a way that they actually went to the people rather than to a corrupt government. Frankly, anything that any line can do to support some of the desperately poor people in the islands is great, but that's not the purpose of the cruise line. Their purpose is to make money for their shareholders. Any "good works" are a bonus and certainly contribute to the view of the corporation as a good citizen of the world.

[Ex techie]

I'm not sure what you were trying to accomplish by posting this here, but what you're suggesting is totally off base. Haitians were protesting the fact their greedy government keeps the thousands of dollars they make from ship visits and does nothing to improve the daily lives of the locals living in the region. It was a spin off from protests surrounding the sitting government that refuses to vacate. The locals actually like RCI because RCI does more in the way of donations than anyone else. blocking the ships was a form of blocking $$$ to their corrupt government.

 

This is info I know from having lived in Haiti while my husband was stationed there, not from reading Cruise Critic threads.

 

Did you know RCI built a school there and provided all the uniforms for the kids to wear? Did you know RCI donates all their used mattresses and other furnishings from ships that visit Labadee? RCI has done a lot more for the Haitian locals than any of the other cruises lines, including Disney, have done for the Bahamian locals.

 

As for the islands themselves, I love Castaway Cay but when it comes to activities, Labadee tops my list of favorites.

 

The reason I posted it was because there are quite a few DCL past Guests looking to leave DCL and explore other lines. Either through boredom, or increasing costs.

 

You say you know what you believe to be right to be true having lived in Haiti in the past, but what gives your opinion more credence than other people that have posted that live there currently?

 

A couple of posts made on the CC news thread:

 

Jacques Lemieux

Labadee isn't NOT an island. It is a beach on the north shore of Haiti. RCI has bribed gvt. officials into giving them a very long term lease for not much money. The protest was NOT an outgrowth of Haitian politics. It WAS a result of the way RCI mistreats the Haitian workers and vendors who are trying to eke out a minimum living on the pittance they are paid or can earn after paying off the RCI representatives to have a vendors spot.

 

Jason Redmond · Works at Colibri-Haiti

Well said Jacques. I live in Haiti and travel between Port-Au-Prince and Cap Haitian. And that is the truth. Owen regaurdless of what you think you saw RC load or unload. Anything they bring off is not going to the locals. It will go to a powerfull individual that will turn around and sell it for a profit. That is how it works in Haiti. Nothing just get handed out unless you come and personally do it yourself. Even than you will have to pay someone. Eternally Grim that is a nice thought but the truth is for the most part everything that you eat or due at Labadee has been brought in by RC. Its all foriegn vendors and 4-5 wealthy Haitians that have the contracts. The few veted haitian workers mostl likely make about 1000 GHD($20) for the day of work. It is not a bunch of ungratefull people. They are hard working and just are tired of getting brushed aside. I love going to Labadee Village and I tell you the truth the tourist are missing out.

 

Mandi Marie Muha · Home-schooled

Jason is on the right track. I also live and work in Haiti for the last 3.5 years and have traveled between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitian over the last year and a half for work, staying in CAP for roughly half of that time getting acquainted with the local social scene, available businesses, making friends among expats and Haitians alike, and spending ALOT of time near Labadee at a resort called Cormierplage due to my light work schedule up there. I have never been inside the R.C. "Labadee" (the Village and the port where R.C. docks are both referred to as "Labadee" which I have always wondered about and assumed the name was just assigned to the cruise docking station by its' close vicinity to the actual town) but I have many friends and acquaintances whose jobs are ENTIRELY inside the R.C. "Labadee". most of these people are expats and foreigners it seems, running tours to the local Amiga/Ila Rat Island, running fishing excursions, taking passengers to Paradis/Cadras Beach (the beach that everyone has been referring to in this thread), etc. I too see a dying town in Village Labadee although it is a beautiful place with locals and even a quaint guesthouse still in business called "Norm's Place."

I do not know for sure how many vendors (if any) are local Haitians selling their wares, I think I may have heard of a few. And I'm not sure how one lands a vendor booth in the R.C. Labadee, but I imagine it is not without some important connections/network and maybe a little palm money to grease certain hands. That would not be unbelievable to anyone who lives and works in Haiti.

