One ship, two ships, it's Dr. Seuss on cruise ships!
Carnival Cruise Lines today unveiled an exclusive partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to bring the beloved children's brand and favorite characters to the line's fleet of 24 "Fun Ships." In an industry first, the Carnival Seuss at Sea program will offer a variety of exciting and immersive onboard youth, family, dining and entertainment experiences featuring the amazing world and words of Dr. Seuss.
"It is fun to have fun but you have to know how," said the Cat in the Hat in the iconic Dr. Seuss book. The fun on Carnival starts in the main dining room during The Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with the Cat in the Hat and Friends. Attendees will have the opportunity to kick off their day dining on playful foods straight from Dr. Seuss's imagination – green eggs and ham, moose juice and goose juice, along with colorful fruit and pancake stacks, funky French toast and more, with traditional breakfast favorites also available. While Carnival's wait staff set the tone with Dr. Seuss-inspired uniforms, popular Dr. Seuss characters such as the Cat in the Hat, Thing One and Thing Two, and Sam will be joining guests at their tables for fun interactions and one-of-a-kind photo opportunities. Hosted on the first sea day of each cruise, this special breakfast will be available for $5 per guest.
Every ship in the Carnival fleet will have a selection of classic Dr. Seuss books, toys and themed activities for children to enjoy. Special showings of beloved movies such as "The Cat in the Hat" and Dr. Seuss's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" will be shown outdoors on the giant screen of the Seaside Theater on Lido Deck as part of the cruise line's Dive-In Movies programming. On Carnival Freedom, which is undergoing a major refurbishment in May, and Carnival Vista, which debuts in early 2016, there will be a Dr. Seuss Bookville facility -- a unique and dedicated Seuss-themed play space featuring iconic decor, colors, shapes and funky furniture inspired by the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss. The perfect place for families to relax, unwind and enjoy each other's company, guests can read one of many available Dr. Seuss books or stretch their imagination through other family-fun activities including arts and crafts, toys and Dr. Seuss-inspired games.
Story time at sea will never be the same with the introduction of Seuss-a-palooza Story Time, A Rhyming Good Time – an interactive reading event that brings to life the colorful world of Dr. Seuss for kids of all ages. Hosted on a sea day each voyage in a custom-created environment on board or within Dr. Seuss Bookville, this memorable storytelling event will feature some of the most beloved Dr. Seuss characters.
At other times during the voyage, children and families will have the chance to meet and interact with favorite Dr. Seuss characters and participate in special photo opportunities featuring colorful and zany Dr. Seuss-inspired artwork, as well as through events and activities such as the Seuss-a-palooza Character Parade where guests can join Dr. Seuss characters in a swirly conga line along the Promenade. A variety of Dr. Seuss-themed retail items will be available, as well.
The Seuss at Sea initiative builds upon Carnival's leadership position in family cruising. The line carries more than 700,000 kids aboard its fleet each year — nearly half of the total number of kids carried by the entire North American cruise industry.
"Our youth and family programming continues to be highly rated and extremely popular with the millions of families who sail with Carnival, but we're constantly challenging ourselves to uncover unique and interesting ways to further enhance our guest experience," said Mark Tamis, senior vice president of guest operations for Carnival Cruise Lines. "We are thrilled to bring the fun, whimsical and wonderful world of Dr. Seuss to life for our guests of all ages to create even more fun and memorable moments during our cruise vacations."
"Dr. Seuss inspires imaginations across generations and encourages a playfulness and whimsy that is often lost in today's 'always on' society," said Susan Brandt, president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. "We're excited to be working with Carnival Cruise Lines to bring some of the timeless magic of Dr. Seuss to the families that sail each year. Seuss at Sea will let kids and parents alike explore their imaginations through the memorable onboard experiences we're building together."
Roll-out of the Seuss at Sea program will begin aboard Carnival Splendor in February 2014 with implementation across the full fleet by 2015, as well as Carnival Vista when that ship enters service in early 2016.