Royal Caribbean Extends Labadee Suspension Until Mid‑2027

Royal Caribbean has officially pushed back its return to Labadee, the private beach resort it operates on Haiti’s northern coast, until at least June 2027. The decision, announced on July 20, 2026, is being framed as a safety precaution amid what the company calls “persistent civil unrest” and a sharp rise in violent incidents across the country.

For the moment, any Caribbean itineraries that would normally list Labadee as a port of call will simply sail past the Haitian shoreline. Instead, the cruise line is rerouting those days to other spots in the region – think Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, Cozumel in Mexico, Grand Turk, and a handful of ports in the Dominican Republic.

Among the ships affected are some of the line’s biggest vessels: Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. Passengers who had already booked a Labadee shore‑excursion won’t have to cancel their entire cruise; Royal Caribbean says it will automatically update the itinerary and issue a full refund for any Labadee‑specific activities, either back to an onboard account or to the original payment method.

The backdrop to this move is grim. United Nations figures cited by the cruise line indicate that roughly 2,300 people have been killed in Haiti so far this year, with another 100 reported kidnapped. Some 1.5 million residents have been forced from their homes, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Violence is being driven in large part by armed groups such as the gang federation Viv Ansanm, which the United States has labeled a foreign terrorist organization. The group is believed to control about 70 % of Port‑au‑Prince, and high‑profile abductions – including that of James Boyard, a senior defense ministry official – have underscored how the security situation has slipped well beyond the city’s traditional “hot spots.”

Human‑rights monitors have documented gunfire‑racked neighborhoods and deadly attacks in areas like Cité Soleil, where dozens of residents were recently reported killed, injured or missing. The UN’s migration agency warned that displacement is accelerating, describing the current phase as “deepening” and increasingly alarming.

While Royal Caribbean is not the only company to reassess its Caribbean plans, its continued suspension of Labadee highlights how the broader travel industry is forced to adapt to on‑the‑ground realities. For now, vacationers looking to enjoy a Caribbean cruise will have to settle for alternative ports – and hope that the situation in Haiti improves enough for a future return.