The Carnival Spirit returned to Mobile earlier this month to kick off its 2026-27 winter season sailing from Alabama.

Returning to its Gulf Coast homeport following a summer deployment in Alaska, the vessel’s first sailing of the season was a seven-night cruise that sailed to the Bahamas and Florida with visits to Key West, Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key.

The winter deployment entails a series of cruises to destinations in the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Florida, highlighted by a 14-night cruise roundtrip from Mobile on January 17, 2027, visiting Eastern and Southern Caribbean destinations including Turks & Caicos, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Aruba, Curaçao, Jamaica and more.

Before arriving in Mobile, the Spirit’s 15-day repositioning voyage from Seattle was marked by missed calls and delays due to technical problems and bad weather.

A visit to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, was cancelled due to a delayed departure from Seattle and a call to Puntarenas, Costa Rica, did not go ahead due to Hurricane Trudy, so the ship ended up visiting only one destination.

With no return to Mobile scheduled, the Carnival Spirit is scheduled to reposition to Seattle in April for another summer season sailing in Alaska.

The Carnival Valor will take over the itineraries of the Spirit from Mobile, kicking off Carnival’s first year-round program in the port after a significant hiatus.

The larger ship will arrive in Alabama in mid-May for a series of six- to 14-night cruises to destinations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

With the Valor taking over its itineraries from Tampa, the Spirit is set to operate a winter season from Tampa in 2027-28.