Disney Cruise Line fully embraces the holiday spirit with its Merrytime and Halloween on the High Seas cruises. When you step aboard one of these specialty sailings, you’ll be immersed in festive decor, events, entertainment, food, and more as the ships come alive for the seasons. Keep reading for a detailed overview of what the celebrations entail for both Christmas and Halloween Disney cruises.
Christmas Cruises: Very Merrytime
Very Merrytime Cruises transform Disney’s ships into winter wonderlands, capturing the merriment of the holidays from bow to stern. These cruises sail from early November through December, with itineraries ranging from 2 nights to 7 nights.
Decor
The Yuletide adornments start as soon as you embark. A towering, three-deck-high tree decorated with ribbons and ornaments greets you in the magnificent lobby atrium. Garlands, lights, poinsettias, snowflakes, wreaths, and a life-sized gingerbread house further set the mood. Your stateroom receives holiday embellishments too. Book the Very Merrytime Premium Holiday Package to have your room dressed up with a mini tree, stockings, holiday bed runners, a holiday towel animal, and more. On Christmas cruises, the ships go all-out with extra decor like Santa hats on the smoke stacks. The Disney private island Castaway Cay sparkles with a Christmas tree, fake snowfall, and festive music.
Events
Very Merrytime brings beloved holiday happenings like:
- Mickey’s Tree-Lighting Magic: Mickey, Minnie, and pals host this tree lighting ceremony on the first night with carols and the official illumination of the lobby Christmas tree.
- Santa’s Winter Wonderland Ball: Mrs. Claus story time and an appearance by Santa and Disney characters highlight this event. “Snow” falls in the atrium too!
- Deck the Deck Holiday Party: This tropical celebration on the pool deck features Disney characters in holiday garb, music, dancing, cookies, and cocoa.
On Christmas cruises, kids can partake in a holiday cookie decorating activity. Other Very Merrytime activities encompass holiday crafts, family karaoke, holiday movie sing-alongs, dance parties, and youth clubs events.
Entertainment
The Walt Disney Theatre dazzles with a holiday production show that blends singing, dancing, and special effects. Other entertainment includes a guest piano player performing Christmas carols in the lobby, carolers singing throughout the ship, and characters dressed in new holiday costumes.
Menus
On Christmas Day, the main dining rooms serve a special Happy Holidays dinner menu. The festive feast highlights include:
- Amuse-bouches like a cranberry and brie bite
- Starters like a holiday seafood sampler
- Soups like roasted chestnut bisque
- Salads like an arugula and beet duo
- Main courses like cider brined turkey breast and prime rib
- Desserts like gingerbread cheesecake and chocolate Yule log
The regular dining rotation also receives holiday touches like cranberry bread, pumpkin soup, and Buche de Noel cake. On all Very Merrytime sailings, seasonal treats get served like hot chocolate, snickerdoodles, eggnog, pecan tarts, and candy cane gelato.
Halloween Cruises: Halloween on the High Seas
From September through October, Halloween on the High Seas transforms Disney’s ships into ghoulish wonderlands brimming with spooky decor, entertainment, and activities. These sailings span anywhere from 2 nights to 7 nights.
Decor
Halloween makeovers start when you walk into the lobby atrium. A towering pumpkin tree with carved jack-o’-lanterns makes a bold first impression. Other frightful decorations include pumpkin garlands, haunted portraits, spiderwebs, and Halloween-themed music. Beyond the atrium, keep your eyes peeled for creepy accents like mummy statues in the shops, ghostly placemats in the restaurants, and pumpkin stickers haunting the portholes. Disney really goes all out with the ambiance.
Events
Mickey’s Mouse-querade Halloween Party, the signature event, invites guests to show up in costume for trick-or-treating, dance parties, and Disney characters dressed up too. Awakening the Pumpkin Tree Ceremony also draws crowds as Ray the firefly works his magic to transform the carved pumpkins. Other ghoulish activities encompass mask making, pumpkin carving demonstrations, Halloween crafts, spooky movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas, a ghost storytelling seance, and a Villainous Takeover adult costume bash.
