Carnival Cruise Line said it has signed a contract to
continue to sail from Mobile, Ala., through December 2018.
The Carnival Fantasy is presently based year-round in Mobile
and operates a mix of four to 10-day cruises to Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean
and the Panama Canal.
Carnival returned a ship to Mobile in 2016 after pulling out
in 2011. It is the only cruise line with a ship in Mobile.
Mobile mayor Sandy Stimpson estimated that over the course
of the year, more than 190,000 cruisers will pass through Mobile, spending more
than $18 million.
Stimpson said Carnival has the option to extend the current
contract for another year.