Build a bear while you cruise with Carnival

Kids can cobble together their own custom teddy bears on Carnival Cruise Line ships under a new partnership with Build-A-Bear Workshop.
   The workshops have been around on land since 1997 and are familiar to any parent with youngsters, but this will be their first voyage at sea.
   The concept is to allow kids to choose a stuffed animal that can be personalized with accessories and outfits. At the land workshops, animals range from $10 to $25 each. Carnival said shipboard it will charge $20 for animals and $5 for accessories and outfits.
    Bears will be available for building either at a pop-up workstation with Carnival’s Camp Ocean children’s facility, or in scheduled parties hosted by cruise directors and replete with music, bear-themed snacks and photo opportunities.
    Carnival carries about 700,000 kids annually and already has a toy chest full of activities for them, including watersides, mini-golf, video arcades and Seuss-at-Sea parades featuring Dr. Seuss characters.
    Carnival Dream, sailing from New Orleans, already offers bear-building and Carnival said it will be rolled out to the rest of the 25-ship fleet by 2017.