cruise ship coming to mobile al

‘Exciting time for Mobile’: Alabama’s Port City welcomes the Carnival Spirit

C arnival Cruise Line’s return to Mobile with the largest cruise ship to sail out of the 19-year-old Alabama Cruise Terminal means the crowds are coming.

Gina and Andrew Allen, both seasoned cruisers who typically depart from Charleston, South Carolina, are driving nine hours from Statesville, North Carolina, next week to vacation on the Carnival Spirit. It’s their first cruise out of the downtown Mobile terminal.

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• Carnival Spirit docks in Mobile, ending city’s cruise ship drought (subscriber content from the Lede)
• Boondoggle no more: How Carnival’s return gives Mobile hope for cruise terminal payoff
• Mobile readies for new cruise ship’s October arrival
• Mobile paying nearly $5 million to boost cruise terminal months before Carnival’s return

Steve Aderholt, 62, will be making the trip to Mobile from Millbrook, about a 2-hour and 45-minute drive south.

And then there’s David and Lynn Mosley of Mobile. The two plan to walk about two miles from their home in the Oakleigh Garden Historic District, where they will board the ship on Friday.

“The Mobile port is so well organized, and they get the guests on and off the ship real quick,” said David Mosely, 70, who estimates that he and his wife have been on 50 cruises total, 30 from the Mobile port.

No matter the distance or backgrounds, the city is eager to welcome back the cruise passengers to Mobile. The Carnival Spirit will make its inaugural voyage on Friday. More than 2,100 passengers – the equivalent to the population of Elberta in Baldwin County – will pack into the ship and set sail on an eight-night voyage to the Bahamas.

“We are getting a newer ship with new itineraries,” said Joe Snowden, executive director of administrative services with the City of Mobile. “This is an exciting time for Mobile.”

‘Ships are full’

Indeed, it’s an exciting moment for the downtown businesses that miss the cruisers when they are gone. And over the past 15 or so years, the downtown businesses have organized their hours to accommodate the influx of visitors arriving for a cruise.

“When I started here 15 years ago, there were no restaurants opened on Sunday and Monday nights,” said Fred Renfrey, director of economic development with the Downtown Mobile Alliance. “But we started seeing enhanced hours. The market is responding and gets creative quickly.”

The cruising industry is responsible for an estimated 35,000 room nights in Mobile on an annual basis. The Carnival Spirit will be operating seasonal – from October to May – before it sails to Alaska for summer sailings. The Spirit is set to be in Mobile for at least the next five years.

“We’re cruising to the Bahamas, the Western Caribbean and on six to eight-day itineraries that we’ve never had before,” said David Clark, president & CEO with Visit Mobile. “It’s a good, quality ship. It’s the best ship we’ve ever had.”

Mobile leaders are angling to make an impression. The goal is to restore year-round cruising out of Mobile with the larger ships that Carnival Cruise Line is operating. The older, smaller ships that operated out of Mobile – namely, the Carnival Fantasy, which sailed from 2016-2020 – have since been sent off for scrap.

The objective is to fill the cruise ship while its sailing from Mobile, and at a competitive price at a time when the industry is experiencing a post-pandemic surge. According to a report by the Cruise Lines International Association, cruise passenger volumes are expected to reach 106% of 2019 levels in 2023, with 31.5 million passengers sailing. By 2027, that number is expected to climb to 39.5 million passengers globally.

“The ships are full,” said Steward Chiron, a longtime cruise industry analyst who goes by “Steward the Cruise Guy.”

“Americans are traveling with a vengeance right now,” Chiron said. “They just can’t get away quick enough.”

Carnival is enjoying a financial comeback from the lulls of the pandemic. The Miami-based corporation’s nine brands had full ships during the third quarter of 2023, and the company delivered a profit of over $1 billion, and record revenue. The ships, according to the company, were 109 percent full. Cruise ship occupancy is calculated by having two people in each stateroom, bringing a ship to 100 percent.

“The Florida ports, Galveston, and New Orleans are doing very well,” Chiron said. “We’re hoping to see a strong response from people sailing out of Mobile.”

‘Uptick from reservations’

The downtown businesses are hoping Mobile reaps the timing of the cruising boom.

T.P. Crockmier’s, a downtown bar and restaurant, was the host venue for Aderholt and about 25-30 other cruisers on Thursday during a meet and greet event organized on social media.

“The main thing is people will get together and talk about the cruise and what they are doing,” said Aderholt.

Aderholt will also be selling the final coins that he and his significant other, Lisa Johnson, designed and have available to sell. The $20 commemorative coins highlight the first sailing of the Carnival Spirit from Mobile. There are only 100 of them, he said.

“Once they are gone, they are gone,” Aderholt said. “You can get a T-shirt. But a T-shirt wears out. These are made of heavy brass.”

Aderholt arrived Thursday and stayed overnight at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Hotel, a popular hotel for cruisers.

Kent Blackinton, general manager of the hotel, said he anticipates a bump up in business when the cruisers like Aderholt arrive before the ships depart. But he’s hopeful that the longer itineraries – six days or more – will mean the cruisers will be tempted with staying overnight when the ship returns.

“I hope with the different itineraries and demographics, you might seem some post-cruise stays,” he said.

Margo Gilbert, general manager of the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa, said her hotel is already ahead of reservations compared to last year when the Carnival Ecstasy was sailing briefly in Mobile.

“As soon as the (Spirit) was announced we saw an uptick from reservations coming in,” Gilbert said.

First impressions are also at stake.

“When you get that amount of people in downtown Mobile, and that many people in the area in general, you don’t know if that traveler is on a board of directors for a company that may want to bring their company (to Mobile) for a convention or to come back on vacation. That’s a couple thousands of opportunities we can take advantage of as a city to bring more business in.”

The hotel activity isn’t just for downtown Mobile. Activity spills out into the Eastern Shore of Baldwin County where the Hampton Inn & Suites in Daphne will get cruisers especially once the hotels in downtown fill up.

