Things To Know About The Mobile Cruise Terminal In Alabama
Things you need to know about the Mobile Cruise Terminal in Alabama. Covering facilities and travel tips for before or after a cruise from the port.
Mobile cruise terminal began as a home port for CarnivalCaribbean cruises in 2001. The busy commercial port now has a dedicated cruise terminal which provides state-of-the-artfacilities and convenient on-site parking for cruisers.;
Well located for those living in the southern states, Mobile cruise port has proved popular for shorter 4- and 5-day cruises as well as longer itineraries to the Eastern Caribbean. Ports of call on cruises from Mobile, AL include Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Grand Turk, Amber Cove , San Juan , Limon , Mahogany Bay and partial Panama Canal transits.
If youre within easy driving distance of this northern Gulfport, check out the facts about the cruise ships, cruise parking, itinerariesand amenities offered at Mobile cruise terminal before booking your nextCaribbean cruise. Get ready to cast off and set sail!
Carnival Cruises To Return To Mobile In October
MOBILE, Alabama — Carnival Cruise Line announced this week that cruises out of the Port of Mobile will resume in October, marking the first cruises from Mobile since the CDC first suspended passenger cruises in March 2020.
The Carnival Sensation will homeport at the Port of Mobile and guest operations will officially resume Oct. 21, Carnival announced. The Sensation will be the first cruise ship sailing out of Mobile since the No Sail Order was first implemented March 14, 2020.
Were excited to see a definitive date set for the resumption of cruises out of Mobile, said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. Weve been continuing to communicate with Carnival so that were ready to meet their needs as a home port city when cruising starts again in October. Carnival plays a critical role in the Citys economic strength, and we are pleased to continue this successful partnership with the return of the Carnival Sensation.
Cruising from Mobile is estimated to bring in 200,000 guests, creating more than 35,000 overnight stays in local hotels, and direct spending across multiple business segments.
Its Sensational to have Carnival Cruise Lines return to Mobile, and a new ship to boot, said David Clark, President & CEO of Visit Mobile. Carnivals partnership brings a tremendous boost to Mobiles hotels, restaurants, attractions, and the surrounding region. We are excited to have the Carnival Sensation as a part of our skyline and to welcome back more visitors into our city.
Carnival Cruise Line To Resume Sailings From Mobile On October 21
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the cruise industry in March, a cruise ship will sail out of Mobile with passengers on board.
But there is a catch for those cruises who are unvaccinated: You will pay $150 to be tested before and after the cruises. Also, on board youth programs will only be available to vaccinated children and youth ages 12 and older.
The Carnival Sensation, one of the Miami-based companys four upgraded Fantasy-class ships, will resume operations on October 21 from the Alabama Cruise Terminal in downtown Mobile. The cruise ships initial voyage will mark the first time one of the companys vessels has left Mobile with passengers on board since in early March 2020, during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
It will also mark the first time the Carnival Sensation was in Mobile since mid-May, when the cruise ship arrived to vaccinate the crew members who were on board.
We are very excited about our restart and greatly appreciate the support of our guests, travel agents and port and destination partners, said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line in a news release that announced the companys plans on Monday.
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, in a statement, said the city and Carnival Cruise Line have been in communication so that were ready to meet their needs as a home port city when cruising starts in October.
Were excited to see a definitive date set for the resumption of cruises out of Mobile, Stimpson said.
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Try Something Short And Sweet
For travelers who dont have a lot of time or are taking their first-ever cruise, Carnival offers a four-day itinerary from Mobile through the Western Caribbean. The schedule includes two days at sea with one port day in Cozumel, Mexico, before returning to Mobile. Carnival also features three five-day itineraries that explore a number of ports in the Western Caribbean. Depending on the itinerary, port choices include the Mexican cities of Cozumel, Progreso and Costa Maya, as well as sea days. All of these sailings start and end in Mobile.
Carnival Sensation Arrives In Mobile
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Carnival Sensation in Mobile
MOBILE, Ala. — The Carnival Sensation cruise ship is in Mobile this morning, and the crew will play a huge role in the efforts to resume cruises from U.S. ports.
The City of Mobile is assisting in vaccinating the ship’s crew against COVID-19.
As cruise lines work toward resuming operations out of U.S. ports, the city reached out to assist with vaccinating Carnival Sensations essential staff members.
Through the city’s partnership with USA Health, officials have arranged for 110 crewmembers to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination in Mobile.
Once cruises resume from American ports, Carnival Sensation is the ship that will have its homeport in Mobile. It replaces the Carnival Fantasy.
City officials say they want to do everything they can to help Carnival resume sailing quickly and safely.
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Getting To Mobile Cruise Terminal
Almost 95% of those who take a cruise out of Mobile, ALdrive to the port and park their cars for the duration of the cruise.
Mobile, AL is connected to Biloxi, MS and Tallahassee, FL bythe Interstate 10 highway. The port is just 1/2 mile from the I-10 and 5 miles from the I-65 where the I-165 leads directly toBeauregard/N. Water St in downtown Mobile. Routes to the port and Mobile cruiseterminal are clearly signposted.
