Key Aspects
- Margaritaville Islander and Margaritaville Paradise will offer “Sail the Haunted Seas” cruises in September and October 2025.
- The Hemisphere Dancer bar will become the Hemis-Fear Dancer bar, while costume parties and Halloween trivia contests will be held.
- A third ship, Beachcomber, is expected to join the fleet later this year.
As the summer season begins to wane and thoughts turn to autumn, it’s time to look ahead to the cruise industry’s Halloween-themed voyages, and the Margaritaville at Sea cruise brand is getting in on the action.
The two-ship line (soon to become a three-ship fleet) has rolled out Sail the Haunted Seas, a series of cruises from early September through October that promise fun and frights as Margaritaville at Sea Islander and Margaritaville at Sea Paradise sail Caribbean itineraries.
The Florida-based cruise brand, inspired by Jimmy Buffett’s idea of laid-back Caribbean vibes, is known for its popular onboard dining and drinking venues such as the 5 o’Clock Somewhere bar, Hemisphere Dancer, Cheeseburger in Paradise, and License to Chill.
But on the upcoming special voyages, some of the spaces will be reimagined into the Hemis-fear Dancer and the Fright Flop Bar, for instance.
Worth Reading: Details Revealed on World’s Only Motorcycle Rally on a Cruise Ship
Along with surprise pop-up entertainment with spooky themes, the ships will feature activities such as White Hot Neon Nightmares, which transforms the line’s traditional glow party into an event with so-called “creepy cocktails and eerie beats.”
Special bubbling brews, called Potent Potions, will entice guests, as will a costume contest called Wicked Wins. Additional good times are planned with a program called Candy & Chaos, which is to feature dueling scream-alongs and Halloween trivia competitions, among other events.
The 2,650-guest Islander will offer the themed voyages from September 7 to October 26, 2025 departures, while the 1,680-guest Paradise will feature the special tricks and treats on departures from September 8 through October 31, 2025.
Based in Tampa, Islander sails 4- and 7-night Mexico and Western Caribbean cruises while Paradise, homeported in Palm Beach, offers shorter getaway cruises to the Bahamas and Key West.
While the cruise line has traditionally embraced short sailings, it announced earlier in 2025 that 8-night itineraries will be introduced in 2027 aboard Islander. The voyages, which opened for sale in April 2025, feature an overnight stay at the Port of New Orleans.
Third Ship Expected to Join Fleet in 2025
Margaritaville at Sea launched operations in 2022 with its first ship, Paradise, and added Islander in 2024. The ships were purchased from Costa Cruises and had previously sailed as Costa Classica and Costa Atlantica, respectively.
EXCLUSIVE Cruise Hive Booking Offer: Up To $1,500 Visa Gift Card Per Cabin – Learn More!
The cruise line recently acquired another Costa Cruises ship, Costa Fortuna, and renamed it Beachcomber. That ship, accommodating 3,450 guests, is in the process of being renovated and is expected to launch sometime later in 2025 — no firm date has been provided yet, nor has the ship’s homeport.
The cruise line has disclosed that Beachcomber will be redesigned to include the brand’s Caribbean-style decor and venues, and will introduce at least a dozen new spaces and experiences.
Margaritaville at Sea is not the only cruise brand that offers Halloween-themed voyages. Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are among the lines that create similar onboard experiences that celebrate the season.
Nearly the whole Carnival Cruise Line fleet will offer its Frightfully Fun Sailings from September 26 to October 31, 2025, offering Halloween decorations and special activities, for example.
