#12- The Queen Mary, Long Beach, California
Let's take a cruise! I'm in the mood to sail around the world, visit exotic ports, enjoy midnight buffets, and have hunky cabin boys attend to my every need. And look here! I found the perfect ship! Complete with luxury staterooms and the hunky cabin boys I asked for....Anchors Aweigh!
Construction of the Queen Mary began in December of 1930 for the Cunard/ White Star Line. You should recognize that name because they also built the Titanic. If you're not familiar with the story of Titanic, let me sum it up....whoever was in charge thought it was a good idea to ignore ice warnings, so they encouraged the ship to hit an Iceberg and *SPOILER ALERT* ..it sunk. Lots of people died because the idiot sticks at corporate decided 1 lifeboat was enough for 2,000 passengers. I kinda hope this doesn't happen during our voyage..
She was finished 3 1/2 years later and launched in September 1934 and her maiden voyage began on May 27th 1936. She was built as part of a weekly express service between Southampton, Cherbourg and New York. Hey! isn't that exactly where the Titanic was going?...Ok, I'm starting to get a little nervous here. After losing money for several years, the Queen Mary was officially retired from service in 1967. My guess is people cottoned on to the fact that their ships kept hitting icebergs and sinking. This made them want to take the bus and not go anywhere near their ships.
During WWII, she became a troopship and transported soldiers from New Zealand and Australia to Britain. She became one of the fastest and largest troopships, carrying as many as 15,000 men per voyage. She also carried Winston Churchill to meetings with Allied Forces officials on several occasions. After the war, the Queen Mary resumed passenger service.
In the years since she has been permanently docked in Long Beach, she has been converted to a restaurant, hotel and museum. And become home to several spirits and ghosts. Children crying in the 3rd class playroom. Splashing from a drained first class swimming pool. An engineer was crushed by a water tight door in the engine room during a fire and his ghost haunts the ship. An 8 year old girl was murdered in cabin B340 and can no longer be rented out. 2 women haunt the first class pool room. One was killed and another drowned. Women are seen wearing 1930's bathing suits. It's starting to sound like we'll be safe from icebergs. We just need to stay away from the pools.
Well, we survived our cruise and had a wonderful time! I'm heading home and taking the cabin boys with me....
*footnote*
How awesome would this be? http://www.queenmary.com/dark-harbor/ ..If anyone would like to buy me tickets and send me down there, I wouldn't say no. I'll even let you borrow a couple of my cabin boys while I'm gone. I am so all over this...
Construction of the Queen Mary began in December of 1930 for the Cunard/ White Star Line. You should recognize that name because they also built the Titanic. If you're not familiar with the story of Titanic, let me sum it up....whoever was in charge thought it was a good idea to ignore ice warnings, so they encouraged the ship to hit an Iceberg and *SPOILER ALERT* ..it sunk. Lots of people died because the idiot sticks at corporate decided 1 lifeboat was enough for 2,000 passengers. I kinda hope this doesn't happen during our voyage..
She was finished 3 1/2 years later and launched in September 1934 and her maiden voyage began on May 27th 1936. She was built as part of a weekly express service between Southampton, Cherbourg and New York. Hey! isn't that exactly where the Titanic was going?...Ok, I'm starting to get a little nervous here. After losing money for several years, the Queen Mary was officially retired from service in 1967. My guess is people cottoned on to the fact that their ships kept hitting icebergs and sinking. This made them want to take the bus and not go anywhere near their ships.
During WWII, she became a troopship and transported soldiers from New Zealand and Australia to Britain. She became one of the fastest and largest troopships, carrying as many as 15,000 men per voyage. She also carried Winston Churchill to meetings with Allied Forces officials on several occasions. After the war, the Queen Mary resumed passenger service.
In the years since she has been permanently docked in Long Beach, she has been converted to a restaurant, hotel and museum. And become home to several spirits and ghosts. Children crying in the 3rd class playroom. Splashing from a drained first class swimming pool. An engineer was crushed by a water tight door in the engine room during a fire and his ghost haunts the ship. An 8 year old girl was murdered in cabin B340 and can no longer be rented out. 2 women haunt the first class pool room. One was killed and another drowned. Women are seen wearing 1930's bathing suits. It's starting to sound like we'll be safe from icebergs. We just need to stay away from the pools.
Well, we survived our cruise and had a wonderful time! I'm heading home and taking the cabin boys with me....
*footnote*
How awesome would this be? http://www.queenmary.com/dark-harbor/ ..If anyone would like to buy me tickets and send me down there, I wouldn't say no. I'll even let you borrow a couple of my cabin boys while I'm gone. I am so all over this...
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