What goes on during Halloween cruise?

[canyoncam]

We do not partake in Holloween festival or like to be around it. So I am VERY upset they changed our sailing to a Halloween right after I PIF (and yes we are inside the penalty dates). So I assume the ship will be decorated which I hope it will be minimal, maybe only atrium? If there are other activities I assume they are kept in a general local and not throughout the ship?

TIA for any info

Edited to add that the more important issue is WHY it did not show up on my reservation until the day after I was PIF- more than two months after the announced change?

 

[Quellman]

So sorry for your rotten luck. The announcement of Halloween on the High seas was 8 April this year, well in advance of the 90 day cancellation requirements. If they added another one so late in the year, boo.
As for your question:
You can look at past navigators.
We sailed an early October cruise. For the most part activities are centered in the atrium lobby. There is a pumpkin tree that sprouts pumpkins over the course of the cruise. They also have trick or treating and costume contests on a single day. I believe even some of the characters dress up in Halloween costumes on the single day of trick or treating in the atrium. All of these are optional activities. There are some decorations in the atrium in terms of fall garland on the banisters and jack-o-lantern faces on the large windows on deck 3.

 

[Weedy]

I feel it's pretty low key. Not much more than you will run into during October anywhere.
In the lobby there is a Halloween Tree. Some of the large porthole windows on deck 4 have pumpkin window stickers
One evening they have trick or treating in the lobby but it is crazy crowded so you can go t the pools or something and enjoy the non crowds.
On the evening of the Halloween event your stateroom host will put small bags of candy in your room. If you don't want this just talk with them before hand. They are so friendly and will be happy to do what's good for your family

 

[Steve Dexter]

I agree that it was a little underwhelming, but I still liked it. The Nightmare Before Christmas sing along with meet and greet afterward with Jack and Sally was very cool. It was fun seeing characters in costume like Mickey in his purple vampire cape. The deserts in the MDR's had cool spider-looking cakes.

 

[canyoncam]

Just off phone with Disney and as Quellman said it was announced in April. I booked in March. Dusney says they sent out emails to everyone booked on it-I do not have one. They said it was on website-I only went to my reservation on website as I was already happy with my sail date. They said It would have been mentioned to me if I had called in instead of paying online-I called in to change a name two weeks ago and guess what? Not mentioned to me. I asked why it did not show up ony resvation while looking online until today? After I am PIF? Of course they can't explain not do they believe me. But I KNOW I would NEVER book a Holloween cruise!!! They will move it as a courtesy if I find another cruise but I have to make up my mind today. Well since the air is booked and the hotels And these dates work think I will keep the sailing and am glad to know it is not that pervasive.

Still unhappy Disney does not believe me but I know their IT sucks!!! I can't blame the person I am talking to.

 

[quickcat]

They will move it as a courtesy if I find another cruise but I have to make up my mind today

That is very nice of them to move it for you. If you feel it will make your vacation ruined by the Halloween stuff, it might be worth contacting the airline to ask about the cost of changing. It might be worth it in the long run to change so you wont have to worry about the decorations, activities, etc.
Good luck!

 

[dclpluto]

Hope you enjoy your cruise. As others have said there really isn't that much going on with haloween.enjoy

 

[Hundredacre]

We love Halloween but if I had specifically picked a cruise not to be Halloween that would annoy me too. What would really annoy me if I was booked on a cruise and they changed it to star wars. Cannot stand star wars. It's not even disney, just bought by them.

 

[asamklove]

I kinda hate Halloween, too. We were on the Fantasy on actual Halloween night & it was no big deal. If it hadn't been for my two young kids (yes, I pretend to like the holiday for the sake of their childhood memories), we wouldn't have done anything Haloween-y. They went to the "party" in the atrium (they did not enjoy bc of crowds & pushy parents), and there were some decorations about. It certainly did not make or break the vacation for us. A non-event if you can look past the pumpkin decorations

 

[cruisehopeful]

The activities are specifically listed and you'd have to go participate in them. If you have children, they will probably leave trick or treat bags in your stateroom. There are some decorations, but it is not over whelming. People on board will dressed up, though.

 

[Alexle2007]

There will also families in their costumes. Our first cruise was a Halloween and our table mates were all dressed as some type of candy. I can't imagine how much luggage they brought since they were also all decked out for pirate night and formal night.

 

[n2mm]

Was on a Halloween cruise last September. It was pretty much a non event. It was not announced when I booked it. We had no kids, so other than the tree in the lobby, we never saw any activities. I feel the same way about the Star Wars cruises. The 7 night cruises from Jan to April are all Star Wars cruises. I have zero interest in SW, so dropped that desire to book. We are considering a B2B. Op, I've never got a message telling me my 9/2015 cruise was Halloween either....but it wasn't a big deal.

