Cruises coming back to Mobile: Carnival Ecstasy docked at cruise terminal ahead of first voyage

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Carnival Ecstasy pulled into Mobile Thursday morning, as it gets ready for the first voyage from Mobile since COVID.

The Ecstasy is not the newest or largest ship in Carnival’s fleet, but for some its size is still impressive.

“It was really big and it looks really cool because I’ve never seen one up this close, so it really shocked me,” said Bennett Greer.

Bennett and his dad Ben, getting an up-close view of the 12-deck Ecstasy. They are almost close enough to reach out and touch it.

“When you’re coming across the Bay, you can’t tell how big it is, the scale,” Ben said. “It’s a big boat, but you don’t know it’s this big, it’s taller than this building.”

The ship docked at the cruise terminal Thursday morning as it prepares for the first voyage from Mobile after a two-year cruising hiatus.

Work is underway now to prepare for those first passengers on Saturday.

With the ship now here, excitement is building.

“Watching it come in this morning warmed my heart,” said David Clark, President and CEO of Visit Mobile. “We were watching it from the Convention Center come in. It just brings a whole another vibe to Mobile.”

Over the last several months, the terminal has been getting some upgrades including some infrastructure work and a minor face lift with a new mural and tv screens that show off the city. This week’s restart of cruising will only last until mid-October. At that point, the Port City will lose a cruise ship again, but Mayor Sandy Stimpson says Carnival should be back in late 2023 and that is important to him.

“Without a cruise ship, you’re not running on all 8 cylinders,” he said. “You’re doing okay maybe, but when a cruise ship comes in and it has that turnover twice a week that’s a big deal for our community.”

With the cruise ship back, people are coming out to take in the sight and maybe even considering a cruise of their own.

“When I come across the Bay and see it, I get excited,” Ben said. “I want to check the schedule and see when it’s going out next, makes me want to go, even if I can’t go, it makes me want to go.”

Tourism officials say while Carnival’s return is only temporary it is expected to bring an economic impact of about $8 million over the next seven months.