RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach

[Jem]

Good idea Ken. I just sent her an email.

[Cunardqueen]

Good idea Ken. I just sent her an email.

She is a he

By what l saw of the old Dame she is completely closed in, However she does still float and only recently they had painted the hull and shifted the ballast to make her lean over. Some of the onboard staff found it unsettling and were sea sick.
 What l would say that l found most unusual is that the vibration from the air conditioning units does give the throbbing sensation underfoot and l actually was waiting for us to sail away. And thats from someone who is completely sane and sorted

[Rob Lightbody]

And thats from someone who is completely sane and sorted

I just choked on my morning coffee!!

[Jem]

She is a he

By what l saw of the old Dame she is completely closed in, However she does still float and only recently they had painted the hull and shifted the ballast to make her lean over. Some of the onboard staff found it unsettling and were sea sick.
 What l would say that l found most unusual is that the vibration from the air conditioning units does give the throbbing sensation underfoot and l actually was waiting for us to sail away. And thats from someone who is completely sane and sorted

Oh dear Redder than a cherry tomato!! Sorry about that.
Many thanks for the information. It's a shame they didn't keep all her engines.

[Cunardqueen]

And some photos of the breakwater...


From the Bridge wing








You know when you see this your on a proper ship



Last seen G stairway QE2........



The Old Queen in her Glory

[highlander0108]

Great photos Myles.  Are there any other ships in service where you can see the curvature of the decks?  I suppose that the current method of building them in blocks has eliminated this.

Ken

[Twynkle]

Hello Myles
What a superb set of pictures.
It's easy now to see why you are so happy after your visit to the Grand Old Lady 
Think I could be falling in love all over again, too!
Specially with the Liverpool life-belt
Rosie.

[singlemalt]

Myles,
Super pictures. Fab time it seems?! 

Open questions for Myles and anyone else who can answer:

Can I ask how you what other guests were like?
eg. Did they see it just as a 'novelty' type hotel or an example of faded glamour / a piece of maritime history?

Is the Hotel side affected by other visitors taking part in some of the other activities? (am thinking Ghost Tours etc specifically)

How much time would you recommend staying there? (I mean, is it worth thinking of as a holiday destination or just a stop over for a few days?)

Is it a case of dressing in your finery for dinner and shimmying round on deck? (Or am I just wishful thinking and dreaming of glam evenings at sea....  )

PS Can half answer the last question there for myself! 

[Cunardqueen]

Some guests do go expecting a modern hotel and cant quite get to grips with the ship thing, the reviews on trip advisor confirm that, However if you step on the gangway and embark accept her for what she is, a classic ocean liner.

 Queen Mary will slowly wrap her arms around you and gently hug you, where ever you look and walk she has things to remind you of her history and that she is  a ship. She has been lovingly cared for over the years and still has work in progress.
 Now as for staying onboard imagine you check in at 4pm checkout time is Noon by the time you have read the safety instructions in your cabin, gone on deck and tried to explore some of the ship, you really must do one of the evening tours, they show you the hallowed swimming pool which l gather is not offered on the day tours and that is  a sight!!! then you might go for a bite to eat evening walk round the decks, and drinks in the observation bar and before you know it it time to retire to one of the wonderful cabins (or suites )