“There has been an impact after they closed a five-year deal with the Spirit,” said Jim Pappas, the hotel’s general manager.

The hotel offers park and ride packages for cruisers, similar with what is offered at the hotels throughout Mobile.

And the Daphne hotel offers a bit of a tourism attraction itself – it’s a short walk to D’Olive Creek, where it’s not unusual to spot an alligator.

“People love it,” Pappas said.

©2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Carnival Cruise Line Returns to Mobile, Alabama

• October 6, 2023

After a year-long hiatus, Carnival Cruise Line is returning to Mobile with the Carnival Spirit.

Now sailing from the Alabama homeport, the vessel is set to offer a series of six- to eight-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Departing today, the first cruise of the season sails to the Bahamas; the eight-night itinerary is highlighted by visits to Bimini and Nassau.

Before returning to Mobile, the cruise is also scheduled to sail to Freeport and Half Moon Cay – one of Carnival Corporation’s private destinations in the region.

Extending through late March , the program also includes different cruises to Central America and the Western Caribbean .

With several departures scheduled, one of the itineraries to the region sail for eight nights and includes visits to Cozumel and Costa Maya, in Mexico; Belize City, in Belize; and Mahogany Bay, in Roatán, Honduras.

The Carnival Spirit is also set to visit Princess Cays, another Carnival Corp. destination.

Upon completing its homeporting program in Alabama, the ship offers a repositioning cruise to Seattle.

The 16-night cruise departs from Tampa on April 7 and features visits to five destinations in Grand Cayman, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico: George Town, Cartagena de Indias, the Panama Canal, Puntarenas and Cabo San Lucas.

Launched in 2001, the Carnival Spirit is the prototype ship of a series of four vessels known as Spirit Class.

Before today, Carnival’s last cruise from Mobile had departed in October 2022. At the month, the Carnival Ecstasy concluded its farewell season before being sold to a ship recycling yard in Turkey.

After a summer program in Alaska, the Carnival Spirit is set to return to Mobile for a second seasonal program in late 2023.

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Carnival Spirit will sail from Mobile in October 2023

• Updated: Mar. 05, 2022, 1:47 p.m. |
• Published: Mar. 05, 2022, 12:59 p.m.

Christine Duffy, president of Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line, speaks during a news conference at the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal on Saturday, March 5, 2022, in downtown Mobile, Ala. (John Sharp/[email protected]).

• John Sharp | [email protected]

The Carnival Spirit cruise ship will come to Mobile in October 2023 for six to eight-day excursions to Mexico, Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, according to Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy.

Carnival Spirit’s cruises from the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal will be seasonal and will run for six months each year before the ship is moved during the summer months to Alaska, she said.

Related stories:

• Carnival cruising to return to Mobile following COVID-19 hiatus
• Mobile councilman questions growing cruise terminal spending ‘without promise of a ship’
• From Sensation to Ecstasy: Carnival cruising restart in Mobile to include new ship

Duffy, in Mobile Saturday, announced the new plans for Mobile during a news conference on the day that cruising returned to Alabama’s port city following a 720-day hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It will be a great ship for Mobile and will allow us to operate longer itineraries of six to eight days, with eastern and western Caribbean sailings,” Duffy said. “It gives people a lot of options.”

The Spirit’s arrival will come following a year-long pause in cruising from Mobile.

That pause will begin in mid-October when the Carnival Ecstasy sails for the final time. The Ecstasy is the Miami-based company’s oldest operating ship and was departing from Mobile Saturday for the first sailing out of the city since the pandemic began in March 2020.

“I don’t like to have a gap at all,” Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said about the forthcoming cruising hiatus. “But by the same token, it’s good to know there is a very bright future.”

‘Unique opportunity’

Indeed, the arrival of the Carnival Spirit will give cruisers options out of Mobile that they have not had since cruising returned to Alabama in 2016, following a five-year hiatus.

The Spirit will be the first none-Fantasy class ship to sail out of Mobile with cruisers since 2016. The vessel is newer – it was launched in 2000, compared to the 1991 launching of the Ecstasy – and is bigger. The capacity for the Carnival Spirit allows for more than 2,100 passengers, which is slightly more than the Ecstasy and the Carnival Fantasy, which sailed out of Mobile from 2016 to 2020. The Fantasy was retired during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since been sold for scrap.

But for city officials, the Spirit’s biggest allure is with its itineraries, which includes destinations that have not been offered before out of Mobile.

The vessel is also taking longer excursions of six to eight days. Currently, excursions offered out of Mobile are sailing for shorter time periods to Cozumel and Progreso, Yucatan.

“We think more customers will come in and stay before and after longer in Mobile,” said David Clark, president & CEO with Visit Mobile. “With those longer opportunities, you will be able to see more of the Caribbean. This is an opportunity we never had before in Mobile and it’s a good thing.”

Duffy said the commitment for sailings out of Mobile will be for two-to-three years. She said the company has opened up its itineraries to 2024 and is planning for 2025 soon.

“Mobile is a great drive-to destination for many of our guests,” she said. “We have ships in New Orleans that people can drive to as well. The difference now is the ships in New Orleans are for seven days or shorter cruises. (In Mobile) we’re giving people something different.”

She said the seasonal excursions from Mobile will offer an opportunity for people to cruise from the city to Alaska, since the Carnival Spirit will head north for the summer months.

“It gives the opportunity for people to come to Mobile to take that journey when the ship moves from Mobile up to Seattle,” Duffy said. “It’s a very, very unique opportunity for people to come to Mobile for those cruises and there is a lot of demand for those itineraries.”

Filling a ‘void’

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson speaks during a news conference on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal in downtown Mobile, Ala. (John Sharp/[email protected]).

The challenge for Mobile could be on finding alternative uses for the cruise terminal whenever the Spirit is not sailing out of the venue.

