Key Aspects:
- Carnival Cruise Line does not permit full face masks to be worn onboard the ship for Halloween, other than during the costume parade event.
- The mask restrictions are important for onboard security and guests will be asked to remove full face masks by the security team or other crew members.
- Other costume guidelines include no weapons (real or fake), no nudity or profanity, or anything too sexy. All costumes should be family-friendly.
Halloween is one of the most popular holidays and many people go all-out with elaborate decorations, boneyards, spooky treats, and crazy costumes.
Cruise lines are no different, and Carnival Cruise Line offers a range of fun Halloween activities and events for guests sailing during the spooky season. Not all Halloween fun is always welcome onboard, however, and the cruise line remains firm on their mask policy.
The line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, reminded guests of the mask policy in his morning video on October 21, 2025, with the holiday just 10 days away. While Carnival’s ships have been offering Halloween happenings all month long, the mask policy remains firm.
“I just want to reiterate something,” Heald commented. “Full face costume masks. We have a little problem on Carnival Sunshine at the moment, I’m sure they’re not the only ones. They were refusing to remove the masks – they were wearing their costumes pretty much all day. … For security reasons, remember, you cannot wear these.”
Heald goes on to describe that costumes can indeed be worn all day, but full face masks are only permitted at select events.
“Now you can wear it for the costume parade. So when the parade starts, you can put your mask on,” he explained. “But wearing a full face mask around the ship, to dinner, is just not allowed for security reasons. I’m sure you understand.”
Guests must remove such masks if they are asked to do so by a security member or any other Carnival crew member.
Since facial recognition technology is used for security checks around the ship, especially when getting on or off the vessel in ports of call or during embarkation and debarkation, it makes sense that full face masks would not be permitted.
It is also essential that onboard closed circuit video be able to record appropriately in case of emergencies or other incidents, which is why full face masks cannot be casually worn around the ship.
Carnival Cruise Line Halloween Sailing (Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive)
While Heald does not identify the guests involved on Carnival Sunshine, the ship is currently sailing an 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise that departed Norfolk, Virginia on October 18, 2025.
The ship departed the Old Dominion State roughly eight hours later than expected following a delayed arrival due to rough weather at the end of her previous sailing, a 6-night Bermuda itinerary that was itself delayed to a 5-night cruise.
With such a tense beginning, it’s no surprise that guests onboard would want to cut loose and celebrate a bit onboard, but security restrictions must still be followed.
More Halloween Fun on Carnival Ships
Carnival Cruise Line offers a range of themed activities for their “Frightfully Fun Halloween” sailings all through October.
“Just so we’re clear, our ships probably aren’t haunted… but every sailing does come complete with fun Halloween extras!” the website describes.
Guidelines for guests’ costumes include no weapons, whether real or fake, so leave the pirate swords at home. Costumes may not be too “sexy” either real or implied, and may not show too much skin. No obscene words or images are permitted either, in keeping with the cruise line’s family-friendly nature.
Read Also: The Most Haunted Cruise Ships and Spooky Venues Onboard
The guidelines also do mention masks, noting that “No costume masks, or other costume face coverings, are allowed either.”
Costume contests for individuals and groups, themed parties and trivia, horror movies on the Lido Deck, photo ops, and of course trick-or-treating are all part of the fun. If guests are lucky, they might even spot the 12-foot tall Patch the Pumpkin Pirate on select ships.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
