Labadee

[bunzini]

Was just there and Coco Cay as well.  Coco Cay has the 'fun factor", but Labadee is just stunningly beautiful!

[The Fun Researcher]

The rear entrance to Labadee is guarded and the entire area is fenced. so only “approved” Haitians are allowed to enter like the vendors.  

[Pellaz]

On 2/16/2023 at 8:35 PM, Cruise5life said:

the roller coaster is fun.  That is all

 

First and so far only alpine coaster I've had the chance to ride.  I really enjoyed it.  

 

Unless things have changed, I don't recommend the water inflatables area for heavier cruisers like myself.  On my visit, I wasn't able to climb onto most of the inflatables due to the design of the ladders (you must be able to straight lift your own weight).  

 

On 2/16/2023 at 9:48 PM, The Fun Researcher said:

I remember our very first cruise in 2012 (which included Labadee), I think our first port was Grand Cayman and as I woke up and found ourselves in port, I was like “it feels like we just pulled up to a City. Where is the tropical paradise?  I have since learned of course that you have to go find those nice beaches and remote locations when you get to an island, but in my mind, I was expecting remote, tropical islands.

Well, there's always Grand Turk, which actually DOES have a nice beach right there at the cruise pier.  😄  

 

4 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

The rear entrance to Labadee is guarded and the entire area is fenced. so only “approved” Haitians are allowed to enter like the vendors.  

It is heavily guarded, at that.   You won't normally see the armed guards unless you look for them, but they ARE there, AK-47s in hand.   

 

There WAS an incident a while back where some locals were protesting...something...about Labadee and trying to blockade the area (with smaller boats).  Royal said "okay, fine, we'll just stop visiting there, and you can say 'sayonara' to all those US dollars from ourr cruise passengers."   

--The protests and blockade ended quickly after that.  😉  

 

[Spurschick]

The biggest thing we noticed on our last trip was how aggressive the vendors were. My dd is pretty polite but in the end even she snapped and told them that if they didn’t back off she wouldn’t buy anything. One vendor then let her look at her leisure but she hated them trying to literally drag her into their “store” spaces.

[Cruise5life]

24 minutes ago, Spurschick said:

The biggest thing we noticed on our last trip was how aggressive the vendors were. My dd is pretty polite but in the end even she snapped and told them that if they didn’t back off she wouldn’t buy anything. One vendor then let her look at her leisure but she hated them trying to literally drag her into their “store” spaces.

I wanted to buy some local currency and they tried to rob me in the price.   Like I didn’t understand what the current exchange was.    
 

750 Haitian dollars??   The wanted 50.00 for it.   Lololol.  
it’s worth 5.00.   I walked away and he keep saying how much do I wanna pay.  Lol.  Left a bad taste and I didn’t ask anyone else.  
only spot I didn’t get local money.    

[ONECRUISER]

On 2/16/2023 at 4:56 PM, NoShoes2 said:

We fell in love with Labadee on our first cruise in 1999. I was trying to figure out when we were last there and due to different itineraries and cancellations it turns out that we haven’t been there in nearly 10 years! I’m excited that we will be back there in 42 days (yes, I’m counting)! I’m sure a lot has changed since then. Can anyone tell me what we can expect?

Yup, lot of changes. Went there few months ago, my first time was 1988, no Pier, no locals selling wares, rustic. Ocean side wasnt open, no swimming allowed. Had a net protecting the lagoon side with a Local sitting on a wooden board watching for Sharks. Last Visit was 22yrs on the then new Explorer, this weeks after 9/11 on a half empty ship...

Edited February 20, 2023 by ONECRUISER

[Toddcan]

Labadee is my favourite stop - by far.  But, I'm biased.  I lived in Haiti for 18 months back in 1983-1984, and I speak Haitian Creole, so my experiences at Labadee are immersed in a lot of time at the markets speaking with Haitian vendors.  

 

I visited the area (called Cocoa Beach back then) when I lived there.  Here's a pic or four

 

Haiti has an amazing history, and I just love being there

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by Toddcan

[Toddcan]

One of our trips there, we brought several boxes of donations for the school that Royal Caribbean sponsors. We had special permission to travel off compound and spent a hour with the kids at the school.  Visit of a lifetime - but they no longer allow this, even for exceptional circumstances.  

 

Ok, enough Labadee for now 🙂

[NoShoes2]

38 minutes ago, Toddcan said:

Labadee is my favourite stop - by far.  But, I'm biased.  I lived in Haiti for 18 months back in 1983-1984, and I speak Haitian Creole, so my experiences at Labadee are immersed in a lot of time at the markets speaking with Haitian vendors.  

 

I visited the area (called Cocoa Beach back then) when I lived there.  Here's a pic or four

 

Haiti has an amazing history, and I just love being there

 

 

That's awesome!

 

[NoShoes2]

28 minutes ago, Toddcan said:

One of our trips there, we brought several boxes of donations for the school that Royal Caribbean sponsors. We had special permission to travel off compound and spent a hour with the kids at the school.  Visit of a lifetime - but they no longer allow this, even for exceptional circumstances.  

 

Ok, enough Labadee for now 🙂

 

Very cool!

[The Fun Researcher]

1 hour ago, Toddcan said:

One of our trips there, we brought several boxes of donations for the school that Royal Caribbean sponsors. We had special permission to travel off compound and spent a hour with the kids at the school.  Visit of a lifetime - but they no longer allow this, even for exceptional circumstances.  

 

Ok, enough Labadee for now 🙂

That’s super cool. Way to go!

