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Is it too early to speculate about Mobile?

Tapi

By Tapi,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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Tapi Great Review Rare

Tapi

Posted
Posted

What ship and when? I'm thinking that it's either the Fantasy, arriving October 2016, or its one of the west coast ships (Imagination or Inspiration) arriving sooner than that.

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stobe1

stobe1

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Posted (edited)

I'm with you on it being either Inspiration or Imagination.

 

Either that, or Inspiration or Imagination come back to the east coast to replace one of the other Fantasy class ships which will be sent to Mobile.

 

Either way, I think Inspiration or Imagination will play a role in the shuffle some how.

Edited by stobe1
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cruzeluver

cruzeluver

Posted
Posted (edited)

If it is indeed a Fantasy class ship, doing short cruises, I wonder what has changed since they left Mobile to make them think it will now be profitable? My understanding is that when they quit sailing from Mobile it had to do with the fact that fares were having to be reduced drastically in order to fill the ship, thus hurting their bottom line. So what is different now?

Edited by cruzeluver
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bigman01

bigman01

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I'm pretty sure it will more than likely be a Fantasy class ship. Things could have changed over the last 3-4 years, but back when Carnival was sailing from Mobile, the turning basin wasn't large enough for a ship much bigger than a Fantasy class ship. So unless they've widened the turning basin, it's probably going to be a Fantasy class.

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leedm

leedm

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The parking spaces in the parking garage may decide what size ship Mobile gets. Unless you want to park under the overpass. Carnival could purchase the Holiday and start all over. I hope Carnival will do 7 day or longer cruises and not do the 4 5 day to Mexico.

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cruisexlife

cruisexlife

Posted
Posted

I wonder if maybe they could split a ship between Mobile and Norfolk. Summer season it would spend doing 5/6 night cruises to the Bahamas from Norfolk, and then in the winter it could do 4/5 with select 7 night cruises to the western Caribbean from Mobile. 2-3 weeks in May and October for one-way repos to San Juan. Norfolk has been selling really well with the off-season cruises, I imagine it won't be hard to sell a 2056 passenger ship during the summer months when there isn't school. It could also allow Carnival to do some more weeklong cruises during the summer out of Charleston. And the winter season will allow another option to get away from the cold out of Mobile. I think Inspiration/Imagination/Fantasy could work for these cruises, but if Carnival is going to split a ship between Mobile and another place, or even if they are trying to get a foothold in Mobile, putting Imagination back in Miami and giving up the Fascination with balconies will help.

 

This is really exciting news, even I am excited, and I live in Maryland. :)

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dyson

dyson

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Personally I am very excited about the option of Mobile again.currently I have to port from New Orleans which means staying in a hotel for the night before and paying for parking because of the drive time.

but mobile is 2 hours away and in my opinion a much better drive.

 

the only downside is I wont be able to hear the son sweet home Alabama. without some schmo yelling roll tide in the background.... sheesh

 

when they did port from mobile I was talking to one of the cruise directors that said that they were moving for the exact reason stated above two ports doing similar routes caused a drop in prices..

 

However Mobile has had a very hard time finding a use for the port since carnival left they have done wedding and proms etc.. but its sitting there like a white elephant.. they probably gave them a HUGE discount for the use..Some money is better than no money right?

and I'm quite sure them letting carnival the few times they have had ship issues in the past came into play as well

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Tapi Great Review Rare

Tapi

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...when they did port from mobile I was talking to one of the cruise directors that said that they were moving for the exact reason stated above two ports doing similar routes caused a drop in prices..

 

However Mobile has had a very hard time finding a use for the port since carnival left they have done wedding and proms etc.. but its sitting there like a white elephant.. they probably gave them a HUGE discount for the use..Some money is better than no money right?

 

 

In addition to the very real possibility of incentives from the city of Mobile, I'm also guessing that the current economy is different than it was in 2011. Maybe back then the economy didn't allow for ships out of two nearby ports. But the Triumph replacing a smaller Fantasy class ship in New Orleans is a clear indication that there is a growing demand for cruises out of gulf ports which has probably contributed to this decision to give Mobile another shot.

 

Living in the Atlanta area, I can drive to Port Canaveral or Tampa in about the same amount of time as New Orleans. That means that I would most likely never pick New Orleans over Port Canaveral which has much better ships and a wider variety of itineraries. But Mobile is a different story. I can leave my house at 8am and pull into the Mobile cruise terminal at 11:30am local time! That alone would earn my business even if it's not the newest ship with the best itineraries!

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richcrow

richcrow

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I'm pretty sure it will more than likely be a Fantasy class ship. Things could have changed over the last 3-4 years, but back when Carnival was sailing from Mobile, the turning basin wasn't large enough for a ship much bigger than a Fantasy class ship. So unless they've widened the turning basin, it's probably going to be a Fantasy class.

 

I agree with you that it will probably be a Fantasy Class ship, but the turning basin can handle ships up to 900' in length and the channel depth is 45' which also sufficient. I just don't believe Carnival will put a larger ship here until if or when it is shown the number of passengers would warrant it.

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Cruiseboy06

Cruiseboy06

Posted
Posted (edited)

I just looked the sailings out of Long Beach for November/ December 2016. They are still showing both of Imagination and Inspiration are still doing cruises out of Long Beach. unless they switch Fantasy ships. My understanding that Imagination is going into drydock in Sept 2016

Edited by Cruiseboy06
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