Triumph coming to Mobile in 2008

[LHP]

8/24/2007
MIAMI (August 24, 2007) – Carnival Cruise Lines and the Mobile, Alabama Cruise Terminal Authority today announced a significant increase in capacity for Mobile's cruise operations when the 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph replaces the 1,452-passenger Holiday on four- and five-day cruises year-round from Mobile beginning October 6, 2008.
Carnival is the only cruise operator to sail year-round from Mobile and the Carnival Triumph represents a 49 percent increase in capacity over the Holiday. With the deployment of the Carnival Triumph – the newest and largest ship ever homeported in Mobile on a year-round basis – Carnival is expected to carry 230,000 guests annually from Mobile.
"Mobile has proven to be a very successful homeport based on the convenient and affordable cruise options that it offers to consumers from across the Southeastern U.S.," said Vicki Freed, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. "These voyages are especially attractive to first-time cruisers, providing them with an opportunity to experience Carnival’s unique vacation environment and wide-ranging product upgrades – all at an outstanding value," she added.
"We in Mobile are thrilled to be able to serve an even greater number of guests and allow them to enjoy the kind of quality customer care we have always offered," said Shelia Gurganus, Mobile's Cruise Terminal director of operations. "We also thank Carnival for this clear sign of its commitment to the future of Mobile as a cruise homeport."
In conjunction with the redeployment of the Carnival Triumph to Mobile, the ship will offer the same four-day and five-day itineraries departing on Monday's, Thursday's and Saturday's featuring daylong calls to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Calica, Mexico.
Carnival Triumph currently operates seven-day cruises from Miami and will continue that program through October 5, 2008. The Holiday will remain in Mobile through its departure date of October 6, 2008. Future deployment plans for that vessel will be announced at a later date.
"Our Mobile-based cruises generate some of the highest guest satisfaction ratings in our fleet and we believe that this will only be enhanced when the Carnival Triumph starts service in the fall of 2008," Freed said.
Pricing and Reservations
Reservations will be accepted for the Carnival Triumph's four-and five-day schedule from Mobile beginning September 7, 2007. Prices for the four-day cruises begin at $279 and five-day cruises start at $299, based on double occupancy.
Special rates for third and fourth guests sailing in the same stateroom and round-trip air supplements from dozens of North American gateways are also available. Carnival Triumph cruises can also be combined with a pre- or post-cruise land stay in Mobile.

hoping this is not a hoax..due to the date

[Jim C.]

Don't think its a hoax. The September 7th date is when they start accepting reservations for the ship not when they start sailing from Mobile. It does that Triumph continues in Miami until Oct 5th. So anyone wanting to sail on the Holiday one last time had better get on soon.

At least it answers the question of what is replacing the Holiday. I thought it was going to be a Fantasy class ship, but I was wrong.

[SuzyCruise]

Thanks LHP. Mobile is the closest port to my home and I've been anxiously awaiting the announcement of the new appointment. And it looks like the prices are the same. Good news.

[LisaP]

hoping this is not a hoax..due to the date

You mean because the press release is dated two days from now? Looks like someone either made an error or jumped the gun.

[SuzyCruise]

Maybe I can't read. The way I read it was:
The first paragraph says she will begin cruises October 6, 2008.
Near the end of the article it says reservations will be accepted as soon as Sept. 7, 2007.

[LHP]

Originally posted by LisaP:

quote:

hoping this is not a hoax..due to the date

You mean because the press release is dated two days from now? Looks like someone either made an error or jumped the gun.

[Jim C.]

LHP- It looks legit to me. I would say that it is just an advancded copy since I have not seen it on CCLs website yet.

SuzyCruise- The Sept 7th date is when they will start taking bookings for the Triumph sailings starting in October. Meaning you can't book the triumph until then. I'm sure they need the time to make sure the exsisting Holiday bookings are transferred before they start taking new bookings. I smell some specials on those first cruises in October. 1 month is short notice to fill up a cruise ship (40% passenger cap increase).

[SuzyCruise]

Yes. I understand that. I'm not questioning it. Go back and look at your first response to the topic.

"The September 7th date is when they start accepting reservations for the ship not when they start sailing from Mobile. It does that Triumph continues in Miami until Oct 5th."

I thought you didn't understand it. Sorry, my fault. I should have kept my mouth shut -- or my fingers still.

Thanks anyway.

[Dave]

Well I for one am floored. I didn't think they'd bypass a Fantasy-class ship. We cruised on the Triumph in 2003. Frankly I don't care too much for the design of the Triumph in some areas. The pool deck is too congested for my tastes, among other areas that I feel have poor passenger flow. However it is a fine ship in the bigger picture and we had a nice cruise.

Overall it is a huge statement that Carnival is in Mobile to stay and that is a good thing. And I'll no doubt be boarding the Triumph for more than one cruise out of the great port of Mobile.

[SuzyCruise]

Well, Dave. You know that outsiders still think Alabama is occupied by nothing other than rednecks (I hold the media and comedians responsible for that). But on the other hand, I'd rather the rest of the U.S. not know how nice Birmingham really is because then a lot of people would want to live here and then it wouldn't be so nice anymore.