What You’ll See on a Cruise to Haiti

Did you notice the odd placement of a registered trademark
symbol after the port name?  We don’t see
a trademark symbol after cities like New York or even Cancun…so why does
Labadee get one?  Well, the interesting
thing about Labadee is that it’s really more like DisneyLand® (which,
incidentally, also has a registered trademark on its name) than a city.  I say that in the sense that Labadee®, in
many ways, is a sort of contrived, confined “paradise” that Royal Caribbean has
the rights to – at least for 35 more years, until their lease runs out.  

Unlike many other ports in the Caribbean, Labadee® is
exclusively for vacationers aboard Royal Caribbean ships.  Armed guards man the high walls that separate
the private resort from the rest of the island. Guests are not allowed outside
the resort, nor are locals (less those who work at the resort) allowed in.  The food served at this port is all brought
from the cruise ship – even the tropical drink served at the port of call, the
“Labaduzee,” is a Royal Caribbean concoction.
Several shore excursions are offered – including the “Dragon’s Breath
Flight Line” (the longest zipline over water, according to Royal Caribbean), a
300 foot long waterslide, a roller coaster and waterpark – all within the
confines of the resort.

While some say the segregation of the port of call from the
rest of Haiti leaves them feeling uncomfortable, others argue that the resort
provides considerable tourism revenue for the country.  The resort employs around 300 locals and
allows another 200 to sell their wares on the beach.  In addition, Royal Caribbean pays $12 per
guest to the Haitian government.

In any case, one thing is certain; cruising in Labadee will
undoubtedly open your eyes to the breathtaking natural beauty Haiti has to
offer!