Just when it seemed like Labadee might eventually find its way back onto Royal Caribbean itineraries, the cruise line has pushed the destination even farther into the future.
Royal Caribbean has now canceled all scheduled visits to its private destination in Haiti through June 2027, extending a suspension that had previously covered the remainder of 2026.
The company said the decision was made with the safety and well-being of guests and crew members in mind. Passengers booked on affected sailings are being contacted directly and will receive revised itineraries.
Depending on the ship and sailing, Labadee is being replaced with ports such as Nassau, Grand Cayman, Grand Turk and Cozumel. Some itineraries may simply receive another day at sea. None of which really make up for that picture postcard perfect day in paradise.
That raises the obvious question: What exactly is going on with Labadee, and will Royal Caribbean ever return?
Labadee Isn’t Actually a Private Island
First, despite the way it has sometimes been marketed, Labadee isn’t an island.
It’s a 260-acre resort area located on a peninsula along Haiti’s northern coast, not far from Cap-Haïtien. The property is separated from the surrounding area and operated exclusively for passengers sailing with Royal Caribbean Group cruise lines.
Royal Caribbean began developing the destination in the mid-1980s, with the company’s arrangement in Haiti dating to approximately 1985 and cruise operations beginning around 1986.
For decades, Labadee was one of the original cruise line private destinations, long before places such as Perfect Day at CocoCay, Ocean Cay and Celebration Key became major attractions of their own.
The experience was relatively simple in the early years. Passengers were tendered ashore for a beach day, a barbecue lunch and shopping from local vendors.
Over time, Royal Caribbean transformed Labadee into something much more elaborate.
Royal Caribbean’s Big Labadee Investment
Labadee received its most significant makeover in 2009 when Royal Caribbean reportedly invested approximately $55 million in the destination.
The project included a new pier capable of accommodating the company’s massive Oasis-class ships, allowing passengers to walk directly ashore instead of relying on tender boats.
Royal Caribbean also added attractions that made Labadee feel like a combination beach resort and adventure park.
The destination eventually included several beaches, private cabanas, an artisan market, water activities, the Dragon’s Tail alpine coaster and the Dragon’s Breath Flight Line, a zip line carrying guests over the water.
Unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay, Labadee never received a giant waterpark, gigantic pool complex or a bunch of restaurants. It maintained a more natural atmosphere, with mountains, wooded areas and beaches surrounding the resort.
That was part of its appeal.
You could ride a coaster or zip line if you wanted to, but you could also spend the entire day sitting on the beach without feeling like you were inside a theme park.
Labadee Has Closed Before
The current shutdown may be the longest interruption in Labadee’s history, but it isn’t the first time Royal Caribbean has stopped visiting.
Cruise calls were temporarily suspended during political unrest in Haiti in 2004. The destination was also affected by protests in 2016, when demonstrators in small boats prevented Freedom of the Seas from entering the port.
One of the most controversial periods came after the devastating Haitian earthquake in January 2010.
Royal Caribbean decided to continue visiting Labadee shortly after the disaster, arguing that cruise tourism provided jobs and income to the area. Its ships also carried relief supplies, and the company pledged financial assistance.
Some people criticized the sight of cruise passengers relaxing on a beach while other parts of Haiti were dealing with widespread death and destruction. Others supported Royal Caribbean’s decision, pointing out that abandoning the destination would remove another source of employment and economic activity at the worst possible time.
That debate highlighted the complicated position Labadee occupies. It’s a private resort designed to shield passengers from many of Haiti’s realities, but it’s also connected to the country and the people who depend on it for work.
Why Royal Caribbean Stopped Visiting in 2024
Royal Caribbean suspended calls to Labadee in March 2024 as gang violence and political instability intensified across Haiti.
The situation included prison breaks, attacks on government infrastructure and the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Royal Caribbean initially described the suspension as temporary and said its security team would continue monitoring conditions.
It’s worth noting that Labadee is located on Haiti’s northern coast, hundreds of miles from Port-au-Prince, where much of the violence was concentrated.
Labadee itself wasn’t overrun by gangs, and passengers don’t travel through Port-au-Prince to reach it. Cruise guests arrive directly by ship and remain inside the controlled resort area.
However, that doesn’t make the destination completely independent from the rest of the country.
Royal Caribbean has to consider more than whether someone can get through the gates. It needs reliable local transportation, supplies, employees, emergency services and a plan for responding if something goes wrong.
The United States currently lists Haiti under its highest travel warning, Level 4: Do Not Travel, citing crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest and limited access to health care. Haiti has also remained under a national state of emergency since March 2024.
That presents a serious operational problem for any company bringing thousands of American tourists into the country at one time.
Royal Caribbean Tried Returning
Royal Caribbean didn’t immediately give up on Labadee.
After suspending visits in March 2024, the cruise line resumed calls in October of that year. Adventure of the Seas became the first ship to return, followed by Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas.
That return suggested Royal Caribbean believed it could safely operate the destination despite the continued problems elsewhere in Haiti.
The comeback didn’t last.