Stimpson said he’s uncertain on how the venue could be utilized, although he said the absence of a ship could open the venue up for offering more weddings.

“It’s the prettiest location we have along the (Mobile) river,” said Stimpson, who acknowledged that the city will have a “void” during the summer months. The Ecstasy’s sailings this summer will mark the last time cruising will occur in Mobile during the summer season for the foreseeable future.

Stimpson said that cruising brings approximately $12 million in economic impact to Mobile. On an annual basis, the cruise industry can fill up to around 35,000 hotel rooms in Mobile.

It also helps pay for the city’s bills. Whenever a cruise ship is in the city, it brings in around $6 million in annual gross revenues from wharfage and parking alone.

The revenue offsets the outstanding bond payments on the cruise terminal. The city’s typical debt on the venue is around $1.8 million. The terminal’s bond does not expire until 2030.

During fiscal year 2020 – the year that cruising was halted during the pandemic – only around $3 million in gross revenues were generated from the terminal.

“We’ve been fortunate during COVID that our revenues are up,” Stimpson said, referring to the city overall. “But there is a hole created by not having a cruise ship here. We have to backfill when we don’t have the revenue to amortize the debt on the cruise terminal.”

Cruising, he said, is “beneficial not to just the city (government)” but also to downtown’s restaurants and bars.

The Excelsior Band serenades Carnival Ecstasy cruisers as they arrived to the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal on Saturday, March 5, 2022. (photo by Jason Johnson with the city of Mobile).

Clark said he’s hopeful that there is potential to lure a second Carnival cruise ship to Mobile, or for the city to attract a cruise ship from another company.

“The infrastructure is there for the most part (to support more than one cruise ship at the same time),” Clark said. “We have to continue driving demand for cruising from Mobile.”

Stimpson said there will be a need to upgrade the cruise terminal once the Ecstasy departs in October. The biggest upgrade will involve spending potentially up to $5 million to replace the facility’s gangway, or the raised platform that serves as the walkway leading cruisers and crew members from the terminal to the vessel.

‘Emotional’ return

For now, Stimpson and other city officials are all smiles as a cruise ship has returned to the city for the first time since the industry was shuttered during the onset of the pandemic.

“Many of you have been waiting a long time to take this vacation,” Stimpson told a crowd of cruisers who gathered to listen to the news conference hours before the Ecstasy department the terminal. “We are glad to be a part of it.”

The news conference also served as a celebration -- or, as Carnival cruise officials labeled it, a “Sailabration” -- of the company’s 50th birthday. It drew not only representatives of the local media, but a large group of cruisers who looked on and applauded at the announcement that the Spirit will be arriving to Mobile in 2023.

A crowd of cruisers await a news conference to begin on Saturday, March 5, 2022, inside the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal in downtown Mobile, Ala. The passengers were also waiting to board the Carnival Ecstasy for a cruise voyage to Cozumel, Mexico. It marked the first time cruising returned to Mobile after a 720-day hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. (John Sharp/[email protected]).

The news conference was also a celebration for Carnival has it has almost resumed sailings at all of its homeports. The Ecstasy’s departure from Mobile was the 20th Carnival Cruise Line ship to resume sailing since the COVID-19 pandemic upended the global cruising industry.

“We are almost completed with all of our fleet back in service,” Duffy said. “It’s emotional for our crew to have guests finally back on board.”

Among those waiting to board the ship were Ray and Melanie West of Calhoun, Georgia. The couple were going on their 48th cruise, and their 11th from the Mobile terminal.

“We’re excited to have a newer and bigger ship (coming to Mobile),” said Ray West, referring to the Carnival Spirit. “This (terminal) is within driving distance from almost everywhere in the Southeast. It’s an easy place for us to get to … and we don’t have to fly.”

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Carnival Spirit Begins Cruising From Mobile

By: Author Carrie Ann Karstunen

Posted on Published: October 7, 2023  - Last updated: October 9, 2023

Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Spirit has begun sailing from her new homeport in Mobile, Alabama to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Carniva l’s 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit has greeted the first passengers departing from her new homeport in Mobile, Alabama. With Spirit ‘s inaugural sailing from Mobile, the cruise line brings more variety in itineraries departing from the port.

Captain Salvatore Siviero and Carnival Spirit ‘s officers welcomed passengers as well as notable guests as they boarded the ship—including City of Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson and Visit Mobile president and CEO David Clark —for an onboard celebration led by Sarah Beth Reno , Carnival’s SVP of guest operations.

“It’s great to see another Carnival funnel amid the Mobile skyline today. We are truly pleased to continue our strong partnership of more than 21 years with the city of Mobile,” Reno said in a press release .

“ Carnival Spirit is the perfect ship to carry out this new cruise program for Mobile, offering more accommodation options and all that our guests expect to find on a ‘Fun Ship,’ along with longer itineraries that offer guests a wider range of destinations to explore.”

Spirit ‘s chefs created a jumbo version of Mobile’s famous MoonPie dessert, decorated with Carnival’s iconic whale tail funnel design, for the festivities. In Mobile, MoonPies are customarily thrown to onlookers during Mardi Gras parades. Mayor Stimpson cut the first slice of the enormous treat, which was then served to guests on board.

“Mobilians love to see a cruise ship on the waterfront, and Carnival Spirit is the best ship we’ve ever had. It will offer unparalleled itineraries and experiences and have a positive economic impact on the local retailers, restaurants, and hotels that serve Carnival’s guests,” said Stimpson. “It was a pleasure to personally greet the first guests today and kick off what I know will be a successful cruising season.”

Guests sailing on the inaugural voyage from Mobile will enjoy an eight-day Bahamas cruise featuring stops in Bimini, Freeport, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau. The ship will then sail a series of six- and eight-day voyages now through March 2024.

Related: 7 Best Beaches in Nassau Bahamas for Cruisers

Carnival has also opened cruises from fall 2024 to spring 2025 on Carnival Spirit from Mobile, featuring five-, six-, and eight-day itineraries, as well as a 12-day Carnival Journeys Southern Caribbean cruise—the first Journeys cruise scheduled from Mobile.

