Haiti: 2nd Cruise Ship Canceled in Labadee Due to Ongoing Protests

800px-Freedom_of_the_Seas_(ship,_2007)_001Royal Caribbean announced that it is canceling another port stop for one of its cruise ships at the cruise line’s private destination in Labadee, Haiti, because of protesters. All shore-side crew were evacuated.

The Navigator of the Seas was scheduled to stop at Labadee on Thursday, but the cruise operator canceled the port call after encountering a flotilla of protesters in small boats.

Royal Caribbean withdrew all employees from the site and the entire resort was on lock down, says an eyewitness who recorded the protest.

It is the second port call that the cruise operator cancels in Labadee, following a similar situation on January 19 upon arrival of the Freedom of the Seas when five small boats packed with protesters, banging cans in the slip to the dock prevented the cruise ship from docking.

This is the first time in the 13 year history Royal Caribbean cruise ships have docked in Labadee that there has been issues of this kind at the port.

In an official statement, Royal Caribbean said that it “has not received any guarantees or assurances that there will not be any protests in the future.” The company raises concerns that if a protest takes place while a ship is at the port, “there would be a significant impact” on its “guests’ ability to enjoy Labadee” or the company “may have to cancel the visit completely.”

The political situation in Haiti is unstable as thousands of protesters took to the streets of Port-Au-Prince on Monday against President Michel Martelly and the upcoming election to replace him.

 

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