Should we be drinking pina coladas on Royal Caribbean’s beaches in Haiti

by Janice Hough on January 20, 2010


Another of our bloggers, Janice Hough, has her perspective on RCCL’s decision to continue port calls to Ladabee and its pristine beach.

While many travel companies create their own worst public relations messes, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has found themselves in a difficult situation this week. And there isn’t a simple solution to please everyone.

The problem is Ladabee, the cruise ship’s “private island.” While many people have never previously heard of the place, they are hearing about it this week. Because Ladabee is officially part of Haiti. The “island” is actually a peninsula with five beaches, that Royal Caribbean leases from the Haitian government. It is about 80 miles from Port Au Prince and this part of Haiti was not damaged by the quake.

Port calls on Labadee include a barbecue lunch, shopping and sports. There’s even a zipline. And of course, tropical drinks. Along with armed guards and a 12-foot fence.

For now, Royal Caribbean, along with Celebrity Cruises, which they own, has decided to continue their port calls. Labadee employs about 250 people, who would have few if any other options at this time. In addition, about 200 more people work independently as hair-braiders and souvenir sellers.

The three cruise ships that call at Labadee regularly are also bringing in food and other relief supplies, and Royal Carribean says they will donate all the proceeds from the days ashore to earthquake relief.

The cruise line has posted a defense of their decision on their website, with at this point daily updates.

The blog includes the following quote

“In the end, Labadee is critical to Haiti’s recovery; hundreds of people rely on Labadee for their livelihood,” said John Weis, vice-president. “In our conversations with the UN special envoy of the government of Haiti, Leslie Voltaire, he notes that Haiti will benefit from the revenues that are generated from each call …

“We also have tremendous opportunities to use our ships as transport vessels for relief supplies and personnel to Haiti. Simply put, we cannot abandon Haiti now that they need us most.”

Clearly Royal Caribbean’s decision has been and will continue to be controversial. In many ways it’s hard to imagine relaxing with a drink and having your hair braided while so many people are suffering nearby. But putting hundreds of people out of work won’t help either.

One thought that comes to mind, if Royal Caribbean continues the port calls, perhaps they could encourage passengers to add extra donations for earthquake relief for any purchases on shore. But what do you think, Consumer Traveler readers? Is the cruise line doing the right thing? If not, how should they handle the situation. Or if they are doing the right thing, what could they do better?

photo of labadee from Royal Caribbean.

Print Friendly

Tagged as: "private island", Celebrity Cruise Lines, earthquake relief, haiti, Labadee, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

  • Judith Siess

    RC should definitely make it easy for cruisers to donate to the relief effort–put donation jars everywhere, suggest putting in an amount equal to what they spend on the island.

  • Karen C.

    I think the most humane thing would be for Royal Caribbean to keep hiring the staff that they do but open the complex to feed and shelter those Haitians that they can–I’m sure there are many, many who need it. Just saw a news piece on the Today Show about a restaurateur who is feeding about 1000 people a day gratis. I can’t imagine that people on the cruise line could be frolicking there knowing the suffering that’s happening nearby.

  • Frank

    Life went on after Hurricane Katrina. Why not, Haiti? The World has a very short attention span. This country will lay in ruins for many years to come.
    I’ve been to Haiti. I was shocked by the poverty of this country. They had very little to live with, now they have nothing.

    God shook it’s foundation. I only pray it’s people can rebuild their lives.

  • Sandra Sheldon

    RCCL made the right decision. Opening the complex to the Haitians (80 miles is a long way to walk) instead of continuing its current use, would destroy its purpose in the long run – to provide jobs and income to the local population. As a frequent cruiser, I too would feel uncomfortable frolicking on the beach, but would probably try to help the local economy by donating and also buying souvenirs, etc. BTW, Haiti has always been a poverty-stricken country and foreigners have been frolicking on the beach in Labadee for years.

  • Karen C.

    While Haiti may have always been a poverty-stricken country, they haven’t always been a country where people are losing their lives and often their limbs because there aren’t ways to help them. I’m amazed at the comments — seems like a “let them eat cake” kind of attitude. Here’s what a pr pro is saying about Royal Caribbean: “Even if they are donating one million dollars, you can’t have pictures of people sunbathing and cruising. Their judgment just boggles the mind. Royal Caribbean should have used the ship as a floating hospital or a temporary housing unit for those who lost homes.”

  • Linda

    People vacation all over the world. Life doesn’t stop due to a tragedy anywhere including NYC. Should people have stopped going to NY after 9/11? Think. I would spend money on Labadee that I normally would not have if I were on a cruise right now knowing that the donation was helping the people of Haiti. I have been at Labadee & would feel good knowing my presence is providing jobs to many employed by RCCL as I did in 2003 when I was there.

  • Steve

    RCL couldn’t just leave “the ship as a floating hospital or temporary housing unit” as there are multiple ships that call on Labadee and those ships also call on other ports.

    RCL is raising revenue for Haiti simply by continuing to cruise there. People are being employed and money is being spent. If they stopped calling on Labadee it would actually do far more damage to the country’s economy.

    I agree with the suggestion that they could provide donation drop boxes, or some other means to help provide another means for raising money.

  • Pingback: MJ’s Travel Favorites 1-24-10 | Traveling with MJ

  • Biff Jones

    After the tsunami hit Phuket Island the government of Thailand sent out the word that the best thing people could do was return to Phuket as tourists to help the people who depended on that money for survival.

Previous post:

Next post: