Why is RC still going to Labadee?

[Old and Wise]

My college age kids are taking the cruise to Labadee today against my advice. Called RC & rep keeps saying “the resort is a private island” which is not true! State Department issued a clear do not travel advisory to Haiti but RC Exec’s are prioritizing profits over safety. Advisory includes kidnapping & possible sexual violence. Law enforcement is sparse due to lack of leadership. Can we count on the paid security to put their lives on the line when confronted by adjacent towns mobs (local Haitians are banned from the area!)? What are the repercussion to RC owners/Exec if their gamble fails? Does the country the ship is registered in has capital punishment? If machete/machine gun yielding mobs put passengers in peril, hopefully they will face severe consequences to send a clear message to the industry. Financial compensation would not reverse the potential loss or prevent future greed driven decisions. They must be personally held responsible. RC, please stop playing with people lives!

[time4u2go]

Have you considered sending your thoughts to RC instead of posting them here?  It sounds like your concerns and questions are directed at RC. It's highly unlikely they will do anything as a result of you posting your thoughts here.

 

Edited March 11 by time4u2go

[steveru621]

I'm sure the Haitian employees would love to continue working.

 

You don't have to get off the ship.

[xpcdoojk]

Personally, I was terrified last time I was on Labadee.  Honest!  

 

I took the long zip line where you fly like you are Superman, and I felt like I was going to slip out of the top of the contraption they strapped me into.  I hadn’t really considered or considered the implications of that.  I literally was pushing my arms and legs out to create friction to keep me in the contraption.  I am 99.99% sure I was never in danger but I was only about 50% at the time!🤪

 

jc

[ATC cruiser]

Not sure how staying on the ship will protect you in the just about zero percent chance that an armed gang breaks thru security around labadee. They’re not breaking down the fence to stop at the buffet. 

[nelblu]

This is the 4th on this topic.  Tell your son not to get off.  By the way, welcome to CC.

Edited March 11 by nelblu

[alfaeric]

7 minutes ago, ATC cruiser said:

Not sure how staying on the ship will protect you in the just about zero percent chance that an armed gang breaks thru security around labadee. They’re not breaking down the fence to stop at the buffet. 

If it's so easy for a couple of armed people to storm the area and take the ship, curious that it's not been tried.  Don't need 4000 escaped prisoners to do that.

[mjkacmom]

So you expected your son and friends to lose their vacation money so you don’t have to worry? My son and friends traveled to Colombia for 2 weeks last year (they did hire some guards, 1 of them lives there for half of the year). They can decide if they want to get off of the ship.

[not-enough-cruising]

there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

There is nothing in Labadie that these guys are interested in.

 

Decades and decades of cruises stopping in Labadie, and not one single incident, Port au Prince is always on fire or experiencing some other type of sh**show.

Edited March 11 by not-enough-cruising

[smokeybandit]

RC is doing it just to make people sign up for new accounts and post complaints about the situation on both the RC and Celebrity CC boards.

[xpcdoojk]

6 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

RC is doing it just to make people sign up for new accounts and post complaints about the situation on both the RC and Celebrity CC boards.

I like how many people love the OPs post.  Things that make you go, hmmm….🤣

[not-enough-cruising]

15 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

RC is doing it just to make people sign up for new accounts and post complaints about the situation on both the RC and Celebrity CC boards.

Regarding their college aged kids, no less

[andy2812]

I agree that they should not be stopping at Labadee right now. All you need is a few groups of armed people in small boats descending on a ship while it is docked.  It would be a sitting duck. While this could happen anywhere, there's a greater chance of it happening somewhere in a lawless country regardless of how far it is from the capital. It happens off the coast of Africa, why not at Labadee. They could ask for a ransom or just take everyone's valuables.  They could be in and out before the US Navy gets there.

[xpcdoojk]

5 minutes ago, andy2812 said:

I agree that they should not be stopping at Labadee right now. All you need is a few groups of armed people in small boats descending on a ship while it is docked.  It would be a sitting duck. While this could happen anywhere, there's a greater chance of it happening somewhere in a lawless country regardless of how far it is from the capital. It happens off the coast of Africa, why not at Labadee. They could ask for a ransom or just take everyone's valuables.  They could be in and out before the US Navy gets there.

I am guessing that the Air Force could be on the scene within 20 minutes of this hypothetical attack.  The Navy and Coast Guard have a regular significant presence in the Caribbean.  I am not saying that there is zero risk of this hypothetical attack, but it is so low that I am far more worried about getting hit by a bus crossing the street.  

 

How long has Haiti been a mess?  All of my life and I am 65.  How many times have they attacked anything at Labadee during that time?  

