[Click here for a related Noozhawk photo gallery.]
Named by Time Magazine as one of the 10 most haunted places in America, The Queen Mary, docked at Long Beach, remains a fabulous and eerie visit back in time.
Completed in Scotland in 1936, it was built to be the grandest oceanliner in the world, with the most modern staterooms and lavish art deco interiors, two indoor swimming pools, beauty salons, libraries, children’s nurseries, a music studio, a lecture hall, outdoor paddle tennis courts, dog kennels and telephone connections to anyplace in the world. And that’s for starters.
Nicknamed the Ship of Woods, more than 56 wood veneers (many now extinct) represented the 56 protectorates of the British Empire at that time, and were used to create beautiful panels and intricate marquetry both inside and out.
In the day, celebrities like Clark Gable, Bob Hope, Wallis Simpson and her prince, and Winston Churchill were frequent passengers. Often compared to the Titanic, there is no comparison. The Queen Mary was twice as large, faster, had three more decks and completed 1,001 North Atlantic crossings. The Titanic set off on its maiden voyage and sunk. Case closed.
Her finest hours were the World War II years, when, painted a camouflage gray (including all windows and portholes), The Queen Mary unceasingly ferried Allied troops to and from Europe, shortening the war by at least one year. On one crossing, 16,082 soldiers were aboard ship, a standing record for the most passengers ever transported on one vessel. On another crossing, she accidentally sliced through her escort ship, the HMS Curacoa, killing 239 people. And that leads me to the ghosts.
And there are many — not white-sheeted figures floating around, but photographed, documented orbs (spirit energies) in all areas of the ship. Not surprisingly, in the area that cut through the Curacoa, screams and sounds of metal ripping apart have been heard. A fireman who died in the engine room, crushed to death by one of the ship’s watertight doors, is a frequent ghost. A young girl slid down the banister near the first-class pool and died. The crew named her Jackie, and she haunts the pool.
In Room M107, a man in a white suit sitting in a bedside chair watches hotel guests sleep. In Room B492, guests have reported blankets being pulled off while sleeping, and in Room A119, the antique fan keeps going off and on even though it’s not connected. Hundreds of these paranormal experiences have been compiled, listing each room number and what one may expect if reserving a particular room. You can ask at the front desk as you check in. Or not.
In 1967, when the jet age prevailed over ocean travel, The Queen Mary was brought to port in Long Beach, becoming a floating hotel and museum. Several owners have supervised it since then, and today it boasts 346 original (and I stress that word, original) first-class staterooms and suites, truly unique shops, several restaurants and fascinating tours. Don’t miss the Ghost & Legend Tour, the WWII Tour, the Paranormal Ship Walk and the Diana: Legacy of a Princess Tour.
I didn’t expect much on this Diana tour and could have spent an entire day there, breaking for an authentic British afternoon tea in the Queen Mary Tea Room. I had the same expectations with the restaurants and was amazed at the five-star dining at Sir Winston’s and fish house tradition of Chelsea Chowder House & Bar. In fact, I have to confess. I really expected a typically tourist, somewhat carnival-like atmosphere and, instead, I was amazed at the respect for history and the diligence in preserving and restoring this icon. Simply polishing all the brass handrails is a labor of love.
As for the ghosts, you’re either a skeptic or a believer. I’m sure many a skeptic has checked into this hotel, unlike any other hotel, and walked out a believer. I dare you to try it!
— Judy Crowell is a Noozhawk contributing writer, author, freelance travel writer and Santa Barbara resident. She can be reached at news@noozhawk.com. The opinions expressed are her own.