This 'n That Thursdays: Haunted Ship Tours

From Hooked Gamers

Today I thought we would visit some haunted ships, in keeping with my nautical horror theme for the week.  About half of my finds are in California for some reason - either the folks there really like haunted ships, or those ships just naturally gravitate to the West Coast (perhaps a bit of both?).  Anyway, let's get these tours started:

1) The Queen Mary Haunted Encounters and Attractions at Night (Long Beach, California) - the Haunted Encounters daytime tour and the Attractions at Night tours allow visitors to learn about the haunted reputation of the RMS Queen Mary, a retired British ocean liner which served as a troopship during World War II, earning the nickname of the "Grey Ghost" because of her stealth and color.  The Queen Mary is listed as one of the Top 10 Haunted Places by Time Magazine.   Find out tour dates and ticket purchase information here.

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2) Star of India Haunted Tales Tour (San Diego, California) - for two nights only (October 21st and 28th for 2017), lantern-led tours on the Star of India feature tales of ghostly legends from the ship's past.  The Star of India is the world's oldest active sailing ship.  She began service in 1863, so you know that she and her past crews must have been through some pretty harrowing experiences! The Haunted Tales tour is included with general admission, which you can book here.

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3) USS Hornet History Mystery Tours (Alameda, California) - this after-hours tour of the USS Hornet is offered once a month.  Visitors learn the history of this decommissioned aircraft carrier, getting a chance to enter areas not usually open to the public, and alleged "paranormal hotspots" are investigated.  Also, just for Halloween, there will be a one-time family-friendly Special Halloween-lite Live Aboard Overnight stay (October 21-22)!

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From Wikimedia Commons

4) USS Yorktown Ghost Tours (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) - like the USS Hornet, the USS Yorktown is a decommissioned aircraft carrier, and has an equally haunted reputation.  Nightly 90-minute guided ghost tours are available on most days, and you may even catch sight of one of the 141 men who lost their lives while serving aboard this historic ship.  Check out tour information here.

From Patriots Point

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From Corpus Christi CVB

5) USS Lexington Haunted House Tours (Corpus Christi, Texas) - believe it or not, there is a third decommissioned aircraft carrier reputed to be haunted.  The USS Lexington will have Haunted House Tours (I suppose the ship is the "house"?) throughout the month of October (more information here).  During World War II the Japanese claimed to have sunk this ship four times, but each time she reappeared to fight again, earning her the nickname of the "Blue Ghost".

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From Onahu Moose River & Western Railway

6) William A. Irvin Haunted Ship Tours (Duluth, Minnesota) - the William A. Irvin is a retired lake freighter now open seasonally for daily tours, including the Haunted Ship Tours in the month of October (see schedule information here, and ticket information here).  Like many ships, the William A. Irvin has had her share of tragedies, and she has been the site of many paranormal investigations, which you can read about here.  Apparently the alleged hauntings are more than just rumors!

From Go Trippin!

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From Wikimedia Commons

7) USS Salem Ghost Ship Harbor (Quincy, Massachusetts) - the USS Salem is a decommissioned US Navy heavy cruiser and is the only one still in existence.  Regular tours are suspended for the month of October, when the ship is transformed for the Ghost Ship Harbor event.  Most of the attractions are conducted as immersive "games", but if you purchase the Paranormal VIP Experience ticket you get to participate in a guided tour led by paranormal experts who will take you to restricted areas on the ship and regale you with tales of the paranormal history of the USS Salem (find schedule and ticket information here and here).

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Most likely there are more haunted ship tours out there, but the seven listed here should be enough to "float your boat" if you are looking for a very different type of shipboard experience!