Carnival Spirit offers a wide range of amenities and many signature Carnival venues, including Alchemy Bar , Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse , and RedFrog Rum Bar . Guests will also have more choice of accommodations, with the ship offering twice the number of balcony staterooms offered on prior ships homeported in Mobile.

More news about Carnival Cruise Line

Do you love to cruise from Mobile? Are you excited that Carnival Spirit is now homeporting in the city? Let me know what you think in the comments!

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Carnival Cruise Line Opens 2024/2025 Sailings From Mobile, Alabama

Carnival Cruise Line announced today that sales for the brand’s 2024/2025 cruises departing from Mobile, Alabama on Carnival Spirit are now open! The sailings include Caribbean itineraries and a 12-day Carnival Journeys Southern Caribbean cruise.

“The sailings we’re opening today offer some great new choices for our guests and build on our plans for the Mobile community, where we’ve enjoyed a long and successful partnership,” said Fred Stein, Carnival’s vice president of revenue planning and deployment.

2024/2025 Sailings from Mobile, Alabama

E xotic Western Caribbean Cruise:

• 8-day cruise departing on October 26, 2024 
• Visits Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan; Belize; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico

Bahamas Cruise:

• 8-day cruise departing on November 9 and 23, 2024 
• Visits Key West, Florida; Freeport, Nassau and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Western Caribbean Cruise: 

• 8-day cruise departing on March 15, 2025
• Visits Grand Cayman, Cayman Island; Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Cozumel, Mexico

RELATED : Carnival Jubilee Will Feature Two New Sea-Themed Zones

Western Caribbean Cruise:

• 6-day cruise departing on April 6, 2025 
• Visits Cozumel, Mexico and Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan
• 5-day cruise departing on March 10, 2025
• Visits visits Yucatan (Progreso), and Cozumel, Mexico

Carnival Journeys Cruise:

• 12-day cruise departing on January 18, 2025
• Visits Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Aruba; Curacao; Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Carnival Spirit will call Mobile its homeport this October. 

Carnival Journeys Cruises from Seattle, Washington 

The brand also announced two new Carnival Journeys departing from Seattle, Washington aboard the Carnival Spirit . This includes Carnival Cruise Line’s first-ever voyage from Seattle to Hawaii. Carnival Journeys cruises offer longer sailings, more destinations, and engaging activities and dining experiences. 

Carnival Journeys Hawaii Cruise:

• 15-day cruise departing on September 24, 2024
• Visits Honolulu, Kauai (Nawiliwili), Maui (Kahului) and Hilo, Hawaii; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Carnival Journeys Panama Canal Cruise:

• 16-day cruise departing on October 9, 2024 
• Visits Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Cartagena, Colombia; New Orleans

Will you be traveling on the Carnival Spirit? Let us know in the comments!

By Lily Ogburn 

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Mobile (Alabama)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Bahamas - Caribbean - Bermuda

Local Time 2024-05-16 03:29

Port Mobile cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Mobile, Alabama. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Port Mobile AL is Alabama USA's only seaport. It is located on Mobile Bay (Gulf of Mexico's inlet) which is formed by Fort Morgan Peninsula (on the east) and Dauphin Island (on the west). The city covers an area of approx 413 km2 (159 mi2) and has population around 195,000 (metro around 415,000).

Among the city's most popular tourist attractions are Bellingrath Gardens and Home, antebellum home Oakleigh Mansion, Cox-Deasy Cottage Museum and Battleship USS Alabama. Fort Conde is a partial replica of an original 18th-century French fort. Fort Gaines is the battle site of the famed Battle of the Bay in August 1864. Mobile is the birthplace of the USA's Mardi Gras (aka America's Family Mardi Gras).

Wildlife fans should visit Audubon Bird Sanctuary on Dauphin Island. Another fresh idea is boat touring Mobile Bay's estuary, home to over 250 species of birds, 230 species of fish and wildlife, including black bears, alligators, bald eagles, osprey.

Port Mobile Alabama

Port Mobile is a deepwater seaport (Alabama's only one) ranked in 2010 as the USA's 12th largest cargo port by tonnage (shipping trade volume over 55,7 million tons). The port is along Mobile River - where the river empties into the bay.

The port has deep-water terminals which all have direct access to Alabama's inland and intracoastal waterways. These waterways also serve USA's Great Lakes, and the rivers Ohio and Tennessee (via Tenn-Tom / Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway with length 377 km / 234 mi).

The port and all its facilities are owned and managed by Alabama State Port Authority. All public terminals can handle various types of cargo ships (including container / boxships , bulk and breakbulk carriers, Ro-Ro ships (roll-on / roll-off). The port also has private bulk terminal operators. All container, general cargo and bulk cargo terminals have dirrect access to two US interstate railway systems plus 5 "Class I" US railroads. The CG Railway (terminal railroad) operates from the Mobile Alabama port a rail ferry service to Coatzacoalcos (Mexico).

Mobile is USA's largest seaport for handling breakbulk forest products. McDuffie Terminal is among USA's largest coal terminals. It is also the country's largest import coal terminal. Mobile AL was ranked USA's 4th largest coal export port for 2012, with the majority of the exports being shipped to Europe and South America.

In the period 2010-2015, the port invested over USD 0,5 billion in redevelopment projects, including port infrastructure improvements, land acquisitions, warehousing, constructing new rail depots and inter-modal yards, also improvements and enhancements of cargo terminals (serving oil tankers and gas carriers) and cargo shipping vessels (containerized, bulk, breakbulk). A new rail ferry terminal and a new container terminal were also built. A new steel terminal was also built to serve Calvert Alabama's stainless and carbon steel processing facility. The McDuffie Coal Terminal was expanded.

