[ProomoSam]

On Sunday, the Guardian reported that Florida-based Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines is docking ships at the "picturesque wooded peninsula" known as Labadee, which it leases on Haiti's northern coast. At Labadee, passengers "enjoy jetski rides, parasailing, and rum cocktails delivered to their hammocks." The British paper also reported that passengers can spend their time "shopping for trinkets at a craft market" while armed guards stand at the entry to the complex to guarantee their safety.
Royal Caribbean's decision to dock ships at Haitian resort creates controversy - Yahoo! News

Not sure about this one, I'm actually divided, at first glimpse it's just wrong borderline repulsive, but at the same time it does help, in a bizarre way though.

The article must be (obviously) sensationalist, I'm guessing those quotes about the resort amenities, etc, are from Royal Caribbean's standard brochure and that was an already booked cruise.

But still.......mmmmm.....I'm still undecided.

[Gasfghj]

Nothing bizarre about it. It's hard currency and jobs. The idea of cutting either is what's bizarre.

(Thailand's recovery from the tsunami was also hampered by people staying away.)

[economex]

Why wouldn't you want it to dock there. Those are jobs and hard currency. Just what Haiti needs. To stop this would just cripple them entirely.

[SappyAppy]

If the cruise line and/or tourists were exploiting the earthquake for their own gains, then we would have something repulsing to talk about.

Especially now, It makes no sense to limit in any way Haiti's economic gains from it's travel/tourism industry. Nor should the ability of those Haitian's who earn an income by providing services to the tourists be blocked. If anything people should continue to patron Haiti as a travel destination, thus supporting their ability to improve their situation by using their resources, and likewise maintain the infrastructure as it is repaired and improved. The impact of humanitarian aid will eventually return to the levels they were at prior to the earthquake. The economic impact that travel/tourism can bring will remain. It's continued growth and success is clearly needed to reduce the necessity of the Haitian government's reliance on foreign aid as a significant revenue stream.

This being said fully understanding that Haiti was in very bad economic shape prior to the earthquake and travel/tourism is not the magic pill to fix what ailed it. There were plenty of man made problems anchoring the country before the quake that can be blamed for causing and keeping it as one of the poorest in the world. Which brings me to this point regarding the future economic impact travel/tourism will be responsible for. It would be interesting to investigate if the profits the Haitian government makes from the travel/tourism industry are not being funneled into the pockets of corrupt officials, but applied towards Haiti's benefit.

[spacecrafty]

I’ve never understood the attraction of vacationing in a secure, luxury resort, in the middle of such shocking poverty, but it’s clearly not an unusual desire.

[satthackacibe]

What happened in Haiti was obviously a tragedy of immense proportions, however these ships have been providing relief(food and water). They also do help to stimulate the local economy which others here have already stated.

The real concern here is the Cougar Cruise ..... "Still, Royal Caribbean, which recently raised eyebrows when it announced that it's organizing a "cougar cruise" for older single women, has been catching heat from all corners on their decision, prompting company CEO Adam Goldstein to post a defense of the company on their website."

[jabader]

From vacationstogo.com:
Only two cruise lines visit Haiti -- Royal Caribbean and sister company Celebrity. Both call on Labadee, a private destination operated by Royal Caribbean on the northern coast of Haiti.

The initial assessment revealed no damage in Labadee and all shoreside personnel have been accounted for and are uninjured. (Two of the port's attractions, the Zip Line and Alpine Coaster, will remain closed until a thorough inspection can be conducted to ensure their safety.)

No cruise ships were in port at the time the earthquake struck. Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas returned to Labadee on Friday, January 15th, carrying passengers and relief supplies including rice, dried beans, powdered milk, water and canned goods. The company has pledged to contribute at least $1 million in humanitarian relief.

"Royal Caribbean wants to do its part to help out not only the general response, but also our hundreds of Haitian employees and their families through this disaster," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

"In addition to our financial contribution, Royal Caribbean will continue to provide economic support through the continuous business we bring to Labadee," Fain added.

Three more Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships will call on Labadee in the next two weeks, each bringing supplies that will be distributed by Food for the Poor. In addition, the line will donate 100% of their net revenue earned in Labadee to relief efforts.

Leslie Voltaire, Special Envoy of the government of Haiti to the United Nations said, "We welcome the continuation of the positive economic benefits that the cruise ship calls to Labadee contribute to our country."