WHY IT RATES: The Carnival Fantasy is a popular option for cruisers, and Mobile provides a convenient and centralized location for travelers coming from a wide variety of areas. -Codie Liermann, Associate Editor
At a press conference held aboard Carnival Fantasy earlier today, Carnival Cruise Line and the City of Mobile signed a three-year extension that will keep the ship sailing from Mobile through November 2022.
With the agreement, Carnival Fantasy will continue its popular four- and five-day cruises to Mexico from the Alabama Cruise Terminal, bringing 170,000 guests to Mobile annually. Many guests extend their vacation with pre- or post-cruise land stays in the Mobile area.
"Carnival Fantasy remains a popular cruise vacation option for our guests, attracting vacationers from all over the southeast who appreciate Mobile's convenience and centralized location. We're delighted to work with Mobile Mayor Stimpson and city and terminal officials to allow our guests to continue to enjoy this attractive and affordable cruise program," said Terry Thornton, Carnival's senior vice president of nautical and port operations.
"Carnival helped generate more than 25,000 hotel room nights in Mobile last year, supporting thousands of jobs in our restaurants, shops, hotels, and cultural institutions," said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. "Our team works hard every day to make Mobile the best possible cruise port, and this contract is validation that our labor is paying dividends. We were proud to bring Carnival back to Mobile in 2015, and we are committed to growing with them in the years ahead."
Attractive Four- and Five-Day Cruises to Mexico
On this Mobile-based route, Carnival Fantasy departs the Alabama Cruise Terminal Thursdays on four-day "long weekend" cruises to Cozumel and on Mondays and Saturdays on five-day voyages to Cozumel and Costa Maya or Progreso. All of these destinations are popular for their beautiful white sand beaches, interesting historical sites and attractions and excellent snorkeling, scuba diving and water sports.
During the day-long call in Progreso, guests have the opportunity to visit Chichen Itza, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and while in Cozumel guests can visit ancient Mayan ruins or enjoy the destination's wide range of shopping and dining experiences.
At Costa Maya guests can explore the centuries-old Chacchoben ruins or visit the Lost Mayan Kingdom, a multi-million-dollar water-themed attraction featuring spectacular slides, an elaborate lazy river, a suspended ropes course that spans the property and more.
Two longer length Carnival Journeys voyages will operate round-trip from Mobile - a 10-day cruise featuring a partial transit of the Panama Canal operating Sept. 14-24, 2020, and a 10-day Caribbean cruise departing Sept. 13 and returning Sept. 23, 2021. Carnival Journeys cruises offer unique on-board activities during which guests can sample local cuisine and enjoy entertainment and cultural opportunities within the various ports of call. Activities focusing on topics such as photography, cooking, arts and crafts and celestial navigation, along with a 1980s-themed "Throwback Sea Day," are also offered.
Variety of On-Board Choices
Carnival Fantasy offers a variety of onboard choices, including Guy's Burger Joint, a complimentary poolside dining venue serving handcrafted burgers and fries created by Food Network star Guy Fieri, BlueIguana Cantina offering authentic handmade burritos and tacos and two poolside bars, the Caribbean-inspired RedFrog Rum Bar and Mexican-themed BlueIguana Tequila Bar.
Carnival Fantasy also boasts a 12,000-square-foot spa, a 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.
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