Carnival Sensation Set to Return to Mobile in March as Cruising Resumes

Cruises are coming back to the Port City. Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed the Carnival Sensation will sail from Mobile again beginning March 5, bringing passenger service back to the Alabama Cruise Terminal for the first time since the pandemic shut the industry down.

The announcement closes out a long hiatus for Mobile’s cruise business. In July 2020, Carnival announced the Sensation would relocate from Miami to Mobile and take over the itineraries previously run by the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Fascination. The ship first arrived at its new homeport in May, docking so that 110 crew members on board could be vaccinated by USA Health.

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson confirmed the return in a statement, saying Alabamians were ready to cruise again and wanted to do it from their home state.

“Cruising represents $6 million in annual gross revenue for the City of Mobile from wharfage and parking alone,” Stimpson said. “The cruise industry is also a critical economic driver for our hotels, restaurants, and suppliers.” He added that the Mobile Cruise Ship Terminal continued to earn very high marks in Carnival’s customer satisfaction surveys, and urged residents to get ready to cruise in March.

Carnival, for its part, said the Sensation’s return was part of a broader milestone: with all of its U.S.-based ships back in guest operations by March 2022, the line’s pandemic-era restart would be complete. Sailings from Mobile with March departure dates were already open for booking when the announcement was made.

Mobile’s cruise history

Before the pandemic, the Alabama Cruise Terminal was home to the Carnival Fantasy, which returned Carnival to Mobile in November 2016. Carnival announced the Fantasy’s sale for scrap in July 2020, while its fleet was idle, and the Sensation was assigned to Mobile in its place.