 

[anricat]

There will also families in their costumes. Our first cruise was a Halloween and our table mates were all dressed as some type of candy. I can't imagine how much luggage they brought since they were also all decked out for pirate night and formal night.

We did all three, too. We had an entire suitcase devoted to costumes and a hanging bag for more pieces of costumes plus our formal stuff. Then a whole other suitcase for regular clothes. It was a bit to haul. I'm envisioning more clothes for Alaska though. I feel like I'm packing for three climates! But that's another story...

For our family, we adore Halloween and knew, historically that sailings Sept-October will have those activities. But other than the pumpkin tree in the lobby and a few window decals here and there, you can choose to skip all the other activities. One night will be designated as Halloween and there will be people in costume, otherwise the rest of the cruise will be mostly the same. Just look for those events in the Navigator and avoid the atrium during those times. It's pretty confined to the atrium, other than the Jack and Sally thing, which will take over the Walt Disney Theatre one afternoon. (It doesn't replace an evening show, instead it's a matinee. Again, easily skipped.)

I'm sorry you don't like Halloween. It's my very favorite holiday! But then, in a former life, I was a costume maker (for theatre), so that time of year, I get to channel that part of my life again and it fils me with joy.

I think that's a great thing about Disney - there is something for everyone. I'm sure you'll still enjoy your cruise!

You might want to look at past Navigators on disneycruiselineblog.com for ideas as to the activities there are to help you make your choice. That's very generous of DCL to give you that option.

 

[jrabbit]

Mostly activities in the Atrium. Don't know about the kids clubs. Decorations = minimal
the "Tree" sprouted more pumpkins over the course of the cruise - started off bare. Deck 4 porthole had the window clings in the atrium area.

 

[canyoncam]

Was on a Halloween cruise last September. It was pretty much a non event. It was not announced when I booked it. We had no kids, so other than the tree in the lobby, we never saw any activities. I feel the same way about the Star Wars cruises. The 7 night cruises from Jan to April are all Star Wars cruises. I have zero interest in SW, so dropped that desire to book. We are considering a B2B. Op, I've never got a message telling me my 9/2015 cruise was Halloween either....but it wasn't a big deal.

Yes I don't think it will be bad. But the point is there was no communication of it, just as in your case so I feel this is the issue needing resolved.

For me it is a bigger deal because I very much dislike what Halloween represents. This is not the time or place to get into that but just want to let everyone know why the change and the lack of my being informed of it upsets me so. Also why I KNOW it didn't show up as such until today on my reservation.

I did email DCL asking why this happened. I doubt I will get any satisfactory answer other than my word against thiers.

Thanks jrabbit for the photos!

 

[FigmentSpark]

I won't say what DCL did or didn't do, but last year I was travelling domestically and my airline swears up and down they emailed me of a change in my plans. They even quoted the date the email was sent, as stated on my file, presumably automatically generated by some system or other. I never received that email. I went through my saved, my inbox and my trash. It just wasn't there. And may I say, that's not the first time I've missed out on an email that I know was sent to me. I use gmail, so there's no excuse, but the truth is, email isn't as completely reliable as people would like it to be. So, it's possible they sent it, but a system glitch somewhere (probably in the 'net) prevented it's delivery to you, making you both right. They sent, you didn't receive. It does happen.

Anyway, I understand your aversion to Halloween and respect your feelings on the issue. That said, it sounds like the amount of Halloween you'll get on this cruise may be less than you'd get at home on Oct 31. Perhaps see if there are others on your cruise that have similar feelings and set up an alternate event for that evening. DCL might even be able to provide you with a venue and cater it (if that's required) if you have enough people interested in doing something else. You surely can't be the only one in this situation.

One more thing, if this is going to be something that will bother you to the point of not enjoying yourself, change your sailing. You'll be happier. No point in going on a vacation to be angry every time you walk past the atrium.

 

[msmayor]

When exactly is your cruise, and how close to Halloween does it fall?

 

[canyoncam]

September 10th

When exactly is your cruise, and how close to Halloween does it fall?

I am fine now with all the reassurances of it not being that big of a deal onboard. I am still quite put out with it not having been reflected on my reservation when I was looking at it in my account on the Disney cruise website. I do get an email not making it to me. I do not get this. And for it to show up the day after I am PIF. I am not suggesting a bait and switch just wondering what really happened here.

 

[Laughfreely]

I agree that it was a little underwhelming, but I still liked it. The Nightmare Before Christmas sing along with meet and greet afterward with Jack and Sally was very cool. It was fun seeing characters in costume like Mickey in his purple vampire cape. The deserts in the MDR's had cool spider-looking cakes.

Do you need tickets to meet Jack and Sally?

 

[Steve Dexter]

No tickets needed, it was just right after the movie.