 The original sink may be cracked, But ask yourself who all washed their face in that sink years ago, the original woodwork might not seem modern, and thankfully its not, give it a touch, Real wood !! the bakelight air vents, No on or off switch here, you just turn them open / closed, they may squeak but thats history squeaking, the push handle on the toilet, Look at it, you ever seen one like that before, the 4 taps, sea and fresh water cold and hot, where on earth (or at sea) will you ever see them ? look around the cabin and open every door, open every drawer, and do it again, thats workmanship, the vanity mirror l even saw my bald spot , open the porthole, yes they do open, and no balcony!! Even better, why would you want to remain cut off  from the rest of the ship, you may have an original painting on the wall, look at it study it, that was new all those years ago, and when you do retire, you will have the bests nights sleep and if you should waken at some ungodly hour, dont move !!! just for a second, and its really only a second  your actually believe your at sea on the Queen Mary the vibration from the aircon is there, open the cabin door and look down the corridor, theres a hush all over the ship.
 Fill up the coffee machine and make a coffee, that  & the TV and fridge are the only modern giveaways, sadly there is no tea, the coffee is l gather good paint stripper, but then lm not a coffee drinker and they have that milk in those small cartons that are impossible to open, and when you do , you may wish you hadnt.. Go back to the comfy bed or do what l did and opened all the doors and drawers again (l am so easily amused, or just sad!!) and when you awaken properly have a bath, it may not be original but its as big as a pool, second thoughts have the shower its more eco friendly and all that.
 Breakfast in the Promenade Cafe, its Lido Green !!!! that was a shock and one l wasnt prepared for, the charming lady at the desk will seat you wherever you want and present you with a menu, printed with some funny numbers besides, l was in auto cruse mode and ordered the coffee and juice, some pastries, the hash browns, bacon sausages and eggs (over hard!!) and threw caution to the wind and had the fluffy pancakes with strawberries and had what for me was a QE2 breakfast, and as l came out of my trance l realised that l wasnt on QE2 but the Queen Mary and as such breakfast had to be paid for, it was room charged so save the shock of how much ( but really the price wasnt that bad anyway)
Picked up the Ocean Times daily newspaper for Queen Mary Passengers (not guests!) my guide for today, it changes slightly every day. Explored the promenade shops, lots of bargains and much cheapness and really by now checking out time was fast nearing! Thankfully l was booked in for 2 nights and l could do all this again !!!
 As a passenger staying onboard you have the free self guided tour which l was planned for the last morning, early start !! Was invited to join on of the other tours by Gregory one of the guides and a small token of thanks showed off my suite to the people on the tour, only about 10 folks but they enjoyed the chance of seeing something extra. In fact l was so over the moon with my suite, l could have showed the whole ship my sleeping accomodation...
  Really for me even two nights want enough, next time l would stay 3 or 4 nights and if you want to explore Long Beach then even longer. 
Queen Mary for me was always a thing l wanted to see but QE2 always came first for 22 years so at last given the chance to see Queen Mary l decided to start off with the Sunday brunch, probably the best brunch l had in my time in California and that included Vegas. Queen Mary had been full on the Fri and Sat even Sunday was nearly full. Weekend does make it more expensive and weekdays are cheaper and being single l went for the room only on the best available rate, next time l would call them direct
    It was also nice to see some behind the scenes bits of Queen Mary and also some of the other cabins such as the Disney Cabin which was rennovated when they owned the Ship and the Eisenhower suite was stunning
  The morning of disembarkation was strange, l really felt as though l had been on a cruise and the account under the door only added to that feeling. The crew onboard were great and l think enjoyed the chatterings of that QE2 guy, l certainly enjoyed chatting to them. And disembarkation bought me back to earth with a bang
 Now as for the fact was Queen Mary what l expected, she was all l expected and much more, to step onboard for me was a dream and l entered into the spirit of shipboard life.
 The passengers, during the day time were mostly day trippers (how can you be expected to see her in one day !) there were two large conferences onboard on the Monday which explained the Sunday night occupancy . A few British folks were staying over, Yes of course one or two didnt quite get the ship thing, but l do think in the main most did enjoy the Queen Mary.
 I know for a fact l loved my 2 nights onboard, and fell totally in love with the old girl, she  left me with the most wonderful memories. and l long to return to revist her as soon as possible.
 To sum her up if you like the old world style of a bygone era yes you will love her If on the other hand you prefer new world new build luxury hotels,  you may not quite get what she offers.
 But think on this, she has been in Long Beach now for longer that she was at sea, and that can only be a good thing.                

[Jem]

Thanks for that Myles. I really enjoyed reading it. It really must have been like going through a time warp.

[Rob Lightbody]

So glad you enjoyed it all Myles!  I look forward to my next visit, and my next beer in the wonderful observation bar!

