Carnival Brings Cat in the Hat Movie Fun to 23 Ships
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Carnival Cruise Line is celebrating the November 6 release of The Cat in the Hat with limited-time activities aboard 23 ships.
Movie-themed festivities include giant inflatable hats, premiere parties, surprise stateroom gifts, and character appearances.
Two new Seuss-a-palooza activities are also being introduced as part of its ongoing Seuss at Sea program.
A new movie based on the Dr. Seuss book, The Cat in the Hat, is coming to the big screen this November and Carnival Cruise Line is getting in on the fun. Ahead of the film’s release, the cruise line has introduced limited-time movie-themed experiences onboard 23 ships in its fleet.
Cruisers are greeted by the theming right away. During embarkation, 40-foot-tall inflatable Cat in the Hat-style hats decorate open decks on select ships.
In true Hollywood fashion, guests can also participate in The Cat’s Hollywood Debut Party in ships’ atriums. Instead of a traditional red carpet, the party features a red and white striped premiere carpet, along with balloon drops, character appearances, family entertainment, and crafts.
Other movie-themed activities onboard include green screen photo opportunities and Seuss-inspired Build-A-Bear Workshop options. New The Cat in the Hat-themed activities are also featured at Camp Ocean, such as The Cat’s Messy Room Mission, The Cat’s Stacking Challenge and The Cat’s Rhyme-O-Rama.
Additionally, guests in select staterooms may receive surprise deliveries. These deliveries include themed postcards, snack packs, and invitations to special meet-and-greets.
“Celebrating the new ‘The Cat in the Hat’ movie adds a fun new chapter to our 15-year partnership [with Dr. Seuss Enterprises] and brings more family entertainment to life across our ships,” said Carnival President Christine Duffy.
The Cat in the Hat is a new animated take on the classic story, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. It will be released on November 6, 2026 and stars comedian Bill Hader as the voice of the titular cat.
Two New Activities Join Seuss at Sea
Carnival Cruise Line has partnered with Dr. Seuss Enterprises since 2013. The cruise line launched its popular Seuss at Sea program on Carnival Splendor in 2014.
The program features a variety of Seuss-themed activities and dining. These include character meet and greets, parades, and the Grinchmas holiday celebrations. In addition to the movie tie-in experiences, Carnival is also now expanding Seuss at Sea with two new interactive experiences.
Seuss at Sea has been changed and expanded over the years, as Cruise Hive has previously reported. For example, the cruise line retired the fan-favorite Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast beginning in January 2024, replacing it with a new Thing 1 and Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast experience.
The first new experience onboard is Seuss-a-palooza Game Time. Held in the ship’s main theater, the interactive experience invites guests to participate in Dr. Seuss-inspired music, dancing, tongue twisters, games, and challenges in the lead-up to Seuss-a-palooza Story Time.
Another new experience is Seuss-a-palooza Family Time. In this activity, families get active, moving like Dr. Seuss characters, acting out scenes from books, and competing in charades.
Carnival said that the timing and availability of these experiences vary by ship and sailing. The cruise line did not specify which 23 ships feature the movie tie-in experiences.