I have never been on a Halloween cruise.

But the more I think about it, the more I wonder why not.

A cruise ship already has long hallways, late-night entertainment and plenty of places where someone could unexpectedly appear around a corner.

Add a few cobwebs, glowing pumpkins and passengers dressed as ghosts?

Suddenly, it feels like the perfect setting for Halloween.

Depending on the cruise line and sailing, Halloween cruises may include decorations throughout the ship.

Think pumpkins in the atrium, spiderwebs around the railings and spooky displays appearing in places that looked completely normal the day before.

I think it would be fun to board a familiar-looking cruise ship and watch it slowly turn into a floating Halloween party.

Many Halloween sailings include costume parties or contests for adults, children or both.

That sounds fun until I remember that everything has to fit inside my suitcase.

Some passengers create impressively elaborate costumes. I would likely be the person trying to turn a beach cover-up, sunglasses and a sunhat into something called “Cruise Passenger Who Has Seen Things.”

A cruise-friendly costume probably needs to be:

A pirate costume feels like the obvious choice.

It is nautical, easy to recognize and gives you a perfectly reasonable excuse to say “Where’s the rum?” all evening.

The exact festivities vary, but Halloween cruises can feature costume parades, themed trivia, scavenger hunts, dance parties and spooky movies.

Some ships may also offer Halloween crafts or trick-or-treating for younger cruisers.

Honestly, watching a scary movie outside on the pool deck while the ship is sailing through the darkness sounds wonderfully creepy.

Although I would probably spend half the movie watching the ocean behind the screen.

You never know.

That is exactly when the sea monster would show up.

The best part is that the entire cruise does not have to become one long haunted house.

During the day, you could still visit a sunny Caribbean port, sit beside the pool or order something with a tiny umbrella in it.

Then, a few hours later, you are dressed as a witch and heading to Halloween trivia.

It is a strange combination.

But I think that is why it sounds so much fun.

Yes, I think I would.

I am not someone who needs every minute of October to be terrifying. I do not need people jumping out at me in dark hallways, and I definitely do not want a haunted cabin.

But a cruise with creative costumes, silly activities, spooky decorations and a little extra candy?

That sounds like my level of Halloween.

I would especially enjoy seeing the costumes other passengers come up with. Cruise passengers can be impressively committed when there is a theme involved.

I suspect there would be at least one group costume so elaborate that I would immediately regret the pirate hat I bought five minutes before embarkation.

Until I actually take a Halloween cruise, however, I can only imagine what it is like.

So I am curious:

Have you ever celebrated Halloween on a cruise ship?

Did you dress up, join the activities and go all in?

Or would you prefer to sit on the balcony with a drink while everyone else wanders around dressed as zombies?

Either option sounds like a pretty good Halloween to me.

Thanks for reading,

Tara

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