[Ky Bill]

Labadee is one of my fav ports.  Many years ago we were there when you had to tender ashore.  We were sailing on the Song of America which was a beautiful ship.  About two hours into our visit ashore we were rounded up and hurried back to the ship because of civil unrest.  I think that might have been when "Baby Doc" took power.  Labadee was closed for a number of years.  Labadee has changed greatly from those years long ago.  A new pier, out buildings and more accessible beaches.  

Enjoy your visit.

Bill

[The Fun Researcher]

2 hours ago, Toddcan said:

 

 

LOVE this photo.  So cool to see what Labadee looked like before Royal made their changes.  They had to remove quite a few buildings!

Edited February 20, 2023 by The Fun Researcher

[S.A.M.J.R.]

Our first cruise in 2013 stopped at Labadee.  DW and I got an OTW cabana for $250.  That also gave us access to the barefoot beach lunch.  

 

We stopped there on our cruise in July. Cabana prices have SKYROCKETED.  Well over $1k (I think some push $3k).  That's definitely different.  

 

They used to have a "ferry" to take you from the dock to/from Columbus Cove.  Didn't see those running at all during our July cruise.  

[smokeybandit]

34 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

We stopped there on our cruise in July. Cabana prices have SKYROCKETED.  Well over $1k (I think some push $3k).  That's definitely different.  

We were there in 2018 I think.  We thought spending $450 was a lot.

RC realized, likely due to cabanas on Coco Cay, that they were woefully underpriced.

[BirdTravels]

Today, I would not travel off the compound, escorted or not. 

[nelblu]

On 2/16/2023 at 6:56 PM, NoShoes2 said:

We fell in love with Labadee on our first cruise in 1999. I was trying to figure out when we were last there and due to different itineraries and cancellations it turns out that we haven’t been there in nearly 10 years! I’m excited that we will be back there in 42 days (yes, I’m counting)! I’m sure a lot has changed since then. Can anyone tell me what we can expect?

Big improvement they got rid of those old and rusted loungers.  Now they have the same as at Coco Cay all laid out and with umbrellas.

[NoShoes2]

11 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Big improvement they got rid of those old and rusted loungers.  Now they have the same as at Coco Cay all laid out and with umbrellas.

That is good news! I plan to spend most of my time there on one! 

[DaKahuna]

Labadee today —

 

[NoShoes2]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

Labadee today —

 

Nice pics!

[Pellaz]

On 2/20/2023 at 1:24 AM, Spurschick said:

The biggest thing we noticed on our last trip was how aggressive the vendors were. My dd is pretty polite but in the end even she snapped and told them that if they didn’t back off she wouldn’t buy anything. One vendor then let her look at her leisure but she hated them trying to literally drag her into their “store” spaces.

 

The vendors along the "straw market" path were terrible.  I'd heard stories here on CruiseCritic about how pushy and aggressive they could be, but wow.   I noticed there were some ship's security officers posted along that stretch during our visit, too.  

[TwinMamainMN]

5 hours ago, Pellaz said:

 

The vendors along the "straw market" path were terrible.  I'd heard stories here on CruiseCritic about how pushy and aggressive they could be, but wow.   I noticed there were some ship's security officers posted along that stretch during our visit, too.  

I do not look forward to that part at all. It's one of the things I greatly dislike about Costa Maya and Cozumel. Asking if I want to browse is one thing, but being aggressive is another. Labadee will be a new port for us when we are there in two weeks, and I'm looking forward to it after seeing these photos and the RC blog video about it.

[Toddcan]

23 hours ago, Ky Bill said:

Labadee is one of my fav ports.  Many years ago we were there when you had to tender ashore.  We were sailing on the Song of America which was a beautiful ship.  About two hours into our visit ashore we were rounded up and hurried back to the ship because of civil unrest.  I think that might have been when "Baby Doc" took power.  Labadee was closed for a number of years.  Labadee has changed greatly from those years long ago.  A new pier, out buildings and more accessible beaches.  

Enjoy your visit.

Bill

Ah, Baby Doc.  Like his father, he was a ruthless dictator.   He became president for life in 1971, and was ousted in 1986 when he left the country and moved to France. It was relatively peaceful when I was there, 1983-1984, but the protests were there, and ramped up leading to his leaving power in 1986

[Toddcan]

8 hours ago, Pellaz said:

 

The vendors along the "straw market" path were terrible.  I'd heard stories here on CruiseCritic about how pushy and aggressive they could be, but wow.   I noticed there were some ship's security officers posted along that stretch during our visit, too.  

 

This is a common sentiment for sure!   Personally, I love chatting with the Haitians because I speak their language, but I am 100% onboard with why people find it uncomfortable.  Having said that though, I think Royal did a great job on the layout of Labadee.  The kiosks are all on a path in the back corner of the complex.  You really don't need to go there if you don't want.  Plus, there is a wide walking path, that the vendors do not occupy - they are in their kiosks on the sides of the path on a wooden walkway.  

[NoShoes2]

37 minutes ago, Toddcan said:

 

This is a common sentiment for sure!   Personally, I love chatting with the Haitians because I speak their language, but I am 100% onboard with why people find it uncomfortable.  Having said that though, I think Royal did a great job on the layout of Labadee.  The kiosks are all on a path in the back corner of the complex.  You really don't need to go there if you don't want.  Plus, there is a wide walking path, that the vendors do not occupy - they are in their kiosks on the sides of the path on a wooden walkway.  

 We never had a problem in the market, but we understand that the vendors would love for us to look and buy. If we don't find anything we want we simply thank them and leave.