On Monday morning, Carnival Cruise Line hosted a special Grinchmas Family Fun Day onboard the Carnival Splendor in Sydney Harbour, which was attended by families from the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation (SCHF), according to a statement from the company.

In celebration of the second year of Carnival’s Grinchmas in July sailings and its partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises and SCHF, Carnival invited 50 patients and their families to spend a day at sea with The Grinch and his sidekick Max. The children and their families participated in various activities including the official giant Christmas tree lighting ceremony, sing-along caroling, themed ‘Grinchmas family games’ and crafts, a storytime reading of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” and had the opportunity to meet and take photos with Dr. Seuss characters. They were also treated to themed meals and beverages.

Kate Ferguson, chief marketing officer of SCHF, emphasized the harsh realities faced by some children whose lives are filled with appointments and hospital stays rather than typical childhood experiences. She expressed gratitude towards Carnival Cruise Line for its generosity, which supports the positive impact on the lives of 159,000 children treated annually at the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. “No child should have to go through this, but those who do deserve our all”, she added.

Kara Glamore, Vice President of Carnival Cruise Line AU, mentioned the company’s long-standing partnership with SCHF and their joy in giving back to the patients and their families. She highlighted the uniqueness of celebrating Christmas in winter, “Holiday memories are the best kind and Christmas is a whole different experience in the winter, so it’s amazing to be able to help create these fun and festive moments, especially for these deserving families.”

The event also highlighted the presence of 13-year-old Matilda Jenkins, a patient within the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network since she was 24 hours old. Matilda, who was named the official Goddaughter of Carnival Splendor in 2018 at the age of 6, was present during the event where Simon London, the Cruise Director of Carnival Splendor, presented a cheque for $62,758 to her and Kate Ferguson. This amount represented the total funds raised for the Sydney Children’s Hospital’s Foundation onboard Carnival Splendor over the past year.