Royal Caribbean cancels more Labadee cruise stops
Royal Caribbean vacationers hoping to spend a beach day at Labadee next year are beginning to get disappointing news, one email at a time.
The cruise line has begun notifying guests booked on early 2027 sailings that their scheduled stop at Labadee, its popular private destination on Haiti's northern coast, has been canceled.
So far, the itinerary changes have been confirmed on at least eight cruises across six ships, according to Royal Caribbean Blog, a fan blog not affiliated with the cruise line.
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Which 2027 cruises have dropped Labadee so far?
The changes have come to light largely through guest emails shared on Facebook, Reddit, and cruise forums. Passengers have reported Labadee cancellations for sailings aboard Legend of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, and Allure of the Seas.
Legend of the Seas has seen at least two sailings altered: a Feb. 14, 2027, cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will now visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico instead of Labadee and Falmouth, Jamaica; and a March 28, 2027, sailing will call at Ponce, Puerto Rico, and Samaná, Dominican Republic in place of Labadee.
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Independence of the Seas also lost its Labadee stop on at least two itineraries. A March 14, 2027, cruise from Miami will now visit Nassau, Bahamas, and an April 25 sailing has been rerouted to Grand Cayman. Star of the Seas' May 2, 2027 cruise will trade Labadee for a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas.
Guests booked on Freedom of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas have reported similar swaps, with Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and Grand Cayman replacing Labadee on their respective sailings, while an Allure of the Seas cruise will substitute Cozumel and Costa Maya for Labadee and Falmouth.
In my opinion as someone who has cruised the Caribbean since 2006, Samaná, Dominican Republic is the best swap for Labadee. It has a lush, mountainous landscape and pristine beaches similar to Labadee's. It's one of the most beautiful destinations I've ever visited. You can expect to see it featured on more cruise itineraries soon - a new, modern cruise port is set to open there in late 2026.
Why is Royal Caribbean continuing to skip Labadee?
Royal Caribbean has not publicly detailed a reason for the 2027 cancellations, but the pattern is a familiar one. The cruise line first paused Labadee visits in 2024 as gang violence in Haiti intensified. Royal Caribbean briefly resumed calls in late 2024 and early 2025, and then extended cancellations again - most recently ruling out all Labadee stops through the end of 2026.
The U.S. State Department renewed its Level 4: "Do Not Travel" advisory for Haiti on July 10, citing violent crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, and limited police presence. Gangs are estimated to control most of Port-au-Prince, and unrest has periodically spread beyond the capital.
"With the exception of Labadee, tourists are participating in activities at their own risk," the renewed advisory states.
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Labadee is considered much safer than the rest of Haiti because it's a secured, fenced resort-like destination located a significant distance from the country's violence-plagued capital. Some ports in the western Dominican Republic are actually closer to Port-au-Prince than Labadee, as TravelHost's Come Cruise With Me Editor in Chief Dan Kline discussed in a video filmed at Labadee in early 2025.
"This is a private destination. You have to be on a Royal Caribbean ship to come here. And it is absolutely safe," Kline said about his visit to Labadee in 2025.
Royal Caribbean has consistently said it is acting "out of an abundance of caution" for guest and crew safety whenever it has canceled Labadee calls in the past.
What more Labadee cancellations mean for those cruising in 2027
Passengers affected by the change should receive a direct email from Royal Caribbean detailing their updated itinerary, including arrival and departure times for the replacement port.
If your upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise still shows a Labadee stop for 2027, be prepared for the likely possibility that your itinerary could change. Keep an eye out for emails from the cruise line notifying you of any updates to your sailing.
Related: Royal Caribbean adds unique port to some Caribbean cruises
For now, visits to Labadee are paused through June 2027, according to Royal Caribbean's website, but as 2027 approaches, another round of cancellation emails may go out for later sailing dates if the security situation in Haiti doesn't improve.
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This story was originally published July 15, 2026 at 10:19 AM.