In 2023, the percentage of people celebrating Halloween surpassed pre-pandemic levels with 73% of Americans participating in Halloween-related activities, according to the National Retail Federation. With Summerween trending in 2024, the number of people celebrating spooky season is sure to be even higher this fall.
Several cruise lines are poised to cash in on the eerie excitement with themed Halloween cruises and spooky celebrations at sea. Popular Halloween cruise options include frightful fun on Carnival Cruise Lines, family Halloween magic on board a Disney Cruise Line’s ship, spooky adults-only sailings on Virgin Voyages, and more.
No matter which cruise line you choose, definitely bring a costume if you’re cruising over Halloween. Most cruise lines will at least conjure up some sort of Halloween party to celebrate at sea.
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Carnival Cruise Line offers frightful fun with Halloween sailings all October long
Throughout the entire month of October, all Carnival Cruise Line’s ships feature fun Halloween activities like costume contests, spooky games, and themed dance parties. These Frightfully Fun Halloween Cruises are full of chilling entertainment for both kids and adults.
Carnival even has its own 12-foot-tall Halloween character, Patch the Pumpkin Pirate. Though you may not see Patch on every Carnival cruise in October, the Halloween activities he haunts are available on all October sailings. Passengers can join Patch for a Halloween deck party, a pumpkin carving competition, and a hunt for pumpkins he has hidden around the ship.
Kids can trick-or-treat at special treat stations set up on the ships during Carnival’s Halloween cruises. They’ll also get to show off their costumes in a kids-only contest, play Halloween games, and create their own spooky souvenirs.
For adults, the cruise line will serve Patch’s Punch cocktails at the atrium bar and host Halloween costume contests specifically for 18+ passengers. They can also get spooked at sea by “Thrillers & Chillers” horror films that Carnival will show on the big screen.
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Disney Cruise Line’s Halloween on the High Seas sailings are spooktacular for families
For Disney Parks fans who love Walt Disney World’s Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Disneyland’s Oogie Boogie Bash, Disney Cruise Line’s Halloween on the High Seas is another bucket-list Disney Halloween experience.
On select sailings across the Disney Cruise Line fleet from mid-September through October, families are treated to bewitching entertainment, spellbinding décor and spooky surprises. Each Disney cruise ship even has its own magical pumpkin tree on Halloween on the High Seas voyages.
The spirited sailings feature a ghostly ship takeover, spinetingling themed food and beverages, trick-or-treating, creepy crafts, and more. Families are encouraged to dress up and join Disney characters masked in their own boo-tiful Halloween costumes for themed meet-and-greets and dance parties.
Though most of the spooktacular fun on a Disney Halloween cruise is designed for kids, adults will be treated to some wicked entertainment too. Halloween on the High Seas sailings feature an adults-only Halloween Isn't Just for Kids party with a costume contest and a “Villainous Takeover” on the dance floor.
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Virgin Voyages offers Halloween cruises exclusively for adults
When it comes to spooky fun for adults, Virgin Voyages takes the eerie excitement up a notch with its adults-only Halloween Voyages. The cruise line invites adults to skip buying grocery store candy for the neighborhood kids and instead treat themselves to a proper kid-free Halloween holiday at sea.
Virgin Voyages’ adults-only Halloween cruises feature costume contests, themed food and drink, and stage acts with a Halloween twist. The Halloween party at sea even includes spooky activities like skull painting and a haunted grog walk.
The Halloween Voyages are offered for sail dates throughout October on Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady ship sailing from Miami. Adults-only Halloween cruises are also available for Scarlet Lady and Resilient Lady sailings over Halloween.
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If you’re sailing on another cruise line over Halloween like Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises, you can also expect some festive fun on October 31.
Halloween celebrations vary by ship but you can typically find themed entertainment, costume parties, and Halloween decorations and treats. There’s sure to be some spooky specialty drinks on board too. Some cruise ships will also have trick-or-treating and special Halloween activities in the kids’ clubs.
Related: Get the best cruise tips, deals, and news on the ships from our expert cruiser