Mobile Cruise Terminal Past Present And Future
The first cruises sailed out of Mobile Port, AL in 2001.These cruises were with Carnival Cruise Lines who still operate out of thiscommercial deep-water port. These cruises from Mobile proved popular withtravelers from the southern states. In fact, they became the fastest selloutsin Carnivals cruise history.
The initial cruises proved to be a boost for the whole city of Mobile, bringing cruisers who dropped their dollars in hotels, cruise parking lots, restaurants and other local attractions before and after setting sail.
With this in mind, the city council invested $54,000 to develop the waterfront at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center in readiness for a purpose-built cruise terminal. They had interest from Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Holland America cruise lines.
In 2004, the new cruise terminal was opened, costingsomewhere between $10 and $20 million. It was the home port of Carnivals Holidaycruise ship with itineraries mainly to Mexico showing 100% capacity.;;
In 2007, Mobile won the coveted Port of the Year awardfrom Carnival, based on excellent feedback from cruise passengers. In 2008,Carnival announced the Holiday would be replaced by the Fantasyin 2009. The city responded by promising a new gangway at Mobile cruiseterminal and 450 more parking spots on-site.
In 2010, despite the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf ofMexico from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, the Mobile cruise industry had itsbest year ever
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Expert: Unvaccinated Cruisers Should Just Wait As Carnival Backs 95% Passenger Vaccination Rate
Carnival Cruise Line will restart sailing from Mobile on October 21, an announcement that drew an applause during Tuesdays City Council meeting.
But at least one cruise expert, and representatives with Visit Mobile, are encouraging anyone who wants to take an initial cruise from the Alabama Cruise Terminal to get vaccinated. If cruisers are unvaccinated, the message conveyed from the industry: Its best to just wait.
The cruise lines are saying that we want to be able to sail with everyone who is vaccinated, said Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is referred to as the Cruise Guy.
He added, People who are unvaccinated should just wait. The experience they will have on board the ships wont be very pleasant. There are certain dining areas they cannot come in. With Royal Caribbean, they cant go into a spa, the casino and relegated to certain areas of the dining room. They are doing everything possible to have zero cases.
David Clark, president & CEO with Visit Mobile said that for anyone wanting the full cruise experience, they will need to get vaccinated.
I think Carnival is doing the right thing, Clark said. As an operator, you cannot take chances with your customers. You cannot take any chances at this particular time or at any time. Carnival has always maintained that safety is the first priority of their customers and their team and I applaud them for keeping that standard.
Vaccination protocols
According to Carnival:
Low vaccination rates
Carnival Cancels All Cruises Out Of Mobile Until March 2021
Carnival Cruise Line announced Wednesday that all cruises from the Port of Mobile are canceled until March 1, 2021, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The news about Mobile is part of a larger series of cancellations announced by Carnival on Wednesday.
Cruise lines were shuttered under a No Sail Order from the CDC from March 14 until November 4.
Carnivals shuttering of operations since Nov. 4 has been on a voluntary basis as the company seeks to implement a gradual resumption of its normal business.The cruise line said Wednesday that Miami and Port Canaveral are the locations it is targeting for its first cruises since the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States in the spring.
Like Mobile, most other ports out of which Carnival sails, such as New Orleans, Charleston, and San Diego are shuttered until February 28.
We are committed to meeting the CDC requirements and keeping our guests and business partners informed of our progress, said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a release.
The CDCs rules for cruise ships are can be accessed here.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email:;;or on Twitter;
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Carnival Sensation To Arrive In Mobile
For the first time since cruise operations were first suspended more than a year ago, a Carnival cruise ship will be returning to the Alabama Cruise Terminal in Mobile. However, it wont be the ship that was originally expected.
Related:;Things to Know About the Mobile Cruise Terminal in Alabama
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson announced on Tuesday in a City Council meeting that the Carnival Sensation will arrive at the port on Friday. The plan is for 110 crew members to receive their first dose of the vaccine. It follows two other ships that have started having crew vaccinations at the Port of Galveston.
In a local news report, Mayor Stimpson said in the meeting, Were pretty excited about that. Its a big deal, theyre coming here to be vaccinated. My understanding is that three weeks later the ship will come back in for the crew members to be re-vaccinated.
Its a major step forward for cruise operations out of the State of Alabama and makes sense as Carnival Sensation will be based from the port once cruises resume. Sister ship Carnival Fantasy was originally set to homeport out of Mobile but was sadly sold for scrap in 2020. Carnival Cruise Line was then planning on shifting Carnival Fascination from Puerto Rico to Mobile but then that she was sold.
Mayor Stimpson has urged the public to head down to the Gulf Quest maritime Museum or the Cooper Riverside Park at around 9:00 AM on Friday to welcome the Carnival cruise ships arrival.
Customers Love Cruising With Us
A must do when visiting Mobile. Great views of the bay while watching the sunset. Live music, good catered food, great mixed drinks and friendly staff that makes sure youre being well taken care of. Thanks for offering this new outing in Mobile and well definitely be back!
If you like being on the water, this is a must do. Between the live music, great service, and beautifully lit skyline, it is a wonderfully unique experience. I am a sucker for photos and I loved the unique view it offered of the USS Alabama.
