Royal Caribbean says it will continue visiting its private resort in Labadee, Haiti after aviation authorities suspend flights to and from the country.
The suspension was a response to gunfire that struck three US-based planes while they were flying over Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, earlier this week. Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, and American Airlines were the airlines impacted.
According to Haiti’s transitional council, armed gangs are responsible for the shots fired at the Spirit Airlines flight. Local authorities initially announced a one-week suspension on air travel, which was soon followed by a 30-day civil aviation ban from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The US embassy also released a level 4 “do not travel” alert and described the situation on the ground as “unpredictable and dangerous.”
Royal Caribbean: “No Changes To Our Planned Itineraries”
Royal Caribbean, which regularly calls on the Caribbean nation through Labadee, revealed that it is monitoring the situation closely. Still, it has no intention of changing its Haitian-bound itineraries for now.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told Cruise Radio, “The safety and security of our guests, crew, and communities we visit are our top priority. Our Global Security and Intelligence Team continuously monitor the situation in Haiti. Currently, there are no changes to our planned itineraries.”
The resort in Labadee is considered safe. Only passengers are allowed inside and prohibited from leaving the property. It also has its security team and lies 90 miles north of Port-au-Prince, making it a safe distance from the ongoing violence.
Passengers worried about their safety can always stay on their cruise vessels. Meanwhile, those with an upcoming sailing to Haiti should monitor the latest news and proactively seek updates from their cruise lines.
Royal Caribbean has historically modified its Haiti sailings based on changing conditions. In 2021, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended all visits to the country.
Earlier this year, the cruise operator said it would continue calling on the nation despite a “do not travel” advisory from the State Department in March.
A few days after, it declared that all shore excursions in the area were cancelled before suspending visits to Labadee altogether. The cruise line resumed its Haitian calls in October.