On April 20, 2017, APM Terminals announced that THE Alliance ( container shipping companies group ) launches in May 2017 the AL4 trade route between Port Mobile and ports in Northern Europe. The AL4 route is a weekly container vessel service and links the ports Mobile AL,  Southampton England ,  Antwerp Belgium ,  Bremerhaven Germany ,  Le Havre (Paris France) , Veracruz Mexico, Altamira Mexico,  Houston TX ,  NOLA New Orleans , Mobile AL. APM Terminals Mobile opened in 2008 and reported a record year in 2016 (handling 277,307 TEU-containers).

On March 20, 2020, was completed APM Terminals Mobile's quay extension. The expanded berth now can handle two boxships (max 10K-TEU capacity each) simultaneously. The container dock extension was part of a USD 450 million project aimed to increase the terminal's capacity by upgrading and expanding all the port's marine and rail intermodal terminals. By this project, in 2020 also started works on shipping channel dredging and harbor improvements.

Mobile cruise port

Port Mobile ceased cruise shipping operations in October 2011, when  Carnival Cruise Line (homeporting vessels here since 2004) relocated  Carnival Elation  and stopped using the port, mainly due to rising fuel costs. In February 2013, Carnival Triumph  was stranded at sea for 4 days. Then the port opened its cruise dock for the disabled vessel, where its nearly 4000 passengers were disembarked.

• In late-September 2015, the city promised to put up USD 200,000 per quarter (USD 0,8 million per year) for marketing. The marketing fund was established with the city's money from parking revenue and used for marketing cruises leaving from Mobile. It was estimated that from parking fees, terminal / port fees and passenger charges, the city will have an annual profit ~USD 2 million on cruise ship operations. It was also announced that starting November 2016, Carnival Fantasy will offer a year-long 4-day and 5-day cruise schedule to Mexico leaving roundtrip from "Mobile Cruise Terminal".
• In September-October 2016, the port invested USD 4 million in new TSA equipment (security and baggage screening machines) installed on the terminal's 2nd floor.
• On November 10, 2015, Carnival Fantasy started its homeporting/turnaround service to Mexico. The 4-day itinerary departed Thursdays and visited Cozumel . The 5-day itineraries departed Mondays and Saturdays, visiting Cozumel and Costa Maya or  Progreso .
• In November 2016, Carnival Corporation signed a 13-month contract (thru December 2017) with Port Mobile AL. As all 2017 cruises were booked within a month, Carnival allowed travel agents to book itineraries out of Mobile into April 2019.
• In August 2017, Carnival signed a 1-year contract extension with the port (through December 2019). In October 2019, Carnival signed a 3-year homeporting extension (through November 2022) for Carnival Fantasy.

Since 2018, Carnival offers 7-day roundtrip departures from Mobile AL to destinations no longer limited to Caribbean Mexico. On April 25, 2017, the company officially announced that Carnival Fantasy will offer new itineraries with call ports in the Bahamas, Key West Florida , Grand Cayman Island/George Town , Costa Rica, Belize, Panama Canal . The new itineraries are longer than the ship's usual 4- and 5-night roundtrips to Mexico.

Since August 2021, Carnival Sensation is homeported in Mobile AL for Western Caribbean itineraries: 4-night (to Cozumel) and 5-night (Cozumel and Progreso). (For the first time ever) the boat docked in Mobile (at Alabama Cruise Terminal) on May 14, 2021.

Mobile cruise terminal

Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal is a 66,000 ft2 (6,130 m2) sized cruise ship facility with top-notch security, dedicated cruise parking area and covered lanes serving passenger pickup / drop off vehicles. The cruise ship terminal building is located in downtown Mobile City, in close proximity to hotels and restaurants.

The passenger terminal is just 0,5 mi (800 m) from Interstate 10 (USA's 4th longest highway) and just 6 mi (10 km) from the junction of Interstate 65 and Interstate 10.

Free shuttle bus service is offered between the cruise terminal and offsite parking lots at Mobile Civic Center.

Cruise Parking

The cruise terminal's parking allows pre-pay online payments (have a picture of the car's license plate). On-site payments can be done at kiosks located in the lift lobbies on each of the terminal's floors, and also at the offsite parking lots (at Mobile Civic Center). Know that these kiosks don't accept in cash bills larger than USD 50.

The cruise port's Premium Parking app also allows online payments. The parking services are also assisted via 24 hour phone line (1-844 236-2011).

Parking rates vary by parking period and vehicle size (car, minivan, truck, SUV, motorcycle). Height restricted vehicles are directed to an offsite parking lot (at Mobile Civic Center). All oversized vehicles are also directed to an offsite parking lot (at Mobile Civic Center).

• Rates for regular sized vehicles are USD 72 (4-day parking), USD 90 (5-day parking) and USD 126 (7-day parking).
• Rates for oversized vehicles (RVs / Campers) are USD 144 (4-day parking), USD 180 (5-day parking) and USD 252 (7-day parking).
• Rates for busses are USD 216 (4-day parking), USD 270 (5-day parking) and USD 378 (7-day parking).

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Mobile - user reviews and comments

Carnival Cruise Line Returns to Cruising From Mobile With Carnival Ecstasy

Monday, March 7, 2022 12:00 PM by Andrew Felts

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE RETURNS TO CRUISING FROM MOBILE  WITH CARNIVAL ECSTASY

First Cruise Ship to Sail from Port of Mobile in Nearly Two Years;  Line Announces Carnival Spirit Will Bring New Cruise Program to Mobile in Fall 2023 

MOBILE, March 5, 2022 – Continuing its successful restart, Carnival Cruise Line resumed guest operations today from Mobile, Ala. with Carnival Ecstasy.

Carnival Ecstasy guests will enjoy a five-day Western Caribbean cruise with a stop in Cozumel that is part of the first cruise ship to depart from Mobile in nearly two years. Carnival Ecstasy’s cruise today  is also the kickoff of the line’s Sailabration festivities which celebrates Carnival’s 50 th  Birthday.

