Carnival Cruise Ship Arrives In Alabama Port For The First Time
Carnival Sensation arrived in Mobile, Alabama for the first time yesterday where the cruise ship will begin offering cruises later this year.
Im sure I speak for everyone on board when I say It was quite emotional seeing all the people who came out to welcome us today. Mobile certainly misses cruising and we miss our guests, too! said Carnival Sensation Captain Giuseppe Strano. Its great to see how excited our guests are for the return of cruising. We cant wait to start sailing again.
Fans had a chance to get a first-hand look at what promises to be an exciting new option from Mobile as Carnival Sensation offers a greater variety of balcony accommodations and onboard features like a Bonsai Sushi Express and Cherry on Top sweet shop.
After her arrival, the cruise ships crew members had the opportunity to get vaccinated in the cruise terminal by representatives of USA Health.
The crew also enjoyed a special treat gumbo from Mobiles legendary seafood restaurant, Wintzells Oyster House, delivered to the cruise ship.
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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 citys 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 Leaves Mobile Again And Taxpayers Are Stuck With The Bills
The Carnival Fantasy cruise ship sits docked at the Alabama Cruise Terminal on Monday, March 30 2020, in downtown Mobile, Ala. .
Its been six weeks since passengers from Mobile last ordered pitchers at the Carnival Fantasys RedFrog Rum Bar. This was supposed to be the heyday for Mobiles cruising business. Last fall, the city signed its longest deal with Carnival since the cruise line first returned to Alabama waters in 2016.
The port is well positioned to draw customers from around the Southeast but, now, its unclear how long it will be before tourists flock to the city for their chance to eat one of Guy Fieris cheeseburgers at sea.
Mobile taxpayers could be on the hook for more than $3.4 million in annual expenses if its downtown terminal remains empty while Carnival Cruise Line works itself out of a coronavirus-era funk.
According to city figures provided to AL.com, Mobiles annual debt payments on the cruise terminal are around $1.9 million. The city had been paying off the debt by utilizing revenues from wharfage and parking fees by having the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy docked in downtown Mobile. The cruise ship, which last sailed out of Mobile in mid-March, left Alabama last month and is now part of a fleet of vessels returning crew members to their home countries.
The ship is currently docked in Miami and is scheduled to sail to Panama. There is no timetable for its return to Mobile.
Mobiles pitch: Drive to us
Challenging times
Unchartered waters
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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.
Mexico Cruises Travel Tips
- Don’t worry so much about drug cartels and missing individuals. These things do happen, but usually not in the tourist areas you will be visiting.
- Check out cenotes, which are natural swimming holes nestled in little caves.
- Bring pesos with you, not dollars because this will make buying things easier overall.
- The weather can change considerably from region to region, so keep this in mind when planning when to go to Mexico.
- Always try the unique Mexican food, because this is the one time you have the chance! Street is by far one of the best.
- Mexican bathrooms have an M on the door for women, not for men. There may also be baskets next to the toilets in some of the areas. This is for your toilet paper, so it does not cause clogs in the system.
- Learn basic Spanish and connect with the locals to learn something new.
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Cruise From Home And Relax
Everyone knows that a cruise vacation is one of the most relaxing, hassle free vacations you can take. Imagine if you also didn’t have to worry about traveling to start your vacation but could just drive up to a port near your home and get onboard your luxury cruise ship. Here at CruiseExperts.com we’ve made it easy to see which cruises start close to home. Get started with our Home Port widget by clicking on your home port below.
Why Doesnt Travel Insurance Cover Cruises What You Must Do Before You Travel
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Last Minute Cruises Can Sometimes Be The Cheapest Cruise Deal
Sometimes, but not always, the cheapest cruise deal is a Last Minute Cruise. You won’t get a wide selection of stateroom categories or a chance to select your stateroom location but if your schedule is flexible you just might find a cheap cruise price on a last minute cruise. Last minute cruises are cruises leaving in the next 90 days. The cruise line really wants to fill those last few staterooms and sometimes will offer them at a discount cruise price in exchange for you giving up your right to a full selection of cabin categories or deck locations. CruiseExperts.com makes it easy for you to poke around and see what’s available in last minute cruise deals. View our Last Minute Cruise Deals by clicking here and give it a try. This is one of our most popular website features.
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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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.
