Labadee opening soon?

[nferr]

3 hours ago, HicksRA said:

For all you scaredy cats, I’ll let you know if we get attacked by pirates or natives on the island. 

 

Blimey, the scoundrels may make you walk the plank ☠️

[Merion_Mom]

Now would be a good time to share one of my favorite bits of trivia:

 

You know that iconic opening scene of (the TV show) M*A*S*H?   The helicopter is flying over tree-filled mountains, and the theme song is playing?  ("Suicide is Painless", another piece of trivia for you).

 

That was filmed at Labadee.

[time4u2go]

48 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

Now would be a good time to share one of my favorite bits of trivia:

 

You know that iconic opening scene of (the TV show) M*A*S*H?   The helicopter is flying over tree-filled mountains, and the theme song is playing?  ("Suicide is Painless", another piece of trivia for you).

 

That was filmed at Labadee.

Are you sure?

 

https://www.mash4077tv.com/2010/11/the-mash-mountains-then-and-now/

 

https://mash.fandom.com/wiki/M*A*S*H_TV_series_opening_sequence

 

Edited January 18, 2022 by time4u2go

[rockmom]

4 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Are you sure?

 

https://www.mash4077tv.com/2010/11/the-mash-mountains-then-and-now/

 

https://mash.fandom.com/wiki/M*A*S*H_TV_series_opening_sequence

 

Agree that it was the Malibu State Park area, north/inland from Malibu beach, where that was shot.  (born and raised in California)

[AstoriaPreppy]

55 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

Now would be a good time to share one of my favorite bits of trivia:

 

You know that iconic opening scene of (the TV show) M*A*S*H?   The helicopter is flying over tree-filled mountains, and the theme song is playing?  ("Suicide is Painless", another piece of trivia for you).

 

That was filmed at Labadee.

 

Definitely the same crew sources that reported Labadee had been overrun by squatters and would be abandoned by Royal Caribbean. 🙄

Edited January 18, 2022 by AstoriaPreppy
edited to add eye roll 😁

[Merion_Mom]

Now I have to remember who told me this.  It was years and years and years and years ago.

[karena1]

On 1/15/2022 at 3:07 PM, Cigar King said:

Personally, I'll take a wait and see attitude.  I hope it's true though.  I like Labadee and enjoyed seeing some pictures.

I would go there in a heartbeat.  Love it there.  

[karena1]

On 1/17/2022 at 7:30 AM, pstone1 said:

I saw a job posting last week for a Shore Excursions Manager at Labadee too!

 

There’s really no need to spread paranoia.  Those that are comfortable will be excited to visit Labadee again.  If you are afraid to go to Labadee, then either stay on the ship or cancel your cruise!  That’s what Cruise with Confidence is for!

not worried in the least, was very disappointed when our Dec 2022 Oasis got changed from Labadee to CocoCay.  We are in CocoCay 9-10 times a year and really wanted to go to Labadee.

 

[topnole]

5 hours ago, HBE4 said:

Just out of curoisty, in the past 36 years when Royal opened Labadee in 1986, how many attacks were made on tourists? How many were taken hostage?  I did search via google but came up empty.

 

I did come across this though, posted today in CC news section:

"Royal Caribbean confimed to Cruise Critic it intends to resume calls on Labadee on January 27, after an almost two-year pause in operations."

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/6702/

I think there have been mentions on this thread that they paused going there in the past due to unrest.  Does anyone know if this is accurate?   

[rockmom]

7 minutes ago, topnole said:

I think there have been mentions on this thread that they paused going there in the past due to unrest.  Does anyone know if this is accurate?   

It actually mentions that in the article, you just need to read the whole thing, it's toward the bottom of the article.  

Edited January 18, 2022 by rockmom

[topnole]

5 hours ago, rockmom said:

Probably several reasons, one of which is already mentioned--vaccinating the staff there, is probably one of them.  Also, as you can see in other comments, they are in the process of hiring new/additional staff. Lastly, just because it was not 'overrun by locals and gangs', doesn't mean it wasn't in need of some extensive maintenance.  Over two years it has been hit by an earthquake, tropical storms and just general exposure to sea, sand and salt. Perfect Day was the smart one to ramp up with due to it being newer, many things there are sturdier, not to mention its close proximity to the U.S. and Nassau, much easier to go back and forth.  And lastly, yes, making sure the crew that is there now cleaning up, and prepping for guests, is safe.  

So is the vaccine reason just speculation?   Seems very improbable it would take month after month after

month for Royal to make that happen.  One shot and done was clearly their main strategy so it would seem easy to do for workers in Labadee.  
 

The maintenance seems reasonable,

but again is that just speculation?   
 

If either is just speculation, why is OK to speculate one thing and not another?   Seems like folks on this thread need to discuss facts and not rumors/pure speculation or they should stop criticizing those that speculate with a different theory.  I know.  That is what folks do here.  

