Is It SAFE to Travel to the Caribbean Right Now?

By Brian Delpozo Leave a Comment

Are you considering traveling to the Caribbean anytime soon? We suggest catching up on the U.S. State Department’s most recent travel warnings for the area.

Disney Cruise Line

The Caribbean island cluster is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Western Hemisphere, with millions of Americans flocking to the region by plane and cruise each year. However, the U.S. State Department has issued a series of travel warnings for the area that may give some potential travelers pause.

The State Department breaks its travel advisory scale into four levels, with 1 being the least severe and 4 being the most.

Currently, Haiti is the only Caribbean Country listed at Level 4 by the State Department, warning NOT to travel there. The country is listed as having a severe risk of “crime and kidnapping” for American citizens. As of writing, Carnival has paused cruises to Labadee, Haiti, due to the perceived dangers of traveling there.

©Carnival

The State Department’s third level of Trade Advisory recommends that Americans reconsider visiting a location, but stops short of advising them clearly not to. Currently, Caribbean countries under a Level 3 Advisory are Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana, all of which for risk of crime, terrorism, and kidnapping.

The second level of Warning issued by the State Department calls for visitors to exercise “increased” caution. Caribbean countries currently at Level 2 warning levels include the Bahamas (a major port for many of the world’s largest cruise lines, including Disney), Belize Cuba, and Turks and Caicos.

Disney’s Nassau Port in the Bahamas

Finally, there’s Level 1, in which visitors are advised to exercise normal precautions. Caribbean countries under this lowest level of State Department warning are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and Suriname.

Disney Wish

If you’re heading to the Caribbean soon, definitely stay attuned to the State Department’s latest travel warnings for the region. Stay tuned to DFB for more on current travel conditions.