Cruised with friends celebrating their anniversary. In spite of the fog, we had an enjoyable evening. The crew was friendly and helpful. The food was delicious – buffet style. Cash bar was reasonably priced. The musicians were talented and engaging. Lots to see along the waterfront. I would go again.
We cruised during the week and it was very enjoyable, peaceful, and quite relaxing. Food was good. Drinks were awesome. Live music had us all dancing. The crew was super friendly!! Highly recommend. We’ll be back!!
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Caribbean Cruises Leaving Mobile Alabama
Snorkel the coral reefs in Cozumel.
The city of Mobile, Alabama, welcomes travelers from the South and beyond to come and embark on a cruise vacation sure to produce priceless memories. Located downtown, the city’s cruise terminal includes 66,000 square feet of space to check in passengers and process luggage, and an attached parking deck with parking for 500 vehicles. Currently, Carnival Cruise Line is the only cruise company sailing from Mobile to the Caribbean. At this time, cruisers can select a trip from nine itineraries, all sailing on the Fantasy cruise ship.
Carnival Fascinations New Homeport
via Carnival
Carnival has an interesting history with the Mobile port. Back in 2011, Carnival unexpectedly pulled Elation, which had been homeported in Alabama, sending the ship to New Orleans.;
READ MORE: First Time Carnival Cruise Guide
It wouldnt be until years later that Carnival returned to Mobile when the Fantasy began sailing out of the port in 2016.;At the time, a spokesperson for the city told the local media, We worked hard to bring Carnival Cruise Line back to Mobile, and we are working even harder to keep them.;
The resulting deal has proven to be a successful one, and will continue now that the Carnival Fascination will call the port home.;
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Celebrate Any And All Occasions On Perdido Queen Cruises
Help us welcome the Perdido Queen Dinner Cruise to the Alabama Gulf Coast. This is the only dinner cruise in Mobile providing an entertaining and unique way to enjoy our beautiful, scenic waterway. Ideal for anniversaries and special occasions or just a night out with the family or that special person.
Take downtown Mobile dining to a new level! Enjoy dining on the water while cruising along the Mobile waterfront. Dinner is catered by Dauphins and served at your private table and includes two entrees with plenty of sides and salad to select from. During your cruise, the vessel is heated or cooled for your comfort. Perdido Queen dinner cruises feature live entertainment, providing space for dancing and dining.
Cruises operate rain or shine. Reservations are required and suggested to be made early to guarantee seating for the date you wish to attend. Avoid the lines and forget about a wait! Parking is available on the south side of the convention center.; Covered parking is available under the convention center, after-hour parking requires cash. Train: In case of a train stopped on the tracks, please park on the south side free parking and use the stairway crossover by the convention center to avoid the railroad tracks.
Cruise Parking At Mobile Cruise Terminal
Mobile cruise terminal includes a covered parking garagewith 500 parking spaces. It includes six lanes for drivers to drop off cruise passengers and their luggage before parking. From there, cruisepassengers can walk a short distance to the screening area for check-in.Elevators are provided along with stairs.
On-site parking at Mobile cruise terminal currently costs$19 per day for regular vehicles; $36 for RVs and oversize vehicles and $54 perday for buses. It is slightly more expensive than some other cruise ports as itis on prime land on the waterfront and close to downtown.
Cruise parking reservations are not usually necessary at Mobile cruise terminal. However, you can make an online reservation for parking at Mobile port for peace of mind if you wish. Those who arrive without pre-booking cruise parking should follow the pre-pay information posted at the entrance to the parking garage.
If the garage is full, drivers will be directed to droppassengers and luggage and then proceed to the overflow parking lot near theCivic Center. This has free shuttle transport back to the cruise terminal.
For more information, read our comprehensive article dedicated to Essential Facts about Mobile Alabama Cruise Parking
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Carnival Cruise Line Announces New Ship For Mobile
Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,052-passenger Sensation is shown off the Bahamas.ANDY NEWMAN/CCL
Carnival Cruise Line announced updates to its fleet plan Thursday, including word that it will bring a newer ship, the Sensation, to Mobile
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson shared the news on social media after asking Whos ready for some good news?
Indeed, the word from Carnival follows recent news that the Carnival Fantasy, the ship that previously operated out of Mobile, had been sold and apparently was on its way to a scrapyard. This didnt necessarily mean Mobile had lost its footing as a cruise port — Carnival had previously announced plans to replace the Fantasy with the Fascination in 2022 — but it did create some uncertainty.
While its still unclear when the COVID-19 epidemic will subside enough for the cruise industry to get back up to speed, Carnivals announcement does provide some assurance Mobile wont be left behind when that happens.
Its a big, big, big, deal, said David Clark, president and CEO of Visit Mobile. This is years of work to make it happen.
Clark said the effort to build a relationship with Carnival has been a team effort. Among those who deserve credit, he said, are Stimpson, the city council, Visit Mobile and Joe Snowden, Stimpsons executive director of maritime and transportation.
Clark said he sees Mobiles inclusion in the Carnival announcement as a signal that the city isnt an afterthought for the company.