A cargo ship was used as the cruise ship. A resort hotel that was on the verge of closing, was also used for both the interiors and exteriors of the cruise ship.
The chupacabra suit weighed forty pounds. Mark Viniello spent upwards of twelve hours a day in said suit. Both suits were uncomfortable for different reasons. He stated "The robot monster suit was extremely hot and the skull cap which affixed the helmet to my head was not made for me, so after a couple of hours my head began to throb. Chupa was difficult because I couldn't get in and out of the thing fast. There was a palette that clipped over my own teeth, which made speaking difficult and eating impossible, but the production was the most sympathetic and concerned group I have worked with to date. That in turn helped save my energy so I could stay in the suit longer."
The filmmakers initially wanted the chupacabra to have glowing red eyes, but ultimately decided to pass on this particular idea, because they wanted to make the chupacabra as realistic as possible.
The goat used as bait for the chupacabra, belonged to an extra, who plays a member of Dr. Peña's search party.
Various crew members play small roles in this movie.