Carnival Cruises Are Getting Bigger in Mobile

Carnival Cruise Lines, which operates Mobile, Alabama’s only year-round cruise program, will increase capacity at the port by 42 percent when the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy replaces the 1,452-passenger Holiday on year-round 4- and 5-day cruises beginning in November 2009. With the Carnival Fantasy’s deployment to Mobile, the company expects to carry approximately 170,000 passengers annually from that port.

Carnival Fantasy will offer a new “Fun Ship” cruise experience with a larger vessel that will include a number of exciting new features. This fall, the ship will undergo the next phase of the line’s “Evolutions of Fun” enhancement program. During an extended dry dock period, the open decks will be completely transformed to include the Carnival WaterWorks aqua park (pictured above), Serenity adults-only retreat, and a new resort-style pool area.

“Mobile has been a terrific homeport for us since we began service there in 2004 and we’re absolutely thrilled to be able to expand capacity from this port with the deployment of the Carnival Fantasy,” said Terry Thornton, Carnival’s senior vice president of marketing planning.

Year-Round Four- and Five-Day Mexico Cruises

Carnival Fantasy will launch year-round 4- and 5-day service from Mobile Monday, Nov. 16, 2009. On this route, 4-day cruises departing Thursdays visit Cozumel, one of the cruise industry’s most popular destinations known for its beautiful white-sand beaches, excellent shopping and variety of shore excursion opportunities.

Five-day cruises departing Mondays visit both Cozumel and Calica, which, in addition to aqua-blue waters that attract snorkelers, scuba divers and windsurfers the world over, is in close proximity to the magnificent Mayan ruins of Tulum, the ecological theme park Xcaret, and Playa del Carmen and its popular Avenida Cinco shopping district. Five-day cruises departing Saturdays call at Cozumel and Progreso, an emerging port with exciting excursion options to the beautiful colonial city of Merida and the spectacular Mayan ruins in Chichen Itza, recently named one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

On November 10, 2009, the ship will offer a one-time 6-day cruise visiting Progreso, Cozumel and Costa Maya. The Holiday will remain in Mobile through the departure of November 2, 2009 and will then be transferred to Iberocruceros, a Spain-based sister cruise brand under the Carnival Corporation umbrella.

Reservations are currently being accepted for the Carnival Fantasy’s new 4- and 5-day cruise program from Mobile. Round-trip air supplements from a variety of North American gateways and discounted rates for third and fourth guests sailing in the same stateroom are also available. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit Carnival.com.