As spooky season approaches, it’s possible you’ll end up dreaming of getaways that include a little bit of a scare issue. Fortunately, you don’t have to surrender your love of cruising to get it.
There are quite a few haunted ships you possibly can go to, such because the Queen Mary, in addition to cruises that may take you to haunted locations like New Orleans or London.
Plus, in the event you like thrills and chills that you just’re for positive are pretend, you will discover them due to spooky cruise ship venues like Disney’s Haunted Mansion Parlor or Carnival Cruise Line’s Fortune Teller Bar.
Haunted Ships to Go to
For spine-tingling experiences, go to these ships which might be nearly assured to be haunted, with essentially the most haunted of all of them — the RMS Queen Mary — taking the lead.
The RMS Queen Mary
The Queen Mary is arguably not solely one of the vital haunted cruise ships on the earth, but in addition one of the vital haunted spots in America total.
The Queen Mary has an extended, lengthy historical past. Initially working for the Cunard Line, the ship launched in 1936 and, over time, along with providing passenger service, additionally served throughout World Battle II.
In 1967, Cunard retired the Queen Mary and he or she took up a brand new dwelling in Lengthy Seaside, California, the place she grew to become a vacationer attraction.
Right this moment, guests can keep on the Queen Mary, in one of many ship’s guestrooms or suites. They’ll dine at a number of eating places. They’ll even host a marriage on the ship.
Nevertheless, it’s the ship’s paranormal points of interest that actually steal the present. A number of Haunted Encounters excursions are provided, taking company across the ship, instructing them about its historical past, legends and ghost tales.
So, who’re among the Queen Mary’s most iconic specters? There’s supposedly a ghost of a murdered particular person nonetheless residing in one of many staterooms. In one of many pool areas, you would possibly spot the ghost of a drowned baby. One other ghost consists of that of a father who dedicated filicide.
In the event you actually desire a spooky keep, contemplate reserving cabin B340, which supposedly sees poltergeist-like exercise, together with water turning on and off all through the midnight and blankets being pulled off the beds.
The Star of India
Whereas not a cruise ship per se, that is nonetheless a historic ship price visiting in the event you’re into each maritime historical past, in addition to supposedly haunted spots.
The Star of India is the world’s oldest lively crusing ship, located on the Maritime Museum of San Diego (very near the San Diego cruise port, so this an important exercise to plan for, in the event you’re searching for issues to do within the neighborhood).
Launched in 1863, the ship has skilled its fair proportion of drama, together with a mutiny and cyclone, being trapped in ice and quite a few reported grisly deaths.
Now, rumored ghosts embrace that of a sailor crushed within the ship’s chain locker, that of a unfortunate stowaway who fell from the highest mast and that of a captain who dedicated suicide.
The Berkeley Steam Ferry
Additionally now positioned on the Maritime Museum of San Diego, the Berkeley Steam Ferry was a commuter ferry inbuilt 1898. Not solely was it the primary propeller-driven ferry on the West Coast, but in addition the biggest commuter ferry within the nation, with capability for 1,700 passengers.
The ship could not have as gory of ghosts because the Star of India or the Queen Mary, however workers nonetheless say it may be haunted, because of the position the ferry performed in rescuing victims in the course of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, in addition to its collision with one other ship in 1890.
Rumored Cruise Ship Hauntings
Whereas the above vessels are just about assured to comprise just a few resident ghosts, you won’t be all that impressed. In any case, these ships are previous! They’ve skilled catastrophe! In fact they’re haunted!
As a substitute, you wish to know in regards to the haunted cabins that you will discover on right now’s trendy cruise ships.
Whereas haunts on trendy cruise ships aren’t as broadly paperwork (as a result of consider what a PR nightmare that may be!), you possibly can nonetheless discover cruise ship passengers that report spooky goings-on of their cabins. Listed here are just a few current tales we dug up.
Royal Caribbean’s Many Spirited Stowaways
In Could 2025, a Royal Caribbean cruiser posted in a Facebook group, saying that that they had a reasonably “lively” cabin of their final cruise on Explorer of the Seas.
They stated that they had an oceanview cabin on the ship’s second deck. At evening, they sometimes go away the toilet mild on, with the door cracked. A number of nights, they stated that they felt an apparition strolling forwards and backwards in entrance of the toilet door.
Then, the poster awakened round 4:30–5 a.m. one morning to see a specter standing over her husband. The ghost was an older, balding gentleman with darkish hair, a inexperienced shirt and tan pants. The presence wasn’t threatening, however nonetheless there.
Some commenters stated that the poster should’ve been taking good benefit of their drinks bundle. Nevertheless, different commenters gave the declare some credence.
The unique poster implied this wasn’t their first expertise with the supernatural. As such, some theorized the poster introduced the ghost on board with them, fairly than the ghost residing within the stateroom aboard Explorer of the Seas.
Others identified that, whereas its unusual, folks do die on cruise ships, which may result in spectral stowaways.
In the meantime, others chimed in with their very own Royal Caribbean ghost sightings.
Room 9264 on Freedom of the Seas
One commenter stated that they had been staying in Room 9264 on Freedom of the Seas. At evening, the movement mild outdoors their toilet was triggered — and triggered and triggered and triggered once more, again and again all through the evening.
Each folks staying within the room swore they noticed an equipment, and that a part of the room was colder.
Room 9307 on Independence of the Seas
One other stated they had been in Room 9307 on Independence of the Seas and so they awakened considering their baby was calling them round 3 a.m.
Listening to nothing after awakening, they smelled a foul, feces-like odor that started to dissipate rapidly. They went to the toilet, turned on their mild and noticed a small girl standing subsequent to them within the mirror.
