By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 Carnival Cruise Lines and the City of Mobile are officially back in business together. Mobile will be a port of origin for the cruise ship, ‘Fantasy’ starting in November of 2016.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (R) released a statement on the announcement that Carnival Cruise Line will be returning to Mobile beginning in the Fall of 2016. The governor wrote, “Alabama and the city of Mobile have long been vacation destinations, and with the Carnival announcement today, once again Mobile will have an added tourist attraction. We are proud that Carnival has decided to bring a cruise ship back to the Port City. Mayor Stimpson has done an incredible job working with Carnival and local leaders to bring Carnival back to Mobile. We look forward to welcoming the thousands of additional visitors beginning in Fall of 2016, and the great impact this decision will have on our economy.”
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson wrote in his own statement, “Our agreement with Carnival Cruise Line has been a priority since the day we took office. It represents a win for our City, a win for Carnival and most of all a win for the thousands of consumers who can once again enjoy a great cruise out of one of America’s greatest cities.”
Starting in November 2016 the Carnival Fantasy will sail from Mobile to Mexico.
The ‘Fantasy’ has a gross weight of 70,367 tonnes, is 855 feet in length, accommodates 2056 guests, and an onboard crew of 920. ‘Fantasy’ has been cruising from Charleston, South Carolina; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Miami, Florida to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
‘Fantasy’ will spend months in overhaul to upgrade its amenities prior to beginning service in Mobile. The cruise terminal at the Port of Mobile is also undergoing a major refurbishment.
Carnival President Christine Duffy said in a statement, “Carnival Fantasy’s four- and five-day cruises from Mobile provide consumers with an affordable way to visit stunning Mexican ports from a convenient homeport while offering our valued travel agent partners an exciting new short vacation option to market to their clients. We’ve been working very closely with the port and city officials to make these cruises a reality and wish to thank Mayor Stimpson and his team for not only all their hard work but also for creating a welcoming and positive environment that makes these cruises an attractive option for today’s consumers.”
On its new schedule from Mobile, Carnival ‘Fantasy’ will offer four-day cruises to Cozumel and five-day cruises to Cozumel and Costa Maya or Progreso from November 2016 to November 2017.
To learn more about ‘Fantasy’ and its many new features, visit the Carnival website.
