The Gondola Company plans haunted nighttime rides through the Coronado Cays canals from October 28 through October 31, 2026. The seasonal cruises will feature phantom gondoliers and soft organ music.
The seasonal theme draws inspiration from the 2023 film “A Haunting in Venice,” according to Fox 5 San Diego and KUSI News. The rides are scheduled to travel through the Cays canals after dark.
Booking and Ride Details
Each private ride accommodates two to six passengers and lasts 50 minutes, with cruises beginning at 4 p.m., the report says. Riders must book online in advance.
Optional purchases include wine, non-alcoholic beverages, assorted chocolates and bouquets of black roses.
For Larger Groups
The company’s Haunting Carolina Cruise is an option for groups of up to 14 passengers. Unlike the smaller private rides, it requires reservations by phone, according to the report.
The company and other San Diego Halloween cruises
The Gondola Company’s founding date is not necessarily the start date of its Coronado Cays rides: KPBS Public Media says Sean Jamieson founded the company in 1999 and describes its Venice-inspired cruises through the Cays canals. A separate Halloween event took a different route and vessel. City Cruises lists a Halloween Boo’s Cruise aboard the Inspiration Hornblower yacht on San Diego Bay on October 26, 2024, with DJs and a costume contest. That listing does not give a passenger count, so it does not establish a group-size comparison with the 2026 gondola rides.
