Ship schedules three cruises from Mobile
Nov 14th, 2001
Ship schedules three cruises from MobileHoping to lure reluctant flyers, Carnival to offer three cruises from Mobile
11/14/01
By ANGIE DROBNIC
Business Reporter
Mobile gets a chance to prove itself to the world's largest cruise company when Carnival Cruise Lines brings its MS Holiday to the city for three cruises in March, officials announced Tuesday.
As part of its reaction to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Carnival plans to move the 1,452-passenger Holiday from its home port in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to New Orleans to capture passengers unwilling to fly. The Mobile trips will happen during the move.
"The thinking was, if we're going to move this vessel, why don't we take the opportunity to test the Mobile market while we're on the way," said Jennifer de la Cruz, a Carnival spokeswoman. "If it's successful, there's a possibility we'd come back for more voyages."
A two-day "cruise to nowhere" is scheduled to depart Mobile on March 2. A five-day cruise to Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, Mexico, leaves March 4, and a six-day cruise to Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and Belize City, Belize, departs March 9. The ship offers restaurants, bars, nightclubs, a spa, Las Vegas-style shows and casino gambling.
The Miami-based cruise line will evaluate Mobile based how many berths the trips sell, how quickly they sell, and at what price they sell, de la Cruz said.
Prices start at $199 for the two-day cruise, $299 for the five-day and $349 for the six-day.
Carnival will also be looking at logistics, such as how easy it is to get customers on and off the ship, she said. Convenience and safety of parking, for example, can be a factor for cruise patrons.
"We'll also look at guest reaction -- what our guests say about starting and ending the voyage in Mobile," said de la Cruz.
Mobile Mayor Mike Dow and Mobile Convention & Visitors Corp. President Brenda Scott appeared at a press conference with Carnival's Birmingham-based Business Development Director Mary Jackson to make Tuesday's announcement.
"I call on Mobile, I call on the business community, the tourism industry and all of us to get organized around this opportunity and make this work, and let's get a permanent berth here for a cruise ship," said Dow.
It hasn't been decided where passengers will board the ship, though the ship will be close to downtown. Alabama State Docks Director James Lyons said his staff is working with the city and the cruise line to finalize the exact berth location.
A large, commercial cruise ship hasn't visited Mobile since 1999, when Regal Cruises picked up passengers at the foot of Government Street. Regal has one ship, the Regal Empress, and frequently changes its domestic stops.
Cruise industry analysts said the Mobile-based cruises are a win-win experiment for Carnival: If everything works out, it might have a new home port. At worst, some first-time cruisers have at least tried out Carnival.
"It makes sense for them to put them in new areas and try to win over new people," said Greg Miller, a senior editor at Cruise Industry News.
If the March cruises go well, Carnival will give Mobile a closer look, checking into area attractions and scrutinizing the airport, Miller said.
Carnival has a reputation for mass-market cruises that offer good value, said Jessica Agate, a New Jersey-based columnist for the consumer guide Cruise Reports.
The Holiday is one of Carnival's oldest ships, but nevertheless has won good ratings, she said.
In Cruise Reports' last review of the ship, published in August, passengers praised the Holiday as "a very clean ship" with "great service, a friendly crew and lots to do on board." The Holiday was best suited to singles, young couples, families and groups, respondents said.
For complaints, customers said they wished the ship had more than three restaurants and that its spa services were too expensive.
Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) is the world's largest cruise line, owning eight lines that include Carnival, Costa, Holland America Line, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line and Windstar Cruises. It employs about 31,100 people.
Carnival recently announced it will dramatically increase its cruising capacity out of New Orleans. Besides adding the Holiday, the line will replace a 2,052-passenger vessel with the 2,976-passenger Carnival Conquest on Dec. 1, 2002.
It has also placed more emphasis on cruises shorter than a week, which is the fastest-growing segment of the cruise industry.
Including the Mobile departures, Carnival will offer 29 voyages of five days or less from U.S. ports in 2002, with roughly half of the line's ships operating short cruise itineraries.
Though all cruise lines have been battered by cancellations and declining bookings since Sept. 11, Carnival looks best-positioned to weather the economic downturn, said Miller of Cruise Industry News.
"And when it ends, Carnival will have an even greater market than it had before," he said.
Carnival's stock closed at $25.15 Tuesday, up $1.15 from the previous day's close of $24.
For reservations, travelers should contact a travel agent, call (800) CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.