Mixed Feelings about Halloween on the High Seas

[Amandaloo]

I booked my first Disney cruise! We booked a Castaway Cay double dip cruise for September 2022 on the Dream. I booked it back in March when it was first released. At the time there was no indication that this would be a Halloween on the High Seas cruise. But recently when looking up info about our cruise I saw that it has now been designated as Halloween themed. This being our first Disney cruise I’m actually kind of bummed. When I booked I had in mind the classic Disney cruise experience. I wish they would have indicated on the original listing that this would be a Halloween themed cruise. Would I have booked it if I knew it would be Halloween themed rather than classic? Or would I have chosen a different cruise date? I love Disney. I love the Halloween and Christmas theming at Disneyland. I’m sure the Halloween theming is going to be fabulous. But considering the size of my family and the expense of the cruise this is probably going to be a one and done experience for us and I would rather have had the classic experience vs a themed experience.

All the prices have gone up significantly since I booked so it’s not like I can just switch to another itinerary. Plus the Castaway Cay double dip was the main reason we chose the itinerary we did and it is the only one for this year. I could cancel and wait another year, but I don’t really want to do that either.

I’m turning this over to the DCL fans. What do you guys think?

 

[diablodancer]

Personally found HotHS as good as a normal sailing, there’s always enough on that if you don’t want to do the Halloween activities there’ll be something else (the majority of stuff isn’t Halloween themed). The main difference is the decorations (including an awesome tree in the atrium) and a night where people can wear costumes IIRC (Mickey and friends have their own costumes too!). You’ll still get to meet the characters in their normal cruise wear etc.

I’d recommend looking at some navigators from previous years HotHS sailings to see what was on and if that suits your family (keeping in mind things may be different due to covid).

 

[pearljammer]

I booked my first Disney cruise! We booked a Castaway Cay double dip cruise for September 2022 on the Dream. I booked it back in March when it was first released. At the time there was no indication that this would be a Halloween on the High Seas cruise. But recently when looking up info about our cruise I saw that it has now been designated as Halloween themed. This being our first Disney cruise I’m actually kind of bummed. When I booked I had in mind the classic Disney cruise experience. I wish they would have indicated on the original listing that this would be a Halloween themed cruise. Would I have booked it if I knew it would be Halloween themed rather than classic? Or would I have chosen a different cruise date? I love Disney. I love the Halloween and Christmas theming at Disneyland. I’m sure the Halloween theming is going to be fabulous. But considering the size of my family and the expense of the cruise this is probably going to be a one and done experience for us and I would rather have had the classic experience vs a themed experience.

All the prices have gone up significantly since I booked so it’s not like I can just switch to another itinerary. Plus the Castaway Cay double dip was the main reason we chose the itinerary we did and it is the only one for this year. I could cancel and wait another year, but I don’t really want to do that either.

I’m turning this over to the DCL fans. What do you guys think?

I think you’ll love it. I’m uncertain why a “classic” would trump but I get it. It’s expensive. So we’ve done both. Themed and non-themed. Halloween was awesome!!! Granted it changed over the years but we have always loved it. Merely my opinion, you get more on the themed cruises. These cruises, especially first timers can be overwhelming and it’s over before you know it. My thoughts: Relax, enjoy the double dip as THAT alone is worthy of any theme attached. I would honestly be truly surprised if you regret it. You definitely aren’t LOSING anything vs the classic but gaining! So I see it as a win win. *As I reminisce on our past HOHS cruises*…….love them.

 

[Cheburashka]

You're overthinking imo. I wouldn't book specifically in hopes of getting a Halloween-themed (or any other theme) cruise, but the theming wouldn't stop me from booking one. A cruise is a cruise is a cruise. We usually sail in December, sometimes they're Merrytime cruises & sometimes they're unthemed, but the existence of Merrytime theming doesn't really change the cruise- it mainly offers a certain number of themed activities and outfits on the characters, and that's pretty much it. Everything else that's great about an unthemed Disney cruise (the shows, the kids clubs, the pool decks, adult areas, restaurants, shops, staterooms, Castaway Cay, etc.) is still exactly the same on a themed cruise. You'll all still love the themed cruise if you're the type of people who would love an unthemed Disney cruise. Despite Disney's hype, there really isn't that much difference between themed & unthemed.

Your biggest problem with the cruise is that upon disembarkation, you might realize that you're not one and done after all, and have to put a spot in your budget for the next cruise.

 

[happiestgrl]

The only thing I miss on the themed cruises is the regular Disney music playing in the halls. And I don’t like every window blocked with a Jack-o-Latern sticker. I don’t travel with kids though so the extra activities don’t benefit me like they do families.

 

[orum]

My wife and I ended up on a Halloween cruise whenever our last cruise was. We picked the cruise for the dates/itinerary (New York to Canada cruise) and could have gone either way. I don't think you will enjoy it less. In fact our next cruise also happens to be a Halloween one (assuming it goes). I would not go out of my way to book one and the two of us didn't dress up on the Halloween night (or Pirate night either).

And that double dip Castaway sounds like a great trip.

 

[HiStitch626]

I would describe a lot of the decoration as autumn/harvest rather than just Halloween.

