Cruise fans waiting to sail from Mobile will have to keep waiting. Carnival Cruise Line announced it is extending its pause of U.S. departures through April 30, 2021, wiping out another round of sailings including those planned from the Port of Mobile.
The line is notifying booked guests and travel agents directly of the cancellations. Affected passengers can choose a future cruise credit paired with an onboard credit package or request a full refund.
More Than Just U.S. Departures
The extension reaches well beyond the Gulf Coast. Carnival also canceled its Australian operations through May 19, 2021, and scrapped the European itineraries for the Carnival Legend that were set to begin in May, running through October 31.
The pandemic’s ripple effects even delayed Carnival’s newest flagship. The Mardi Gras, which was to debut from Port Canaveral, had its first sailing pushed to May 29, 2021, partly because of conditions in Europe affecting the ship’s transatlantic positioning.
What It Means for Mobile
Mobile’s Alabama Cruise Terminal has now been without passenger sailings for most of a year since the pandemic halted cruising in March 2020. The extension pushes the earliest possible restart of the Carnival Fantasy’s Mobile schedule into May 2021 at best — pending any further cancellations.
Company president Christine Duffy said guests continue to show strong loyalty and booking demand remains encouraging, but the line determined a longer pause was necessary before ships could safely return to service.