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Best Cruise Deals And Discounts Sorted By Your Dream Destination
Sometimes it’s all about the destination and that is certainly true of cruise destinations. The cruise port you depart from and the amazing cruise ports you visit define your experience as much as what cruise line or cruise ship you sail on. At CruiseExperts.com we understand that and have sorted these cruises by the places you’ll visit on your cruise vacation. So whether it’s a cruise to Alaska, a Caribbean cruise, cruises to Hawaii, a cruise to the Bahamas or Bermuda or a cruise to Mexico you’ll find it easily with the help of our destination wizard. Maybe you’re looking for a cruise vacation that’s just a little different like a Panama Canal cruise, a Transatlantic cruise, cruises to Europe, a Tahiti cruise with a tour of the South Pacific, a down under adventure with an Australia / New Zealand cruise or even a fall foliage cruise through Canada and New England. Whatever âfloats your boatâ get started by selecting your dream destination on our cruise search page.
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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
Carnival Pushes Restart Of Cruise Service From Mobile To January
- Posted
Carnival Sensation is pictured in a file photo taken at the Port of Miami.
- Carnival Sensation’s Oct. 21 restart from Mobile has been moved to Jan. 2022
- Carnival Valor will follow Carnival Glory in New Orleans with four- and five-night sailings starting on Nov. 1
- Carnival Legend will restart Nov. 14 out of Baltimore, replacing Carnival Pride, which restarts guest operations from Baltimore Sept. 12 and then moves its homeport to Tampa following a Panama Canal repositioning cruise
- Carnival Radiance will have a new maiden voyage date of Dec. 13 out of Long Beach
- Carnival Pride’s new service from Tampa is scheduled to start on Nov. 14
- Carnival Conquest’s restart from Miami on Oct. 8 has been rescheduled to Dec. 13.
“We are very pleased with the progress of our restart which will grow to 15 ships sailing from seven U.S. homeports by mid-November,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We are making slight adjustments to our timeline to take into account supply chain realities and ensure that our destination and shore excursion offerings can meet the strong demand we are seeing from our guests. Our teams, ship and shore, are prepared to continue delivering on our great guest experience and manage all health and safety protocols.”
With the extension of Carnival Sensation’s restart, five ships operating out of U.S. homeports will be moved to 2022: Carnival Liberty , Carnival Sunshine , Carnival Paradise Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Sensation .
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Carnival Confirms Plans For Sensation To Sail From Mobile
The Carnival Fantasy cruise ship sits docked at the Alabama Cruise Terminal on Monday, March 16, 2020. .
Carnival Cruise Line currently lists cruises departing from Mobile in spring 2021 — but not with the ship some might have been expecting.
As of Monday, the company listed departures from Mobile starting May 1. However, a company spokesman cautioned that those dates were contingent on some pandemic-related factors that remain unresolved. On Wednesday, Carnival notified customers that it was extending its pause in U.S. operations through the end of May. That notice read, in part: We continue to work on plans to resume operations and are encouraged by the focus to expedite vaccine production and distribution which are having a demonstrated impact on improving public health.
A year ago, Carnival announced that it planned to replace the Mobile-based Carnival Fantasy with the Carnival Fascination, a newer vessel of the same class, in early 2022. However, the shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led Carnival to begin revamping its fleet, shedding some older and less efficient vessels. Reports emerged a few months later that the Fantasy was on its way to the scrapyard.
As the pandemic wore on, Carnival announced in September that it planned to sell the Fascination, launched in 1994. Later industry reports confirmed the sale and indicated the vessel would remain in service for a new owner rather than being scrapped.
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.
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Port Of Mobile Alabama
www.shipmobile.comTravel Distance:
- 25 miles from the Mobile International Airport travel time is approximately 45 minutes.
Directions:
- Stay on 1-65 southbound all the way to where it meets Interstate-10
- Take I-10 east until you are almost at downtown Mobile and be prepared to take Exit 26A, “Canal St.”
- This exits off the right (east side of the interstate
- Turn right at the end of the exit ramp onto Water Street
- Water Street is a 4-lane road with a median and will curve back to the north toward the terminal
- Stay on Water Street for two blocks
- The garage and terminal will be on the right side
- There will be signs directing you to baggage drop off and parking
- Stay on I-10 across the Mobile Bayway bridge and go through the I-10 George Wallace Tunnel
- Coming out of the tunnel, go three-quarters of a mile and take Exit 25A, Texas Street
- Turn left at the end of the exit ramp onto Texas St.
- You are now going to double back onto the Interstate
- Slowly drive under I-10 and proceed to the left turn lane to the on-ramp and get back on to the Interstate, I-10 East
- Once back on the Interstate, stay in the right lane for one-quarter mile , then take the next exit, Exit 26A, “Canal St”
- Turn right at the end of the exit ramp onto Water Street
- Water Street is a 4-lane road with a median and will curve back to the north side of the terminal
- Stay on Water Street for two blocks
- The garage and terminal will be on the right side
- There will be signs directing you to baggage drop off and parking