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 Coronavirus 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), excepting 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.