Entertainment
While the regular Broadway-style shows carry on, the atrium lobby welcomes a ghostly piano player. And on Pirate Night, look for Jack Sparrow and his pirate pals to make appearances.
Menus
On Mickey’s Mouse-querade night, the main dining rooms serve up Halloween-themed dishes like candy corn soup, spider web chicken, and chocolate ghost cake. Elsewhere, you’ll discover treats like candy apples, pumpkin spice cupcakes, and orange-green split soft serve. Spooky specialty drinks include poisons, potions, and the pumpkin fog fizz.
Thanksgiving Cruises
Disney Cruise Line ships that sail during the Thanksgiving holiday offer a traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu in the main dining rooms on Thanksgiving Day (November 24th). The Thanksgiving menu typically includes:
- Roasted turkey
- Stuffing
- Mashed potatoes and gravy
- Green beans
- Cranberry relish
- Pumpkin pie
There are also opportunities to watch football games on the ships. For example, the Dream and Fantasy have a giant Funnel Vision LED screen that shows sports. Guests can watch games from the pool deck. While there are not full-fledged Thanksgiving themed events, the ships make an effort to celebrate the American holiday for those sailing over the holiday.
New Year’s Eve Cruises
Disney goes all-out on New Year’s Eve with festive celebrations on each ship. There are special events, entertainment, menus, and more to ring in the new year:
Events: Countdown parties and champagne toasts on the pool deck, a family-friendly dance party, and youth club celebrations
Entertainment: Live music, guest piano players performing in the atrium, and the main stage show gets a holiday twist
Menus: Special NYE menus in the main dining rooms, with dishes like lobster, filet mignon, and NY-inspired desserts. Lounges have specialty cocktails.
Gifts: Passengers receive New Year’s Eve keepsakes like champagne flutes and lithographs
Fireworks: On some sailings, there are two nights of fireworks – on NYE and Pirate Night.
So while Thanksgiving is acknowledged with a holiday meal, New Year’s Eve goes above and beyond with decorations, events, entertainment and more to ring in the new year on the high seas.
Holiday Cruises to Castaway Cay
During the Very Merrytime Disney Cruises that sail over the Christmas season, Castaway Cay gets decorated to celebrate the holidays. The decorations and theming include:
- A Christmas tree decorated with ornaments and lights
- Fake snowfall on the beaches and trails
- Holiday music playing throughout the island
- Disney characters dressed up in seasonal costumes for photo opportunities
Guests who visit Castaway Cay over Christmas can take pictures with Mickey, Minnie and pals dressed as elves, reindeer, toy soldiers, and in ugly Christmas sweaters. It makes for very festive and one-of-a-kind family photos. The holiday enhancements definitely put guests in the Christmas spirit as they explore Castaway Cay and partake in activities like snorkeling, biking, stingray interactions, and relaxing on the family or adult-only beaches. It becomes a tropical winter wonderland.
Planning Your Disney Holiday Cruise
When planning your Merrytime or Halloween on the High Seas cruise, keep the following tips in mind:
- These holiday sailings book up faster, so reserve early.
- Opt for longer cruises to experience more of the festivities.
- Pack costumes, holiday gear, or ugly Christmas sweaters to dress up.
- Arrive early on embarkation day, since check-in tends to get busier.
- Utilize the Navigator app to keep tabs on activities and events.
- Capture the magic with holiday family photos and Christmas cards.
- Buy commemorative merchandise only available on these sailings.
Disney goes all out to provide memory-making holiday experiences that put you in the spirit of the season. From events to entertainment to decor and more, these cheerful cruises offer nonstop festive fun for family members of all ages. So deck those halls and make the holidays extra magical with a Very Merrytime or Halloween on the High Seas Disney Cruise!
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