Royal Caribbean has removed Labadee from another 44 cruise itineraries across nine ships, extending the destination’s absence from its published schedules through April 2028.
Travel agents and affected passengers began receiving revised itinerary notifications on 30 October 2026. Depending on the sailing, the cancelled Labadee call is being replaced by destinations including Nassau, Grand Turk, Cozumel, Puerto Plata, San Juan, George Town, Ocho Rios and other Caribbean ports, or by an additional day at sea.
The latest changes affect selected departures aboard 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.
Labadee removed through April 2028
The newly communicated changes cover sailings from July 2027 through April 2028. Royal Caribbean had previously extended its pause in visits into 2027, but the latest round pushes the absence substantially farther into the following cruise season.
Royal Caribbean told travel advisers that passenger safety remains its priority and apologised for the inconvenience caused by the revised itineraries.
The company’s public travel-updates page had not been revised to show the April 2028 cutoff when this article was prepared. It continued to display an older notice covering Labadee calls through December 2026. However, the latest changes have been communicated directly through Royal Caribbean’s guest and travel-agent channels and are reflected in revised bookings.
Passengers should therefore treat the itinerary shown in their current Royal Caribbean booking, together with any direct email from the company or their travel agent, as the relevant information for their individual cruise.
Nine Royal Caribbean ships affected
The latest round of itinerary changes affects departures aboard the following 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
- Symphony of the Seas
Not every Caribbean voyage operated by those ships is affected. The changes apply to specific departures that had previously included Labadee, and passengers should check their sailing date rather than assuming that every itinerary aboard a named vessel has been altered.
The earliest departure identified in the latest group is Independence of the Seas on 8 July 2027. Revised sailings continue into April 2028, including departures aboard Adventure, Allure and Explorer of the Seas.
Replacement ports differ by sailing
Royal Caribbean has not selected one universal replacement for Labadee. The substitute depends on the ship’s route, voyage length, berth availability and the other ports already included in an itinerary.
Grand Turk is being added to several Adventure, Explorer, Freedom and Independence of the Seas departures. Other Adventure sailings will instead visit Cozumel, Grand Bahama Island or Amber Cove.
Many Allure of the Seas itineraries will call at Nassau, while others gain Cozumel, San Juan, Puerto Plata, Ponce or Samaná. Some of those revisions also alter the order or timings of other ports.
Explorer of the Seas will use a mixture of George Town, Grand Turk, Nassau and Samaná, depending on the departure. Selected Independence of the Seas voyages gain Puerto Plata, Grand Turk, Ocho Rios or George Town.
Harmony and Symphony of the Seas each have a listed departure replacing Labadee with Nassau. Serenade of the Seas gains Puerto Plata on its affected October 2027 cruise.
The two Star of the Seas revisions are more extensive. One substitutes Costa Maya and Cozumel for calls at Labadee and Falmouth, while another replaces Labadee with Costa Maya and adjusts the sequence of the remaining itinerary.
Some cruises receive an additional sea day
Not every affected cruise receives a direct one-for-one replacement port.
On some Allure of the Seas departures, Labadee will become a sea day while another scheduled call is replaced with a different destination. Other revisions move existing sea days or change arrival and departure times elsewhere on the itinerary.
This means passengers should examine the complete revised schedule rather than checking only the day originally assigned to Labadee. A change may affect several days of the cruise even where only one destination has been removed.
Why are Royal Caribbean ships avoiding Labadee?
Labadee is Royal Caribbean’s private destination on Haiti’s northern coast. The company has repeatedly paused scheduled guest calls while monitoring security conditions in Haiti.
Royal Caribbean’s latest customer communication emphasises safety but does not provide a detailed public assessment of conditions or announce that it is permanently leaving the destination.
Reports describing the April 2028 revisions connect the continued suspension with instability in Haiti. Deck7 is not treating the new cutoff as a permanent closure: it represents the latest period for which scheduled visits have been removed, and Royal Caribbean could issue further changes in either direction if circumstances alter.
The company has operated at Labadee since 1988. Scheduled cruise visits have been absent since 2025, although the destination remains part of Royal Caribbean’s portfolio.
What happens to booked excursions?
Royal Caribbean says prepaid Labadee shore excursions booked directly through the cruise line will be refunded automatically. Passengers do not normally need to submit a separate request for those company-sold tours.
Excursions at newly added destinations may appear in the Royal Caribbean app or online cruise planner after the revised itinerary has been loaded. Availability can change as local tour capacity is arranged.
Passengers who purchased activities independently should contact the relevant operator. Royal Caribbean’s automatic refund arrangement does not necessarily apply to bookings made with third parties.
Port changes alone do not automatically mean the whole cruise has been cancelled. Guests concerned about their booking, transport arrangements or the significance of a materially changed itinerary should contact Royal Caribbean or the travel agent through which the cruise was reserved.
Guests should check the full revised itinerary
Royal Caribbean’s notifications include sailing-specific replacement ports, arrival times and other adjustments. Because the changes differ even between departures aboard the same ship, a general list cannot replace the documentation issued for an individual booking.
Passengers should check:
- The email address attached to the cruise booking
- The itinerary displayed in the Royal Caribbean app or online account
- Messages from their travel agent
- Existing excursion bookings and refund entries
- Any independently arranged activities at the removed or replacement port
It may take time for every part of the online cruise planner to reflect a newly issued change. Guests should retain Royal Caribbean’s notification and seek confirmation if different parts of their booking show inconsistent information.
Could Labadee return before or after April 2028?
The latest notification removes the currently identified scheduled visits through April 2028. It does not provide a guaranteed reopening date immediately afterwards.
Royal Caribbean has extended the suspension on several occasions as it reviews conditions and operational planning. Cruises beyond the latest group may therefore remain subject to future updates.
Similarly, an earlier return would require the company to reassess conditions and communicate new arrangements. Passengers should not rely on unofficial port schedules where those conflict with information provided directly by the cruise line.
Frequently asked questions
Until when has Royal Caribbean removed Labadee?
The latest itinerary revisions remove scheduled Labadee calls through April 2028. This is the current extent of the announced changes, not a confirmed reopening date.
How many cruises are affected?
The latest round covers 44 itineraries across nine Royal Caribbean ships.
Which ships are affected?
Adventure, Allure, Explorer, Freedom, Harmony, Independence, Serenade, Star and Symphony of the Seas have selected departures included in the latest revisions.
What will replace Labadee?
Replacement destinations vary by sailing. They include Nassau, Grand Turk, Cozumel, Puerto Plata, San Juan, George Town, Ocho Rios, Amber Cove, Samaná, Ponce, Grand Bahama Island and Costa Maya. Some voyages receive an additional sea day instead.
Will Royal Caribbean refund Labadee excursions?
The cruise line says prepaid Labadee excursions purchased through Royal Caribbean will be refunded automatically. Independently booked activities are subject to the third-party provider’s terms.
Has Royal Caribbean permanently closed Labadee?
No permanent closure has been announced. The company has removed scheduled visits through the latest notified period while continuing to monitor the situation.
Why does Royal Caribbean’s website show an older date?
At publication, the public travel-update page still displayed an older notice. The April 2028 revisions were communicated directly to travel agents and affected guests, whose current booking information should show the sailing-specific changes.