Southampton Docks — The Haunted Vessel
Dates
October 20, 2026
Doors
Early evening
Where
Ferry House, Ocean Way, Eastern Docks
Tickets from
Price range: £0.00 through £138.00
Instant e-ticket
In your inbox the moment you pay
Secure checkout
Encrypted card payment
Guide-supervised
Every vigil led by experienced staff
Date changes
Move night up to 48 hours before*
About this
Event Description
A haunted vessel berthed in Southampton’s Eastern Docks, with the floodlit working port behind it. Five scare zones, silent disco, quayside market. 18+ after dark, 20 Oct–2 Nov 2026.
- Format: A chartered multi-deck passenger vessel with a themed quayside zone. Family session by day, strictly 18+ after dark.
- Age & ID: Evening sessions are strictly 18+ and valid photo ID is required. Full-face masks are not permitted after dark — crew must be able to identify everyone on board.
- No contact: All zones are no-touch. Actors may startle but never physically contact guests. A no-scare wristband is available on request.
- Named tickets: Every guest must be named at booking for the passenger manifest, including under-4s admitted free. Unnamed tickets will not be boarded.
- Supervision: Under-12s must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times, including on the quay.
No other site in this series has a setting on this scale: floodlit cranes, container stacks, cruise terminals and the black tidal water of Southampton Water. A chartered multi-deck passenger vessel berths in the Eastern Docks for fourteen nights, with a fenced quayside zone alongside it. Daytime is built for families — maritime ghost-story tours, pumpkin craft, a costume parade. After dark it becomes a sealed-in adult scarefest across five zones. The tide matters here in a way it doesn’t at an enclosed dock: the gangway is re-set through every session as the water moves.
Why you should book this
This is the South Coast’s first full-scale haunted vessel experience, drawing on a catchment across Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester and Bournemouth. The working-port backdrop is something no land venue can manufacture. Daytime entry is £35 and After Dark £56, inside the £45–£75 band typical of large UK Halloween events, with every onboard attraction included. The evening session runs to 11:30pm — the longest of the five — so there is genuinely more night here for the money. Fri 30 and Sat 31 Oct sell first.
What you’ll experience
- Pumpkin Deck by day — gentle ghost-story tours of the vessel, pumpkin craft tables, a magic show, face painting and a trick-or-treat deck trail, all ages welcome
- Five haunted zones after dark — The Coal Bunker · The Master’s Cabin · The Turning Tide · Fog on the Water · The Dockers’ Watch, all strictly no-touch
- The Coal Bunker — the most intense zone on board, and not for the claustrophobic
- Silent Scream Disco — a three-channel headphone silent disco, included in every evening ticket
- Quayside Finale — a scripted lighting, projection and sound sequence, nightly
- Live Pumpkin-Carving Battle and a Best Costume Contest every single night, with prizes
Haunted zones (after dark)
| Zone | Concept |
|---|---|
| The Coal Bunker | Lowest accessible deck. Near-total darkness, coal-dust set dressing, dripping water and close confinement. The most intense zone on board. |
| The Master’s Cabin | A single dressed cabin run as a timed 90-second solo or pair walk-through. Claustrophobic, quiet, no jump scares, pure dread. |
| The Turning Tide | Built on Southampton Water’s genuinely unusual tidal behaviour and its long stand of high water. Rising-water sound design, wet-rope dressing. |
| Fog on the Water | Open-air upper deck under low haze and moving beam lighting, silhouette actors against the floodlit port skyline. Weather-dependent. |
| The Dockers’ Watch | Outdoor themed stretch along the fenced quayside, drawn from the night shifts and cargo gangs of a working port. Low ground fog, distant machinery. |
Onboard & quayside attractions
| Attraction | Details |
|---|---|
| Main Deck Dance Floor | Licensed bar, DJ booth and dance floor in the covered main saloon — evening, 18+ |
| Silent Scream Disco | Three-channel headphone silent disco on the rear deck — evening, 18+ |
| Quayside Horror Market | Themed stalls, mulled drinks and merchandise inside the event boundary — both sessions |
| Quayside Projection | Projection and lighting sequence on event-owned screens — evening, 18+ |
| Haunted Mini-Golf | 9-hole glow-in-the-dark quayside course — both sessions |
| VR Nightmare Pods | Seated 5-minute VR horror experience — evening, 18+, paid add-on |
Daily schedule
| Time | What’s on |
|---|---|
| 11:00am | Pumpkin Deck opens — ghost-story tours, craft tables, face painting, quayside family zone |
| 3:00pm | Family costume parade and judging on the quay |
| 4:00pm | Daytime session closes — last entry was 2:30pm |
| 4:00pm–6:00pm | Changeover — vessel and quay reset, closed to guests |
| 6:00pm | After Dark opens — strictly 18+, photo ID required |
| 9:00pm | Live Pumpkin-Carving Battle on the quay stage |
| 9:45pm | Best Costume Contest |
| 10:30pm | Quayside Finale — lighting, projection and sound sequence |
| 11:30pm | Close — last entry was 10:00pm |
Before you visit
🚗 Getting there & parking
By train: Southampton Central is roughly a 25–30 minute walk, or a short taxi or bus ride. City-centre bus routes serve the surrounding area. By car: there is no event parking — port roads and dock gates must stay clear for commercial and emergency vehicles at all times. Guests are directed to city-centre car parks.
