Hey Mobile - any idea if/when you may get a different ship

just checking to see if anyonw knows when the Holiday may be leaving.

thanks in advance for any info

All rumors, speculation and innuendo. No one knows and Carnival ain't talkin'. I'm going to throw out a guess of spring or fall '09 and it will be a Fantasy class. :D

All rumors, speculation and innuendo. No one knows and Carnival ain't talkin'. I'm going to throw out a guess of spring or fall '09 and it will be a Fantasy class. :D

I'll be curious to see if any additional rumors, speculation, and innuendos come out of the cruise show at the Convention Center this weekend.

Last week Holiday staff said the deal is done yet sailings are showing as is with the Holiday into 2009, hmmmmmm.

For sure Fantasy class going into Mobile, that is all that will fit. I think the word was a current Jacksonville ship coming over is the plan from Holiday staff as of last week.

Time will tell. Nothing wrong with the Holiday, she's just getting a little long in the tooth. Time for some Greece sailings for her.

Last week Holiday staff said the deal is done yet sailings are showing as is with the Holiday into 2009, hmmmmmm.

Don't beleive that. The Holiday will not make 1/1/2009. Carnival is doing very well from this port so don't be surprised to see two different ships sailing the current route plus a longer one as well.

Don't beleive that. The Holiday will not make 1/1/2009. Carnival is doing very well from this port so don't be surprised to see two different ships sailing the current route plus a longer one as well.

I agree...I think maybe this fall we'll see something new...but that's just my gut feeling. I'd love to see 2 ships sailing from here...I seriously doubt if they'd have any trouble keeping them full.

I didn't hear anything at the cruise show but agree that the market here is good for multiple ships. Mobile just received word this week that a large government contract was awarded which will bring an additional 1500 jobs + those from supporting businesses. This was the 2nd large contract within the past 6 months or so for this area.

Ok here is what the ceuise director said on my feb 11th Holiday cruise. carnival wants to put a bigger ship there .and they are waiting for the steele mill up the river to widen the turn basin so they can get bigger cargo ships for there raw meterials . Sounded like a wait and see game to me

Ok here is what the ceuise director said on my feb 11th Holiday cruise. carnival wants to put a bigger ship there .and they are waiting for the steele mill up the river to widen the turn basin so they can get bigger cargo ships for there raw meterials . Sounded like a wait and see game to me

The steel mill is Thyssenkrupp. My company has a contract with them for engineering services and they are already in the preliminary building stages but they won't be up and running until 2010. It does make sense that they will need to get larger ships up the river since their materials are coming from Mexico. That was probably part of the incentive package that our state provided them in the deal.

The steel mill is Thyssenkrupp. My company has a contract with them for engineering services and they are already in the preliminary building stages but they won't be up and running until 2010. It does make sense that they will need to get larger ships up the river since their materials are coming from Mexico. That was probably part of the incentive package that our state provided them in the deal.

My brother was just in Mobile and said there was another cruise ship (bigger than the Holiday) there. Is it just a cruise ship getting some dry dock work done??? Do they use the same area for the ships going to the shipyard as they do going to the terminal???

My brother was just in Mobile and said there was another cruise ship (bigger than the Holiday) there. Is it just a cruise ship getting some dry dock work done??? Do they use the same area for the ships going to the shipyard as they do going to the terminal???

Atlantic Marine is across the river and about a half mile downriver from the terminal. Ships can get into the drydock without using the turning basin upriver. You will see ships from most of the cruise lines in drydock on occasion. In the last 2 years Carnival Ecstasy, Sensation and Elation were here, as well as NCL Sun and RCI Granduer OTS.

The steel mill is Thyssenkrupp. My company has a contract with them for engineering services and they are already in the preliminary building stages but they won't be up and running until 2010. It does make sense that they will need to get larger ships up the river since their materials are coming from Mexico. That was probably part of the incentive package that our state provided them in the deal.

