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Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean drops popular port from months of cruises
In an effort to prioritize the safety of its passengers and crew members, Royal Caribbean is continuing to make changes to Caribbean cruise itineraries to remove and replace one key port. Most of the recent itinerary changes were made at the last minute, which frustrated many cruisers, but now the cruise line is giving passengers more the news of losing a popular port of call is disappointing for many cruisers, Royal Caribbean is now cushioning the blow by giving passengers more time to get used to the idea of an altered cruise itinerary. Passengers who booked summer cruises visiting Labadee, Haiti, are now being notified months in advance that their cruise will visit an alternate destination, which gives them more time to plan shore excursions and other port activities accordingly. Unfortunately, this new development also gives the impression that Royal Caribbean doesn't expect to be able to return to Labadee anytime soon. Labadee is Royal Caribbean's popular but controversial private destination on Haiti's northern coast that has proved problematic over the last year due to growing security concerns in the putting a temporary pause on Labadee stops in April, Royal Caribbean has already decided to cancel multiple visits to Labadee in July and August, according to an unofficial fan blog not affiliated with the cruise line. 'We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and out of an abundance of caution, we're swapping our visit to Labadee for a Sea Day," Royal Caribbean explained in the email to passengers booked on the July 20 sailing of Oasis of the Seas. Although Labadee was switched to a sea day, the cruise line added a stop in Nassau, Bahamas toward the end of the cruise itinerary to make up for the dropped port. The Aug. 3 sailing of Oasis of the Seas received a similar adjustment, but added a visit to Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, instead of booked on the July 5 and Aug. 2 sailings of Adventure of the Seas also received similar emails about changes to their cruise itineraries to remove Labadee and add another port of call. This more proactive approach to Labadee cancellations was shared by Royal Caribbean's sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises, which already replaced Labadee with other cruise ports on cruise itineraries extending into 2026 in an effort to provide 'a better guest experience.'Haiti has been under a state of emergency since March 2024 due to an ongoing conflict with violent gangs who have taken control of much of its capital city, Port-au-Prince. Royal Caribbean previously suspended visits to Labadee for several months last year due to the conflict, but was able to resume visits in October without issue because Labadee is a secure cruise line facility that's several hours away from violence recently expanded outside of the city, however, causing Royal Caribbean to once again pause calls to Labadee out of an abundance of caution. On April 13, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a security alert about rising levels of violence and insecurity in the country, as well as threats and attacks against security forces and prisons, in areas outside of Port-au-Prince. Haiti remains under a Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisory from the U.S. State Department. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Royal Caribbean drops popular port from months of cruises
In an effort to prioritize the safety of its passengers and crew members, Royal Caribbean is continuing to make changes to Caribbean cruise itineraries to remove and replace one key port. Most of the recent itinerary changes were made at the last minute, which frustrated many cruisers, but now the cruise line is giving passengers more notice. Related: Royal Caribbean makes key beverage package change While the news of losing a popular port of call is disappointing for many cruisers, Royal Caribbean is now cushioning the blow by giving passengers more time to get used to the idea of an altered cruise itinerary. Passengers who booked summer cruises visiting Labadee, Haiti, are now being notified months in advance that their cruise will visit an alternate destination, which gives them more time to plan shore excursions and other port activities accordingly. Unfortunately, this new development also gives the impression that Royal Caribbean doesn't expect to be able to return to Labadee anytime soon. Labadee is Royal Caribbean's popular but controversial private destination on Haiti's northern coast that has proved problematic over the last year due to growing security concerns in the country. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. After putting a temporary pause on Labadee stops in April, Royal Caribbean has already decided to cancel multiple visits to Labadee in July and August, according to an unofficial fan blog not affiliated with the cruise line. "We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and out of an abundance of caution, we're swapping our visit to Labadee for a Sea Day," Royal Caribbean explained in the email to passengers booked on the July 20 sailing of Oasis of the Seas. Although Labadee was switched to a sea day, the cruise line added a stop in Nassau, Bahamas toward the end of the cruise itinerary to make up for the dropped port. The Aug. 3 sailing of Oasis of the Seas received a similar adjustment, but added a visit to Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, instead of Nassau. Related: Royal Caribbean passengers compare private cruise destinations Passengers booked on the July 5 and Aug. 2 sailings of Adventure of the Seas also received similar emails about changes to their cruise itineraries to remove Labadee and add another port of call. This more proactive approach to Labadee cancellations was shared by Royal Caribbean's sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises, which already replaced Labadee with other cruise ports on cruise itineraries extending into 2026 in an effort to provide "a better guest experience." Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Haiti has been under a state of emergency since March 2024 due to an ongoing conflict with violent gangs who have taken control of much of its capital city, Port-au-Prince. Royal Caribbean previously suspended visits to Labadee for several months last year due to the conflict, but was able to resume visits in October without issue because Labadee is a secure cruise line facility that's several hours away from Port-au-Prince. Related: Royal Caribbean stops visiting popular port Gang violence recently expanded outside of the city, however, causing Royal Caribbean to once again pause calls to Labadee out of an abundance of caution. On April 13, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a security alert about rising levels of violence and insecurity in the country, as well as threats and attacks against security forces and prisons, in areas outside of Port-au-Prince. Haiti remains under a Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisory from the U.S. State Department. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean cancels another stop at key port, offers credit
Royal Caribbean has once again halted visits to one of its most beloved and problematic Caribbean destinations as it prioritizes passenger safety. The cruise line has been busy rerouting ships to other destinations to offer passengers an alternate port to visit on most impacted itineraries, but it hasn't been able to find a replacement port for every cruise passengers recently got the disappointing news that their cruise will have one less port stop as the cruise line puts a hold on calls to Labadee, its private destination on Haiti's northern coast. Although Labadee is a secure cruise line facility that's far from Haiti's violence-plagued capital of Port-au-Prince, gang violence has recently expanded to areas outside of the capital city. Because of this, Royal Caribbean is pausing visits to Labadee out of an abundance of caution. The cruise line previously suspended calls to Labadee amid escalating conflict for several months in 2024, but resumed visits in October. Many passengers have enjoyed visiting Labadee on recent sailings, but cruisers who were looking forward to a Labadee beach day this spring will unfortunately miss Caribbean notified passengers booked on the May 3 sailing of Icon of the Seas that instead of visiting Labadee, they will spend an additional day at sea, according to an unofficial fan blog not affiliated with the cruise line. 'We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and out of an abundance of caution, we're swapping out our visit to Labadee for a Sea Day,' Royal Caribbean explained in the email to sailings aboard other ships, Royal Caribbean replaced Labadee with another port like Falmouth, Jamaica or Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, but finding a last-minute replacement port with an available berth that can accommodate the world's largest cruise ship is a tricky task. Of course, Royal Caribbean understands that swapping a port day for a sea day is disappointing for many passengers, so it took a couple of steps to soften the blow. First, the cruise line adjusted its arrival and departure times for a port stop earlier in the cruise, Ponce, Puerto Rico, to give passengers more port time as a token of appreciation for their understanding, Royal Caribbean offered passengers a per-stateroom credit to spend on board the ship: $75 for interior and ocean view staterooms $100 for balcony staterooms $150 for suites Plus, an additional $25 for each third or more passenger in the stateroom 'We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause — your safety is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding,' the email this time, it's unclear how long Royal Caribbean's pause on Labadee stops may last, but if it continues for months like the last one, this Icon of the Seas sailing may not be the only cruise forced to spend an additional day at sea as a result. Most sailings will get a replacement port to visit, however. Royal Caribbean will notify passengers by email of any itinerary changes. Haiti remains under a Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisory from the U.S. State Department. On April 13, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a security alert about rising levels of violence and insecurity, as well as threats and attacks against security forces and prisons, in areas outside of Port-au-Prince. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean issues serious health warning to passengers
Although cruises offer many benefits to vacationers, they do come with some health risks that all travelers should take into consideration. Cruises bring a large number of people together into a semi-enclosed shipboard environment, making it easy for illnesses to spread through person-to-person contact. This is why passengers are constantly encouraged to wash their hands throughout their cruise, especially when entering addition to person-to-person contact, it's also possible for passengers to be exposed to communicable diseases through the air and through inhaled water droplets while on board a cruise ship. Cruise lines must take special care to minimize the growth of Legionella bacteria in water systems to prevent transmission of the bacteria to passengers through inhaled water droplets, especially when using hot tubs. On rare occasions, cruise passengers become sick with Legionnaires' disease, a serious type of pneumonia, after returning from a cruise as a result of Legionella exposure. This was the case for one person who recently sailed on a popular Royal Caribbean cruise on multiple sailings in March and April 2025 received emails from Royal Caribbean to notify them of a recent case of Legionnaires' disease, according to an unofficial fan blog not affiliated with the cruise line. 