Caribbean Port Yanked – Texas and Louisiana Cruisers Affected

(KMDL-FM) It has been a topsy-turvy chain of events in recent weeks involving cruises and cruise guests. There have been massive brawls on private islands. There have been social media influencers banned for life. And now there is news that one of the most popular ports in the Caribbean has been pulled from a major cruise line's itineraries for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026.

The removal of this port for safety reasons should come as a giant red flag for anyone who has a cruise vacation planned out of the Port of New Orleans or the Port of Galveston. The majority of cruises out of these ports feature destinations in the Caribbean.

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You've probably been made aware of State Department Travel Advisories for places like Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Haiti. The port in question is in one of those locales, but what makes this interesting to me as a seasoned cruiser. The port is actually a "private island" for a major cruise line.

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Why Was a Popular Caribbean Port Pulled From Celebrity Cruise Itineraries?

The fact that there are issues with security in what is supposed to be a secure environment should signal to you just how bad things are in Haiti. I have visited this port, and I can tell you that on the outside, it is a shining example of Caribbean luxury. However, just on the other side of a chainlink fence is the reality that is Haiti. Throngs of islanders stood on the other side of that fence, begging for food from the buffet or cash from the tourists.

The Port of Labadee, Haiti, will no longer be served by ships that sail under the Celebrity Cruise Lines banner. The cancellation of Labadee as a port will affect at least 11 itineraries. Most of those changes will be for guests who have booked passage on Celebrity Apex or the Celebrity Beyond.

Which Cruise Ships Are Affected By the Cancellation of Labadee, Haiti, As a Port?

I did some snooping on your behalf, and those vessels, the Apex and Beyond, would have most of their embarkations at Port Everglades or Port Canaveral in Florida. But you should know that Labadee is the "private island" for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, too. 

However, there are itineraries not only on Celebrity but other cruise lines that could be affected by this security concern. Our advice is to check with your cruise line or travel agent and make sure you know where the ship is going and where it plans to stop.