Nonetheless, one other commenter talked about feeling a presence of their cabin on Jewel of the Seas, whereas one stated that they noticed a ghost within the theater on Concord of the Seas (and that they later discovered that one of many ship’s actors dedicated suicide on the ship years earlier than).
Do with all this info what you’ll, however, in the event you’re searching for a critically scary time, you would possibly contemplate reserving one of many above-mentioned rooms in your subsequent Royal Caribbean cruise, simply to see if something occurs.
Haunted Cruise Ship Venues
Whereas we regularly consider cruise ships as full of life spots to have enjoyable within the solar, with nary a shadow round, some cruise ships are rolling out venues which have a sure spooky attraction, such because the Haunted Mansion Parlor on two Disney Cruise Line ships, and the Fortune Teller Bar on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras.
Disney Cruise Line’s Haunted Mansion Parlor
Disney Cruise Line launched its Haunted Mansion Parlor on Disney Treasure and Disney Future. An adults-only house, this bar is themed after the Disney parks attraction and flicks of the identical title.
The décor, particular results and even the drink menus make a nod to the Haunted Mansion franchise.
One enjoyable contact? The parlor comes with a recreation of types. The story is that the parlor belonged to a sea captain and his fiancé, and nobody is aware of fairly why the 2 disappeared. Clues are hidden across the bar, permitting passengers to suss out what precisely occurred.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Fortune Teller Bar
On Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, you possibly can saddle as much as the Fortune Teller bar and see what precisely the souls of the departed have in retailer for you. The bar has a New Orleans’ French Quarter vibe that befits the ship’s title.
The drinks are simply as enjoyable because the ambiance, with cocktails that change shade, in addition to even one which incorporates actual bits of gold.
Haunted Halloween Cruises
Along with haunted cruise ships and haunted cruise ship venues, some cruise traces, like Virgin Voyages and Carnival Cruise Line, host particularly haunted or spooky-themed cruises across the Halloween season.
In the event you’re a fan of all issues spook-tacular, you’re going to wish to guide one among these cruise itineraries quick.
Carnival Cruise Line Frightfully Enjoyable Halloween Cruises
All through the month of October, Carnival Cruise Line hosts its Frightfully Fun Halloween Cruises, which embrace plenty of enjoyable extras, regardless of your age.
There’s a Patch the Pumpkin Pirate deck social gathering (that includes a 12-foot-tall pumpkin-headed pirate). A specialty cocktail is offered on the atrium bar, referred to as Patch the Pumpkin Punch. Pumpkins are hidden across the ship.
Halloween actions embrace horror film showings, Halloween-themed stay music and spooky crew-led actions. Costume contests are on faucet as nicely (simply with just a few particular guidelines, similar to no actual or pretend weapons, no masks or face coverings, and nothing obscene).
Disney Cruise Line’s Halloween at Sea
By late September and till Halloween, Disney Cruise Line hosts its Halloween at Sea, which is simply as boo-tiful as its park Halloween festivities.
Count on a Mickey Mouse-querade, Halloween-themed meet and greets with characters and Halloween desserts and drinks discovered all through the ship.
Ensure that to plan to attend the pumpkin tree lighting that takes place the primary evening of every cruise, and hearken to the spooky tales!
Margaritaville at Sea: Sail the Haunted Seas
Margaritaville at Sea runs its Sail the Haunted Seas event by October as nicely, with plenty of enjoyable Halloween actions and specials happening throughout the boutique cruise line’s ships.
The cruises’ glow events get a Halloween makeover. Halloween cocktails are being served on the bars. Costume contests and trick-or-treating throughout ship venues assist you to rating some candy treats. Don’t overlook to start out your day with a Halloween espresso, both.
Virgin Voyages Halloween Voyages
However even Margaritaville at Sea permits all the household on board. What in the event you’re searching for some critically adults-only Halloween enjoyable?
In that case, look to Virgin Voyages. The adults-only, millennials-and-younger-focused cruise line means that you can benefit from the spooky season to its fullest with out as soon as nearly tripping over a kiddo dressed like the most recent superhero.
There are, in fact, costume events and contests; Halloween-themed leisure; spooky actions; and unique Halloween eating and consuming.
Haunted Cruise Locations
You don’t must sail on a haunted cruise ship or a Halloween-themed cruise to get pleasure from slightly spooky goodness.
It doesn’t matter what time of 12 months you’re crusing, regardless of the ship, contemplate a cruise itinerary that may take you to among the most haunted cruise port cities on the earth. Listed here are only a few choices.
New Orleans
It doesn’t get any extra haunted than New Orleans! Many cruises depart on round-trip Caribbean itineraries from the town — together with cruises from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Think about arriving early or staying late and indulging in one of many many, many haunted excursions, or simply doing slightly sightseeing by yourself, by visiting the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the LaLaurie Mansion or the Lodge Monteleone.
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Throughout a cruise to Jamaica, go to the Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay, the place you possibly can doubtlessly catch a glimpse of one of many Caribbean’s most well-known ghosts, that of the White Witch.
When you have ample time, you possibly can discover elsewhere across the island, visiting haunted spots just like the deserted Duppy Church (a “duppy” is actually a Jamaican folklore ghost, so this church is principally named “the Ghost Church”), or the ruins of Edinburgh Citadel, constructed by Jamaica’s first serial killer on document.
London
And, in the event you’re taking a European cruise that begins or stops in London, make time to go to the town’s many, many haunted spots, from the Tower of London to Highgate Cemetery and past.
Learn Additionally: What You Need to Know on Cabin Cruise Door Decorations
You’ll discover no scarcity of haunted excursions, together with pub-focused excursions, if you wish to mix your spirits with…nicely, extra spirits.
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