Queen Mary promises secret spirits at Dark Harbor 2018
For Halloween 2018, the Queen Mary Dark Harbor invites guests to seek out secret spirits. No, this is not a paranormal investigation into the ghosts allegedly haunting the venerable vessel; the spirits in question are alcoholic rather than ectoplasmic, and the quest is to find four new bars hidden on the premises. Curious guests will acquire tokens with clues to the whereabouts of  The SideBar, Door 13, The Line Up, and The Broken Compass, where they can enjoy themed cocktails such as the Watery Grave and the S.O.S.
For the past several years, the Queen Mary has been pitching Dark Harbor as destination event, where visitors can lounge and enjoy the Halloween ambiance after walking through a half-dozen mazes. Private patios, cabanas, and exclusive-access bars are part of this strategy, but this is the first time that access will be earned rather than bought. Those not up to the challenge of finding the hidden bars can console themselves with a drink at Crime Scene Alley, Hideaway, The Last Drop, The Barrel Tasting Room, Rusty Nail & Pier and the Ice Cave.
Queen Mary Dark Harbor runs on select nights from September 27 through November 2. Get more information at the official website.
Read the press release below:
Uncover Secret Bars, Private Patios, and To-Die-For Specialty Cocktails at Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
Stumble Upon the Strongest Spirits at Dark Harbor and Sip on a Green Gummy Bear, Watery Grave, S.O.S. and More
LONG BEACH, Calif., (September 13, 2018) – Darkness will once again descend upon the legendary Queen Mary in Long Beach for Dark Harbor, Southern California’s most terrifyingly authentic haunt, with six mazes, private patios, and FOUR new captivating secret bars masked in menacing darkness, waiting to be uncovered. Those daring enough will have the opportunity to venture through Dark Harbor in hopes of stumbling upon the demented delights brewing within The SideBar, Door 13, The Line Up, and The Broken Compass. Guests are encouraged to push their curiosity, mingle with monsters, and test their fears in hopes of discovering the strongest spirits at Dark Harbor to sip on the to-die-for new specialty cocktails that only lurk within.
“All throughout Dark Harbor, monsters and crew members will possess a select number of wooden tokens to distribute. These tokens provide a mystifying clue hinting at the location of an access point,” hinted Charity Hill, Executive Producer Dark Harbor. “Everyone is going to want to be in a secret bar. It’s our ultimate bar experience. And this year, one of the secret bars is a place on the ship where people have wanted to gather for years and we’ve never opened it up to Dark Harbor, until now.”
Guests can gather these elusive coins by interacting with chaotic characters, making the ultimate wish at the new Gallows Wishing Well, and by taking control and pulling strings in the Imperium Puppet Theatre. For those select guests who are able to successfully decode the treachery and trickery laid upon them, Dark Harbor’s secret bars will offer their spell binding specialty cocktails that are out of this world. Cocktails include The Pickled Punk – a flavorful whiskey-based shot chased with pickle juice and the Green Gummy Bear – a mixture of watermelon vodka, midori, lime roses juice, a splash of soda and a gummy bear to garnish. For those that are really daring, try the Watery Grave – a spiced rum-based drink mixed with grenadine, coke and lime or the S.O.S. – a Jägermeister, ginger beer and lime juice blend located within Deadrise.
In addition to the new secret bars and specialty cocktails, Dark Harbor hosts additional bars including Crime Scene Alley and Hideaway, The Last Drop, The Barrel Tasting Room, Rusty Nail & Pier and 9-degrees Ice Cave, which will also provide guests with delectable drinks to quench their deadly thirst. For those with more than just a hunger for horror, cabana menus offer tantalizing table service platters with a variety of enticing entrée options. Head to the Mess Hall at Deadrise for a loaded macaroni and cheese cup or work up an appetite for Poison Pizza at Feast. Guests can take a break from the tricks with treats like crepes, iScream malts and shakes, cotton candy martinis, and liquid nitrogen infused kettle corn that will chill guests to the core.
