Final Scores – By Category:

Cast (20% of Final Score): 8.4

Costuming (10% of Final Score): 8.16

Customer Service (10% of Final Score): 9.65

Immersion (10% of Final Score): 8.75

Special Effects (15% of Final Score): 8.79

Scare Factor (20% of Final Score): 7.91

Entertainment & Value (15% of Final Score): 7.93

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Final Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 8.42

There it was – an ominous, floating vessel beneath the moonlight on the banks of the Ohio River. Our journey had brought us to the infamous USS Nightmare, docked in Newport, Kentucky, just across from Cincinnati.

But this year felt different. The ship, fresh from New Orleans, now carries a much darker presence – one so sinister that it’s starting to take over! Beware as you board this dreadful dredge, for what you see may not be as it appears. It may initially look like a well-kept ship until you step aboard. Once you’re rocking on that water, the monsters will come knocking! They’re hungry for flesh, blood, new crew mates, and more toys for Anna.

On this night, we boldly flaunted our bravery with red, flashing RIP Experience lights around our necks. For those curious, this flashy beacon signaled to the crew that we were the “brave” ones – perfect targets for extra separation, touching, and heightened interactions compared to the general admission crowd. Was this a wise choice? Keep reading to find out! Spoiler alert: some of us aren’t that brave, but peer pressure can be a real sea biscuit!

For this review, we split into two groups, and the writing and scores reflect a collaboration of both teams. We did encounter two varying experiences, which contributed to our overall impressions.

The crew members and creatures aboard the William S. Mitchell were eager for us to join their ranks! They were all over the place! It wasn’t long before they offered us elixirs to help transform us into them! This highly interactive crew rarely took “no” for an answer! Some were great at ad-libbing when we engaged with them, while others seamlessly instilled portions of the ship’s storyline into their performances.

We came across various characters up to all kinds of unsettling things on both floors. Speaking of floors, one was creepily crawling around in the boat’s filthy bathroom (insert puke face). While some crew members seemed new, the seasoned actors scattered throughout more than made up for it. We also noticed some actors using accents, which added an extra layer of believability.

The vampires were fiercely fangulous! They quickly grabbed several members of our group and did not want to let them go! They sniffed, rubbed all over our arms, and certainly don’t know what personal space is! One even acted like they were tearing the flesh from one of our arms! The Lady in Red was another standout. Upon asking her about being a captive (someone earlier had told us this), she informed us that WE were going to be the ones getting held there! Don’t trust her! In addition, the lady who gave us the coin was another standout member of the night, along with Anna and her newly added, real dolly!

While we’d love to hear even more, some aggressive dialogue had us picking up the pace! One crew member casually mentioned draining our fluids to keep the ship running – what is wrong with these people? As for their twisted experiments, we were told one dose was all we needed “to be perfect like the rest!” We’re still feeling those side effects!

There was another character we’d like to note for their physicality. There was a lurker in the foggy, barred room who was so small that they could slink in between the bars when least expected! That was wild! Oh! And the crew lady who bent over backward has also got moves!

As we stood on the dock, looking at the wrecked and eerie ship, we could see figures in white dress shirts and black slacks, like something from the 1930s. Once we got closer, we realized these were not average crew members.

Most of them were dressed as crew members would be. However, with their pale faces, dark circles, and blood splatters, it was apparent they were no longer among the living. After years of floating and dredging the Ohio River, their clothes were tattered and dirty. Some of them appeared to be really lived in. However, we would like to see many more features that could symbolize being underwater for many years.

We encountered Anna, the captain’s daughter. Her once pristine sailor dress was now tattered and blood-stained, a clear sign of the ship’s influence. Once filled with innocence, her eyes now held a sinister glint, a testament to the possession that had taken over her. She also had a skull sewn to the back of her dress – what a neat accent! The Lady in Red had a flapper dress and heels. She looked like she was ready to have a swinging time! The clowns brought on the ship for Anna’s entertainment wore bright tutus and top hats, and the special FX contacts made them even more creepy. One of the clowns pointed out that Anna removed some of the skin around her eye. Another shouted that we should ask what was in her hat, and sure enough, when she removed her hat, there was her missing skin! It looked just like it had been ripped off from around her eye!

