A Pirate's Halloween

A Pirate's Halloween is coming to The Lost Pearl, the pirate ship that sails out of downtown Tampa into Tampa Bay. It's a 1.5-hour cruise, and for Halloween the ship transforms into a not-so-haunted vessel that doubles as home to Tampa's only floating pumpkin patch. The whole thing is built around a few specific activities: a pumpkin toss, water cannon battles, and a spooky dance party. You'll also meet Captain Patchy, the ship's scarecrow, and kids 12 and under get a complimentary pumpkin to take home. Costumes are encouraged, so it's a good excuse to lean into the theme.

If you're not familiar with the ship, The Lost Pearl is docked at 333 S Franklin St in downtown Tampa. On a typical voyage, guests are recruited into the crew with swashbuckling training and water gun battles, and the cruises run for an hour and a half. The Halloween version keeps that interactive spirit but swaps the training for the pumpkin patch and the dance party. Beyond the holiday cruises, the ship also runs sunset sailings, birthday parties, and special event voyages, and it's available for private hire. The company also points out that Tampa Bay is home to the legendary pirate ship Jose Gasparilla, and friendly dolphins often swim alongside the cruises.

Tickets start at $34.95 for adults and $29.95 for children ages 2 to 12, with infants under 2 riding for free. The cruise lasts 90 minutes, and the ship departs from its downtown Tampa dock.