Cruise Line Announces Year Round Return To Major Gulf Coast Port

If the thought of escaping the hot, hazy, and humid days of a Louisiana summer by jumping on an ocean-going cruise ship sounds appealing to you then we have some great news for you. In fact, we have not been able to share this kind of news with Louisiana's traveling public for the past three years or so.

We have received word that a major cruise line is going to once again be offering year-round sailings from yet another Gulf Coast Port. The addition of this port, along with New Orleans and Galveston will bring the total number of major cruise ports within a reasonable driving distance from Louisiana to three.

And to make your vacation even more interesting, some passengers in Louisiana will be able to leave their homes, catch a train, and then catch a cruise ship, to a far-off and exotic destination, no car needed. Of course, the train part won't come into play until late this summer when Amtrak service along the Gulf Coast resumes. 

And the other Gulf Coast port that is being recommissioned by the folks at Carnival Cruise Lines? It's none other than Mobile Alabama. That port had been offering cruises via Carnival for seasonal travelers aboard the Carnival Spirit. Those sailings had only been on the schedule between October and May.

But coming to the Port of Mobile Alabama in Spring of 2027 will be the return of year-round sailings. This means that vacationers won't have to choose an alternate port if their travel plans fall outside the October to May window that is currently being used for sailings onboard the Carnival Spirit.

Carnival Cruise Lines have not confirmed which ships will be serving the Port of Mobile and the exact itineraries that will be offered. In the past, the Port of Mobile has been the launching pad for many Mexican destinations such as Cancun, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen.

The addition of Mobile as a full-time year-round port will also help to serve the Carnival Cruise Line business plan that seeks to put 50% of the nation's population within five hours of a Carnival Cruise port. Seems like a good strategy to have.