Royal Caribbean canceled all cruise ship visits to its private resort Labadee in Haiti for the remainder of 2026, extending its previous suspension that went through April 2026.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told the Miami Herald, “Out of an abundance of caution, we have extended our pause to Labadee.” The cruise line did not give additional details about the cancellation, but the decision comes amid continued crime and instability that has plagued Haiti in recent years.
According to Human Rights Watch, half of Haitians face food insecurity and 85% of the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, is run by gangs. Haiti has not had an internationally recognized election since 2016. In July 2025 the U.S. State Department issued a level 4 “Do Not Travel” warning to Haiti, a designation only shared in the Western Hemisphere by Venezuela and parts of Mexico.
Royal Caribbean began operating in Haiti in 1986 when it made a deal with dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier to lease Labadee. That lease has since been extended to 2050. The 260-acre beachfront area was historically marketed as a tropical paradise part on Hispaniola, the island that includes Haiti and the Dominican Republic. As a result, many cruisers did not realize they were in Haiti when they traveled to Labadee.
Royal Caribbean made extensive efforts to separate Labadee from the rest of Haiti. A heavily guarded fence surrounds the area, preventing cruise passengers from leaving and local Haitians from entering. Nearly all restaurants and stores are owned by Royal Caribbean, meaning the majority of money spent at the resort goes to the cruise line.
After nearly four decades of cruise ship calls, the local Haitian communities surrounding Labadee have little to show for the millions of passengers who passed through Royal Caribbean’s private resort. Travel blogger Thirdeyemom documented the stark contrast between the walled-off cruise compound and the extreme poverty just outside its gates.
Haiti’s future remains deeply uncertain. The country is plagued by gang violence, political collapse, and a humanitarian crisis. Foreign intervention may come, but it has always come with consequences and rarely with lasting solutions. For now, Labadee stands as a deserted tropical outpost inside a failed state.
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Security fence photo Credit: Tancy Talks Cruising Part 2: Fake Haiti.