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Breaking news out of the LA Times yesterday:
“After decades of rocky seas in Long Beach, Queen Mary in danger of sinking. Can it be saved?”
(byline: Hayley Smith, June 1, 2021)
According to the article, the famed ship, which has been docked in the Port of Long Beach since 1967, is suffering from lack of maintenance over the time of various owners, and is now in need of emergency repairs to the tune of $23 million. There is legitimate concern the ship is in danger of capsizing or sinking, with aging steel, a faulty bilge system, and a corroded and leaking hull at the top of the list.
Before becoming a tourist attraction, the RMS Queen Mary took its maiden voyage on May 27, 1936 (85 years ago) from Southampton, England as a passenger liner. During WWII, it was recommissioned to a troop ship, then reconverted to a passenger liner after the war.
Queen Mary was retired from official cruise ship duty in 1967 when she was thirty years old, taking her final cross-Atlantic voyage on Halloween of that year, and she has been docked in the Port of Long Beach since, serving as a hotel, tourist attraction, and (most notably for the purposes of this blog) a haunted location. Time magazine dubbed it one of the Top 10 Haunted Places. [1]
What hauntings have been reported on the Queen Mary?
- Cabin B340 is allegedly haunted by someone who was murdered there and has been heavily advertised for its hauntedness. [2] Prior to the pandemic, booking an overnight in that room would cost $500. Reports include lights turning on and off by themselves, knocking sounds, faucets turning on and off without human intervention, and bed covers being pulled off sleeping guests, among other things. [1]
- The children’s nursery is reported to have the sounds of phantom children playing. [2]
- The first- and second-class swimming pools are reputed to be haunted. The first-class swimming pool has been closed for thirty years, yet guests have reported seeing wet footprints leading to the pool and hearing the sounds of splashing. The second-class swimming pool is said to host the spirit of a little girl called Jackie who reportedly drowned in the pool. [3]
I’m barely scratching the surface with this list. Just google “Haunted Queen Mary” and you’ll find reports on places like Trip Advisor, hotel websites, major news sites, and enthusiast blogs like mine.
I know the Queen Mary is really important to those of us who are interested in paranormal investigation and history (often the two interests go hand in hand). What do you think is going to happen? The LA Times article sounds quite dire, listing a long history of maintenance and ownership disputes and failures, and then with the pandemic stopping all tourism, I imagine needed funds just dried up. I truly hope they are able to save this beautiful, historic ship!
Are you interested in learning more about the Queen Mary and its hauntings? Check out some links below for more information.
In the meantime, have you had an experience there? We’d love to hear it. Submit your paranormal encounter here.
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| Episode 4 features the Queen Mary |
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| Season 2, Episode 1 features Queen Mary |
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