One question - don't you think the entire ship would be better facing the other way, i.e. out to sea?  I remember thinking that.  It seemed odd to see a city out of her bridge windows.

[Cunardqueen]

Ocean Times. The daily newspaper for Queen Mary passengers

[Cunardqueen]

One question - don't you think the entire ship would be better facing the other way, i.e. out to sea?  I remember thinking that.  It seemed odd to see a city out of her bridge windows.

I must admit l prefer to see her the way she is for the fact that you can see her bow on from onshore, where as if she was berthed the other way such a view would be probably hard to see. But as you say from the bridge it does seem odd seeing the city in front of you

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

If we compare with QE2 in New York, I can only ever remember pictures of her bow facing into the city...

... such as this, last year on our Autumn Colours cruise :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2865880459/



But of course... I know... if one wants to have the idea that she is about to sail away, it would be great to look out to the sea...

Myles, thank you for your wonderful reporting! I cannot wait to try her out now  !

You may wonder at this question... I always thought that QE2 had this wonderful smell... what did Queen Mary smell like? Did she still have a shippy fragrance?

[Cunardqueen]

Myles, thank you for your wonderful reporting! I cannot wait to try her out now   !

Well as the poster says...... 

[Scott]

CunardQueen - An excellent review. There's something so familiar, like an old friend. An irreplaceable treasure. Thanks for your write up!

[Cunardqueen]

Scott,Thanks for your kind words, l must admit l really wasnt sure what to expect onboard Queen Mary, I did wonder if in my mind l had things hyped up for the past upteen years, and trip advisor did not make for good reading, However when you do see her sitting at the berth there is something magical about seeing a proper ship, you do realise that something very special is about to happen. And l cant wait for my return visit.
 

[hollihedge]

Excellent review Myles - she is indeed most special and I look forward to visiting her again - I will stay on board next time instead of just visiting for the day.

[Cunardqueen]

Looking at the Google Earth image of 2007, she appears totally enclosed. Yet I'm sure I have seen the break water open at one end in another image.....confused

Cheers.

And this in more detail.. (thanks to stowaway2k) forget the main pic showing, its right after you click play
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5KN2IgE7-Q" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5KN2IgE7-Q</a>

Queen Mary and Rolls Royce, Pride of Britain, envy of the world

[Twynkle]

'Queen Mary is getting a long-overdue makeover
The company that leases the cruise ship turned floating hotel from the city of Long Beach is investing $5 million to upgrade rooms and restaurants....'
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-queen-mary3-2010mar03,0,5483185.story

So many words all meaning something different - Upgrade, renovate, refurbish, preserve, distressed, reproduction, shabby chic etc etc
As for 'Make-over' - what on earth does this really mean?!!
Hasn't 'Restore' got to be the best?!

[Cunardqueen]

An investment of $5 million can only be  agood thing for a ship that has now spent longer as a floating hotel than as an ocean going liner. I for one cant wait to see her again, its just a shame they cant open more of her. Maybe less is more And a new shop has opened onboard that sells Funnel socks !!!!

[Stowaway2k]

reworked this a bit.  It's ok for being done low-res and on a cheap laptop   

banned in Germany according to youtube, because of the music.

enjoy.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzAOL63_Hig" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzAOL63_Hig</a>

[Twynkle]

It's Earth Hour on Queen Mary tonight!

'Long Beach, CA – March 2010 – On the evening of Mar. 27, the Long Beach skyline will look drastically different as the city’s iconic landmark, the Queen Mary, shuts off her lights from 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. in collaboration with Earth Hour, an international event bringing awareness to climate change and energy conservation.
As this ship’s horn marks the start of Earth Hour, the Queen Mary’s many exterior lights will be extinguished and interior lights minimized, with hotel guests invited to shut their non-essential stateroom lights off as well as adopt lasting environmentally-friendly practices. Guests and the community can also join a special Earth Hour candlelit reception from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. with “unplugged” entertainment and organic appetizers and cocktails under the ship’s grand smokestacks on the Sports Deck.....'
http://news.hospitality-1st.com/DNC-QueenMary-031810.html

[Cunardqueen]

Wouldnt it be quite nice to see the Queen Mary during Earth Hour with her lights switched off. And to take part in the unique atmosphere on deck.
I wonder how she would look, and when was the last time her funnel lights were switched off at night?

