Carnival Fantasy to begin cruise ship operations in Alabama

Mayor Sandy Stimpson was very excited to make the announcement this morning that the Carnival Fantasy ship will once again be leaving from the Alabama Cruise Terminal under a 13-month contract. It also includes two additional one-year options to extend the agreement.

(Courtesy Carnival Cruise Lines) The Carnival Fantasy will set sail from Mobile beginning in November 2016.

About Carnival Cruise LineCarnival, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line®” with 24 ships operating three- to 16-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

The Fantasy is now ported in Charleston, S.C., but is scheduled to depart from Miami between February and October 2016.

Today may be the day that cruisers learn whether Carnival Cruise Lines is definitely returning to Mobile, AL, as a home port, according to local Mobile sources. “We are building something special in Mobile, and this renewed partnership is evidence of that momentum”.

Part of what makes the Carnival Fantasy a Fun Ship is her WaterWorks aqua park featuring a 300-foot-long slide and a kiddie splash area, and a Serenity adults-only retreat, as well as fun, supervised programs for kids ages 2-17, full casino gambling and a wide array of dining options, including a 24-hour pizzeria. The city is set to receive $1.8 million over the life of the contract, which would pay for a year’s worth of debt service on $19 million still owed on the cruise terminal.

“We hope it nets the city $2 million”, Stimpson said, referring to parking fees that have yet to be disclosed.