NCL coming to Monile

[captswanson]

My DW said she heard that NCL is planning on moving a ship to Mobile when the Elation moves to New Orleans. I wish the Elation would stay. I like sailing out of Mobile.

[firefly333]

I was in Mobile about a week ago and heard rumors that Mobile was talking to some cruiseline. I hoped it was true.

[nana6]

I was there last week...the guy at our hotel asked us to keep them in mind when the next cruise line came to mobile.

[luckycruzer]

My DW said she heard that NCL is planning on moving a ship to Mobile when the Elation moves to New Orleans. I wish the Elation would stay. I like sailing out of Mobile.

 

 

Just finished my 34th w/CCL..have 2 left on Ela from Mo..then TA on Magic..A Dream, and Conq, the Ela from Nola....Will have 40 CCL's by then. Just got off Valor last week...looking fwd to the Barcelona Expierence again like last year. Dont kniw what lies ahead for Mobile..but working on 50 with CCL....My TA will be $33 a day for my balcony, w/all my discounts I've stored up..Hope all is well with you ..lucky

[luckycruzer]

I was in Mobile about a week ago and heard rumors that Mobile was talking to some cruiseline. I hoped it was true.

 

me too, fire...

[futaba951]

I'm sure that we will see an NCL ship in Mobile, but I fear that it will just be at the shipyard across the river from the terminal. I have seen many NCL ships in drydock there in the past. I don't really look for them to sail from Mobile as homeport.

[firefly333]

A lady on elation last week told me that Mobile had asked for more money from Carnival to sail from Mobile and that was why Carnival took the ship away so suddenly.

 

rumors still flying.

[spencercoop]

Just finished my 34th w/CCL..have 2 left on Ela from Mo..then TA on Magic..A Dream, and Conq, the Ela from Nola....Will have 40 CCL's by then. Just got off Valor last week...looking fwd to the Barcelona Expierence again like last year. Dont kniw what lies ahead for Mobile..but working on 50 with CCL....My TA will be $33 a day for my balcony, w/all my discounts I've stored up..Hope all is well with you ..lucky

 

WOW!!! $33 a day in a balcony!

[scchasgal]

WOW!!! $33 a day in a balcony!

 

Factor in any OBC you have and that will drop the cost per day.

[The4Cruisers]

If CCL is pulling out because the clientele sailing from Mobile only buys low priced cruises and they don't make the necessary numbers for onboard services (spa, etc), why would another cruiseline like NCL want to go in there and experience the same thing? Just sayin'...

[firefly333]

If CCL is pulling out because the clientele sailing from Mobile only buys low priced cruises and they don't make the necessary numbers for onboard services (spa, etc), why would another cruiseline like NCL want to go in there and experience the same thing? Just sayin'...

 

Just saying the prices for the cruises out of Mobile are much higher than out of FL .. and Carnival said "its not all about the fuel" .. which means to me it was about fuel. Carnival can send a ship cheaper to the bahamas than it can to Mexico fuel wise.

 

FL needed more competition like a hole in the head. Most of those cruises are loss leaders and if people dont spend onboard, there would be no profit.

 

I dont think anyone here knows all the reasons why Carnival pulled out.

[luckycruzer]

Factor in any OBC you have and that will drop the cost per day.

 

 

DH's Interline rate, early Dep, price drop, and Will have my 25% off for reaching Milestones in 2009 as well. So that $33 a day is how it stands right now...B4 my former cabin mate bailed, and I got a new one...it was $19 a day, but she would only cruze if it was in a balc....so rather than paying single supp, I spent $200 more to saved $600...life is good, and I'm just eating up the pics from the "MAGIC" peeps now..and price may go lower yet!!!

[KY Transplant]

Where is Cruzman and Jetskier? I'm sure they will have the inside scoop on this!:)

[PunkinsDad]

I'm not a native to the area, but I've lived here for 7 years now and I do know some people. Here is what I've heard. I can't vouch for the accuracy of any of this, but it does come from people who should know.

