Labadee Haiti (Royal Caribbean private island)

Labadee is an exclusive (privately-owned) Caribbean island port and resort destination located on Haiti's northern coast. This "private island" (area sized 260 acres/105 hectares) is leased until 2050 to the company RCCL-Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (now RCG-Royal Caribbean Group). Since 1986, RCCL has contributed the biggest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell wares on the premises for a fee, and also paying the government of Haiti USD 12 per ship tourist.

As an exclusive destination, at Labadee can dock and disembark passengers/crew only liners from the fleets of RCI-Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises. The first liner that visited Labadee since the COVID crisis started (March 2020) was Harmony OTS - on January 27, 2022.

The resort is entirely tourism-oriented and guarded by a private security force. Cruisers are not allowed to leave the property - the site is fenced off from the surrounding area and food available to travelers is brought from the ships. Controlled Haitian merchants are given the sole rights to sell merchandise and establish businesses in the resort. Though sometimes described in advertisements as an island, Labadee is actually a peninsula contiguous with Hispaniola Island. The cruise ships moor to the pier at Labadee which was completed in late 2009 and is capable of servicing Oasis-class ships.

Labadee attractions include beaches, watersports, a water-oriented playground, an alpine coaster, a zip line, and a Haitian flea market.

Royal Caribbean ships arrive in Labadee at ~8 am. Disembarkation is after breakfast on the ship. Lunch is Labadee BBQ (including veggie burgers) starting at 11 am. Dining options also include salads, fast food (burgers, hot dogs), chicken, fresh-made food.

Purchases can be made via SeaPass (boarding cards), except craft markets selling locally-made merchandise for cash. Shopping on Labadee is available at Artisan Market (fixed prices store for handmade goods) and Artisan Village (outdoor market with negotiable prices). Both are cash-only shopping options.

• Labadee's most popular attraction is the zip-line Dragon's Breath Flight Line. It starts from the mountain-top launch platform and allows speeds up to 50 mph (80 kph). Nature trails are also among the most common activities, along with parasailing, jet skiing, deep-sea fishing, alpine coaster riding, DreamWorks Safari. All these shore excursions can be booked prior the voyage (via RCI's Cruise Planner).
• Renting private cabanas or beach bungalows is also very popular among tourists. These beachside accommodations provide privacy and can be booked either online (before the voyage, via RCI's Cruise Planner) or while on the ship. Beach beds and loungers are the other local rental options.
• Columbus Cove Beach is the least crowded. Due to the large walking distance from the docking pier, tourists often use the quick and complimentary ferry ride to Columbus Cove.
• Barefoot Beach is an exclusive beach (reserved for Grand Suite and above cruise ship passengers) served by its own lunch buffet restaurant.
• At Adrenaline Beach there is a swim-up bar.
• Adventure Ocean Oasis (at Adrenaline Beach) is a kids splash area equipped with water toys, fountains and geysers. The facility is part of RCI's onboard kids program "Adventure Ocean" for supervised children's activities. Other kids' playgrounds are the Arawak Aqua Park (at Columbus Cove, with water slides, floating trampolines and pyramids) and Dragon's Splash Waterslide (Columbus Cove, featuring a 300 ft / 90 m long water slide ending into a splash zone.

Just like shipboard, Royal Caribbean beverage packages are all valid on Labadee too.

For touring Labadee, RCI provides complimentary shuttles all along the resort island. Tram stops are clearly marked.

In 2017 (August through October), Royal Caribbean made enhancements to Labadee's Adrenaline Beach. Works started on August 14 and included adding new reef balls to restore ailing coral reefs and create new scuba diving and snorkeling paths for cruise ship tourists. There were no works during all scheduled ship visits to the island. During the Adrenaline Beach redevelopment were also added cabanas.

Curiously, on Labadee there is a crew-only beach (located south of Columbus Cove Beach). Named "Belly Beach", it can be accessed only by boat (leaving from the jet-ski landing) and is exclusive to cruise ship crew members. Belly Beach is private (not owned by Royal Caribbean) so food and beverages there cost extra and are provided from an a la carte-priced menu at an open-air restaurant.

Barefoot Beach cabanas

Barefoot Beach on Labadee is an RCCL private beach property with exclusive access for Suite passengers and Pinnacle members of the company's "Crown & Anchor Society" loyalty program.

The beach offers a variety of private cabanas available for rent (at additional cost, on a first-come-first-served basis). These cabanas can be reserved via the ship's Concierge or the onboard Shore Excursions desk.

Follows the list of cabanas as types and rental prices (per cabana) at the Barefoot Beach: Standard (USD 295), Beachfront and Hilltop (USD 395), Over Water (USD 495). Reservations are full-day.

Each cabana has max capacity 6 people, 2 lounge chairs, a large indoor seating area. The list of price-inclusive amenities includes assigned attendant, complimentary amenities (towels, bottled water in cooler, snorkeling gear, 2 floating mats, hammocks, golf cart), private BBQ buffet exclusive access.

• Standard cabanas are also wheelchair accessible (with 2 steps only).
• Hilltop cabanas are the most private, featuring great panoramic views from above.
• Over Water cabanas have direct access to the sea and the beach.
• Beachfront cabanas are on the waterfront.

Nellie's Beach cabanas

Nellie's Beach is another RCCL private beach property with free access for all cabin types of passengers. The beach offers a variety of private cabanas available for rent (at additional cost, on a first-come-first-served basis).

These cabanas can be reserved via Cruise Planner (at RCI's website) and are 2 types - "Beach" and "Over-Water". Rent prices are USD 395 (Beach Cabana) and USD 495 (Over Water Cabana). Over-Water cabanas are built on rock groupings and have walkways down to the sea.

All rental details and price-included amenities are the same as for the suite-only Barefoot Beach.

At Columbus Beach, there are new bungalows (similar to the cabanas). Bungalow's rental price is USD 225 per day.

Labadee Haiti cruise terminal

Labadee Haiti tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Furious Flyer Zipline (shore excursion, booking code ZLE8) has as requirements minimum weight 34 kg, minimum height 1,2 m (tall) and max weight 125 kg (no minimum age). This hrilling sky-high adventure offers tandem zip-lining along 850 m (2800 ft) long zipline above Labadee's forested mountains and tropical seascapes. The excursion starts from a launch tower where expert trainers deliver safety briefings and equipment (helmet and cable harness). Then passengers start flying head-first through a tunnel of tall trees. The zip line opens up over cliffs plunging to the ocean below and ends on a landing deck.

• USD prices - 139 (adult / child), complimentary for infants
• What to Bring - SeaPass card, cash / credit cards
• What to Wear - hat, sunglasses, closed-toe shoes, long shorts / trousers
• Flight Line Staff reserves the right to adjust weight requirements due to weather conditions at any time before or during the tour.