Have You Sailed on a Halloween Cruise?

[ahain]

It really felt more "fall" than "Halloween" to me.

 

[2prettygirl]

What was the weather like in October? We have only cruised in January and we find it to be just perfect temp wise but the water temps are cold! We are really wanting to enjoy Castaway Cay water as January was just too cold. Would October give a better chance for warmer water?

 

[Jkpark]

that is funny we are going to criss-cross! We get off the Dream on the 31st and will be heading to the parks for a few days!! (also first cruise ever)

I'll be getting off the Dream on the 31st, too. But I'll be heading right to the airport as although the kids will love this surprise cruise with my sister and their cousin - Halloween is when it finally cools off in Arizona and we usually help host our block party.

 

[lovthesurf]

I am so excited I have no clue how I am going to keep this secret for EIGHT months! lol I have been up so late every night since I booked watching cruise, fish extender and door decoration you tube videos!

 

[Castillo Mom]

None of my family celebrates Halloween either. Although we hadn't planned on it, our Western Caribbean cruise on the Fantasy was announced to be a Halloween cruise only a couple of months prior to sail date. While there was a party one day, it was held in the atrium. The Halloween decorations weren't over the top so were unobtrusive.

 

[CheriePenguin]

I'll be getting off the Dream on the 31st, too. But I'll be heading right to the airport as although the kids will love this surprise cruise with my sister and their cousin - Halloween is when it finally cools off in Arizona and we usually help host our block party.

I see that 2 of you look like you will be on the same cruise as my family!
It will be our very first cruise. I wasn't sure about the whole Halloween theme thing, but the days work out great with our school schedule.
I made a cruise meet and FE group post here on the DIS boards. Are you interested in participating too?

 

[llachance]

Because we loved the pumpkin tree so much we now have one in our front yard for halloween

 

[wlee7]

My wife and I had such a fun time on the Halloween cruise back in September of 2014. There were a lot of Halloween/harvest decorations throughout the trip. The highlight was doing the Nightmare Before Christmas movie and Sing Along. Jack Skellington was on stage at the end and we got our pictures taken with him!

 

[The Sasquatch]

I guess I am in the minority that wish there were more Halloween decorations and activities. Although we enjoyed it, we all felt it was a bit underwhelming. There are so many Disney "Halloween" themes that could be incorporated on the ship. It really is just a few decorations, the pumpkin tree activities, trick or treating in the atrium and maybe some food items here or there. We made the most of it with nice costumes and Halloween themed FE gifts. Just booked our Oct 15 Fantasy "Halloween on the High Seas" and heres to the families that DO celebrate Halloween!

 

[Jkpark]

I see that 2 of you look like you will be on the same cruise as my family!
It will be our very first cruise. I wasn't sure about the whole Halloween theme thing, but the days work out great with our school schedule.
I made a cruise meet and FE group post here on the DIS boards. Are you interested in participating too?

Please let me know where the thread is. I'm not sure if I will do FE this cruise yet. I'm surprising my kids this time and the planning on prepping for FE might be too much to keep secret - but I'll decide on that when it gets closer. Would still love to join the meet either way!

 

[Ariel484]

Hello all!
My family and I are thinking about taking one of the October Cruises on the Magic from New York. I'd love to know what previous Halloween themed cruises have been like. Are most of the activities Halloween themed? What about the entertainment and parties? My family and I don't celebrate Halloween so I'm just curious as to whether it's something that's going to completely encompass the entire sailing or if it's a one night party and select activities that we wouldn't necessarily have to attend. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I was just on a Halloween cruise on the Fantasy in October, and it was more like what I bolded in your original quote. Decor in the lobby (see above pictures) and select activities, which you can easily avoid (if you so choose) by checking out the Navigator. They also had some special things in the dining rooms/bars - for example, Pumpkin Spice Latte at Cove and Vista Cafes, specialty adult drinks at the bars, etc. And merchandise, of course. But the biggest difference will be in the atrium with the decorations.

 

[CheriePenguin]

Please let me know where the thread is. I'm not sure if I will do FE this cruise yet. I'm surprising my kids this time and the planning on prepping for FE might be too much to keep secret - but I'll decide on that when it gets closer. Would still love to join the meet either way!

The thread I started for the Oct 28 Disney Dream 3-day cruise is http://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-dream-oct-28-2016-3-night-cruise.3485630/ on the cruise meet thread. My boys and I have been anxiously awaiting someone joining!

Sorry to OP - didn't mean to hijack your thread! I am following it with great interest as well because I was uncertain about the Halloween theming and such possibly being uncomfortable for me and my boys. We aren't at all into the "Nightmare Before Christmas" and the younger one tends to get scared easily. We have visited DW in Sept, and all the pumpkins, etc. seemed kind of out of place to me. The Halloween and Christmas decorations are cool, but sometimes can sort of detract (for me) from the just plain familiar Disney World I remember. The closer to the holiday you are I guess they feel more appropriate. But Halloween in Sept and Christmas in Nov just didn't seem right. (Can't go into any store nowadays without having it decked out for the next holiday down the road either though.) And I guess the holiday decor can make it more special when you've been there a number of times and appreciate the little extra special Disney holiday touches.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

We enjoyed our Halloween cruise. We entered the adult Halloween costume (four of us -- 3 minions and Gru). Had a blast. Lost of halloween themed activities. The characters all dressed up in halloween outfits. They had trick or treating for the kids in one area. Would we do it again? No. Reason: been there, done that.

 

[longboard55]

we went on Halloween 2014. I find Halloween is what you make it, my wife and I brought our Woody and Jessie outfits and had a blast but not everyone dressed up.

 

[SeaNana]

Hello all!
My family and I are thinking about taking one of the October Cruises on the Magic from New York. I'd love to know what previous Halloween themed cruises have been like. Are most of the activities Halloween themed? What about the entertainment and parties? My family and I don't celebrate Halloween so I'm just curious as to whether it's something that's going to completely encompass the entire sailing or if it's a one night party and select activities that we wouldn't necessarily have to attend. Any help is greatly appreciated!

We went in October '14 and '15 and it was so much fun. The first time it was very low key and DH won an award for a homemade costume. Last year was so different - a very big deal! The costumes were fabulous and his quaint attire didn't have a chance! The decorations were all over the ship and the evening of the contest and entertainment was fun for people watching. People wore their costume to diner, and the children were darling. Even if you don't participate, you will enjoy it. Oh, in '14 there were some questionable costumes (not appropriate around children), but last year was fine.

 

[SeaNana]

What was the weather like in October? We have only cruised in January and we find it to be just perfect temp wise but the water temps are cold! We are really wanting to enjoy Castaway Cay water as January was just too cold. Would October give a better chance for warmer water?

We prefer cruising in October as the weather is usually perfect. The water is warm, althugh we had one chilly, windy day on CC.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

We are doing Halloween on the High Seas and are very excited! We find it very similar to the parks with Halloween, but a bit more added in! We absolutely love it! We do it, because we would rather do that and MNSSHP than take the kids Trick or Treating in the cold Midwest