Concerned about a massive spike in crimes linked to gang violence and political instability, renowned cruise line Royal Caribbean announced Thursday it will no longer conduct operations in Haiti.
Just a few days ago, the company informed customers that it would continue to travel to the island with limited excursion options, despite the US government’s travel warning message about the worrying increase in crime.
But now the company has backed out. According to a recent Posting on FacebookRoyal Caribbean has “We have suspended calls to Labadee, Haiti for the next seven days and will continue the suspension on an ongoing basis with three days’ notice to our guests sailing on routes that are impacted and changed as we monitor and evaluate the situation in Haiti,” said Michael Bayley, a senior business executive.
Labadee is a 260-acre private resort owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises since 1986. It is located in Cap-Haïtien, in the north of the island.
The decision will apply to the entire fleet, spokesperson Aurora Yera-Rodriguez said.
Together with its Global Security & Intelligence Team, Royal Caribbean will conduct a daily thoughtful assessment to determine when it will be feasible to resume operations to Labadee.
For now, the company is keeping cruise passengers informed of the latest news.
The US Embassy issues a security alert for Haiti
Given the current state of affairs, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti had no choice but to issue a treaty “Security alarm” on March 10. From today, the country remains ranked at level 4.
Level 4 travel advisory means that the U.S. government is physically and politically unable to provide appropriate assistance to U.S. citizens in need in a given area.
In this warning, the embassy urges the Americans stay informed about current political events, be extra careful when you are surrounded by many people, try to stand out, find good shelter and make sure you have travel documents at hand, including safety tips.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, is particularly concerned about the multiple shootings in Port-au-Prince, the international airport and the US embassy itself.
The agency is also urging Americans to leave the country as soon as possible. The embassy is well aware that there are very limited commercial outbound flights, and therefore advises travelers to use any means of transport to leave the country on site.
What if I have already purchased tickets for the island?
Well, you have two options. Unfortunately, you can’t choose which one suits you best.
According to Rodriguez, some ships will detour to Turks and Caicos and also visit Jamaica to make up for the days they will not be in Haiti.
As for the second option, travelers will spend a whole day at sea whether they want to or not.
Those who paid for shore excursions will be fully reimbursed.
When will the security situation improve?
Unfortunately it is unknown. Criminal groups currently control more than 80 percent of the country’s capital, according to a report unveiled by the United Nations last week.
In late February, gang forces released thousands of criminals from local jails. So far, authorities have failed to take back control.
To make matters worse, local airports have experienced repeated closures without any prior notice.
