Usually, the U.S. State Department issues travel warnings due to political unrest.
In most cases, the most serious warnings are prompted when the government of a country is unable to maintain control. When that happens, the State Department shares a warning on its four-level warning system. The levels are easy to understand:
- Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
- Level 2: Exercise increased caution
- Level 3: Reconsider travel
- Level 4: Do not travel
The cruise lines routinely ignore Level 1 and Level 2 warnings. Both essentially mean "be a little careful," and the actual warning often shares specific areas of a country that Americans should avoid.
Related: Despite warning, cruise lines visit ‘violent’ Caribbean port
Sometimes, a travel warning is issued because a natural disaster creates problems. A hurricane, snowstorm or, in a current case, an earthquake can create situations where the local government's resources are stressed to the point where safety for visiting tourists can't be guaranteed.
That's what happened in one popular cruise port that's regularly visited by Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line.
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Image source: Pixabay
Popular cruise port crippled by earthquake
Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian all have multiple cruise ships sailing cruises out of Australia. Many of those cruises call on Port Vila in Vanuatu, a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean 1,100 miles (1,800 km) east of Australia.
Vanuatu was hit by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake on Dec. 17. The next day a 6.1 magnitude quake followed.
"The magnitude 7.3 earthquake which struck Port Vila killed at least 16 people, injuring at least 200 and causing massive damage to the city and surrounding areas," the Guardian reported.
"The number of deaths and injuries is expected to rise as search-and-rescue operations continue. A potential health crisis also looms as aid workers believe about 20,000 people on the island cannot access clean water."
In the wake of that disaster the U.S. State Department has issued a Level 3: Reconsider Travel warning for Vanuatu.
"The U.S. Department of State advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel to Vanuatu following the December 17, 2024, earthquake, which caused significant damage to local infrastructure," the agency urged.
"The U.S. government’s ability to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens in Vanuatu is limited and departure options have been disrupted. Within Vanuatu, numerous buildings sustained severe damage, and curfews are in effect in some areas."
Cruise lines are still calling on Port Vila, Vanuatu
Royal Caribbean's website still paints a beautiful picture of pre-earthquake Vanuatu.
"In Port Vila, Vanuatu's energetic capital, you'll be greeted by friendly Bislama-speaking locals and street-side markets," the website says.
"Walk around the centre of town – you'll see a touch of French influence still remains in the form of bistros and murals. Cruise to Port Vila to explore the hidden waterfalls of the Mele Cascades, tucked away in the Mele village rainforest with plenty of gently sloping hiking trails."
Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line still have cruise ships scheduled to dock in Port Vila this month, according to CruiseMapper.
Those port calls are likely to be canceled based on not just the U.S. State Department's travel advisory but also what Vanuatu's government itself has said.
Vanuatu's government has declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for seven days in the worst-affected areas, including Port Vila. The curfew is set to expire Dec. 28.
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Americans were also given a further warning.
"The U.S. Embassy in Port Vila has sustained considerable damage during the earthquake and is closed until further notice," Vanuatu's government added. "U.S. citizens in Vanuatu should contact U.S. Embassy Port Moresby if they are in need of assistance."
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