Carnival Cruise Line has signed a contract extension with the city of Mobile, Alabama, that will see the Carnival Fantasy continue to homeport in Mobile through December 2018.
“Carnival Fantasy is presently based year-round in Mobile and operates a mix of four- to 10-day cruises to Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean and the Panama Canal,” a representative of the cruise line tells Travel Agent. “We are very pleased to be continuing and further building upon our outstanding partnership with mobile.”
“We continue to build the momentum of the growing cruise industry in Mobile and are committed to expanding the cruising options and destinations both in and out of our port,” Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said in a statement provided to Travel Agent. The agreement will be placed on the City Council agenda for approval as soon as possible.
Carnival began operating cruises from Mobile onboard the Carnival Fantasy in the fall of 2016 following an absence of a few years. The ship underwent a multimillion-dollar refurbishment prior to its deployment to the port, adding a number of Fun Ship 2.0 amenities such as Guy’s Burger Joint, developed in tandem with Food Network star Guy Fieri, two poolside watering holes, the RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar, and the BlueIguana Cantina Mexican-themed eatery.
Since the Carnival Fantasy returned to the port, the City of Mobile Cruise Terminal has generated over $4.7 million in gross revenue, according to the Mayor’s office. Over the course of the full calendar year, the terminal’s gross revenue is expected to exceed $6.4 million, and over 190,000 cruise travelers will spend more than $18 million in Mobile, with the overall direct impact expected to exceed $35 million.
2018 will see Carnival add a number of new, longer-length voyages from Mobile, the line reported in April. The new itineraries will include two six-day cruises to Cozumel and Grand Cayman or Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan), as well as two new eight-day voyages.
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