Why major cruise lines are sailing to places the US advises against visiting — despite widespread violence and crimes

• Some cruise lines are sailing to places the US State Department has advised against visiting.
• The US has destinations like Haiti, Honduras, and Sinaloa, Mexico, at a “Level 4: Do not travel.”
• Industry group CLIA said cruise lines work with security experts and governments to assess their routes.

The warm, palm-tree-dotted beaches of Royal Caribbean’s private Haitian resort, Labadee, accommodate thousands of eager cruisers every year.

But a six-hour drive away, near Toussaint Louverture International Airport, the situation couldn’t look more different.

The Federal Aviation Administration has halted US airlines from flying into Haiti’s primary airport, which the State Department calls a “focal point for armed activity.” Amid continuing civil unrest, the US advises against travel to the Caribbean country, warning of robberies, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings, including of American citizens.

Royal Caribbean paused voyages to Labadee for seven months in 2024. But some of its larger ships have since returned — despite the country remaining at the State Department’s most severe “Level 4: Do not travel” advisory.

Royal Caribbean has maintained Labadee’s safety, telling CruiseHive in late 2024 that the property has private security and minimal crime. (The cruise line did not provide Business Insider with a comment about Labadee.)

Like Royal Caribbean, popular vacation-at-sea companies like Carnival, Norwegian, and Princess also continue sailing to destinations where the US has a Level 4 or Level 3 travel advisory, such as Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, and several Mexican states.

To understand why, you have to read the notices’ fine print.

The State Department advises reconsidering travel to Honduras due to heightened levels of violent crimes and gang operations. However, it notes there are more resources and improved policing in tourist areas like Roatan — home of Carnival Corp’s Mahogany Bay Cruise Center port.

As such, cruise lines like Celebrity, Princess, MSC, and Oceania all have Roatan itineraries scheduled for 2025.

Similarly, the US government recommends avoiding travel to the Mexican states of Colima and Sinaloa. But the advisory says federal employees can travel to specific tourist areas in Mazatlan, Sinaloa and Manzanillo, Colima — where cruise lines like Norwegian and Princess would sail to in 2025. (Royal Caribbean and Carnival currently don’t offer Manzanillo itineraries.)

A spokesperson for the trade group Cruise Lines International Association told BI that its companies “prioritize safety and security in all of their operations and closely monitor all planned routes, including working closely with global security experts and government authorities.”

If needed, itineraries are adjusted to comparable ports, they said.

Of course, not all travel advisories are created equally.

The US has the Bahamas at Level 2 — “exercise increased caution” — due to crime on two of its most popular islands, Grand Bahama and New Providence (home to Nassau).

Yet, the Caribbean country continues to be a popular vacation destination — potentially even more so by the end of the year.

Several cruise giants have been expanding their private port portfolio throughout the two Bahamian islands. Carnival is currently building a $600 million resort, Celebration Key, on Grand Bahama, while Royal Caribbean’s coming Royal Beach Club Paradise Island would be a short drive from New Providence.

Both are expected to debut in 2025.