Alabama cruise trial voyages generated $6.2 million for Mobile area

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Posted 8:07AM on Monday, April 15, 2002

MOBILE, Ala. - Port and city officials want to keep cruise ships sailing from Mobile after trial voyages in March generated an estimated $6.2 million in local business. The Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines' eight voyages were virtually all sold out, with about 1,600 passengers and 660 crew members on each trip. "Right now, we don't envision a ship based year-round at Mobile," Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz of Miami said in an interview. "However, we do definitely think there's an opportunity for a series of cruises from Mobile on a regular schedule." She said the port's infrastructure and the ease of getting around for the vessel and passengers are vital for returning the ships. "The larger issue is whether there's a market to support a cruise ship long-term. That's something we're continuing to analyze," she said. Carnival also will look at where the passengers came from, as well as the potential for drawing people from a larger region, she said. A license plate survey of passengers in March, completed by the convention office, found that only 32 percent of them came from the Mobile area. But Mark Kaiser, general manager of the Adam's Mark Hotel, nearest the waterfront, said the voyages had more of an impact on restaurants and local attractions than hotels. He said passengers timed their drives to the ship's arrival and departure times. Kaiser said having the cruise ships on a permanent basis, however, would spell profits for hotels. "We are looking forward to having it permanently here. Then they start reaching outside the five-hour drive market," Kaiser said. That would mean overnight stays. Al St. Clair, the city's point man on the cruise ships, said the city needs a terminal on the waterfront to handle the passengers. During the trial voyages, the city erected a big tent at the Alabama State Docks as a temporary terminal. Building a permanent terminal, he said, will require input from Carnival and regulatory agencies. It could also create a new city port agency, since it's a city-run project and not a responsibility of the state docks. Docks spokeswoman Sarah Teague said accommodating the big cruise ships wasn't a problem for the docks, which already handles giant container vessels. But the passengers had to deal with a cargo terminal under a tent that didn't always keep out the rain. De la Cruz said Carnival had been given the impression from the city that the passengers would be picked up at the convention center, not from a tent at the state docks. "After we committed to coming, the situation was changed. The tent was OK, but it was less than desirable," she said. Another challenge for the city: Cruise lines don't want vehicles parked within 300 feet of the ships because of security concerns. "What we need is a terminal where we can process passengers and luggage," St. Clair said. He's looking at a possible site near the Mobile Convention Center. Cruise ships could use an improved bulkhead being prepared for tall ships arriving in July for the city's tricentennial celebrations. Meanwhile, tourism officials say two other cruise lines have shown interest in Mobile and a third, Holland America, already has committed to using the port in January. That ship will leave from Mobile, but return to New Orleans. While the city's convention office estimates the March cruises generated about $6.2 million in area business, the figure could go up if Carnival makes Mobile a permanent location. For the trial cruises, Carnival got its supplies from Miami; those supplies, including food and alcohol, could be purchased in Mobile if it is a permanent site, said St. Clair. Then there's the fog, which caused some departure delays on the Alabama coast. "We'd like for city officials to make fog in Mobile to go away," de la Cruz said. "That proved to be challenging, but fog is not exclusive to Mobile." She said choosing a permanent location requires input from travel agents as well as port officials. "Travel agents and consumers become familiar with operations. People know Carnival has ships year-round in Miami and New Orleans," she said. "When moving ships around, it's a lot harder for people to keep track of where you have ships."