As for the food that is "unloaded and given to the locals," first of all it is obvious that giving of products/food/supplies to poor people rather than giving them a useful employment and a business that helps them provide for their families and livelihoods (which everyone knows includes more than just having a full stomach) isn't that helpful. And it perpetuates them as beggers always.

secondly, the only thing I've heard about the food that is brought into R.C. Labadee off the boat is that it is brought in for the purpose of providing for the passenger's food needs for the day they are docked there. And the only thing I've heard about any of this said food reaching the locals is that once the passengers are back on the boat, the food is not allowed to be brought back to the boat for sanitary reasons, and what is left in country is free for the taking by those who work at the port and anyone they care to share with.

Anyone who works out of R.C. Labadee can correct me if I'm wrong - I welcome it!

 

Billy Profitt · Atlanta, Georgia

One cruise person said rci drops of palets of food for the people of Haiti. If i was making 4.5 billion I believe I could do more than dropping off a few palets of food.

Like · Reply · 1 · Jan 22, 2016 6:45pm

 

Jason Redmond · Works at Colibri-Haiti

They don't really drop off pallets. They leave all the uneaten food behind. It is not legal for them to reload it on the ship after is has been in Haiti. So its not like they are bringing food down for Haitians they just leave their leftovers and they are supposed to be forever greatful for that.

 

Jason Redmond · Works at Colibri-Haiti

The truth behind this is it has nothing to do with the elections. It is just Royal Caribbean way of twisting the truth. This is about the fact that Royal Caribbean has a private beach that they take their clients to and next to non of the money goes into the economy. They stopped taking passengers to the village of Labadee all together and now pass Labadee for a very small private beach with a mock village owned by a few very wealthy families. The village of Labadee survived on tourism and the only way to get there is by boat. I have been there and it is a beautiful village that has many abandon restaurants and shops due to no patrons to visit them. Carnival has cut deals with a few wealthy individuals and take their passengers to a sanitized destination with no Haitian influence. That is why the people are blockading the boat because they are fed up with they way they got brushed aside and have to watch the ship come in and all the passengers get ferried past them to a beach further down the coast. So Royal Caribbean stop telling lies to make Haiti look like a barbaric country full of unreasonable people and face up to your own actions.

Jason Redmond · Works at Colibri-Haiti

Maria N Todd Dugan as most you are entitled to your opinion. I am American and spent 11 years in the USMC to ensure that every American can have their own opinion. But you are clueless as to how things work in the rest of the world. Yes the government here is corrupt and RCC has capitalized off if that fact for financial gain. That was a good financial move. Don't get me wrong many many Americans and NGOS made huge profits due to the financial and economic state of this country the Clintons being some of the worst. As for RCC the facts are they have made contracts with a number of individuals herein Haiti. The passengers have no say in the matter as to where they go or not. It's not your usual port of call where you can go here or ther as you please. RCC has gated and fenced it all it not that it matters it is a 30 min drive to the closest store. The people that come are not able to go where they want. The village of Labadee used to be the destination of the trip. All of the shops and restaurants on the water front. But now the town is dying because RCC decided they could make more money if all the options that the passengers had were their own vendors. What I am saying is they pretty much own all the vendors you see there. Now the people from the real Labadee are upset because they are dying isolated from the rest if Haiti now with no way to make money to feed their own families. You can choose to live in your fantasy world with pretty pictures painted by the media but don't pretend to understand how the world works until you have stepped out of the US bubble and not visited but lived in it.

 

So everyone is entitled to believe whom they wish.

 

ex techie

[Capt_BJ]

hmmm

did you know that RC©L had a lease on this property

 

as far back as

 

1984 .....

 

I know .... I was there

[Ex techie]

hmmm

did you know that RC©L had a lease on this property

 

as far back as

 

1984 .....

 

I know .... I was there

 

Where? Castaway or Labadee?

 

ex techie

[Host Mick]

It looks like a great island!

Very much man made to get the maximum you can from it and deliver the best beach experience!

That is a very large marina though?

Why so large?

 

And whoever designed the stern of that ship should be thrown overboard for style and design criminal charges! lol!

 

ex techie

 

It looks like, well... a rear end.