[topnole]

4 minutes ago, rockmom said:

It actually mentions that in the article, you just need to read the whole thing.  

Ok.  So if that happened in the past, why is it unreasonable to be concerned when the country is going through a significant amount of unrest now.  But yet folks on this thread are calling others scaredy-cats, nefarious, etc.  As if the risk of violence is non existent because Royal goes there.  

[rockmom]

4 minutes ago, topnole said:

Ok.  So if that happened in the past, why is it unreasonable to be concerned when the country is going through a significant amount of unrest now.  But yet folks on this thread are calling others scaredy-cats, nefarious, etc.  As if the risk of violence is non existent because Royal goes there.  

I am quite sure that Royal has 'risk managers' who assess these kinds of situations on a daily basis.  The brief closures in 2004 and 2016 were due to protests by 'locals' which is different than unrest farther away in Port Au Prince.  

[AstoriaPreppy]

To everyone clutching their pearls, please don’t take it personally. 

 

Several members on CC reported what the (allegedly) heard from crew, and other members ran with it. We’ve had multiple threads of people providing hot takes about the geopolitical and social issues facing Haiti, and then projecting them onto Royal Caribbean’s private resort. At no point did any of these posters take a step back and say “maybe Labadee is actually fine, and what I’m hearing about it from random on CC is just confirming my preexisting biases about Haiti.” Instead, we heard about squatters living in the dorms, roving gangs busting through the barbed wire fence, and a facility that had been decimated. 

 

No one is arguing that Haiti is not a troubled nation,, but to say Labadee is the same as Port-au-Prince is… misguided at best. 
 

 

[BND]

15 minutes ago, topnole said:

Ok.  So if that happened in the past, why is it unreasonable to be concerned when the country is going through a significant amount of unrest now.  But yet folks on this thread are calling others scaredy-cats, nefarious, etc.  As if the risk of violence is non existent because Royal goes there.  

For those mocking anyone who is concerned, I hope they're proved correct, but why trust a government that can't even protect itself?  Haiti has one of the most unstable governments in the world.

[wake74]

I've spent time in rural parts of Haiti, but mostly to the North of Port-au-Prince, not the south side of the island.  It's hard to describe rural Haiti if you've never been there.   I would consider myself pretty well travelled globally including other 3rd world countries like Nicaragua (places way off the beaten tourist path).  There is poor, and then there is Haiti poor.  Go out into the mountains, and it's like stepping back in time 500 years.  I would not go to Port-au-Prince currently, and there is no chance I would take my family there even in good times, where as I have taken them on other trips with me.  Haiti is the one place I traveled, where I really struggled transitioning back into my daily life here.  It is that much different.

 

While there is never an excuse for kidnapping, extortion, etc., setting here on our computers in our 4000 SF houses on a forum dedicated to lifes excess, talking about why people do the things they do, is silly.  If your kid was starving, there probably isn't much you wouldn't do, even if you think you wouldn't.  

 

Beautiful island (the parts that aren't just decimated from being a country thats had it's resources used / abused forever by other countries), with a very friendly people.  The one thing I've learned through my travels, is that people are pretty much the same everywhere, and just hoping to make a better life for their kids.

 

Not sure how this is related to cruising, but it's always good for us to take a step back form our world of excess and see things from a different perspective.

[topnole]

1 hour ago, rockmom said:

I am quite sure that Royal has 'risk managers' who assess these kinds of situations on a daily basis.  The brief closures in 2004 and 2016 were due to protests by 'locals' which is different than unrest farther away in Port Au Prince.  

More speculation.  Do you know they have “risk managers” assessing Haiti on a daily basis.  Not saying it isn’t true, but it seems like you are speculating just like the folks who say that gangs took over the area.  Is speculation ok as long as it is geared toward labadee being safe?   
 

For the record, if they really need risk managers assessing Labadee on a daily basis I’m not sure that will make the average cruiser feel any better about it. I suspect the thought of that need would likely make folks more nervous.  

Edited January 18, 2022 by topnole

[HBE4]

There is reasonable speculations and then there are unreasonable speculations. 

 

The need to vaccinate staff, dust off the lounge chairs & wait until there is enough passengers to reopen Labadee is reasonable. 

 

Roving gangs of marauders  destroying infrastructure & hiding in bushes waiting to kidnap 7,000 passengers & crew seem to be unreasonable. 

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, topnole said:

More speculation.  Do you know they have “risk managers” assessing Haiti on a daily basis.  Not saying it isn’t true, but it seems like you are speculating just like the folks who say that gangs took over the area.  Is speculation ok as long as it is geared toward labadee being safe?   
 

For the record, if they really need risk managers assessing Labadee on a daily basis I’m not sure that will make the average cruiser feel any better about it. I suspect the thought of that need would likely make folks more nervous.  

