Mon Aug 18 2008, written and credited by TravelTrade Staff
Carnival Cruise Lines will increase capacity at its Mobile, AL homeport by 42% when the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy replaces the 1,452-passenger Holiday on year-round four- and five-day cruises beginning in November 2009. Bookings are now open, the line announced today, for the Carnival’s Fantasy’s year-round program of 4- and 5-day cruises to Mexico. Carnival says it is the only line to sail year-round from Mobile. Beginning on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, the Carnival Fantasty will sail on four-day cruises departing Thursdays to Cozumel.
Five-day cruises departing Mondays visit both Cozumel and Calica, and five-day cruises departing Saturdays call at Cozumel and Progreso.
On Nov. 10, 2009, the ship will offer a one-time six-day cruise visiting Progreso, Cozumel and Costa Maya.
The Holiday will remain in the Alabama homeport through the departure of Nov. 2, 2009 and will then be transferred to Iberocruceros, a Spain-based sister cruise brand under the Carnival Corporation & plc umbrella.
With the Carnival Fantasy’s departures from Mobile, the company expects to carry approximately 170,000 passengers annually from that port.
Carnival Fantasy this fall 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, 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.
“The support of the local community, particularly city and port officials and our travel agent partners, has been nothing short of exceptional and we are very pleased to continue operating Mobile’s first and only year-round cruise program,” he added.
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