Calls were suspended again in 2025 as security conditions continued to deteriorate. What began as a series of shorter cancellations was gradually extended through April 2026, then through the end of 2026 and now through June 2027.
Each extension has pushed Labadee farther out of Royal Caribbean’s operating plans.
What Happens to Labadee’s Employees?
One part of this story that often gets overlooked is the effect on the people who work at the destination.
Royal Caribbean says it remains committed to its Labadee team members and has identified positions aboard its ships and at other destinations for workers during the suspension.
The company also says its relationship with the surrounding community extends beyond cruise operations and that it continues humanitarian efforts, including monthly food donations.
That assistance is important, but it can’t completely replace the income generated by regular ship visits.
When a large Royal Caribbean ship arrives, thousands of passengers come ashore. Local vendors sell souvenirs and crafts. Employees work in food service, security, maintenance, transportation and recreation.
When the ships stop coming, much of that activity disappears overnight.
Northern Haiti’s tourism industry has suffered even though the region has generally remained calmer than Port-au-Prince. The wider security crisis has damaged the country’s reputation, disrupted transportation and kept international visitors away.
Is Royal Caribbean Really Returning in June 2027?
I wouldn’t circle July 2027 on the calendar and assume ships will immediately return.
June 2027 isn’t necessarily a reopening date. It’s simply how far Royal Caribbean has currently extended the suspension.
The situation will likely have to improve significantly before the cruise line will restart operations.
Royal Caribbean will probably want to see greater political stability, improved control over gang activity, reliable access to emergency services and a secure environment that can be maintained over the long term.
A change to the U.S. State Department’s Level 4 travel advisory would also be an important signal, although Royal Caribbean makes its own security decisions.
The cruise line tried returning once in October 2024, only to suspend visits again several months later. I can’t see Royal Caribbean attempting another return unless it has much greater confidence that the destination won’t have to close again shortly afterward.
Restarting Labadee isn’t as simple as adding the port back to a schedule. Employees need to be rehired or reassigned, buildings and attractions need to be inspected, food and supplies need to be arranged, security plans need to be updated and the destination needs to be prepared to receive thousands of passengers.
After sitting unused for an extended period, there will almost certainly be maintenance and repair work required before guests can return.
Could Royal Caribbean Abandon Labadee?
At this point, Royal Caribbean hasn’t said it plans to permanently abandon Labadee.
The company continues to describe the situation as a pause, continues supporting employees and communities and still has a Labadee destination page on its website, although their Press Center has archived all Labadee content leaving a blank page.
Royal Caribbean’s private-destination strategy has changed dramatically since Labadee received its last major investment in 2009.
Perfect Day at CocoCay has become one of the company’s biggest attractions. Royal Caribbean is also developing additional beach clubs and destination experiences in the Bahamas, Mexico and elsewhere in the Caribbean.
Those locations may be more expensive to build, but they’re in countries with more stable tourism infrastructure and fewer operational uncertainties.
Labadee remains a beautiful destination, but Royal Caribbean has to ask whether continuing to invest there makes business sense if the property can be closed for months or years at a time.
The longer the suspension continues, the harder that question becomes to ignore.
Labadee Still Has Something Royal Caribbean Can’t Easily Replace
Despite the challenges, I don’t think Royal Caribbean is ready to walk away from Labadee.
The company has nearly four decades of history there. It has a pier that can handle its largest ships, established infrastructure and a destination passengers already know.
Labadee also offers something different from CocoCay.
CocoCay is becoming increasingly developed, with pools, waterslides, cabanas, clubs and paid experiences. Labadee feels more like a traditional Caribbean beach day surrounded by mountains and tropical scenery.
That difference has value, especially as cruise lines look for destinations they can control without making every stop feel exactly the same.
Recreating Labadee somewhere else would also require acquiring or leasing a suitable piece of land, constructing a pier and spending hundreds of millions of dollars on infrastructure.
Royal Caribbean already has those things in Haiti.
The problem isn’t the destination. The problem is everything surrounding it.
My Take
I believe Royal Caribbean wants to return to Labadee, but I don’t believe anyone inside the company can confidently say when that will happen.
Canceling visits through June 2027 gives Royal Caribbean time to remove the destination from its immediate scheduling decisions instead of announcing extensions every few months.
It also prevents passengers from booking a cruise specifically for Labadee only to receive an itinerary-change email later.
Could ships return during the second half of 2027? Absolutely.
Could the suspension be extended through the end of 2027 or into 2028? Absolutely.
A permanent closure is probably not Royal Caribbean’s preferred outcome, especially considering the money already invested in the destination and the company’s long relationship with the area. However, they certainly have the money to close up shop, write off Labadee, and invest in a destination elsewhere.
Until conditions improve enough for the cruise line to protect its guests, crew and local employees, Labadee will remain an empty pier, quiet beaches and a private destination without any cruise passengers.
For now, anyone booking a Royal Caribbean itinerary should consider Labadee unavailable, regardless of what might appear on schedules beyond June 2027.
Hopefully, this isn’t the end of Labadee.
But after repeated closures, a brief reopening and another suspension lasting more than two years, its future is more uncertain than it has ever been.