You booked an amazing cruise, but the U.S. State Department has issued a travel warning for the place you're scheduled to go.
This scenario plays out a lot because cruise ships tend to visit countries around the world that have their issues.
Should you cancel? Will Royal Caribbean change the itinerary?
One vacationer is booked on Jewel of the Seas for a cruise in April wrote on Facebook, "Has anyone read that there is a travel warning for Belize City, Belize?"
"What are your thoughts? Should I be sacred?" is what this person wrote, and it's a commonly asked question related to many other ports.
Here's what these warnings mean and how they apply to your cruise.
What are these warnings about?
The United States State Department has warnings for Americans traveling around the world, and they use different levels to convey how concerning the issues are.
These warnings are all listed on the State Department website, and are updated as needed.
A Level 1 warning is the lowest warning, and it's described as "Exercise normal precautions."
Level 2 is a step up, and changes the wording to be "Exercise increased caution."
In both cases, the government wants Americans to be less cavalier than usual, and to be aware of the minor issues that have flared up recently.
Many countries have a Level 1 or Level 2 warning, including the United Kingdom, Greece, Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, and Canada.
When you get to Level 3, the warning changes to "Reconsider Travel". And then you have Level 4 of "Do Not Travel".
These are more serious warnings that alert Americans to terrorism threats, war, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, high crime rates and other personal security issues.
Countries with the Level 4 warning are ones that are either known for having a history of internal strife or enduring wars, such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Burma, Syria, or Lebanon.
Will the cruise line change plans because of the warnings?
Usually, cruise lines don't change their plans, even for a Level 3 or 4 warning.
That might sound strange, but the reality is these warnings apply to specific areas of the country and not necessarily where your cruise ship will visit. Violent crime rarely involves tourists.
That isn't to say the warning isn't important, but the places tourists go aren't necessarily where the problems occur.
In the case of Belize, the warning was related to violent crime on the south side of the city. When reading the warning, the State Department clearly says, "This area (south of Haulover Creek Canal and continuing south to Fabers Road) does not overlap with the typical tourism areas. "
Most shore excursions in Belize City actually take place in the ocean, surrounding jungle, or caves. According to Viator's list of Belize City tours, nearly all of them took place in the jungle, around ruins, or on the water.
Most importantly, Royal Caribbean has a team that monitors safety issues around the world.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said, "The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority."
"At all times, we remind guests to remain aware of their surroundings while ashore and follow all State Department guidelines.
"Should any changes be required, guests will be notified directly."
Essentially, the decision to change an itinerary depends on the specific situation in that country and how it impacts tourism areas.
Is it safe to go if there's a travel warning?
Travel warnings shouldn't be ignored, but they aren't a reason to cancel your plans either.
There's risk with almost anything you do, and that extends to travel. Of course, that risk also applies to cities in our own country too.
Many countries have had travel warnings for many years, and the State Department re-issuing similar warnings is not new, per se.
If you are truly concerned, you don't have to get off the ship. There's no requirement to go on a shore excursion.
The tour operators that Royal Caribbean partners with are vetted by the cruise line for safety, and if there's unnecessary risks involved, the tour is cancelled.
An example of this was when a ferry boat sank to Blue Lagoon in The Bahamas. Following the incident, cruise lines pulled bookings until the tour operator addressed safety issues.
In a more extreme example, Royal Caribbean suspended visits to its private destination of Labadee for many months until it was determined their ships could return again.
The purpose of these travel warnings is to give travelers insight into issues occurring in these countries.
Labadee, Haiti has a "No Travel" warning!
The most notable travel warning has to do with Haiti because that's where a lot of Royal Caribbean ships visit.
Haiti has a Level 4 warning, and the country's issues have been well-documented in the news.
The State Department warning states, "Since March 2024, Haiti has been under a State of Emergency. Crimes involving firearms are common in Haiti. They include robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom. Kidnapping is widespread, and U.S. citizens have been victims and have been hurt or killed."
That's lead to a lot of concerned cruisers who have sailings that visit Royal Caribbean's private beach in Labadee, which is a small peninsula in northern Haiti.
It's important to remember where Labadee is located, as it's on a peninsula walled off from the rest of the country. There is a large wall and barbed wire fence between the property line and the outside, and Labadee has its own private security.
Moreover, there has not been any fighting or civil strife anywhere near Labadee.
