Is 2022 the end of the line for the Carnival Fantasy?

[tidecat]

I see the latest cruise open for booking on the Carnival Fantasy is December 28, 2021, which would return to Mobile on January 1, 2022.

 

I could see one of three things happening:

 

1) Fantasy goes into drydock as early as January 2 (January 7 would be more likely), and the ship returns to service in Mobile two weeks later.

2) Fantasy goes into drydock, but is moved to a different port upon resuming service.

3) Fantasy is laid up, and awaits a buyer if she hasn't already been sold.

 

All of the other Fantasy-class ships are open through April 2022. Given that Fantasy's last drydock was in January 2019, she will be due again in January 2022.

[shof515]

another thing to consider is it could be too early to be releasing itinerary/bookings. For most cruises, the trend has always been they are released a year and half in advance. The full 2022 schedule should be released by like Winter 2020/Spring 2021

[evandbob]

Long overdue......

[Mutumbojimbo]

It could be that Carnival does not have an agreement in place with the Port of Mobile for 2022. 

[xDisconnections]

4 hours ago, evandbob said:

Long overdue......

Even though the probability is extremely low, if even greater than one percent, this wouldn’t be soon enough to get rid of that rust bucket.

 

We’re probably just waiting on contract negotiations with the port.

Edited October 7, 2019 by xDisconnections

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

I hope not. I like the Fantasy class ships way better than the new and improved ships.

[DryCreek]

Maybe they are taking time to repair the damage from her recent "scrape" in the Panama Canal?  That was quite an impressive crunch into the sidewall there.

[VolzCruiser]

I just looked and you can book all the way until April 2022. I guess they updated it. 

[tidecat]

2 hours ago, VolzCruiser said:

I just looked and you can book all the way until April 2022. I guess they updated it. 

It looks like a couple of few individual sailings are still missing, but nothing that suggests timing of the dry dock.

 

I guess we're not getting any changes before October 2022 when the next XL ship begins service. 

[xDisconnections]

8 minutes ago, tidecat said:

I guess we're not getting any changes before October 2022 when the next XL ship begins service. 

Most of the time, a dry dock is for general maintenance... not massive renovations.

[mackenzie80]

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile city officials and Carnival Cruise Line officials will sign a contract extension keeping the Carnival Fantasy in Mobile for three more years on Monday. The ceremonial signing is set for noon aboard the Fantasy.

The three year-contract extension would keep the Carnival Fantasy in Mobile through November 2022.

Carnival resumed service in Mobile in 2016. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson has been an advocate for the city’s relationship with Carnival saying it brings tourists to Mobile.

The contract agreement also outlines the Carnival Fantasy’s schedule through December 2020

 

https://www.wkrg.com/top-stories/mobile-city-council-to-vote-on-contract-extension-with-carnival-during-tuesdays-meeting/

[Mutumbojimbo]

That's great news, I think Mobile is our closest port, and we enjoyed our cruise on the Fantasy.

[toad455]

Can anything larger than a Fantasy-class ship go out of Mobile? The Fantasy will be 32 years old in 2022. It can't have much longer.

[Fla Senior]

1 hour ago, toad455 said:

Can anything larger than a Fantasy-class ship go out of Mobile? The Fantasy will be 32 years old in 2022. It can't have much longer.

The problem with Mobile is that they built a too small parking garage.  It can't even hold the car capacity for the Fantasy.  There is an overflow parking lot at auditorium across I10.  Don't see any remedy in sight.

Edited October 14, 2019 by Fla Senior

[tidecat]

If Mobile had to do it all over again, the Convention Center should have replaced the Civic Center arena, and the Cruise Terminal should incorporate where the Convention Center is.

 

November 2022 will line up for some dancing of the ships after the second Mardi Gras-class ship comes online in October 2022. I wouldn't expect Mobile to move up a class, but I could see Mobile getting a newer Fantasy-class ship. There's a chance Imagination or Inspiration leave first, as it is easier to sell a 27-28 year old ship than a 32 year old ship.

[slavens_09]

22 minutes ago, tidecat said:

If Mobile had to do it all over again, the Convention Center should have replaced the Civic Center arena, and the Cruise Terminal should incorporate where the Convention Center is.

 

November 2022 will line up for some dancing of the ships after the second Mardi Gras-class ship comes online in October 2022. I wouldn't expect Mobile to move up a class, but I could see Mobile getting a newer Fantasy-class ship. There's a chance Imagination or Inspiration leave first, as it is easier to sell a 27-28 year old ship than a 32 year old ship.

 

Must not be that easy to sell a 27-28 year old ship. They have been trying to sell the Fantasy for the last couple years.

[Purvis1231]

Several of the Holiday class ships are still sailing. 30 years is not that old for a ship. 

 

[Joebucks]

The fact that Fantasy class ships have not been part of any refurbs has to say something to their longevity. Who knows if 2022 is the year. By 2022, Carnival will have 3 new ships in their fleet from what they have today, pretty big ones at that. I wonder if they will replace. I wonder if the Fantasy will be repurposed for more exotic itineraries.

[BlerkOne]

On 10/6/2019 at 11:50 PM, tidecat said:

I see the latest cruise open for booking on the Carnival Fantasy is December 28, 2021, which would return to Mobile on January 1, 2022.

 

I could see one of three things happening:

 

1) Fantasy goes into drydock as early as January 2 (January 7 would be more likely), and the ship returns to service in Mobile two weeks later.

2) Fantasy goes into drydock, but is moved to a different port upon resuming service.

3) Fantasy is laid up, and awaits a buyer if she hasn't already been sold.

 

All of the other Fantasy-class ships are open through April 2022. Given that Fantasy's last drydock was in January 2019, she will be due again in January 2022.

 

Don't plan on Fantasy going anywhere.