Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea – Review | Netflix

SHIPWRECKED: NIGHTMARE AT SEA on Netflix is a true crime disaster documentary. It is extremely well-made and absolutely heartbreaking. From the first-hand accounts of the event to the footage, you’ll feel like you were there. Read our full Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea documentary review here!

SHIPWRECKED: NIGHTMARE AT SEA is a Netflix documentary about the luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia. The ship sank on Friday the 13th of January, just off the coast of a small island in the Tuscany region of Italy. I remember the 2012 catastrophe vividly. Not least the actions of the captain.

This documentary is labeled as a “disaster documentary”. However, I would argue that it’s also a true crime documentary. After all, the disaster wasn’t natural, but rather man-made. Also, several people were convicted and given prison sentences. All of this is included in the final half hour of the documentary.

Continue reading our Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea documentary review below. Find it on Netflix now.

Useless and incompetent captain

It’s impossible not to compare the events shown in Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea with those of the Titanic. Once again, a ship hits something that causes water to come in with such force that the ship ultimately sinks. Also, there is (again!) an issue with the lifeboats.

The Costa Concordia sank on January 14, 2022 (after crashing into a piece of cliff on Friday the 13th), just off the coast of Giglio Island in the Tuscany region of Italy. They should never have been that close to the island, which is just one of the things that went wrong.

Overall, the captain made many mistakes. He would be known as Captain Coward because he abandoned ship early on.

A famous conversation with the coast guard is also played, and I clearly remember seeing this on the news: The coast guard is angry and virtually ashamed that the captain has abandoned ship and orders him to go back. Captain Francesco Schettino does not follow this order, as he has already gotten safely off the ship.

So many lives lost

Officially, 32 lives were lost in the Costa Concordia tragedy. 27 passengers and 5 crew members. One more person is still missing, but is considered a victim, making the total 33. In Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea, we hear from survivors, and some of them lost loved ones in the disaster.

The people interviewed include many passengers, who speak very honestly about the brutal experience and how it affected them in the years that followed. Also, we hear from crew members, including a chef, a dancer (Rose Metcalf, who was an absolute hero), and the Costa Concordia hotel manager.

From the rescue aftermath, there is a fire brigade diver, a member of the forensic investigation team, and a CNN correspondent. With all these people getting interviewed, we get a very well-rounded documentary that focuses both on the emotional toll and the legal aspects of the disaster.

In fact, I learned that as terrible as the Captain’s actions were (and they were abhorrent), he wasn’t the only person to blame. He even raised concerns about issues that would be part of the disaster.

Key lesson: Horror fans survive!

Admittedly, this is not a core element of the Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea documentary, but I still want to highlight something. You see, two of the people who survive the tragedy are fans of The Walking Dead. As such, they do what many of us do: Talk about how to survive the zombie apocalypse.

This means they look around and notice both exits and possible weapons. While the latter wouldn’t be necessary, the former would become a key. And I always say that horror fans tend to notice and think about these things, so I loved having actual real-life proof in this Netflix documentary.

On a personal note, I would also never have chosen to be on a cruise ship on a Friday the 13th. I mean, come on, that’s just playing with horror lore fire. I joke, of course, but also… I don’t!

Watch Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea on Netflix now!

The Netflix true crime disaster documentary hybrid comes from director Chiara Messineo (producer of Vatican Girl). She has created something full of facts, while also leaving plenty of room for the emotional toll. With Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea, you’re getting a documentary that takes us, viewers, through the 2012 maritime catastrophe.

Plus, thanks to all the actual footage and first-hand accounts, you get very close.

And yes, it is more terrifying than most horror movies. Also, it’s impossible not to feel their dread and fear. Both from hearing them describe the events and from what was caught on camera. The fear and horror are palpable.

So is hearing the translations of the ship’s black box recordings, which expose the cowardly captain.

Finally, I would say that you should probably skip this if you have a cruise ship trip planned. However, with the lesson of The Walking Dead fans surviving, I would say you should definitely watch this. After all, it’s better to prepare for something that will (hopefully) never happen than be caught completely off guard!

Watch it, regardless of whether you love going on cruises or would never dream of it. Also, watch this Netflix documentary because it is truly well-made and follows the chronology of the tragic disaster!

Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea is on Netflix from July 10, 2026.