Say hello to Mobile's new Fantasy!

The Holiday leaves Mobile for the last time this afternoon, ultimately bound for Spain, as the newer and larger Fantasy prepares to take its place Tuesday.

Carnival Cruise Line's decision this summer to replace Holiday with Fantasy marks a 42 percent upgrade in passenger capacity, and a new chapter in the cruise industry in Mobile, which had been home to Carnival's smallest ship since 2004.

Holiday was consistently booked beyond its rated 1,452-passenger capacity, which is based on two passengers per cabin.

Local industry officials say it's logical that Carnival wants to build on that success.

"It's a natural progression to move up to a bigger ship," said Alabama Cruise Terminal Director Al St. Clair, who said he and fellow terminal employees say goodbye to Holiday with mixed emotions.

"The Holiday crew have become good friends, and the ship has been a great trial for first-time cruisers to see how they feel about cruise travel," St. Clair said. "But at the same time, I'm looking forward to Fantasy being here. It will bring a lot more revenue into the city and bring a lot more people from outside the city into our area."

Holiday brought about 151,000 visitors annually, St. Clair said, and Carnival estimates Fantasy will add another 20,000 people a year.

More than 82 percent of them come from out of state, according to Cruise Terminal data.

Fantasy's maiden voyage from Mobile, a special, six-day cruise to Mexican ports Progreso, Cozumel and Costa Maya, is sold out, with more than 2,100 passengers, according to Carnival. After that, the ship will have the same itinerary as Holiday — four- and five-day trips to Mexico.

Steve Cape, co-owner of Springdale Travel, said he's not surprised by the strong demand for cruises aboard Fantasy. "A lot of people who have been on the Holiday many times are looking forward to seeing something new and different," he said.

He expects the draw to persist after Fantasy is replaced by Elation in May, despite the fact that Elation does not have the water park recently added to Fantasy.

For one thing, he said, many cruise enthusiasts from throughout the region have already been on Fantasy, which most recently sailed from New Orleans. Elation, the same size but eight years Fantasy's junior, is coming from San Diego and will be completely new to most passengers.

At the terminal, meanwhile, a new, movable gangway is in place, and a plan has been implemented to handle overflow parking, St. Clair said.

Since the terminal's parking garage has only 525 spaces, at least 100 vehicles will park at the Mobile Civic Center, where the city — which earns money from parking — has dibs on up to 350 spaces on cruise days, St. Clair said.

Passengers will be shuttled via bus to and from the terminal, St. Clair said.