I think Mobile screwed up putting the cruise terminal downtown. If they had put it at the Middle Bay Port where the Navy homeport was, they could have had unlimited parking, no turning issues and the really cool, double decker, two sided pier the Navy built there. (Two ships docked side by side at the same time.) I think Mike Dow just liked looking out his office window and seeing a cruise ship parked in the middle of downtown. Too bad.

When we returned from the 2/25/08 Holiday sailing, one of the Carnival "greeters" at the port said they were getting a ship in December twice the size of the Holiday.

When we returned from the 2/25/08 Holiday sailing, one of the Carnival "greeters" at the port said they were getting a ship in December twice the size of the Holiday.

I don't really see that happening by December, especially not a ship twice the size. There will have to be adjustments made to the turning basin before that time and there have been no plans announced yet for that. There is no room for a ship of that size to turn around near the terminal at this time.

Futaba - I agree it would have allowed more flexibility to have used the other location. The only advantage to the current location is the proximity to the downtown hotels but a free shuttle service could have solved that problem. Maybe the new Mayor will make some changes.

Just repeating what the Carnival employee told us.

I would think that they would report something soon.

They have been talking about this for 2 years???...

I would think that they would report something soon.

 

They have been talking about this for 2 years???...

I think what you meant to say is that everybody BUT Carnival is talking about it. They can keep a secret better than anyone I have ever seen. :)

Our local paper announced this morning that the permits have been obtained for the widening of a ship turning basin here in Mobile which would allow much bigger ships here (900"+). There is a new container terminal which will be complete by the end of the year and the goal is to have this finished by that time. There was no date given as to when the dredging will begin. This could also allow for a bigger cruise ship here.

Our local paper announced this morning that the permits have been obtained for the widening of a ship turning basin here in Mobile which would allow much bigger ships here (900"+). There is a new container terminal which will be complete by the end of the year and the goal is to have this finished by that time. There was no date given as to when the dredging will begin. This could also allow for a bigger cruise ship here.

Except that the new turning basin and the new container terminal are south of the cruise terminal so cruise ships would have to turn around south of the cruise terminal and back up in order to take advantage of the new turning basin.

Except that the new turning basin and the new container terminal are south of the cruise terminal so cruise ships would have to turn around south of the cruise terminal and back up in order to take advantage of the new turning basin.

We've seen that occur at Galveston. The Voyager of the Seas requires a larger turning basin that is available directly across from terminal 2, where she docked. She would often turn before reaching terminal 1, where Carnival docks, and back to the pier at 2...

We've seen that occur at Galveston. The Voyager of the Seas requires a larger turning basin that is available directly across from terminal 2, where she docked. She would often turn before reaching terminal 1, where Carnival docks, and back to the pier at 2...

Interesting. How far would she have to back up?

Judging from maps that I've seen it looks like the Holiday would have to back up a good mile or two upriver...is that feasable?

Okay we just put a deposit down on a Jan 09 Holiday cruise. What happens if the ship is replaced before we actually cruise?

Okay we just put a deposit down on a Jan 09 Holiday cruise. What happens if the ship is replaced before we actually cruise?

They would notify you that your cruise is canceled and either refund your money or offer to book you on another ship at the current rate for the new cruise.

Okay we just put a deposit down on a Jan 09 Holiday cruise. What happens if the ship is replaced before we actually cruise?

If the HOLIDAY is replaced before you sail on it. Carnival will let you know. You will have a choice of sailing on the New Replacement ship in the same catagory, or you can cancel and get your money back. But you will have the option of sailing on the ship that replaces the HOLIDAY. You will still be able to cruise out of Mobile on that date. So don't worry. The HOLIDAY is nice and I have sailed on her three times, but a newer ship would be even better. It would be larger. Either way you are in a win win situation.

Hope that helps.

Ron

Our city has contacted a company concerning modifications to add a new gangway to the Mobile Cruise Terminal which will allow a larger ship here. Not much info at this time other that the City committing to spending the additional money and obtaining quotes but it is a step in the right direction. Here is a brief summary from a local tv news website. http://www.wkrg.com/consumer/article/larger_cruise_ship_could_soon_dock_in_mobile/15753/

There is no confirmation from Carnival at this time.