Getting ashore
Cruise ships dock at the pier. It can take Oasis-class ships, and it was finished in late 2009. You step ashore there. This call is not a tender. Labadee is a private resort leased by Royal Caribbean, on the north coast of Haiti. You are here because the ship is in. You are not in a Haitian city. People hired by the line work on the property. Others may sell at the Artisan’s Market. The resort is fenced. Your day starts at the gangway and ends when you go back aboard.
Watch-outs
The gate is the edge of the visit. The resort is fenced, and guests are not allowed to leave the property. Do not plan a walk or a ride into Haiti. You are not in a city. Some ads call Labadee an island. It is not a separate island. It is part of Hispaniola, and a fence runs along the land side. A security force works inside. Ship trips that leave the grounds are booked with the cruise line. They are not something you arrange at the gate. You may also see the spelling Labadie. Be back for the ship’s all-aboard time.
Getting around the resort
Stay inside the fence. The resort is the whole visit. If you do not want to walk, take the free tram. It runs from Dragon Tram Station to Columbus Cove Tram Station, at the far end of the property. No ride time and no list of stops are given. Ask where it boards, and where it picks you up for the way back toward the ship. Beach wheelchairs are available. Guests who use a wheelchair can get around the resort. That does not describe the gangway. Ask the ship about the way off the ship. There is no town street to follow.
Taxis & ride apps
No taxi rank, no fare, and no ride app are named. Do not leave the gate to look for a car. The free tram is the only ride described. It stays on the property, from Dragon Tram Station to Columbus Cove Tram Station. There is no fare to settle, because the tram is free. If someone offers a paid ride past the fence, do not take it. This is not a city stop, and there is no taxi queue to join. Walk the resort paths, or use the tram. Come back the same way, in time for the ship.
What to do nearby
The sandy beach is the place for this call. Coral is in the water off the resort. You can lie on the beach. You can also book kayaking, snorkeling, or parasailing. Parasailing is given as about 400 feet above the peninsula. Kayaks go out on the Bay of Labadee. A wave runner follows the coast. These stay with the resort. They are not a trip inland. No price is printed. If a desk shows a figure, treat it as about that amount and ask before you pay. Book through the ship if that is how the activity is sold.
Going further
Do not plan a trip off the resort. There is no town to walk to from this pier. At Buccaneer’s Bay, ship excursions can leave Labadee. The names given are Amiga Island, snorkeling tours, Paradise Cove, cultural visits, a tour of a local village, deep-sea fishing, and a speed-boat trip. Parasailing and a jet ski can also be booked there. Those are the cruise line’s trips, not a plan you start at the gate. No price and no length of time are given. Treat any price as about that figure, and ask before you pay. If you are not booked, the gate is as far as you go.
Food & shopping
Shop at the Artisan’s Market. Only approved local merchants may sell there. You will also meet staff the line has hired. No restaurant and no menu price are named. Eat where you can see food on the resort, or eat back on the ship. Pay in US dollars. Cards are not mentioned. Carry cash. If a price is written down, treat it as about that amount and ask before you pay. Keep small bills. The market is inside the fence. Buying a souvenir is not a reason to leave.
Opening times & connectivity
No opening hours and no holiday list are given. The resort follows the ship. It is not a town you come back to later. Your arrival and your all-aboard time are on the ship’s paper. No Wi-Fi and no phone signal are described, so do not count on either. Save the pier spot and the two tram stop names before you step off. No emergency phone number is given. Ask resort staff or the ship if you need help. Do not expect the market to stay open after the ship has sailed.
Accessibility & mobility
The resort is described as accessible, and beach wheelchairs are available. A guest who uses a wheelchair should be able to move around the property. A free tram runs from Dragon Tram Station to Columbus Cove Tram Station if the walk is too long. None of that describes the gangway, a ramp on the pier, or the floor of the tram. Ask the ship whether a wheelchair or a scooter can come ashore. The beach sits inside the fence. The gate is still the edge of the visit. A line on a map is not a level path into a city. There is no city on this call.