Sweet Cruise Alabama

May 26th, 2004

You could almost hear the boys from Fort Payne singing when Mobile's Sweet Cruise Alabama team made its way around the state the week of May 10th promoting cruising aboard Carnival Cruise Lines HOLIDAY from Alabama's Port. Four and five day cruises begin October 16, 2004 to the Western Caribbean from Mobile's new Cruise Terminal, the Harbor Center.

Mobile Mayor Mike Dow, Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau President/CEO Leon Maisel, Carnival Cruise Lines Regional Sales and Marketing representative Mary Jackson and representatives from local attractions provided just the right four part harmony to generate a lot of excitement. "Cruising is not just for the city of Mobile, but also for citizens and communities throughout the state," said Maisel. "Research indicates that cruise passengers will drive or fly into the state and then depart on their cruise. The city and state will benefit from cruising as will the hospitality industry partners in Mobile," Maisel added. And, that's why 15 people from Mobile criss-crossed the state with stops in Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Huntsville, Florence, and even Chattanooga, Tennessee to spread the word about the state's newest industry--cruising.

Maisel, Mayor Dow and Mary Jackson led the Media offensive, meeting with Mayors, and editorial boards and holding news conferences in each Alabama city, while the CVB's Landon Howard and Ron McConnell split up with hospitality partners to call on travel agents. "It was fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better reception from the five mayors or the Media," Dow said. "Everybody around the state is getting excited about Carnival coming to Mobile and the economic benefits the entire state will reap." Every television station and newspaper in the cities the Sweet Cruise Alabama team visited covered the story-newspapers put it on the front page of business sections.

Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright, Tuscaloosa Mayor Al DuPont, Birmingham Mayor Bernard Kinkaid, Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer, and Florence Mayor Dick Jordan all pledged their support to help fill the HOLIDAY this first year and to welcome Carnival to the state. During a Montgomery news conference, Mayor Bobby Bright said he and his wife have taken many cruises and Montgomery could support the new industry with "people". Montgomery Travel Agent Kristine Vawter said she has seen a lot of interest from her clients and doesn't think Carnival will have any trouble filling its ship. "I think it's going to be a great benefit to travel agencies in Montgomery and in the whole state," Vawter said.

Travel Agents throughout the state have been very receptive to the idea of booking their clients on the HOLIDAY and helping to sell pre and post cruise vacations in Mobile. Nowhere was that excitement more evident than in Birmingham when the Sweet Cruise Alabama team hosted more than 75 area agents to a Mexican Fiesta. Hospitality Partners Ashley Lowe with the Adams Mark Hotel, the Mobile Museum of Art's Charlene Patterson, the USS Alabama Battleship's Karen Conner and many more told agents about the great attractions and hotels awaiting their clients when they arrive in Mobile. All the agents had to say was –"hurry up October 16th, and when will you be getting another ship?"

To keep the momentum alive, the Sweet Cruise Alabama team will gear up again in June to visit Dothan, Anniston, Gadsden, Auburn, and Opelika, Alabama and Columbus, Georgia. Later this summer, the team will head to Atlanta, Georgia, Nashville, Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee and Jackson, Mississippi. According to Mayor Dow, "We have a story to tell about how easy and inexpensive it is to get to the Caribbean aboard a cruise ship now, and we are making it our business to get that story out. Our mission is to the fill the ship, and that's what we are doing." Dow says he is certain that once the HOLIDAY bookings are successful, Mobile and the state will soon be home to more cruise ships.