Labadee Explained

Official Name:Labadie
Other Name:Labadee
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Haiti
Pushpin Label Position:top
Pushpin Map Caption:The nation of Haiti, showing Labadie
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Haiti
Subdivision Type1:Department
Subdivision Name1:Nord
Subdivision Type2:Arrondissement
Subdivision Name2:Cap-Haïtien
Coordinates:19.7864°N -72.2456°W

Labadee (French: Labadie) is a private resort located on the northern coast of Haiti within the arrondissement of Cap-Haïtien in the Nord department. In 1985 the government of Haiti under the leadership of the dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier leased the area to Royal Caribbean Group, for the exclusive use of passengers of its three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara Club Cruises.[1] The lease was later extended to 2050. The resort is completely tourist-oriented and is guarded by a private security force. The site is doubly fenced off from the surrounding area; passengers cannot leave the property and locals cannot enter. Food available to tourists is brought from the cruise ships. A controlled group of Haitian merchants are given sole rights to sell merchandise and establish their businesses in the resort. Although sometimes described as an island in advertisements, it is actually a peninsula contiguous with the island of Hispaniola. The cruise ship moors to the pier at Labadee are capable of servicing the Oasis class ships, which was completed in late 2009.[2] The commercial airport that is closest to Labadee is Cap-Haïtien International Airport.

Attractions include a Haitian flea market, beaches, watersports, a water-oriented playground, an alpine coaster, and the largest zip-line over water.[3]

Etymology

The location is named after Marquis de La Badie, a Frenchman who first settled the area in the 17th century. The peninsula and a village were named Labadie. The cruise company spells the name "Labadee" to make it easier for American English-speakers to pronounce.[4]

History

Labadee is a 260-acre private resort that was leased to Royal Caribbean Cruises in 1986.[5] In the 1990s, it was variously reported that many cruise ship guests who disembarked at the location were unaware that they were in Haiti[6] - at least in part because the cruise company seemed to have a policy of referring only to Hispaniola, not that they were in Haiti.[7] [8]

In November 2001, a crew member from the cruise line Royal Caribbean was attacked on Labadee in an apparent robbery. The assailants were arrested by Haitian police.[9]

In February 2004, during the 2004 Haitian coup d'état, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended use of the stop due to the political unrest in the country.[10]

In 2009, Royal Caribbean made US$55 million in improvements to the facilities, including upgrading port facilities to allow the docking of their largest cruise ships.[11]

In January 2010, just after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Royal Caribbean announced its intention to continue cruise stopovers at the port and use cruise ships to ferry relief supplies and personnel. In addition, it would donate US$1 million to fund relief efforts in Haiti.

In January 2016, Haitians in boats protesting against the Haitian government blocked the port. Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas cancelled their port stop on January 19 as a result.[12]

On March 14, 2024, Royal Caribbean suspended cruise calls to Labadee due to widespread gang violence and political upheaval in Haiti. [13]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Haiti:The island and the outside world. . 12 February 2009 . . 16 September 2014.
  2. Web site: Labadee . www.expedia.com . 2007-08-02.
  3. News: Labadee. The Washington Post. 2007-08-02. 2007-01-21.
  4. https://books.google.com/books?id=gjADAAAAMBAJ&dq=labadee&pg=PA22 Cruise Travel
  5. Web site: Birch . Gillian . 2021-03-26 . Labadee, Haiti: What You Need to Know . 2024-03-12 . Cruise Hive . en-US.
  6. Could this paradise really be poor, desperate Haiti? . Christian Science Monitor . 25 January 2006 . 2023-02-04.
  7. https://books.google.com/books?id=9TctWjHHOeEC&dq=labadee&pg=PA238 AIDS and Accusation: Haiti and the Geography of Blame, Updated with a New ... - Paul Farmer - Google Books.
  8. [Polly Pattullo]
  9. http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=403 RCI Crew Member Attacked in Labadee
  10. News: CRUISES / Sittin' on the dock of the Gulf . The San Francisco Chronicle . 2004-02-27 .
  11. News: Cruise ships still find a Haitian berth . Robert Booth . 2010-01-17 . The Guardian . London.
  12. Web site: Cruise ship turns away from Haiti amid protests. Golden . Fran . January 20, 2016 . . March 6, 2017 .
  13. Web site: Royal Caribbean suspends cruise visits to Haiti's Labadee amid gang violence . 14 March 2024 . Reuters . March 14, 2024.