Western Caribbean Ports

Freedom of the Seas Ports Reviews

In Four Parts

Port #1 Labadee, Haiti

            Labadee is a private port of call owned by Royal Caribbean, so its other ships (Celebrity) stop there as well. In some of the company literature it’s called a private “island” but it’s actually a small peninsula on the northern coast of Haiti. There is a large wall and gate at the eastern end of the property that seals it off from the rest of the area. This part of Haiti was substantially unaffected by last year’s hurricane. Royal Caribbean offered cargo space for relief supplies on all its ships, and we saw pallets marked “Haiti Relief” on the pier.

         

   There is a large pier and not too long of a walk to the entrance to the park. Labadee consists of several beach areas (an ocean side and a bay side) and lots of bars and plazas. There are 2 main shopping areas and a smaller shed with some artisan stalls inside. There’s a private beachfront area for suite and Concierge level guests, complete with its own bar and patio area. Bands play in various locations and there are 3 places to get food during the lunch buffet hours, so lines aren’t long. There is a trolley that will take people from one section to another; I think it took us about 20 minutes to walk around the whole property. 

There is also a spa on top of a hill that seemed an ideal setting to get some pampering.

Art for Sale

             

There are several walking paths up hills with interesting overlooks. One highlight is the “Dragon’s Breath”- a natural phenomenon caused by holes in the rocks near the shore that whoosh with sounds when waves rush under the rocks.

            There are activities to do which cost money and are booked like shore excursions. You can book ahead, or go to the shop on the plaza and sign up there. There’s a huge zip line that goes from the crest of a hill above the beach down over the water to the edge of the beach. You can rent jet skis and kayaks. You can do snorkeling trips as well. There is a cove for families and kids with lots of climbing structures and a special swimming area with floats and bouncy things.

            We found a quite place on the bay side of the area and could choose hammocks or beach lounges. We swam a bit and just relaxed. The lunch buffet was jerk chicken, fried fish, salads, vegetables and fruits. There were cookies for dessert. The food is only out for a couple of hours.

            I liked this port more than I thought I would. It’s larger than I expected, so the people from the ship are spread out and we never felt crowded. We enjoyed relaxing on the beach and chose not to do much shopping or sign up for any activities. Next time I think I’d opt for the 2 hour kayak tour to learn more about the area and to see 

the village that is nearby.

Labadee

Haiti Relief Supplies