Carnival Cruise Ship Departs Ala. Monday Afternoon

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — The Carnival Conquest cruise ship is departing Mobile, Ala., about 4 p.m. Monday.

Carnival diverted the ship from New Orleans to Mobile on Sunday because the Mississippi River was closed to ship traffic due to a tugboat sinking.

The ship had been scheduled to unload Sunday in New Orleans and depart the same day with a new load of passengers. Instead, Carnival says it has shortened this week's cruise to six days and is busing passengers from New Orleans to Mobile for departure.

The 953-foot Conquest is the largest cruise ship to ever dock in Mobile. Carnival last used the port of Mobile in February when tug boats towed in the disabled Triumph.