You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch. But Carnival Cruise Line will be giving guests a chance to grow their hearts three sizes. Carnival plans to make the season extra special with shipboard appearances by none other than the Grinch himself.

These experiences and more are part of the line’s exclusive Seuss at Sea program in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

Decked out in his signature “Santy Claus” costume, the legendary green character – who’s as “cuddly as a cactus” and “charming as an eel” – will surprise and delight guests of all ages as he makes appearances on all Carnival holiday cruises taking place throughout the month of December. The young and the young at heart can catch a glimpse of the cantankerous curmudgeon as he slinks and slithers throughout the ships with both scheduled appearances and spontaneous pop-up visits. 

Never a fan of the holidays, The Grinch will be up to his usual tricks in an attempt to “stop Christmas from coming.” He will playfully disrupt the on-board festivities and steal various items from crew members throughout the ship.  He will also participate in the end-of-cruise holiday show which promises lots of surprises.

“The Grinch is an iconic and beloved Dr. Seuss character and we’re looking forward to incorporating his mischievous personality into our fleet wide holiday activities,” said Christine Duffy, Carnival’s president.

Arts and crafts sessions where kids can create their own Grinch Christmas ornaments and masks, as well as Grinch-themed face-painting sessions, will also be available, while special screenings of both the live action and animated classic “Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas” will be shown on Christmas Day.

Kids can even complete their own Grinch Good Deed Tracker and, once the card is filled, receive a certificate affirming that they, just like the Grinch famously says, grew their heart “three times its size.”  The Grinch will also be incorporated into the Seuss at Sea’s Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in the Hat and Friends. 

The fleet wide Grinch appearances are part of Carnival’s exclusive partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises which debuted in 2014 and features exciting youth, family, dining and entertainment experiences inspired by the amazing world and words of Dr. Seuss. The Seuss at Sea program includes such fun activities as the Seuss-a-palooza Parade and Story Time, as well as character interactions, Dr. Seuss books, toys, games and popular movies.

“Grinchmas” complements Carnival’s annual holiday celebrations during which ships are ornately decorated with Christmas trees, wreaths and mistletoe with caroling and other activities held on board. Santa Claus also makes an appearance toting a bag of gifts that are distributed to youngsters and a special menu is offered on Christmas Day with traditional foods.

     Carnival has 24 ships operating three- to 16-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.  The company currently has two new 133,500-ton ships on order – Carnival Vista, set to debut in 2016, and an as-yet-unnamed vessel scheduled to enter service in 2018.

By Jackie Sheckler Finch with photos courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line.