[Blue Bombay]

Read it here

http://www.thelog.com/news/logNewsArticle.aspx?x=10770

Louis

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Wouldnt it be quite nice to see the Queen Mary during Earth Hour with her lights switched off. And to take part in the unique atmosphere on deck.
I wonder how she would look, and when was the last time her funnel lights were switched off at night?

Have a look and you will get an impression at least :

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7DkcxXn3U" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7DkcxXn3U</a>

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Read it here

http://www.thelog.com/news/logNewsArticle.aspx?x=10770

Louis

Thank you for the news. I hope the overhaul / upgrade / etc. will not spoil her. One of these days, I do want to get to see her...  

[Cunardqueen]

As long as they dont change the Champagne Sunday Brunch

[highlander0108]

Have a look and you will get an impression at least :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7DkcxXn3U&feature=player_embedded

I had to suffer through all that nonsense until 3:33 into that to see that!  

[revjh23]

Has anyone here stayed on board the Queen Mary?
We are going Feb/March 2011, joining it to our cruise on the Queen Victoria, through the Panama Canal.
Which room should we try for.....we are going to book very soon. Also what else would you suggest we do while in Long Beach and staying on the Queen Mary???
Love Julie xx

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Hi Julie, and welcome to the Forum!

As you can see, I have moved your message into a thread that will answer many of your questions. If you manage to go to Long Beach (and I hope you will!), we shall be looking forward to your traveller's tales. Myles (Cunardqueen) above has already made us realise what a treasure she still is.

[revjh23]

Thank you have been through all replys and all looks good....printing off to read later
Thank you again.......By the time we return from our cruise in March we will be Platinum members. My partner and I will be so proud. We are cruising on Queen Elizabeth in Novemember and go to NY on QV in Jan to see the 3 queens. We were on QM2 in 2008 for the then 3 Queens inc QE2 which was fantastic. We shall be in battery Park this time watching from dry land.
Love the web site

xxxxx

[Bob C.]

Julie,
    My family and I stayed onboard for 2 nights about 4 years ago.  All the rooms are comfortable and the ship is thrilling to explore.  If you do get a room closer to the bow or stern then be prepared for a sloping floor since QM's decks are sheered - higher on the ends, lower in the middle.  We stayed on B Deck aft and there was quite a slope.  It was originally a second class stateroom on the starboard side just aft of the original tourist class men's and ladies hair dressing salon.

    If you are looking for the full QM experience then get one of her original rooms (as built) on the Main Deck and I believe there may be a few on A Deck.  The room we stayed in was originally two staterooms and expanded during her conversion.  It was an average hotel room but I found it interesting to research what the original configuration was. 

    Also try to get a room on the starboard (right) side of the ship.  That way you have "ocean" and Long Beach views.

Enjoy!

[Cunardqueen]

Julie

As for booking a cabin, l would tend to call them up and explain what you want, Thats what l intend to do for next year, l just need to know what shift he will be working   Using a booking agency they will just give a bog standard room

Now another tip is are you in the AA (and no l dont mean friends of Bill W) if you are and your card shows on the back the logo "show your card and save" you might/will and should be able to participate in the tripple AAA Club (the American AA) you can check out their rates and save some $. The Queen Mary website shows how much you can save. Some companies accept it no problem, others wont have a clue what your on about , but blagg away !!! you have nothng to lose (that goes for most American hotels ask for the "Tripple A" discount.
 
As Bob C says. try and ask for an original cabin, and prepare to be amazed. Do take time to look at all the nooks and crannies in the cabin, and remember how old it all is.
Weekends are pretty busy, mid weeks are quieter and you must try the Sunday Brunch...