 

Have you ever been to Labadee? I also think you are being unreasonable but forget the speculation. If you don't trust Royal Caribbean to make the right decision based on facts they have about visiting Labadee I suggest you don't book any Royal Caribbean sailings in the Caribbean as it is possible that any of those might dock at Labadee whether on the itinerary or not. It is your right to be unconvinced and your right not to go there but the only guarantee is not to book a Caribbean itinerary on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity as they are going to do what they want to do not what you might want them to do. Simple solution for you. 

Edited January 19, 2022 by Charles4515

[topnole]

25 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Have you ever been to Labadee? I also think you are being unreasonable but forget the speculation. If you don't trust Royal Caribbean to make the right decision based on facts they have about visiting Labadee I suggest you don't book any Royal Caribbean sailings in the Caribbean as it is possible that any of those might dock at Labadee whether on the itinerary or not. It is your right to be unconvinced and your right not to go there but the only guarantee is not to book a Caribbean itinerary on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity as they are going to do what they want to do not what you might want them to do. Simple solution for you. 

I’ve been to Labadee many times.  I don’t need a solution from anyone. I’m quite capable of assessing things on my own and I don’t need anyone’s speculation on cc for me to understand risk and travel. However, I am laughing at folks in here who in one sentence ridicule others for speculating about unrest causing Royal to avoid Labadee, and then in the same comment speculate about why Royal isn’t currently going there.  
 

As I’ve said, I don’t know the specifics down there and seemingly no one on here does either.  The topic is a serious matter.  Anyone who thinks folks with concerns about safety in Haiti are just scaredy cats isn’t really addressing the mater in a mature way.  Haiti is not like other countries.  I’ve known folks that lived there (both Haitians born and raised and ex pats).  It would be impossible for any American to understand or think like the citizens in Haiti.  Trying to apply our logic to their lives and views is pointless and foolish. With all that said, maybe everything is fine now.  But I wouldn’t judge anyone a fool who thinks different and has a concern.  I’m sure if Royal goes there it would be deemed quite safe.  

[Coralc]

10 hours ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

There’s so much nefarious magical thinking surrounding Haiti on this board, it’s comical. Here I was thinking Labadee was just annoying because the beach is rocky, yet unbeknownst to Royal Caribbean and the passengers it’s actually a Hellmouth second only to Sunnydale. 
 

 

Buffy fan? 

[Coralc]

5 hours ago, karena1 said:

 We are in CocoCay 9-10 times a year and really wanted to go to Labadee.

 

LOL. I think you are everywhere in the Caribbean 9-10 a year, Karena. Are there any islands you have yet to visit? 

[Coralc]

Rumors have to be slightly titillating and somewhat believable in order to get legs. Don't they @BND ? Especially when you hear them from a crew member. It certainly sounded plausible when it was posted on here. 

[nferr]

46 minutes ago, topnole said:

I’ve been to Labadee many times.  I don’t need a solution from anyone. I’m quite capable of assessing things on my own and I don’t need anyone’s speculation on cc for me to understand risk and travel. However, I am laughing at folks in here who in one sentence ridicule others for speculating about unrest causing Royal to avoid Labadee, and then in the same comment speculate about why Royal isn’t currently going there.  
 

As I’ve said, I don’t know the specifics down there and seemingly no one on here does either.  The topic is a serious matter.  Anyone who thinks folks with concerns about safety in Haiti are just scaredy cats isn’t really addressing the mater in a mature way.  Haiti is not like other countries.  I’ve known folks that lived there (both Haitians born and raised and ex pats).  It would be impossible for any American to understand or think like the citizens in Haiti.  Trying to apply our logic to their lives and views is pointless and foolish. With all that said, maybe everything is fine now.  But I wouldn’t judge anyone a fool who thinks different and has a concern.  I’m sure if Royal goes there it would be deemed quite safe.  

 And that's the entire point. We have people on here inferring that it's not safe. Which is their opinion. In that case don't cruise on any ship that might stop there. Very simple.

[topnole]

4 minutes ago, nferr said:

 And that's the entire point. We have people on here inferring that it's not safe. Which is their opinion. In that case don't cruise on any ship that might stop there. Very simple.

Yeah, and we have people on here inferring it was because they couldn’t vaccinate the workers or the island simply needed maintenance.   All speculation.  But only those making inferences about safety are wrong to speculate or spread rumors?  
 

Like I said, who knows what the issue has been.  But the country has recently experienced a lot of unrest.  Labadee has previously closed for periods of time due to unrest.  It doesn’t take a big leap in logic to get a gut feeling that the time away has been due to passenger safety issues.  That could be right, or it could be wrong.  No one on here seems to know for sure.  

So why is it ok to speculate it was due to maintenance needed on the island while it isn’t ok to speculate a safety reason?   Do folks not see the obvious hypocrisy being displayed by some on here.