All United States State Department travel advisories are not created equally. The agency, for example, has given Haiti its highest-level travel advisory, a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" warning.
It spells out what that means on its website.
"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...Kidnapping cases often involve ransom requests. Victims’ families have paid thousands of dollars to rescue their family members," it shared on Sept. 18.
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That warning has led to a lot of Royal Caribbean passengers being concerned when they see Labadee, Haiti on their cruise itinerary. The reality, however, is that Labadee is a fenced-in, guarded section of Haiti that's nowhere near a population center.
There are no excursions outside the protected area in Labadee, and if an angry mob did decide to head toward Royal Caribbean's private beach destination, the cruise line would have plenty of time to evacuate passengers and staff safely.
So, just because the State Department issues a warning about a destination, that does not mean you should not go there. It is, however, important to read exactly what the U.S. government agency is worried about so you can follow that advice.
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What each State Dept. travel warning means
The U.S. State Department uses a four-level warning system and only destinations it only tells travelers not to visit a location when it issues a Level 4 warning. The four levels are:
- Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions. This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel. Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time.
- Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution. Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides more advice for travelers to these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.
Level 3 - Reconsider Travel. Reconsider travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.
Level 4 – Do Not Travel. This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. The U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance, including during an emergency. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so. We advise that you write a will prior to traveling and leave DNA samples in case of worst-case scenarios.
All four are warnings, but you can see that Level 3 and Level 4 are very severely worded. In nearly all cases, cruise lines would not stop in those ports.
Exercise increased caution in these 3 cruise ports
On Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, the State Department issued new or revised warnings for three destinations that major cruise lines call on. That includes one, El Salvador, where the warning has been downgraded from Level 3 to Level 2.
While crime remains a concern in El Salvador, there has been a significant reduction in gang-related activity and associated crime in the last two years. This includes drops in violent crimes and murders. U.S. government employees may travel throughout the country during daylight hours. Largely due to infrastructure concerns, U.S. government employees may not travel between cities or departments after dark, except for the route between San Salvador and El Salvador’s international airport and between San Salvador and La Libertad. Government employees are also restricted from using public buses.
Carnival's Holland America Line and Princess Cruises stop in El Salvador on Panama Canal crossing sailings, as do Norwegian's Oceania and Regent Seven Seas brands.
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Located on Africa's west coast, Togo may not be the first place Americans think of when cruising, but it's a popular stop that's called on by Regent Seven Seas, Oceania, and Carnival's Seabourn brand.
Its level has been downgraded from a Level 1 warning to a Level 2 due to "terrorism, crime, civil unrest, and kidnapping, according to the State Department.
Criminals and terrorist groups are active in Togo, particularly in areas bordering Burkina Faso and Northern Benin. Attacks in these areas can occur with little or no warning, and could target shops, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, schools, government buildings, transportation hubs, and other places where crowds gather. Violent attacks are far more likely in the northern areas of Togo than in the southern and coastal areas.
Lastly, the State Department has added some more information to its Level 2 warning about travel to South Africa to reflect new information on kidnappings.
Violent crime is common and includes armed robbery, rape, carjacking, and mugging. There are also "smash-and-grab" attacks on vehicles. Violent crime is more common in the downtown areas of big cities, especially after dark...There is a threat of kidnapping across South Africa. In the past, kidnappers have targeted U.S. citizens and other foreign travelers.
Cape Town, South Africa, is a port for Norwegian Cruise Line, Seven Seas Voyager, Seabourn, Princess, MSC Cruises, and a number of niche cruise lines.
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