On the designated "Halloween Day" there will be more themed activities, but you do not have to participate in these. On any Disney cruise, pirate night often looks like Halloween because so many people dress up. The characters will be in their Halloween costumes on the designated day, but will be in their other costumes the rest of the time.

Enjoy the double-dip, CC is great!

 

[bedgraynexl]

Our first cruise was a Christmas cruise on the Wonder and the second was not themed. With the exception of the Atrium there really wasn't any other discernably holiday theming that I recall. I don't think you have to worry too much about being overwhelmed by the holiday theming. It is not over the top but rather just added touches to mark the season.

 

[KVH]

CC doubles are somewhat rare. I would stay with it unless you're really against the holiday celebration part. I don't think HOTHS is that much in your face (neither is Xmas IMO). Yeah, some decorations in the atrium, character costuming (maybe? C19?) but not too much else. Certainly not as much as you might experience in the parks.

I would say go and enjoy. Especially for the 2x Castaway days. You can easily ignore the holiday pieces on board. But, as has been said, one and done isn't a foregone conclusion . . .

 

[meliscan]

I will echo other posters. It's not over the top. I am not a Halloween person but found I have loved HOHS and I have loved the park at Halloween too. My last cruise didn't end up being a HOHS, one week to early, and I admit I was a little sad. I don't' think you will find it a disappointing experience at all or take you out of the "Disney" spirit. I loved getting to go "Trick or Treating" and the Drink of the day on "Halloween" day is so great.

 

[mmouse37]

I have to agree with the majority above!!! We have done 45 DCL cruises(I thought it was a going to be a one and done too!) HOTHS is not much different as a regular cruise as posted already. Go and enjoy.....2 stops at CC far outweighs any worries you might have on theming.

This is what the tree looks like in the Atrium and what some of the portholes look like







The only thing I did not really like was the crowd in the atrium. We stayed off to the side and watched from above. I don't even know if they will pack them in the atrium like pre covid. This was a Halloween party on one day. Not every day has this.

MJ

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Think of if this way. You're getting 2 cruises for the price of one. While the ship is decorated, they really only devote one day to Halloween. Otherwise, all the same things are offered as on a classic cruise with a little more added! I personally loved spending Halloween on our cruise. It was magical! I say stick with the cruise.

 

[DWillowBay]

You won't regret it! HotHS is amazing!

 

[auntlynne]

I get where you are coming from. I love the look of Disney ships over any other line I’ve seen, inside and out.

But I love to a double dip and not paying any more than I have to. If the same ship and itinerary is offered multiple times, I want the cheapest rate of the season.

And the prices are just going up.

If you are going to notice the Halloween stuff the entire time and be sad about it, I would consider a different date.

 

[auntlynne]

Our first 7-night cruise (2008) was HOTHS. These were the only photos with cobweb decorations (what i found to detract from the normal beauty of the trip).

These 3 photos are the only historical evidence I have that this was a Halloween cruise. Cobwebs went up for the party day and must have come down during the night. I do remember the pumpkin smiley faces on the portholes.

I personally haven‘t avoided HOTHS cruises. Other than it is Hurricane season and my favored Christmas-themed cruises start the week after Halloween (and those decorations are up continuously).

 

[ilovebassets]

We've done both Christmas and Halloween cruises and much preferred the Halloween. It felt fun and exciting--not too over the top. You might be surprised.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Other than the tree in the atrium, it never really bothered me. I agree with others - you are overthinking it. Just enjoy!

 

[Ronneeaght]

I'll echo other posters that the theme is really what you make of it. We did a HotHS as our first Disney Cruise in 2019. We skipped the Halloween events and barely even noticed the theming while still having so much to do.

 

[DisneyConvert]

We did a 5-day trip between NYC -- Bermuda October 2019 and it was coincidentally HotHS (not the reason we booked).
On the final sea-day, it was a late afternoon of costumed trick or treating (if one chose to) . . . a themed dinner and "show" in the atrium before/after supper. I don't even recall if the show in the WDW theatre was specially themed to Halloween . . . but isn't every Disney show "dress-up" and "make believe"? Cast members got to wear different costumes so they were in to it!

DW and I simply altered/enhanced some of our packed items to "dress up". I played tennis in Bermuda, so guess what I wore? My wife added a Tiara and yes-a-cape to her formal wear. We (tried) to skip most of the candy. It was fun but like so much of Disney's entertainment, one could take or leave. FWIW, I prefer over "terrorists/bandits-of-the-sea" night.

 

[Dug720]

Honestly a look back at DCL's itinerary history, it's a pretty safe bet that ANY cruise in October and many in September will be Halloween, November and December will be Christmas/Holiday, and Jan/Feb/March will be Star Wars on the Fantasy and Marvel on the Magic. Who knows what in the winter will change with the Wish when she comes on board, but basically Sept-Dec I would count on Halloween or Christmas/Holiday.

The ship itself will be the same, just some added decor and *usually* some events - though no one knows what those will look like now. I'd assume that the things that involved gathering in the atrium will not happen or will be ticketed, leaning towards not happening since deck parties are cancelled.