We came across vampires draped in black with makeup and large fangs that made them look like the undead, a very dirty bathroom denizen, army men with glowing veins, a crazy nurse, and a fledged-out lab assistant! Each scene had costumes that fit the theme, were well put together, and were from the appropriate time period.

The use of theme-appropriate costumes brought the nightmare together. Most of the characters appeared to be wearing makeup vs masks. However, a few characters needed additional touches, such as the Captain (in the Captain’s quarters, but was he him?), the finale chainsaw assailant, and the morph-suited experiment. A lot of untouched skin was also noted.

USS Nightmare is located in Newport, on the Ohio River, right across from Cincinnati. The waterfront site took us a little time and effort to find the first time we came here, and you could possibly expect the same if you’re a newcomer. This time, we paid close attention to the map app and didn’t experience any problems, but it helped that we had been here before.

Somewhat limited free parking is located right by the ship. You might have to do more parking spot searching than usual on busy nights. Be wary and respectful of nearby reserved/permit-only spaces – a towed vehicle is one fright you won’t find fun. Lovely views of the river and a slice of the Cincinnati skyline, including the baseball and football stadiums, come at no extra cost from the parking area and entrance queue.

Signage pointed us to the docking locale down an incline from the parking area. Everything from the box office to concessions to the gangway heading over to the attraction was clearly signposted, plainly visible, appropriately roped off, and easily navigable. No sextants or charts required!

We noticed a strong security presence with staffers in labeled shirts. We hung around the exit area and witnessed staff having a quick and fun chat with guests coming out of the attraction, asking how they liked the experience. Concessions and photo personnel were similarly inquisitive and personable.

This is a real ship on the water and should be treated with the same care one would take on any such vessel. There are lots of stairs, tight corridors, some low-head clearances, and literally tons of metal surrounding you at every turn. It’s likely not any more or less dangerous than most other haunts, but if you ding yourself on some metallic protuberance, you’re gonna feel it a lot more than running into a plywood wall.

USS Nightmare’s website deserves a close reading. It features a bunch of backstory for the haunt and some fascinating information about the vessel, such as deck plans. All of this content should add to visitors’ enjoyment of the walkthrough.

Haunts using a real, authentic venue as their canvas – whether it’s a closed-down prison, a former asylum, or a repurposed marine vessel – have a fast pass to successful immersion. Guests go in often being aware of, or perhaps just being able to imagine, a certain history and the connotations that go with it. For instance, many such attractions possess a “haunted for real” reputation. Plus, there’s just a feel, a stamp of real-life-ness that can’t be matched by any constructed attraction.

Observing the dredge from dry land, walking over the gangway, crossing the deck: no doubt about it, we had climbed aboard a floating ghost ship. The interior twists and turns of the boat made for relatively smooth transitions and easy believability. The structure and framing of the ship itself, the scads of nautical knickknacks crowding every corner, cords of rope tied into byzantine knots, and the well-integrated props and effects drove immersion home.

They drilled this into us right from the start. Walking onto the deck, we heard a spooky soundtrack, observed props and the rusted/moldy walls, signs, and furnishings that could have used a good swabbing, and met up with an engaging voodoo-ish character.

Then, the initial entry room/museum contained marine doodads such as a shark skull, artifacts from the haunt’s history like a captain’s jacket, and period portraits of the crew and other people. This was a very strong opening, immersion-wise.

The RIP Experience helped us immerse ourselves with a series of actors pulling us into secret chambers, touching us and invading our space, serving us drinks both fine and foul, and setting up escape room-lite challenges (short but not simple). We were never sure what to expect next.

As mentioned in Customer Service, the website features lots of information and a backstory that should enhance the overall experience and answer some questions. Like: why are there clowns on this boat? Unlike many other haunts, there is a reason why here!

The exit spilled us out onto another part of the deck that held a fun photo op (where you can take control of the helm, nice!) and some seating for a nice little cooldown area. From there, it was time to leave behind our sea legs as we headed back over a gangway to the safety of dry land.

Upon stepping into this decaying vessel, we were immediately thrown into a barrage of intense sounds, vibrating floors, pulsating lights, and aggressive animatronics. The Impaler, AKA Fluffy, a hallmark of this attraction, continues to impress us with its sheer size and presence. While we’ve encountered this animatronic at various haunts before, its placement here is particularly striking. Rest assured, you’ll cross paths with this giant more than once during your journey – Watch your step!