To commemorate the special day, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson hosted a “Back to Fun” and 50 th  Birthday event at the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal, cutting a ceremonial ribbon and officially welcoming the first guests on board.

During the event, Carnival also announced its future plans for Mobile. The line will introduce a new seasonal six- and eight-day cruise program from Mobile beginning Oct. 6, 2023 through March 30, 2024 with Carnival Spirit. Spirit’s new Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries will stop in Bimini, Half Moon Cay and Mahogany Bay, among other ports. These sailings will open for sale on Wednesday, March 9.

“We are committed to our continued relationship with Mobile which is why we are excited to be back to the fun with Carnival Ecstasy and we look forward to Carnival Spirit’s arrival in 2023,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Aside from Carnival Spirit being a newer and larger ship for Mobile – meaning even more fun to be had on board – Spirit’s new itineraries will give our guests the opportunity to visit new beautiful destinations.” 

“For more than a decade, cruises out of Mobile have brought countless visitors to our city from across the Southeast — providing a boost to our hotels, restaurants, attractions and dozens of other local businesses in the surrounding region,” Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said. “Simply put, Mobile’s economy is not operating to its full potential without a cruise ship in its harbor. We are fortunate to have had a great partnership with Carnival Cruise Line for several years, and as we celebrate Ecstasy's departure today, we look forward to many more.” 

“We have certainly missed seeing that iconic funnel in our downtown skyline and welcoming cruisers from across the country to Mobile these past two years, so we are so ready to get Back to Fun as our partner, Carnival Cruise Line, returns to the Port of Mobile,” added  David Clark, president and CEO of Visit Mobile. 

Carnival Cruise Line and Mobile have enjoyed a partnership since 2002 when Carnival began offering  a short series of cruises from Mobile.  In 2004, Carnival introduced its first year-round program from Mobile, which was later expanded with the larger 2,052-guest Carnival Fantasy and then replaced with the same size Carnival Elation.

Since the dedication of the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal in 2004, Mobile has been twice named Carnival’s “Port of the Year”. At the height of operations in 2019, 2,508 guests were sailing from Mobile on each cruise for an annual total of 187,013 total cruisers from the port.

Carnival Ecstasy sailings from Mobile include four- and five-day Western Caribbean itineraries through Oct. 10, 2022 with four-day cruises visiting Cozumel and five-day cruises visiting Cozumel and Costa Maya or Yucatan (Progreso). Carnival Ecstasy will also operate a 10-day Carnival Journeys Caribbean cruise leaving on Sept. 12, 2022, visiting Key West, Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Ecstasy’s Oct 10, 2022 voyage will be its last in guest operations, as the line has announced the ship will leave its fleet. 

As part of Carnival’s year-long 50 th  birthday celebrations, 17 commemorative birthday Sailabrations cruises are sailing through March 10, 2022. They feature at-sea ship meetups, special entertainment and programming. In addition to the Sailabration cruise from Mobile, other Sailabrations cruises departed today from Galveston, Texas; Miami; New Orleans; Port Canaveral, Fla.; and Tampa, Fla.

With the restart in Mobile today, and Jacksonville, Fla. on Monday, March 7, Carnival will have all its year-round homeports opened, and then its entire fleet will be back in service by this summer, completing an impressive and successful restart of its guest operations and setting the pace for the rest of the U.S. cruise industry. Carnival started its operations with one ship from PortMiami in 1972 and has since grown into the world's most popular cruise line with a total of 23 ships carrying more than six million guests annually and employing more than 40,000 team members from 120 nationalities.

For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit  www.carnival.com , or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site.

ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is proud to be known as America's Cruise Line with a total of 23 ships, sailing from 14 U.S. homeports and employing more than 40,000 team members from 120 nationalities. Carnival’s newest ship,  Mardi Gras , featuring the first roller coaster at sea and the first in the Americas powered by eco-friendly Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), sailed from Port Canaveral, Fla., July 31, 2021. As part of its 50th Birthday festivities, Carnival Celebration, sister ship to  Mardi Gras , is scheduled to debut in late 2022 from PortMiami, as well as Carnival Jubilee from Galveston in 2023.

MEDIA CONTACT:

[email protected]

Author: Andrew Felts

As the Communications & Public Relations Manager at Visit Mobile, Andrew actively promotes the iconic destination to international and domestic media. When he's not hosting a press trip around the city, you are likely to find him at community events or traveling and exploring various cultures and cuisine.

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14 - Day Southern Caribbean from Mobile, AL

Cruise itinerary.

Carnival Journeys

Some take vacations… and some take their vacation further. Carnival Journeys is a limited series of special sailings that’s made to amaze, starting with great destinations and less-traveled routes to get you there. Board a Carnival Journeys cruise and you’re on course for enriching experiences aboard, amazing destinations ashore, classic cruising flair and more.

Day 1: Mobile

Day 2: Fun Day at Sea

Day 3: celebration key.

Day 4: Fun Day at Sea

Day 5: amber cove, day 6: san juan, day 7: st. thomas.

Day 8: Fun Day at Sea

Day 9: curaçao, day 10: aruba.

Day 11: Fun Day at Sea

Day 12: montego bay.

Day 13 & 14: Fun Day at Sea

Day 15: mobile.

Get to Know Carnival Spirit

Cruising aboard Carnival Spirit will elevate your holiday at sea, to that unforgettable trip you will be longing to relive. You’ll be on a ship that’s nearly the length of three footy fields and 12 decks tall of things to do, see, taste and try. Whether you’re after an action-packed holiday or just want to relax and unwind, you can create the type of cruise holiday you want. There’s heaps of fun on offer and something for everyone; little ones, big ones and the whole family. The largest waterpark at sea in Australia, mini-golf, two-deck fitness center, jogging track and sports court, Serenity Adult-Only Retreat ™ , day spa and pools and spas. Keep the kids entertained with three different age-appropriate youth programs, giving them plenty of choice on activities and the opportunity to make new friends. You’ll be spoilt for choice no matter what your passion. If you're a foodie, Carnival Spirit has tons of dining options - with Guy's Burger Joint ™ , Empire Restaurant, Lido Marketplace, Nouveau, where for a small cover charge you can dine in style, late night Pizza and Ice-Cream and much, much more. If it’s night-time fun that you’re looking for then you won’t be disappointed. Carnival Spirit has more than 6 bars and lounges to choose from featuring all kinds of games, shows and entertainment. If you like a flutter on the pokies there's also a casino. Quite simply, you can pick and choose to create your own memorable holiday whilst onboard.