🕐 Entry & times
Daytime 11:00am–4:00pm and After Dark 6:00pm–11:30pm daily, 20 Oct–2 Nov 2026. Your ticket admits you to the session and date you booked. Arrive 15 minutes before your timed slot to allow for security and gangway boarding.
⚠ Code of conduct
Prohibited at all events: real or imitation weapons, full-face masks that prevent ID checks, and glass containers. Costumes are welcome within those limits. Security searches may be carried out on entry. Abusive or threatening behaviour, or failure to follow venue instructions, means removal without a refund.
Content note: Security screening at this site is stricter and slower than at a typical event — arrive 30 minutes before your slot and bring photo ID for evening sessions. Darkness, confined spaces, metal stairs, strobe-style lighting, haze, loud sound, exposed outdoor sections and a gangway over tidal water. Gangway gradient changes with the tide. Lower and upper decks are by stairs and are not step-free. Not suitable for guests who are pregnant, have heart or respiratory conditions, photosensitive epilepsy or severe claustrophobia. Good for: South Coast locals · Maritime history fans · Photographers · Groups wanting a late finish
What you get
Every ticket includes
On the night
Access & guiding
- Entry to the venue on your chosen night
- Experienced guides with you the whole time
- Small, controlled groups — never a coach party
- Nothing staged, no outcome promised
Before you go
Your ticket
- Unique QR code for every guest
- PDF download, ready to print
- Apple Wallet & Google Wallet
- Resend anytime from My Account
If plans change
Support
- Move night up to 48 hours before*
- Questions answered before the event
- Clear age and access info on every tier
- *Subject to availability
Not sure which
Choose your ticket
Every event runs more than one ticket tier. Tier names and prices vary by venue — pick a date and tier in the booking card and the exact price updates instantly.
Daytime & family tiers
Lights still up
- Earlier session, no scare content
- Rides, trails and entertainment included
- All ages welcome with an adult
After-dark tiers
The main event
- Full after-dark experience at the venue
- Live-actor scare zones and mazes
- Age-restricted — see the ticket option
Where offered
Upgrades
- Smaller groups, fewer places per session
- Extra access or equipment where offered
- Fri and Sat nights sell out first
Selected events
Season Pass
- Unlimited entry across the season
- Both sessions where an event runs two
- Not available on every event
Getting there
Where
Venue
Ferry House, Ocean Way, Eastern Docks
Please allow extra travel time — several of our venues are rural, with limited public transport. Parking details are on your ticket.
Event dates
October 20, 2026
Inside the venue
Gallery
Before you book
Good to know
Age policy varies by tier — check the ticket option you pick. Photo ID may be requested for age-restricted tiers.
Genuine historic buildings. Expect uneven floors and, at some venues, steep stairs and limited step-free access.
Bring a torch, warm layers and flat, sensible shoes. Venues are cold and dark.
No physical contact takes place. All vigils are guide-supervised and every activity is optional.
Still deciding
Questions
What kind of night is this?
It depends on the event. Ghost hunts and horror houses take place in genuine historic buildings, with structured vigils and no promised outcome. Theme-park scarefests are built entertainment with live actors, mazes and scare zones. Each event page says which it is at the top.
What happens after I pay?
Your e-ticket is emailed straight away, with a unique QR code per guest. Save it as PDF, add to Apple or Google Wallet, or resend it any time from My Account.
Which ticket should I choose?
Daytime tiers are family-safe with no scare content. After-dark tiers are the full experience and are age-restricted — the limit is listed on each option. Upgrades mean smaller groups and longer access. Coming more than once? Check whether a Season Pass is offered.
Can I change my date?
Yes, up to 48 hours before, subject to availability on the night you move to.
Is there any physical contact?
No. Actors may startle you but never touch guests, and every activity on the night is optional. A no-scare wristband is available on request at most events.
Do I need experience?
None at all. Staff are on site throughout, and anything guide-led is clearly marked on the event page.
Book your experience
Price range: £0.00 through £138.00
- Instant e-ticket by email, QR per guest
- Secure card checkout — total confirmed at checkout
- Every activity on the night is optional
Price range: £0.00 through £138.00
Early Bird — 30% off