 

1. The harbor Pilots charge a lot. There really aren't that many and they all work together and charge accordingly.

 

2. The baggage handlers at the Mobile Cruise terminal are part of the Longshoreman's union, and charge union scale.

 

3. There is a small but significant difference in total travel distance from Mobile Vs. New Orleans. With fuel prices the way they are, that's not something to sneeze at.

 

4. The Fantasy-class is the largest of the CCL fleet that can be handled at the port of Mobile's turning basin without tug assist. Since there are no plans to change that, Mobile's cruise terminal had a limited lifespan built-in. They are building/dredging a larger basin further south in the channel, but that would mean backing a larger CCL ship for several miles to reach the terminal.

 

In addition, the city "Leaders" here in Mobile seem to be totally inept in attracting and keeping clients. The few successes they have had seem to be more a matter of luck than skill and acumen. It's a shame really. Mobile and the surrounding communities have a great deal to offer, but local politics always seems to get in the way.

 

My family and I are booked on the Elation for Thanksgiving this year. It would have been nice to be able to sail out of Mobile (15 min from our house). But N.O. isn't that far.

[Mybearsbaby]

I really wish a cruise ship would still go out of Mobile. It was the closest to home for us...like 4 hrs. NO is not gosh-awful further, but an extra 3 hrs or so. With gas like it is, that adds up, plus the extra time in a car.

[futaba951]

I'm not a native to the area, but I've lived here for 7 years now and I do know some people. Here is what I've heard. I can't vouch for the accuracy of any of this, but it does come from people who should know.

 

1. The harbor Pilots charge a lot. There really aren't that many and they all work together and charge accordingly.

 

2. The baggage handlers at the Mobile Cruise terminal are part of the Longshoreman's union, and charge union scale.

 

3. There is a small but significant difference in total travel distance from Mobile Vs. New Orleans. With fuel prices the way they are, that's not something to sneeze at.

 

4. The Fantasy-class is the largest of the CCL fleet that can be handled at the port of Mobile's turning basin without tug assist. Since there are no plans to change that, Mobile's cruise terminal had a limited lifespan built-in. They are building/dredging a larger basin further south in the channel, but that would mean backing a larger CCL ship for several miles to reach the terminal.

 

In addition, the city "Leaders" here in Mobile seem to be totally inept in attracting and keeping clients. The few successes they have had seem to be more a matter of luck than skill and acumen. It's a shame really. Mobile and the surrounding communities have a great deal to offer, but local politics always seems to get in the way.

 

My family and I are booked on the Elation for Thanksgiving this year. It would have been nice to be able to sail out of Mobile (15 min from our house). But N.O. isn't that far.

 

Back in the early '90s I worked for a company in Mobile. We were cleaning out the supply closet and ran across an Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo program book from several years before. We all got a chuckle because all of the three city commissioners (Mobile has since changed to a mayor and council form of govt) and three county commissioners were all either in jail or had spent time there. Great leadership back then, and not much of an improvement now. :)

[mzloolue]

I like sailing from Mobile too.

Three times on Holiday.

Once on Fantasy and once on Elation.

 

I still don't think that the problem was the passengers from Mobile.

It is difficult trying to compare cruise fares on Holiday with fares in other ports that had newer ships with more bells and whistles.:confused:

 

Even now, fares on the same sailing dates are usually pretty consistent.

Sometimes more from Mobile and sometimes more from New Orleans.

 

As for the other, I am no expert, but I harbor pilots are in every port.

I thought that harbor pilot was job that kind of stays in families and is passed from father to son.

 

I also thought that baggage handlers were union in New Orleans too.

[maldenmusic]

I will be doing another cruise out of Mobile in 12 days and will miss it as a port. I hope another cruise line will come in.

[gemsm]

Where is Cruzman and Jetskier? I'm sure they will have the inside scoop on this!:)

 

Knowing Jetskier he is probably currently on a cruise :-)

[alabamaprincess]

I hope we do get another cruiseline. Mobile was the closest port to where we live. I'm actually closer to Charleston and Jacksonville, Fla than New Orleans. It just isn't a good deal for us to drive that far with the price of gas. I guess if we go to Cozumel it will be out of Tampa. The cruises are cheaper and we can visit family on the way to Tampa.