 

We all make our own decisions based on our risk tolerance.  Enjoy your bomb proof shelter.

 

jc

[UNCFanatik]

Again, so much hyperbole and overreaction. 

 

Its ironic that the OP has "wise" in his username...

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

Personally, I was terrified last time I was on Labadee.  Honest!  

 

I took the long zip line where you fly like you are Superman, and I felt like I was going to slip out of the top of the contraption they strapped me into.  I hadn’t really considered or considered the implications of that.  I literally was pushing my arms and legs out to create friction to keep me in the contraption.  I am 99.99% sure I was never in danger but I was only about 50% at the time!🤪

 

jc

You are braver than I am. I have no problem with going to Labadee but there is no chance I would do the long or short zip line. I don’t trust contraptions that they strap you. 

[Nolefan95]

3 hours ago, steveru621 said:

I'm sure the Haitian employees would love to continue working.

 

You don't have to get off the ship.

Oh you think you are safe on a ship docked in Haiti? People really are naïve 

[Nolefan95]

1 hour ago, andy2812 said:

I agree that they should not be stopping at Labadee right now. All you need is a few groups of armed people in small boats descending on a ship while it is docked.  It would be a sitting duck. While this could happen anywhere, there's a greater chance of it happening somewhere in a lawless country regardless of how far it is from the capital. It happens off the coast of Africa, why not at Labadee. They could ask for a ransom or just take everyone's valuables.  They could be in and out before the US Navy gets there.

Exactly. Why even risk it? Is it really worth it? Just go to another port until things are under control. Our own government says to avoid Haiti but RCCL says otherwise? Really???

[steveru621]

3 minutes ago, Nolefan95 said:

Oh you think you are safe on a ship docked in Haiti? People really are naïve 

 

Then why are you safe anywhere?  

 

Not Naive, Realistic.

[UNCFanatik]

Just now, Nolefan95 said:

Exactly. Why even risk it? Is it really worth it? Just go to another port until things are under control. Our own government says to avoid Haiti but RCCL says otherwise? Really???

 

Our government has travel advisories to other ports of call as well...  

 

Why risk going on a cruise at all? 

Why risk getting of the ship at any port?

Why risk doing any excursions? I mean the mode of transportation could crash? 

Why risk going in the ocean? Sharks!! Stingrays!! Drowning!! 

 

Is all that worth it??!!!! 

 

So much overreaction...

 

 

 

[UNCFanatik]

8 minutes ago, Nolefan95 said:

Oh you think you are safe on a ship docked in Haiti? People really are naïve 

 

Let me know when Haitians start attacking cruise ships.... 

[Nolefan95]

1 minute ago, steveru621 said:

 

Then why are you safe anywhere?  

 

Not Naive, Realistic.

Nobody is 100% safe anywhere anymore. Always be wary of your surroundings. Certainly not safe in Haiti at the moment. Realistic you say? When something happens to people like you, your first reaction is always, I never thought that could happen to me. Haiti is a different country than ours. If the criminals decide to take hostages, the security force isn't going to stop them. I just prefer to not risk something that is so very easily avoidable. But you do you. 

[Nolefan95]

3 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

Our government has travel advisories to other ports of call as well...  

 

Why risk going on a cruise at all? 

Why risk getting of the ship at any port?

Why risk doing any excursions? I mean the mode of transportation could crash? 

Why risk going in the ocean? Sharks!! Stingrays!! Drowning!! 

 

Is all that worth it??!!!! 

 

So much overreaction...

 

 

 

Those other travel advisories aren't "DO NOT GO" travel advisories. 

[UNCFanatik]

4 minutes ago, Nolefan95 said:

Those other travel advisories aren't "DO NOT GO" travel advisories. 

 

You do know that in July 2023, the US issued a DO NOT GO travel advisory to Haiti, dont you?

 

And yet Royal still went to Labadee. Can you point out any incidences since July 2023 at Labadee?

[djvcr]

I was there last week, the day after the big prison break. The "island" was full looking with a steady stream of people leaving and coming back to the ship. It didn't stop people from getting off and enjoying the beach day.

 

The only ones doing the robbing in Labadee is Royal Caribbean, overwater cabanas the day before the port stop were listed for like $3,000 per person. There were only 4 left. I am sure some got them on sale in cruise planner before the sailing for like $1000 per person.

 

All kidding aside, I do respect people's opinions, but my cruise visited three ports all on the US Travel Advisory list. Nassau, Labadee, and Falmouth. While I would agree that there is an infinitely small chance of Haitians overtaking the private beaches of Labadee, I wouldn't go as far as saying it is dangerous to even be docked there.