Halloween on the High Seas are the best cruises?

[Neptune's Fork]

I've been reading a lot of travel reviews and articles lately and read in three different, non Disney affiliated travel publications that the Disney Halloween on the High Seas cruises are absolutely the best and most fun cruise experience in the industry right now. I know there are many here that have done these, so I would like to hear feedback as to whether that's really the case, or an exaggeration.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I've been reading a lot of travel reviews and articles lately and read in three different, non Disney affiliated travel publications that the Disney Halloween on the High Seas cruises are absolutely the best and most fun cruise experience in the industry right now. I know there are many here that have done these, so I would like to hear feedback as to whether that's really the case, or an exaggeration.

Define "best & fun". I don't particularly like themed cruises, as I cruise for the cruise, not the themes.

If you're into Halloween I'm sure the Halloween cruises on Disney are fun. We've been on 4 cruises that were Halloween cruises and we were able to avoid most of the Halloween activities/venues. But it was still there. And the actual Halloween on the High Seas day EVERYONE (well, not us) was in costumes and "partying" most of the day.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

Define "best & fun". I don't particularly like themed cruises, as I cruise for the cruise, not the themes.

If you're into Halloween I'm sure the Halloween cruises on Disney are fun. We've been on 4 cruises that were Halloween cruises and we were able to avoid most of the Halloween activities/venues. But it was still there. And the actual Halloween on the High Seas day EVERYONE (well, not us) was in costumes and "partying" most of the day.

I know 'best' and 'most fun' are subjective terms, but that was precisely how the articles worded it. One of those was cruisetravelmag I believe, so not sure the measure they use.

 

[ALCooper3]

We have been on two October cruises. One was during "Halloween on the High Seas" and the other was before the event began onboard (that year they only did it the week before Halloween). We had an equal amount of fun on both cruises. The only things that were different from what I can remember were that the ship was decorated for Halloween and there was a dance party type event where people dressed up in costumes if they wanted. The "trick or treat" event consisted of CM's walking around handing out candy. Our family could take it or leave it. We just enjoy cruising at that time of year because the weather is nice.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Eh, I don't agree. One of my short cruises became a Halloween cruise after I booked it. It sounded like a lot of fun, but really wasn't anything special. I wouldn't go out of my way to book one, but I also wouldn't avoid one. In other words, if I wanted the cruise at that time anyway, I'd book it. I wouldn't choose my dates based on that, though.

 

[bobbiwoz]

The evening entertainment regarding the Pumpkin tree was nice, trick or treating was nice, but they were not the highlights of the cruise for us. I suppose the highlight was seeing Tangled, it was our second time seeing it and we enjoyed it even more !

 

[bobbiwoz]

Some cute window decorations

 

[Shanti]

I've been reading a lot of travel reviews and articles lately and read in three different, non Disney affiliated travel publications that the Disney Halloween on the High Seas cruises are absolutely the best and most fun cruise experience in the industry right now. I know there are many here that have done these, so I would like to hear feedback as to whether that's really the case, or an exaggeration.

I wouldn't take travel magazine hype too seriously.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

I wouldn't take travel magazine hype too seriously.

Precisely why this post. Looking for multiple perspectives.

 

[tee11]

We loved them... It's a great cruise for chocolate and candy lovers...

 

[moosecrouse]

Wouldn't book the cruise specifically for the HHS especially if there was a big price difference. Most Halloween events are on one day and ship is decorated with a Halloween theme. Wasn't all that impressed. In fact cruising the Magoc again out of NYC next fall and are doing the week between HHS and the VMCC

 

[anricat]

