Family vacations are more fun when everyone gets together at sea. Families are seeking more excitement, adventure, enrichment and fun – both together and apart. Today's top cruise ships offer a wide variety of programs, amenities and attractions for every interest and age group. On these ships, everyone can easily find their own brand of fun.

Carnival Cruise Line understands the family market well. The cruise line carries nearly 800,000 children per year and has been a perennial family favorite for decades. Carnival has put their wealth of experience to good use and their ships reflect today's new view of family travel perfectly. Carnival Vista has received numerous awards and its new sister ship, Carnival Horizon, is designed to cater to families as well. Loaded with exciting features, these Carnival ships set the bar for family fun at sea.

Here are seven of Carnival Horizon’s most exciting features that are sure to be a hit with families and multigenerational groups:

1. Massive Dr. Seuss WaterWorks Waterpark. Great pools and waterparks are a vacation necessity for both kids and fun-loving adults. Carnival Cruise Line has expanded this notion even further on Carnival Horizon, combining the fun of a major waterpark with the iconic Dr. Seuss brand. “Our ships are designed as the ultimate seagoing playgrounds and Carnival Horizon will take this concept to the next level with the spectacular Dr. Seuss WaterWorks which promises fun for guests of all ages,” said Carnival president Christine Duffy. Carnival Horizon’s top-deck Dr. Seuss WaterWorks waterpark features The Cat in the Hat twisting 450-feet-long enclosed raft slide and the Fun Things tube slide with polka dots and special lighting effects. Little ones will love Carnival’s kiddie splash zone water play area with water spray features and a 300-gallon tipping bucket emulating The Cat’s hat.

2. SkyRide. Carnival uses every available inch of its newest ship to deliver a family vacation that matches its “Fun For All, All For Fun” motto – including the sky. Carnival Horizon’s exciting SkyRide open-air cycling attraction lets guests cruise along an elevated 800-foot-long track at speeds up to 18 miles per hour, affording beautiful 360-degree vistas of the sea while being suspended 150 feet above Carnival Horizon’s 12th deck. Carnival understands that part of enjoying a family vacation is not worrying about constantly mounting extra charges, so there is no additional cost for SkyRide. Parents, grandparents, children and others are free to ride this cool attraction to their hearts’ content.

3. Movies at the Multiplex. Carnival Horizon lets guests enjoy a broad array of family activities, both day and night. Carnival Horizon features an amazing IMAX Theatre as part of its Carnival Multiplex. This exciting entertainment attractions area has proven to be a major hit with families on Horizon's sister ship, Carnival Vista. Guests can watch IMAX classic movies and documentaries along with recent Hollywood blockbusters and family favorites. A popular guest favorite, Carnival's Thrill Theater, is also be located in this area. Kids love being totally immersed in their Thrill Theater movie experience as their seats move back and forth, bubbles appear, and they’re sprayed with water.

4. Exceptional Family-Friendly Accommodations. Parents and kids often need a bit more family room to spread out on vacation and Carnival Horizon’s Family Harbor area caters to their needs perfectly. These “family ergonomic” accommodations include some family suites for five with two bathrooms, a must-have for vacation harmony in some families. Aft-view extended balcony staterooms are a special new attraction in Carnival Horizon’s Family Harbor area. All Family Harbor guests have exclusive access to the Family Harbor Lounge, a cool hangout with large screen televisions, board games, and free breakfast and snacks. A special family concierge caters to Family Harbor guests, providing assistance with dining and shore excursion reservations, youth program activities, and age-specific recommendations for attractions in ports of call and onboard the ship. Family Harbor rooms come with amenities such as free meals for children under age 12 in specialty restaurants, one free evening in the late night Night Owls kids program at Camp Ocean, and ‘round the clock access to the Family Harbor Lounge.

5. Cool Areas for Kids. Carnival Horizon's 5,575-square-foot Camp Ocean play zone features Carnival's award-winning programs and engaging activities for children ages 2-11. Older kids have their own brand of fun on Carnival Horizon in the fully supervised Circle “C” club for 12-14 year-olds and Club O2 for 15-17 year-old guests. Families enjoying Carnival Horizon's Dr. Seuss WaterWorks will also have many chances to meet Seuss characters on board the ship. Carnival Cruise Line’s fleetwide program, Seuss at Sea, has been a major hit with families. This fun program includes the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in the Hat and Friends, easily the best value character breakfast on land or at sea. Kids love the Seuss-a-Palooza Parade and Story Time and Dr. Seuss Bookville, a colorful family reading and play area that will also be available on Carnival Horizon.

6. Wide Array of Dining Options. Carnival Horizon's restaurants cater to all guests' tastes and dining styles, with some dining venues and lounges offering beautiful sea views. New on Carnival Horizon is Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse|Brewhouse, a full-service barbecue venue created by renowned chef Guy Fieri. The restaurant serves delicious smoked-on-board barbecue and traditional side dishes along with specialty craft beers brewed onboard at the brewery within the restaurant. Carnival Horizon also features Carnival Cruise Line's first teppanyaki venue, Bonsai Teppanyaki. In addition to serving tantalizing Far East cuisine, Bonsai Teppanyaki chefs delight families with entertaining performances that add to their dining experience. Other popular shipboard dining options on Carnival Horizon include Carnival's Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse, Guy’s Burger Joint, Ji Ji Asian Kitchen, Seafood Shack, The Chef’s Table, Cucina del Capitano, Pizzeria del Capitano, and the casual Lido Marketplace buffet.

7. Great Family-Oriented Entertainment. For families who love competitions and winning prizes, Hasbro, The Game Show is the place to be on Carnival Horizon. Hasbro, The Game Show is a TV-quality, larger-than-life show featured on Carnival Cruise Line's ships. Families can also enjoy family-friendly comedy shows at the Punchliner Comedy Club and playing video and arcade games at The Warehouse. Many families love topping off their entertainment experience with sundaes from Carnival Horizon's premium ice cream parlor located inside Cherry on Top - always a sweet treat.

For more information about Carnival Horizon and its itineraries, contact your favorite travel agent or visit Carnival’s website at www.carnival.com.