Another thing, do feel free to ask any questions on here, you can be assured of a good honest answer.   

[Stowaway2k]

Hi Julie,

Your timing is good, because Hotel Queen Mary has improved greatly under new management.

I've stayed over many times, and it never gets old.

My best advice is, when checking in, ask to see a few available rooms, and then choose the one you like best.   No two cabins on the Queen Mary are exactly the same, actually the differences can be startling.  When  making your booking be sure to request an "original condition first-class cabin with a harbour view".  Don't say "starboard", that'll just confuse them. 
While the port cabins are equally stunning, the view of the parking lot isn't.  Some are directly over the service yard and you sure don't want one of those.
Why stay on a ship and not see the water from your cabin porthole? 
None of the cabins are in, strictly speaking, "original condition", but some have been tragically "modernized" and you don't want one of those.   All will have a mini-fridge, flatscreen television, Ipod docking, and internet capability.
There are fine first class cabins on Main, A, and B decks, all midships, so don't worry about which deck, unless you want a deluxe suite which are all on Main Deck.

Like Myles said, don't be shy about asking questions.   

[revjh23]

Thank you all.............we plan to put by some time next Wednesday evening to sort it all out and I will ring and book as you suggest. This might be our one and only visit....better do it right.
By the time we have been on the QM we will have succeeded to be on all of the main cunard Liners, except the first QE that is. being my partners aim.
We have defered flights for 3 nights at the beginning of our cruise ....I am still unsure whether to take all 3 on QM or fly to Las Vegas for 1 night..............any suggestions here?  I would like to see Donny and Marie, but if there is plenty to do in and around Long Beach we will  stay and absorb all given to us.
PS we live in UK

xxxxxxxxxxx

[Bob C.]

From my experience (been there multiple times), Vegas in 1 night is very difficult - too much to see and do.  I'd make a separate and/or longer visit if possible. 

[Cunardqueen]

I guess its personal choice but to maximise your time Checkin on the QM is from 4pm depending on how busy they are your room maybe ready earlier. So you could plan to arrive around lunch time have a snack onboard leave the cases with the bellboy and go off exploring then checkin when the cabin is ready. Already by then you will get an idea to the ship. If there are conferences on the ball room may be out of action, but they do include the self guided tour for hotel guests. That is good in that you can pace yourself as to how slow or quick you do it.  There is a tour in the evening which is the only one which shows you the swiming pool, l enjoyed that. For what its worth l stayed two nights and the seond day gave me longer to explore,but lm looking at going back for 3 nights and maybe to explore Long Beach, I have no idea what Long Beach has to offer. Checkout time on QM is noon

 I did post last night the hotel directory have a read of it, it gives an insight as to some of the things, menus etc

 Las Vegas in a night!!! I think as Bob C says its possible in one night, Im not sure l could spend a week there BUT a weekend is a nice break, l would suggest you go for  a hotel in the middle of the strip. l stayed in the MGM Grand, Nice BUT it was just a hotel, no wow factor and just slightly out of the action. And no matter what time of day or night Its always busy,  just wasnt prepared for how busy it was and time does pass you by l was parading the street at 2.30am totally unaware of the time, and it felt safe there. It might surprise you just how cheap the hotels are even at weekends they are still resonable, well compared to the UK
 On a side note lm paying £170 for  a night in Glasgow in 2 weeks, the price lm choking on and do find hard to swallow, But thats me.
 Oh congratulations on managing to travel on the major Cunard ships

[Stowaway2k]

For one of my stays on the Queen Mary, I took with me some select items from my liner collection.
Original in-service items from the Queen Mary, back on board again, in cabin A152














seen are a tea service which includes tea cup and saucer, pitcher, creamer and  sugar; an espresso cup and saucer, cabin telephone (only in 1st cl. cabins), a silver vase, ashtray and matchbook, cigar ashtray, and cabin thermos,  

[highlander0108]

What a fabulous idea, Kyle, to "stage" the room the way is was.   Too bad they could not get replicas made and use them....scratch that....they'd never stay aboard the ship.    I do wonder if a replica phone could be made with modern innards though...

