Top 10 Halloween Cruises: Spooky Fun for Every Age

Celebrate Halloween with a twist — at sea! Many cruise lines turn October sailings into festive floating parties filled with costumes, themed events, and plenty of spooky fun for both kids and adults. From eerie decor and pumpkin patches to costume contests and haunted dance floors, Halloween cruises promise double the adventure and entertainment.

Costumes aren’t required, but dressing up adds to the excitement — just remember that replica weapons must be checked, and anything resembling explosives is strictly forbidden.

So grab your witch hat, pack your broom, and get ready to join one of these spine-tingling Halloween cruises!

1. Carnival Cruise Line – Frightfully Fun at Sea

Carnival goes all out for Halloween with its month-long Frightfully Fun celebration. Expect costume contests, trick-or-treating, pumpkin-carving, themed deck parties, spooky movies under the stars, and a ship atrium turned pumpkin patch guarded by “Patch the Pumpkin Pirate.”

2. Celebrity Cruises – Spooky Chic Vibes

Celebrity Cruises offers a stylish twist on Halloween, featuring a Silent Disco Party with Halloween hits, eerie cocktails, and a lively costume contest. Families can enjoy themed movies like Hocus Pocus and Ghostbusters, onboard trick-or-treating, and kids’ costume parades.

3. Disney Cruise Line – Halloween on the High Seas

From mid-September through October, Disney transforms its ships into magical, pumpkin-filled wonderlands. Highlights include Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party, spooky storytelling, themed treats, character meet-and-greets in costume, and an adults-only costume dance party.

4. Holland America Line – Elegant and Eerie

Halloween aboard Holland America features hands-on fun like pumpkin carving, mask-making, and spooky origami. Don’t miss the costume contests and signature cocktails such as the Witch’s Brew or the eerie Brain Hemorrhage shooter. Select cruises even include ghost-themed shore excursions in places like Quebec and Palermo.

5. Margaritaville at Sea – Haunted Seas

Kick off the fun early with Margaritaville’s Haunted Seas sailings starting mid-September. The ship comes alive with eerie decor, themed drinks, “Thriller” dance classes, Halloween trivia, a kids’ soiree, and an adults-only costume bash.

6. MSC Cruises – Family Frights and Fun

MSC celebrates Halloween fleetwide from early October to early November. Expect parties, scary karaoke, Monster Mash dance lessons, and a kids’ club that transforms into a haunted house. Little ones will love the carnival, costume parade, and Doremix dance party.

7. Norwegian Cruise Line – Shipboard Spookfest

Norwegian’s Halloween cruises bring out the festive spirit with ship-wide decorations, trick-or-treating, spooky scavenger hunts, themed trivia, and “Thriller” dance contests. Costumes are encouraged for both adults and kids!

8. Princess Cruises – Ghostly Elegance at Sea

Princess transforms its ships into haunted havens, complete with ghost ship tours, Halloween movies, costume contests in the Piazza, and creepy cocktails like the Devil’s Brew and Zombie Smash. Perfect for families and fun-seekers alike.

9. Royal Caribbean International – Family-Friendly Frights

Royal Caribbean celebrates the entire spooky season, offering Halloween-themed trivia, scavenger hunts, trick-or-treating, and costume parades. Families can enjoy friendly festivities by day and adults-only parties by night.

10. Virgin Voyages – Scarlet’s Wicked Night

Virgin Voyages puts an adults-only spin on Halloween with Scarlet’s Wicked Night, eerie cocktails, a Zombie Grog Walk, trivia, paint-and-sip skull sessions, and the dazzling Sirens & Sailors Costume Ball. Even its Miami terminal gets a haunted makeover!