Royal Caribbean Cancels Visits To This Caribbean Port Amid Violence

UN warns of 'severe human rights abuses' in Haiti, illegal flow of weapons

The U.N. is warning of "severe human rights abuses" in Haiti and blames a rise in violence on the flow of illegal weapons into the nation.

• Royal Caribbean has extended its suspension of visits to its private destination in Haiti, Labadee, until October due to ongoing violence.
• The cruise line cited "an abundance of caution" for the decision, which follows previous suspensions in 2024 and earlier in 2025.
• Haiti is currently under a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory from the U.S. State Department due to widespread crime, including kidnappings and carjackings.

Royal Caribbean has suspended visits to Labadee, its private destination in Haiti, until October amid continued violence in the country.

The cruise line made the temporary change in “an abundance of caution,” according to parent company Royal Caribbean Group. “We have communicated with guests directly on this change,” the company told USA TODAY in an email.

The change is an extension of a previous suspension implemented earlier this year. The cruise line last visited Labadee in the first quarter of 2025, after pausing calls to the destination in 2024.

Gang violence escalated in Haiti last year, and it has been under a state of emergency since March 2024. The country is currently designated as Level 4 – “Do not travel” – according to a travel advisory from the U.S. State Department.

“Crimes involving firearms are common in Haiti,” the advisory reads. “They include robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom. Do not travel to Haiti for any reason.”

If travelers do go to Haiti, the advisory urges visitors to steer clear of crowds and demonstrations; book transfers from the airport, make hotel reservations ahead of time, or have their host meet them on arrival; have plans for potential evacuation that don’t rely on U.S. government help and more. A full list of recommendations can be found on the State Department’s website.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.