Onboard Activities

Onboard Dining

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Cruises from/to Mobile, Alabama

Mobile, alabama cruise port.

• One of the historical treasures and landmarks of the cruise port of Mobile, Alabama is the Battleship USS Alabama ; a South Dakota- class battleship named after the state of Alabama. This photogenic museum ship once served in WWII on both the Atlantic and Pacific fronts. Today, its beautiful wear-and-tear serves as a reminder of its significance to the United States Navy decades ago. The self-guided tours on this military splendor are very informative and educational. Don’t miss out!  
• The stain glass windows at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the cruise port of Mobile, Alabama are simply breathtaking and stand as a true reflection of French and Irish heritage. After experiencing its fair share of hurricanes and devastating fire explosions, this religious masterpiece has proven its worth by continuing to astound the numerous tourists who flock in year after year out of sheer curiosity.  
• Conclude your tour of the port city of Mobile, Alabama by witnessing the pomp and pageantry associated with the Mardi Gras celebration at the Mobile Carnival Museum . The history of the annual celebration will come alive as you discover its origins and significance to the people of Alabama. The interactive exhibits such as the rocking floats and possessions of Mardi Gras monarchs are excellent ways of immersing yourself in the traditions of the carnival.

Top 10 Cruises to Mobile, Alabama

• Carnival Spirit 8-day Western Caribbean Departing From Mobile, Alabama (Oct 2024 - Dec 2024)
• Carnival Spirit 6-day Western Caribbean Departing From Mobile, Alabama (Nov 2024 - Jan 2025)
• Carnival Spirit 8-day Bahamas Departing From Mobile, Alabama (Nov 2024 - Mar 2026)
• Carnival Spirit Journeys - 12-day Southern Caribbean Departing From Mobile, Alabama (Jan 2025)
• Carnival Spirit 5-day Western Caribbean Departing From Mobile, Alabama (Oct 2025)
• Carnival Spirit 6-day Bahamas Departing From Mobile, Alabama (Nov 2025 - Apr 2026)
• Carnival Spirit 8-day Bahamas Cruise Departing From Mobile, Alabama (Dec 2025)
• Carnival Spirit Journeys - 14-day Southern Caribbean Departing From Mobile, Alabama (Jan 2026)

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Cruise ship worker accused of attacking, stabbing people with scissors on board vessel

JUNEAU, Alaska ( KTUU /Gray News) - A South African citizen was arrested by the FBI in Juneau Tuesday after he allegedly stabbed a cruise ship passenger and several employees who attempted to stop him.

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska said 35-year-old Ntando Sogoni was employed on the Norwegian Cruise Lines ship Encore and was observed by other staff attempting to launch one of the ship’s lifeboats. He was then taken by security to the ship’s medical facility for an evaluation.

In the medical center, Sogoni reportedly physically attacked a nurse and a security guard. He then allegedly entered an examination room, grabbed a pair of medical scissors and attacked a woman receiving treatment, stabbing her in the arms, hand and face. When two security guards intervened, the court documents allege he stabbed one in the head and one in the back.

Once he was under authority’s control, Sogoni was held in the ship’s jail before being taken into custody and being charged with assault with a deadly weapon in maritime and territorial jurisdiction. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine the total sentencing.

Court documents say that the employee had just joined the ship’s crew at its Seattle port of call on May 5. The incident occurred approximately 16.5 miles from Vancouver Island. There is no word on whether the incident has delayed the ship or on the condition of those hurt.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FBI Juneau Resident Agency, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service are investigating the case.

Copyright 2024 KTUU via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Ukraine war latest: Putin arrives in China for crucial talks on 'new directions' for cooperation - as Russian military 'advancing in all directions'

Vladimir Putin is in China, where he is meeting with president Xi Jinping less that a week after launching a fresh incursion into the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. The major state visit has already seen Mr Putin greeted with full military honours, as Mr Xi talked up their "friendship".

Thursday 16 May 2024 09:21, UK

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• Putin and Xi to discuss 'new directions' for cooperation as pair hold talks in Beijing
• China will play role in European peace, says Xi
• Analysis: Great power politics on display in China visit
• Russia claims to arrest Ukrainian agents carrying out Crimean bridge reconnaissance
• Ukraine 'partially pushes back' Russian troops from Kharkiv town
• Analysts say Russian offensive 'appears to have slowed'
• Live reporting by Brad Young

Ask a question or make a comment

Russian forces have continued to mount offensive manoeuvres across much of the front line.

In the northeast, troops attacked Ukrainian positions on the Kupiansk front 30 times and the Lyman front five times, reported Ukrainska Pravda.

In central eastern areas, there were another 109 attempts to break through Ukrainian defences across the Sivershchyna, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, Vremivka and Kuakhove fronts.

To the south, Russian soldiers continued to try and drive Ukrainian forces from the Dnipro River's east bank.

Here are the latest updates from governors in some of the major Ukrainian regions on the frontline.

Rocket fire hit a five-story building, a farm and a doctor's surgery in the region, according to governor Oleh Syniehubov.

A 50-year-old man was killed, while nine people were injured.

Ukrainian troops repelled four Russian attacks since this morning from the border area, where Moscow launched a fresh incursion on on Friday.