[Jeff Taylor]

mea culpa.  My memory failed me!

[Cunardqueen]

I wonder what housekeeping thought when they entered the room...

[revjh23]

Dear All,
Have just booked our 3 night stay on the QM..........wwwhhhoooo.........Feb - Mar 2011
will let you know all about our stay........prior to QV and Panama Canal Cruise and my 50th birthday !!!!!!!
Lot of Love
Julie xxxx

[Cunardqueen]

Julie,
 I just know you will enjoy the old lady, when you do embark she will grab hold of you! I was must surprised at how much l enjoyed my time on her last year, So much so that by the time you are there l will have been and gone again.
 If its any help, the directory of services has been scanned and is on here, its tells to a load of stuff before you embark so you can be prepared.
 Have fun!! and a Great 50th!
 Myles

[revjh23]

Thank you Myles, so excited about our stay, but then we are for all our stays with Cunard. Decided against Las Vegas and to spend our time totally with QM and Long Beach.................

What is our best form of transport from the airport?
How long will it take?

Enjoy your future stay...dont take too much away with you when you leave her :-)...........
.i may even see with your eyes, hopefully.
We are lucky to own the naming ceremony programme so i will try to absorb some of the history before I go.

Love Julie xx

[Bob C.]

I've been going to QM since 1983 and have never seen the wall open. 

[Cruise_Princess]

Re the Queen Mary Lifebelt previously pictured a few posts ago...

does anyone know where I could get either stencils or transfers of the Gold Cunard Lion on there?  Im re creating my own lifebelt and need something good to get the lions right,....

[revjh23]

Hi all
What is our best form of transport to the QM?
How long will it take?
Julie xx

[Cunardqueen]

Hi all
What is our best form of transport to the QM?
How long will it take?
Julie xx

There is a bus service the arrives and departs from the Queen Mary. But where and when it goes l have no idea Its called "The Passport" and seems to run a free service.  Certaintly in the evenings it seemd to run half hourly and that was quite late at night
 Not quite sure how expensive the local taxis are, guess it depends where your coming from.
 Hope this helps
Myles

[QueensFan]

Hey Julie,

When I arrived at Los Angeles Union Station after a cross-country rail journey to QM, I was able to take the LA Metro rail lines to QM pretty easily. It was $5 a person, and a nice train system. Took maybe an hour from LA-Long Beach, and then I took the free Passport bus Myles mentioned to the ship, where I was deposited right in the carpark.

Where will you be approaching her from? If you're interested in the Metro idea, I can help you figure out how to go about. It's a pretty easy-to-use system -- considering I never knew that LA, car-dependent city of America, had a really good rail system!

[revjh23]

Hi Cunardqueen and Queensfan,

We will be arriving at LA airport from Manchester England...................all advice will be helpful
Thank you Julie xx

I will check on the internet those you have already suggested thank you

[Stowaway2k]

Hi Cunardqueen and Queensfan,

We will be arriving at LA airport from Manchester England...................all advice will be helpful
Thank you Julie xx

I will check on the internet those you have already suggested thank you

Taxi
LAX-Queen Mary would cost about $63.26. That is roughly $73 with a 15% tip. It is about 22.4 miles. There is a $2.50 surcharge for trips from LAX Airport.
http://la.taxiwiz.com/?lang=en

Supershuttle shared-van or car service
https://www.supershuttle.com/Rez/RateDetails.aspx?Location=Rates
the rates for the shared van are good, $17p/p, but it can be a while before you reach your destination.  Departing LAX they will circle around three times before leaving if they do not have a full load of passengers (guests? ) and there could be one or two other stops before you arrive.  This on top of waiting at the airport for your van to arrive.
Their rates for car service are competitive with other L.A. car services, just to give you an idea.

There is no tram or light rail serving LAX

[revjh23]

Thank you all very much......xx