The first half of this haunt felt relatively mild compared to its more intense latter portion, as some areas of the ship appeared to be absent of special effects. Certain sections of the boat seemed to have insufficient audio, with dialogue so faint that it was difficult to follow. This was especially noticeable during the museum’s introduction, with its talking portraits, and along the transitional ramps between floors. Dialing up the volume in these areas would significantly enhance the overall experience.

The final moments of our escape was when the intensity really began to pick up. The ship’s interior was thick with fog, and animatronics were cleverly concealed, springing to life from unexpected places. The confined spaces of the ship had us feeling like were were navigating a cave at points, inducing a sense of claustrophobia as we traversed its corridors. Notably, the crash simulator and the finale delivered the most impactful experiences with multiple effects coming at us at once!

The RIP experience offers a few additional scares along the way. The decontamination chamber was particularly effective, leaving us desperate to escape. However, one element fell short for us. During the number puzzle, you’re confined to a small box, and your team has a limited time to free you before you’re “poisoned.” While the concept is intriguing, it lacked a genuine sense of danger. Incorporating additional sensory effects could significantly heighten the fear and make the experience more immersive. But should you get out, watch out for “Sparky!”

The boat was designed for death – of course, it’s scary! Spooky things lurked all over the place! From dolls, spiders, sea creatures, black magic, clowns, and narrow walkways, there’s sure to be something here that tugs at your worst fears!

We noticed that between our two groups, one received significantly more scares than the other, which impacted our score in this category. Well-disguised scares, such as a bushman and a few down low, helped to give us all unexpected frights! At times, there was an emphasis on scaring right at the front of the group, but as we progressed, the scares started to even out amongst everyone. We also noticed an increase in the utilization of distractions since our prior visit, which were welcomed additions! There’s one in there that should get many haunt-goers! It left us yelling expletives!

Sudden loud noises, vibrating floors, denizens hiding amongst dim lighting, threatening dialogue, and quick-paced animatronics and props left us jumping and ducking! The animations were hard to spot, and we never knew what may suddenly move, such as a pot lid slamming up and down!

The RIP Experience does include some extra scare types that you may not receive with the general admission ticket. First of all, they can and will touch you. Some folks don’t like this. The vampires made us uncomfortable because they were way up in our biz… but that was the point! We were also separated and had to navigate areas alone at times. You may experience some entrapment – we did! And some of the spaces they stuck us in were not very big. Hopefully, the rest of your group is skilled, so you don’t stay stuck on the ship…

At the finale, an overhead scare sent us straight out the door. Take our word for it: Don’t tell the Captain what Anna’s been up to, or she’ll turn you into a dolly! Regardless of whether you get the RIP pass, we’re sure they will aim to scare the ship out of you!

We were very satisfied with the USS Nightmare as a whole. They did a good job at keeping us entertained throughout the whole duration of the boat’s tour. For a haunt that’s entirely different in itself, the Nightmare successfully delivered a lengthy experience.

The regular admission from early September to early October is $35, with the RIP Experience costing an additional $15 for a total of $50. With the RIP Experience, you can expect your trip through the ship to last longer with the addition of a few fun puzzles and escape rooms designed to challenge your knowledge of the maritime! If you happen to visit the Nightmare on a rather busy night and wish to skip the line, the RIP Fast Pass can offer you exclusive front-of-the-line access for an additional charge, totaling $70. It’s important to note that USS Nightmare usually provides coupons through local radio station promotions and fast food chain discounts, which could lower your regular general admission to as low as $25!

After exiting the Nightmare, there’s a decorated photo op set that you can use to get a picture to celebrate surviving. There was one queue actor prior to entering the nightmare. However, the Nightmare could benefit from adding more before and after the haunt, as well as some music in the queue line and possibly some fog machines outside the boat.

All in all, the Nightmare took us approximately 45 minutes to complete with the RIP Experience, which cost $50. This brings the Minutes Per Dollar rate to 0.9, which is a good value considering the duration and scares provided. Your group’s tour time will likely vary from ours, but we feel that the ticket prices for general admission and the RIP Experience are fair.

As Halloween creeps closer and the demand to visit haunted establishments increases, so will the prices, so make sure you visit before it’s too late!