No Labadee Until at Least April 2028: Royal Caribbean Extends Its Haiti Pause to 44 More Sailings
/If Labadee was part of the Caribbean cruise you were dreaming about, it is time to adjust that picture. Royal Caribbean has extended its suspension of visits to Labadee, its private beach destination in Haiti, through April 2028 — pushing the pause much further into the future and changing dozens of sailings that were still counting on a stop there.
The line notified travel advisors on Friday, October 30, that it was making another round of itinerary changes. This latest extension affects 44 itineraries across nine ships: Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas. That list spans some of the line's biggest and newest hardware, including Star of the Seas, as well as long-time Caribbean workhorses — so this is not a niche change affecting a handful of dates.
In its message, Royal Caribbean apologized for the inconvenience and put the reason plainly: guest safety is its top priority. Booked guests will not lose a day of their vacation entirely in most cases — depending on the sailing, the Labadee call will be replaced with an alternative port or an extra day at sea. The exact substitute varies by itinerary, so two ships that both lost Labadee may end up with quite different new plans.
To understand why the line keeps extending the pause, it helps to know what Labadee is — and is not. Labadee sits on Haiti's northern coast, about 130 miles from Port-au-Prince. It is a 260-acre private beach enclave used exclusively by Royal Caribbean guests, fenced and monitored by private security. For decades it has been a highlight port: a contained beach day with loungers, a pier, and excursions, separate from the rest of the country.
That separation, however, has not been enough to keep operations comfortable. Royal Caribbean first began suspending visits in 2024, after a wave of coordinated gang attacks on police stations, prisons, and government buildings sharply worsened Haiti's security situation. Armed gangs have since maintained control over significant parts of the capital, and instability and violence have continued. The line did briefly resume calls — its last visit was in April 2025 — but suspended them again shortly afterward. Governments have also continued to warn against travel to Haiti, citing risks including kidnapping, gang violence, and civil unrest. This new extension, covering sailings well into 2028, suggests the line is now planning for a prolonged absence rather than a quick return, and it has not announced a firm date for resuming calls beyond these revised itineraries.
What should you do if you are booked — or thinking of booking?
First, check your specific sailing, not just the headline. With 44 itineraries affected and replacements decided sailing by sailing, the only reliable version of your trip is the updated itinerary attached to your own booking. Look for an email or app notification, and re-read the day-by-day plan, because a port swap can also shuffle the order of your other stops and sea days.
Second, rethink excursions with the new port in mind. A Labadee beach day is a relaxed, walk-off-the-ship experience; a replacement port may offer a very different mix — perhaps a historic old town, a snorkeling trip, or a beach that requires a transfer. Give yourself time to browse the new options rather than scrambling at the last minute, and note that prepaid plans tied to a cancelled port are normally handled by the line when it makes the change.
Third, if Labadee itself was the main reason you chose a particular sailing, talk through your alternatives early, while cabin choice on other dates and ships is still wide. Caribbean itineraries are not short on beautiful beach days — what changes is the flavor of that day, not the quality of the vacation.
That is really the takeaway here. This is disappointing news for anyone who loves Labadee's mountain-backed beaches — and for the local community that has hosted cruise guests there for decades. But a private port only works when a cruise line can operate it with confidence, and Royal Caribbean has made clear it will not return until it can. Until at least May 2028, plan your Caribbean cruise around the ports that are actually on the map — and keep Labadee on the someday list.