Word that Carnival Cruise Line was preparing to bring a ship back to South Alabama set off an immediate wave of enthusiasm among longtime cruisers, downtown business owners and state tourism officials, many of whom said the announcement had been years in the making.
A Mobile resident who runs a cruise apparel business said that within 24 hours of hearing the news, she had created a Facebook group for cruisers interested in sailing out of the Alabama Cruise Terminal. The group swelled to more than 500 followers on its first day and grew to nearly 800 by the following afternoon, filled with posts about past cruises, favorite excursion stops and hopes for the returning ship’s itinerary.
“Cruisers love to talk about cruising. It’s an exciting thing,” she said, adding that she had long noticed there wasn’t a dedicated online community for Mobile-based cruisers before creating the page.
The excitement wasn’t limited to social media. A managing editor at one of the largest online cruise review communities said the port’s announcement drew a surge of enthusiastic comments from users who described an emotional connection to Mobile as a cruise departure point.
For downtown Mobile, the return of cruise traffic carries real financial stakes. The general manager of a riverfront hotel said Carnival’s 2011 departure had cost the city’s hotels roughly $1 million in lost annual revenue and about 100,000 room nights combined. A 2009 economic study had found the cruise industry generated $11.6 million a year in local economic impact while ships were sailing from Mobile.
Travel agents around the state also welcomed the news. Because the Alabama Cruise Terminal functions as a “drive-to” facility, appealing to vacationers within a four-to-five-hour drive who can reach Western Caribbean itineraries without flying, agents in North Alabama said they expected strong interest from customers along the Interstate 65 corridor and beyond, including neighboring states.
State leaders framed the return as a statewide tourism win. Then-Governor Robert Bentley said in a statement that a returning cruise line would showcase Mobile to visitors from across the country and give Alabama residents a home-state option for cruise travel. The state’s tourism director said the port has historically served as a draw that pulls visitors through other parts of Alabama on their way to and from Mobile, benefiting businesses well beyond the waterfront.
For the Mobile entrepreneur who started the cruisers’ Facebook group, the announcement also raised hopes for her own business, which produces custom apparel for cruise groups. She said a returning homeport ship could eventually support a permanent storefront. “We are all excited,” she said. “I smiled all day.”