Carnival Cruise Lines inks 3-year agreement in Alabama

MOBILE, Ala. – Carnival Cruise Line and Alabama city officials have ceremonially signed an agreement to base a Carnival ship there for three more years.

News outlets report that Carnival official Terry Thornton called the agreement historic for the Miami-based cruise line. He says Carnival doesn’t usually make such long agreements with cities the size of Mobile.

The City Council is expected to officially approve the agreement on Tuesday.

Mayor Sandy Stimson says Carnival brings lots of business, and he hopes the market will grow enough for Carnival to replace the Carnival Fantasy with a bigger ship.

Thornton noted that after about 10 years in Charleston, South Carolina, a 2,000-passenger ship like the Fantasy was replaced this year with the 3,000-passenger Carnival Sunshine.

Charleston’s population is about 148,000, Mobile’s nearly 190,000.