We love Halloween and we took one last year. We had a great time and loved the Halloween events. I don't know that it was our favorite vacation (Alaska was better). It was a lot of fun, though. I think the destinations should make your cruise, not necessarily activities that you do for a few hours. But if you like Halloween and you're thinking of taking a cruise and you like the ports and it fits in your budget, go for it!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I think it depends a lot on how you personally feel about Halloween. If you really get into Halloween in your regular life then it probably would be a big plus on your cruise. That said, I don't really get into Halloween. It's not something I get anything out of. I sail on one of the Halloween sailings every year because my annual cruise with my friends happens to fall in that time frame. I wouldn't seek out a Halloween sailing otherwise. I find the decor and tree clutter in the atrium on the annoying side. Detracts from the beauty and elegance of the ship for me. I don't do the trick-or-treat stuff. Don't attend the dance parties. The adult costume contest is okay but I'd be happier with an adult entertainer instead. Don't have little kids anymore. Don't dress in costumes. Etc etc. The only thing I can say I look forward to is the drink of the day on the Halloween day. The Spooky Juice is yummy if made correctly!

 

[bumbershoot]

We've done two of them (not on purpose, just the way schedules fell) and don't like them.

We're always doing other things when they have the "magical" tree changing with jackolanterns, and honestly we rarely go through that area anyway and hardly even notice it.

Some cute window decorations View attachment 211931View attachment 211932

Those are a HUGE reason I DISlike it. They are covering up the portals to the beautiful outside view with plastic clings. UGH.

We loved them... It's a great cruise for chocolate and candy lovers...

2 of these cruises and we got no chocolate and just utter junk candy. Not impressive. And it's just left there for you on the bed, so where's the fun in that? My son, who cannot have the HFCS or corn syrup used so often in cheap candy (and sometimes in expensive fake-fancy candy), has been most disappointed.

 

[tlprice]

I personally liked the Merrytime cruise better. My daughter LOVES Halloween and the Halloween part of the cruise was pretty disappointing. The decorations are nice, the pumpkin tree is kind of cool, seeing everyone in costumes is nice, but it is SOOOOO crowded for the Halloween party that it is ridiculous. She was really disappointed she didn't get to carve a pumpkin and was quite overwhelmed by the crowds. Maybe it would have been different if we hadn't actually had the Halloween party on actual Halloween. Thankfully we did Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party before the cruise which was much better.
The Merrytime cruise decorations were better and the activities were more peaceful, like decorating a gingerbread house, tree lighting, carol singing, and story time with Mrs. Claus. Conversely, we enjoyed the Christmas cruise stuff more than Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party that we did after both cruises.

 

[Piper23]

My daughter (then 16) and I took an October cruise on the Wonder because it was close to her birthday and it happened to be a Halloween on the High Seas cruise. I think my favorite night to see the characters was on the Halloween party night because they all had different costumes. That was a lot of fun, and something you wouldn't see if it wasn't Halloween time. We didn't do any trick or treating, but if you like characters, you may enjoy the Halloween time to see them in their costumes. We've also been to a Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disneyland, and liked the cruise characters better because the lines were shorter and less spread out if you want to see them all. But we DID enjoy the trick or treating at MNSSHP (and she was 17 at that time).

 

[Neptune's Fork]

Recently talked to a family near us that did one of these cruises a couple years ago, and the woman was saying that some of the special effects that they used on the ship at Halloween events were 'a little intense and could frighten younger kids'. Does anyone know what special effects she could be talking about? I've seen a few trip reports on these cruises and never read anything like that.

 

[Kuzcotopia1]

Personally, I didn't even notice a difference other than Halloween decorations in the lobby and on the big porthole windows (which someone posted above). I did watch one of the shows and at the end it rained Mickey confetti but that was the highlight of the show for me.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

Personally, I didn't even notice a difference other than Halloween decorations in the lobby and on the big porthole windows (which someone posted above). I did watch one of the shows and at the end it rained Mickey confetti but that was the highlight of the show for me.

I'm starting to think that maybe it's just certain areas of the ship are decorated more 'scary' or could have been the adult areas, I don't know. That's why I post the question.

 

[snoopy5386]

We just did one this past fall and loved it. Loved the decor, the pumpkin tree, dressing up, trick or treating, pretty much everything.

We are planning a merry time cruise next to experience the cruise ship at Christmas time.