Sweet Homeport Alabama
August 25, 2005
"Kids, we're spending the holiday in Alabama this year."
"Yeeeaaah!"
Hmmm? what could provoke such enthusiasm? Don't get me wrong, Alabama is a great state; Mobile features America's oldest Mardi Gras festival and you can find some of the spiciest shrimp you'll ever eat in some of their down-home restaurants. Of course, Alabama also has a unique place in American history, as seen in Tuskegee and the Civil Rights Movements. Nevertheless, Alabama is not exactly what you would call an epicenter of travel and tourism. If someone told you that they were taking a holiday in Mobile, Alabama, you might be curious what could draw them into the Banjo State.
Well, what if I told you that Carnival Cruises recently announced that it has extended its contract with the city of Mobile, Alabama for one year. That's right—Carnival Holiday, a 1,452-passenger cruise ship, will keep on truckin' out of Mobile's port on year-round 4- and 5-day cruises to the Western Caribbean.
"Yeeeaaah!"
Originally, the world's largest cruise operator, Carnival Cruises, signed a one-year contract with the City of Mobile for the Holiday to launch the first year-round cruise program from Mobile in October 2004. Yet the response was so overwhelmingly positive, that that Carnival Cruises decided to stay in Mobile for another year.
"Response to Mobile's first cruise program has been nothing short of sensational, exceeding our already high expectations. In addition to providing one of the finest terminal facilities in the cruise industry, the Mobile community has demonstrated incredible enthusiasm and support for 'Fun Ship' cruising and contributed greatly to the success of this program," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival Cruise Line president and CEO.
Mobile's Powers That Be concur. "Mobile's vision of becoming an exciting and competitive cruise ship homeport was made a reality when Carnival's Holiday was homeported on the Mobile riverfront last year," said Mobile Mayor Mike Dow. "This venture has been successful for all parties and with Carnival's announcement today of the extension of the Holiday in Mobile, that progress will continue."
Having been a part of the Carnival Cruises fleet since 1985, the 46,052-ton Holiday is currently the oldest of the twenty-one ships in the Carnival Cruises family. Yet, with an extensive refurbishment in 2002, much of it looks and feels just like new.
Now, for at least another year, it will be departing the Alabama Cruise Terminal on Thursdays for 4-day Western Caribbean cruises to Cozumel, Mexico and on Mondays and Saturdays for 5-day Western Caribbean cruises to Cozumel and Calica/Playa del Carmen or Costa Maya, Mexico.
Each of those ports of call offers guests many opportunities to experience the best of Mexico's many treasures. For instance, if you love history, you can spend your entire day in Calica/Playa del Carmen exploring Chiché Itzá one of the most important Mayan sites in existence. Take a tour of the Temple of the Jaguars and stand on the Tzompantli, a platform many now believed was used for human sacrifices. Don't worry—the only sacrifices being made will be spending a few hours in an air-conditioned bus on your way there (the destination is totally worth the trip).
In Cozumel, you'll surely want to strap on your scuba gear, or at least a snorkel and mask, for the amazing experiences that await you beneath the water's surface. There are plenty of reefs off the coast that are teeming with life and color, but if you're looking for a little more social interaction than nautical exploration, visit the island's only town, the charming San Miguel.
Finally, Costa Maya offers up a concoction of silky beaches, verdant jungles, and oh...about 1500 years of human history. Still, with all the time that people have been around, you might think that there would be more...I dunno...buildings? The occasional thatch roof hut aside, those who relish quiet walks down the beach and sandy solitude, will surely be pleased.
Wow—so you can get to all those places from Mobile, Alabama? Yup. In fact, lots of people already have, and more surely will. Carnival Holiday typically sails in excess of 100 percent capacity (based on two guests per cabin) and over the past 10 months, the ship has carried about 100,000 passengers from Mobile to Caribbean paradises. But do yourself a favor and spend some time in Mobile before you get on the ship; the locals would love to make you feel welcome.
Cruise Network is currently accepting reservations on all of Carnival Holiday's 2005- 2006 departures from Mobile.
