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Horrible experience. The natives of Labadee are hidden behind a fence to allow some working class vocationers to have some cheap fun at Labadee! It is racism at its best. I wonder if such measures would be taken if Labadee was in Norway or Italy. I doubt it greatly. Do not participate in such an apartheid organization. It is wrong. And asides from this immorality it is disgusting . Very cheap activity.…
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Date of experience: September 2019
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
+1
If you cruise with Royal Caribbean you may get to experience their private island in Labadee, This is our 2nd visit and we were no more impressed this time than the first. The area we can see while their is just not kept up well and the buffet they offer is simply gross. This time around we rented a beach umbrella and enjoyed a few drinks. The cove is beautiful and really the only place to enjoy a dip in the water, the ocean beach is very rocky and has rough waves. There are plenty of activities to do on the island, but we prefer to relax and enjoy the beach. The staff is always welcoming and very helpful.…
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Date of experience: February 2020
Helpful
This is a very nice resort created by Royal Caribbean, with good transportation and plenty of things to do
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Date of experience: February 2020
Helpful
+1
Labadee is a fenced, secure resort leased by Royal Caribbean on the North Central Coast of Haiti. Haiti is a Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic to its east. Hispaniola Island is to the East of Cuba and is South of the West Indies (e.g. Turks & Caicos Islands). Labadee is completely tourist-oriented. As stated, the site is fenced off from the surrounding area, and passengers are not allowed to leave the property. Further, the area is guarded by a private security force. Thus, the area is safe. The food and beverages available to cruise guests is brought from the cruise ships. A controlled group of roughly two hundred (200) Haitian merchants have bee given sole rights to establish their businesses and sell their merchandise in the resort. This occurs along a strip called the Artisan Village. For me, this was the only negative of Labadee. The Artisan Village is a huge flea market. The locales are extremely aggressive in hawking their treasures - too aggressive for me. If I want to shop, it needs to be at my pace and relaxing. In this case, visitors were not allowed to walk past without being aggressively accosted by the vendors. You were not allowed to simply take your time and look, they were on you - look at this, touch that, etcetera. A favorite tactic was for them to have you shown them your hand after which they would quickly slip a string bracelet on your arm and synch it tight. Next came their bartering game to get you to buy one or more. Usually starting at US$5 each. In my case, the seller came down to US$1 for two, which I did not want even at that price. This sales area is cash only. I finally escaped by stating I only had my Sea Pass and no other money. I can commiserate that these people are only trying to make a living. I might have spent time looking and bought something, if the constant pressure was not so great. Others may enjoy this type of interaction, however, for me, I just wanted to get away and get some beach time. Of course, if you want to purchase something and avoid the bartering, just go to the Artisan Market (a single good size building) within which the goods are at fixed price and no sales pressure. The 260 acre resort is divided into different areas. Leaving the cruise ship and walking down the pier the first area you reach will be Buccaneer's Bay. Here you can book tours (e.g. Wave Jet, Pasasail, Speed Boat, etcetera). You can also get your picture infront of the Labdee sign with your ship in the background. Moving counterclockwise along the resort main thoroughfare, you next reach Dragon's Plaza. Here is located an information center & meeting point, the Tram Station (free and will take you to the other end of the resort, stopping along the way), Dragon Cafe (free food buffet), Dragon's Breath Pub (cash bar but free drinks with your "Beverage Package"), cash per ride Dragon's Tail Coaster, Lookout Point and Zip Line signup. Keep walking and you will reach Adrenalin Beach. We spent half our time at this beach, where beach chairs are free or you can cash rent beach cabanas. A floating bar is also in this area, but be warned, when the seas are rough, footing on the bar can be treacherous. We saw many fall, when we were there - just be careful. At the end of Adrenaline Beach is the trail up the hill to the different zip lines. These zip lines are roughly a half mile long with speeds over 40 mph - cost ~US90/ride. Next is the Town Square area, which is close to Adrenaline Beach, providing their own food buffet area and bars. This too is where the Artisan Market and Artisan Village are located. Columbus Cove (cash access to Splash Water Slide or Arawak Aqua Park, also can rent floating mats) and Nellie's Beach (cash rent cabanas here) are next. We spent the rest of our time here. As this is a cove, protection from the wind and surf exists - much calmer than the water at Adrenaline Beach, so it depends on what you prefer. We liked both. Again, free beach chairs at either location. Finally, is the Barefoot Beach Club, where you can cash rent Barefoot Cabanas, or use the Oceanview Spa. The bar areas are all over with no issue finding a beverage. Also, rest rooms are nicely spread around the resort. If you are somehow injured, they have a First Aid Station. The resort is not all that large, but they do have maps and signage in different places to help you find your way. The drinks on the island were similar to what you find on the ship, with the exception being the Labadoozie. This frozen drink is unique to the island and they cannot make it onboard. Typically, dark or light rum (your choice) is added. However, for children, you can just get this drink with no alcohol. I found this drink fruity, sweet and refreshing. However, one was about all I wanted - a bit too sweet for me. The buffet was ok - no near has diverse as on the ship. This is more of a picnic style than a full meal style. They offered hamburgers, hotdogs, grilled chicken, spare ribs, salads, a couple veggies (e.g. corn on the cob), cookies and brownies. Again the food was okay but paled in comparison to what is available on the ship. The beach experience is great. The water temperature is really nice. Plenty of activities, if you want, or just chill on the beach. Watch out for the sun, as it will burn you. However, spending time on the beach in the sun is one of my guilty pleasures. I do avoid getting burned, as that can ruin a vacation as quickly as anything. No worries, if you do not want to sit in the sun, you can sit under the palms or under an umbrella. Overall, we had a nice time at Labadee.…
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Date of experience: February 2020
8 Helpful votes
Helpful
On a recent Royal Carribean cruise, we stopped at Labadee. This private location has nice beaches and an overall nice layout. The only draw back is the peddler village area where the sellers can be quite aggressive. However, that aside, its worth getting off the ship for a nice beach experience.…
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Date of experience: March 2020
1 Helpful vote
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