'The CDC has advised that while they are unsure where exposed, a guest who recently sailed on Symphony of the Seas was later diagnosed with Legionella,' the letter stated. Royal Caribbean explained that heightened sanitation protocols were implemented as a precautionary measure, and that the cruise line followed all CDC guidance to protect the health of passengers and crew. The cruise line also explained how Legionella spreads and the symptoms of Legionnaires' disease.'It is important to know that Legionella is not contagious from person to person. It is contracted by inhaling water droplets from a source containing the bacteria, which can be found throughout the world in any environment containing water — ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, as well as municipal water systems, fountains, and whirlpools.' Not all people who are exposed to Legionella become sick. Most healthy people do not, but certain people are at an increased risk of getting sick from Legionella exposure — current and former smokers, adults over 50, and people with specific health issues or conditions. Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches, and headaches. Royal Caribbean advised passengers to reach out to a medical professional if they experience these symptoms and have January 2025, Royal Caribbean sent this same type of notification to Symphony of the Seas' passengers after two other passengers fell ill with Legionnaires' disease after sailing on the ship. One of the passengers had sailed on the ship in October 2024, while the other sailed in December 2024, according to the CDC. Past CDC investigations conducted between November 2022 and July 2024 linked previous outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease to private outdoor hot tubs on cruise private balcony hot tubs are popular amenities, but passengers should be aware that they are more likely to experience Legionella growth than public hot tubs in common areas. This is because private hot tubs are not typically subject to the same rigorous maintenance requirements as public ones. 'Given the range of hot tub–type devices offered as amenities across the cruise industry, to reduce risk for Legionella growth and transmission, it is important for cruise ship water management program staff members to inventory and assess private balcony hot tubs and adapt public hot tub maintenance and operations protocols for use on private outdoor hot tubs,' the CDC recommended in its 2024 investigation report. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean has bad port news for passengers
Frustrating cruise itinerary changes continue to plague Royal Caribbean passengers hoping to sail to one sought-after cruise port. For months, passengers booked on one Royal Caribbean ship have been receiving the bad news that their cruise's call to the destination had to be canceled due to construction work at the pier. Now, the ongoing problem with the cruise port is impacting another hugely popular Royal Caribbean ship, the situation is out of Royal Caribbean's control, it's still very disappointing for the passengers who may have selected a particular sailing specifically for the destinations the ship will visit on the itinerary. Recent rumors suggested the pier repair work could wrap up in early 2025, but new updates indicate that the port will remain unavailable until at least late July. Royal Caribbean has already made itinerary changes for several more sailings as a result. This week, passengers booked on multiple cruises on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas received the same disappointing news that passengers booked on Symphony of the Seas have been receiving for months. Their cruise vacation will no longer include a visit to San Juan, Puerto only pier at the San Juan Cruise Port that can accommodate Royal Caribbean's biggest ships has been closed to these cruise ships for months. The closure stems from an incident with an MSC Cruises ship in April 2024 that resulted in the loss of a dolphin mooring structure just off the main pier. After the incident, the U.S. Coast Guard established an operational control disallowing cruise ship operations at San Juan Port's Pier-3 West until it can be determined that the structure remains sound for cruise ship port's other piers continue to welcome cruise ships, but only Pier-3 West can accommodate Royal Caribbean's massive Icon- and Oasis-class ships. Recently, the San Juan Cruise Port filed a negligence lawsuit against MSC Cruises and its insurers to attempt to recover the costs of the damages to the pier structure. This new development likely slowed the process of reopening the cruise port, contributing to the continued cancellations of planned cruise ship Caribbean recently notified passengers booked on four Icon of the Seas sailings that the San Juan Cruise Port won't be able to welcome them and their cruise itinerary has changed, according to The impacted cruises include May 3, June 7, June 21, and July 19 sailings on Icon of the Seas. "Before your vacation begins, we wanted to inform you about some changes to our itinerary. Due to ongoing improvements to the pier infrastructure in San Juan, the port operators have advised us that the port will not be ready in time for our visit," the cruise line states in the emails sent to passengers booked on the four sailings. The May 3, June 7 and June 21 cruises will now visit Ponce, Puerto Rico in place of San Juan while the July 19 sailing will instead call to Phillipsburg, St. Caribbean Blog reports that the cruise line also made big changes to the itinerary for Symphony of the Seas' April 6 sailing to replace its planned call to San Juan with other ports. Instead of visiting San Juan, St. Maarten, and Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise will now sail to Labadee, Haiti, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and Nassau, Bahamas, in addition to Perfect Day at CocoCay. The ongoing pier closure in San Juan also impacted Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, the Disney Treasure, in early February. The cruise line was forced to revise the itinerary for its Feb. 1 sailing on the Treasure to skip San Juan due to the unavailable berth. Instead, the cruise visited the cruise line's private destination in The Bahamas, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