In the 24 hours ending at 6am this morning, the towns of Mykhailivka, Antonivka and Stanislav and the city of Kherson came under fire, said governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

Residential areas were targeted, including 12 high-rise buildings and 11 houses, a nursery and medical institutions, injuring 19 people.

Dnipropetrovsk

Russian artillery shelled the Nikopol region, but there were no casualties, said governor Serhiy Lysak.

Attacks on Novogrodivska have killed two people, while houses were damaged or destroyed in the Kramatorsk district, said the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Vadim Filashkin.

In Bakhmut and Toretsk, 28 houses and three high-rise buildings were damaged.

Zaporizhzhia

Russian forces attacked near Robotyne four times but no positions were lost, said Dmytro Lykhovii, spokesman for the Tavriia operational strategic group.

The Kremlin has dismissed a summit that Switzerland hopes will pave the way for a peace process in Ukraine as futile. 

More than 50 countries have signed up for the conference, due to be held June 15-16, and Switzerland aims to persuade China to attend.

Chinese attendance would "dignify" the  event but it would be ineffective if Moscow is not invited, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Without Russia, discussing security issues that concern us is absolutely futile.

"Most likely, it will be just empty scholasticism with no prospect of getting at least some tangible result.

Swiss President Viola Amherd agreed to host the summit at the behest of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"A balanced approach by the Chinese may dignify any conference, from our point of view, but this will not add to the effectiveness of this particular event."

 Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping have attended an official welcoming ceremony in Beijing.

Moving away from Vladimir Putin's visit to China for a moment, and Russian security agency FSB says it has detained two Ukrainian agents in Crimea.

A man and his wife were recruited via an internet messaging service, state news agency Tass reported.

Another state news agency, RIA Novosti, said one of the pair had admitted to having transferred information on air defence systems protecting the Crimean bridge.

Sky News cannot independently verify these claims.

Occupied Crimea, and the Russian fleet surrounding it, has increasingly become a target for Ukrainian forces.

Last year, Ukraine claimed responsibility for a sabotage operation on the Kerch Bridge linking Crimea with Russia in 2022.

Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping are turning to the subject of Ukraine at a news briefing.

The Russian president confirms the pair spoke about the war and says he is grateful to China for its efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis.

He says that while both carry out foreign policy independently, the pairs' approaches to regional problems were similar.

For his part, Mr Xi says China will continue to uphold a position of non-alliance, non-confrontation and no targeting of a third-party in their foreign policy.  

China hopes Europe will return to peace soon and will play a constructive role, he says.

Former Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has said the Russian military is "advancing in all directions" in Ukraine. 

His comments are at odds with Kyiv's, which yesterday said Russian forces were "partially pushed back" near Vovchansk, a Karkhiv town attacked from the northeastern border with Russia.

Mr Shoigu, now the secretary of Russia's Security Council, was side-lined by Mr Putin in a recent cabinet reshuffle, but is attending the visit to China.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have signed a joint statement on deepening the strategic partnership between Russia and China.

The document - more than 30 pages - notes the "special character" of their relationship and outlines further paths for development, Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov told state news agency RIA Novosti.

On signing the agreement, which followed more than two hours of talks, Mr Xi noted that both countries were permanent members of the UN Security Council and were working to form a multipolar world, RIA reported.

The so-called multipolar world policy refers to attempts to shift geopolitical power away from the West.

Mr Putin characterised the talks as "warm and comradely".

On the eve of his visit to China, Vladimir Putin talked up his supposed desire for a "peaceful" solution in Ukraine - despite launching a fresh incursion across the border into Kharkiv last Friday, forcing 8,000 people to flee their homes.

Mr Putin has repeatedly backed so-called peace plans, such as China's proposal last year, that consolidate Russia's territorial gains, while at the same time bombarding Ukraine.

The UN's latest estimates recorded Russia's invasion has killed upwards of 10,000 civilians, as of November last year.

"We have never refused to negotiate. We are seeking a comprehensive, sustainable and just settlement of this conflict through peaceful means. We are open to a dialogue on Ukraine, but such negotiations must take into account the interests of all countries involved in the conflict, including ours," Mr Putin was quoted as saying by the China's state Xinhua News Agency.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said any negotiations must include a restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops, the release of all prisoners, a tribunal for those responsible for the aggression, and security guarantees for Ukraine.

By Nicole Johnston , Asia correspondent

Vladimir Putin's trip to China is part of the great power politics currently being played out between the West and the global south.

In this arena, China's president Xi Jinping is promoting his multipolar view of the world, a realignment of the its geopolitical centre away from the US and Europe, to Asia.

Xi sees China front and centre on the stage, with a coterie of countries to back him up.

China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are at one end of the spectrum, but widen out the view and there is also Brazil, India and South Africa, who all see the world through a lens at odds with the West.

Added to that is the so-called "no-limits" friendship between Russia and China.

Read on here...

Vladimir Putin is embarking on a two-day state visit to China, where he was greeted by Xi Jinping with full military honours on his arrival yesterday.

The Chinese president congratulated Mr Putin on his election to a fifth term in office - both leaders have no credible opposition and have not laid out any plans for any potential successors.

Mr Xi said the two countries were furthering their relationship as "good neighbours, good friends, good partners", according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The Kremlin said that during their talks this week, the leaders will "have a detailed discussion on the entire range of issues related to the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation and determine the new directions for further development of cooperation between Russia and China."

Russia has become increasingly economically dependent on China as Western sanctions cut its access to much of the international trading system. 

In turn, China is seen as having the potential to influence Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Russian-Chinese military ties have strengthened, with the countries holding a series of joint war games in recent years involving air, sea and ground drills. China remains a major market for the Russian military.

The Xi administration claims to take a neutral position in the war, but has backed Moscow's narrative that Russia was provoked into attacking Ukraine by the West - despite Mr Putin's public desire to re-create Russia's century-old borders.

China's failed 2023 peace plan for Ukraine would have allowed Moscow to cement its territorial gains.

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