Queen Mary and the Grey Ghost Project, along with Long Beach, CA
Construction on the Queen Mary, then known only as "Hull Number 534," began in December 1930 and made her maiden voyage on September 26, 1934. Numerous delays occurred during construction due to the "Great Depression." The ship was named after Mary of Teck and was initially intended to name her Victoria, in keeping with company tradition of giving its ships names ending in "ia", but when company representatives asked King George V's permission to name the ocean liner after Britain's "greatest queen," he said his wife, Mary, would be delighted. Accordingly, the delegation had no choice but to report that 534 would be called Queen Mary.
During the Second World War, the Queen Mary was converted into a troopship to carry Australian and New Zealand soldiers to the United Kingdom. The ship's hull, superstructure, and funnels were painted navy grey during the conversion. As a result of her new color and great speed, she became known as the "Grey Ghost." She was the largest and fastest troopship involved in the war, often carrying as many as 15,000 men in a single voyage and traveling out of the convoy without an escort. The Queen's high speed and zigzag courses made it virtually impossible for U-boats to catch them, although one attempted to attack the ship. Because of her importance to the war effort, Adolf Hitler offered a bounty of 1 million Reichsmarks and Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, Germany's highest military honor, to any U-boat captain who sank the ship.
Queen Mary is permanently moored in Long Beach, CA, as a tourist attraction, hotel, museum, and event facility. Following Queen Mary's permanent docking in California, claims were made that the ship was haunted. These claims began in earnest in the 1980s (possibly done by employees to increase business or spook guests) and have grown since then. For example, in 2008, Time magazine included the Queen Mary among its "Top 10 Haunted Places". One of the staterooms is alleged to be haunted by the spirit of a person supposedly murdered there. Other legends include a young girl who haunts the ship's former second-class pool and a father who murdered his two daughters on board.
However, there is no historical record to support these claims, as no person was murdered aboard the ship. Most deaths aboard the ship were due to natural causes.
Nevertheless, the Queen Mary operates several haunted attraction experiences, such as the "Haunted Encounters" and "Grey Ghost Project" tours. Although focused on paranormal activity, these tours counter many of the ship's legends with facts drawn from the ship's logs, such as records of documented fatalities.
There are many things to do in the Queen Mary area of Long Beach. If you want to shop, eat, or enjoy the shoreline, I recommend spending time in Shoreline Village.
You can walk the Long Beach Boardwalk to the Lions Lighthouse from Shoreline Village. Along the way, you can find more stores and many restaurants for any craving. This will also bring you to the Aquarium of the Pacific. This is a great place to spend some time if you have kids, and they will love it.
You can also go a little further from here, and you will come to Lions Lighthouse. From here, you can see the Queen Mary.
If you don't want to walk the mile-and-a-half to the Queen Mary, you can always take the Aquabus. The fee one way is $1, and you can find the Aquabus at Shoreline Village Dock 9 or the Aquarium of the Pacific at Dock 4. Be warned: They say they run all day, but this is false because I was here at 1 p.m., and they were closed. This is what the Aquabus looks like.
I decided to do the hike. To do this, you have to go to the front of The Aquarium of the Pacific, and you will see some stairs. These stairs will take you to a bike path along the road's side. It is pretty safe because there is a barrier to separate the cars from the path. This is what the path looks like.
When you cross the bridge, you will see another set of stairs on your left. Take these, and you will come to another boardwalk. This boardwalk will take you up to the Queen Mary. There are also a bunch of high-end restaurants here. The closer you get to the Queen Mary, the more expensive they are.
I spent one night at the Queen Mary, but I highly recommend the Hotel Royal if you don't want to spend that amount of money. It's not far from the Shoreline Village, and I enjoyed the walk.
The rooms here are cozy and have a community kitchen and bike rentals.
You will see the Breakfast Bar while walking from Hotel Royal down to Shoreline Village. I loved the food and atmosphere here and highly recommend checking it out if you're in the area. They also have Gluten-free pancakes.
On to the Queen Mary. To give you a heads-up, it is straightforward to get lost, so I recommend getting a map. You must pay to get on the ship if you aren't spending the night. If you have brought your car and are staying here, make sure you get your parking ticket validated so you won't have to pay for parking. Some tours offered here include the Glory Days Historical Tour, Hollywood Tour, VIP Art Deco Tour, Royal VIP Tour and Afternoon Tea, Steam and Steel Tour, and Haunted Encounters Tour. They also offer a Paranormal Ship Walk, 57 Ghost Seance, and the Grey Ghost Project at night.
Check-in was pretty straightforward, but finding my room was a task, so I'll tell you about it. I was on the M-Deck and in room 219. Here is what the room looked like.
When you get to the correct deck, please note that the rooms on the ship are not numbered like those at a hotel. The outside rooms are 100-level, and the inside rooms are 200-level. This means you will see room 201 on one side of the hall, and on the other side is room 101. This isn't very clear, but they also have one side of the ship as an even-numbered room and the other as an odd-numbered room. When I went to look for room 219, I couldn't find it because it was on the other side of the ship. I wonder if it was designed this way because the ship was built in England.
Here are some pictures of inside the Queen Mary.
I came here to be part of the Grey Ghost Project. This is a skeptical, evidence-based approach to investigating the paranormal for those who don't know. Using the latest tools of the trade, the project uses a combination of scientific methods to gather data and documentation for evidence of the supernatural. In each location, we learned the legends and lore of the place while participating in interactive experiments that seek to document evidence of paranormal activity. Each investigation is documented by video and audio recording devices to create a cohesive record of the experiences encountered. There is no guarantee you would witness any ghostly activity.
Our first stop was the infamous haunted swimming pool. If you are spending a casual day on the ship, the closest view of the pool is from behind double doors on one of the upper decks. You have to peek through the glass to glimpse what you can. We set up a motion sensor bear with the Spirit Box and EVPs.
The first-class swimming pool on the Queen Mary is said to be one of the most haunted places on the ship. It’s reported that multiple people died in the pool. Despite this, there are no reported deaths in the logs of the Queen Mary.
One of the most common drowns supposedly took place in the first-class pool and involved a young girl called Jackie, who, it is said, drowned in the pool. Guests have reported hearing the giggling of a young girl around the pool and seeing wet, child-sized footsteps leading away from the pool. There are no official records of Jackie having ever drowned onboard the Queen Mary.
There are also stories about a lady in her 50s or 60s who supposedly drowned in the first-class pool. She is often seen by guests wearing black and white.
Becca set up the investigative equipment and started the session by asking if anyone nearby wanted to communicate with us. We were all welcome to pose our own questions to see if we would receive any responses. She told us specific questions can pique a spirit’s interest and incite activity. We did try to talk to Jackie but ended up empty-handed. Hopefully, there will be something there when I get the digital Spirit Box recording. Here are some pictures of the swimming pool.
Nothing occurred in the swimming pool area, but that changed as we continued our investigation. Much to my surprise, we were taken inside suite B340. It’s believed to be one of the most haunted guest rooms on the ship, and plenty of strange incidents have been reported by people who’ve spent a night there.
This is where we implemented the Estes Method, which relies on sensory deprivation to communicate with spirits. Two sets of headphones blocked outside noise and were connected to a spirit box, which picked up on radio broadcasts. The apparatus allows ghosts to communicate messages through the radio frequencies. Another volunteer and I were allowed to try and were instructed to speak out loud whatever words we could make out. The lights were dimmed, we wore eye masks, and the equipment was set up. The rest of the group took turns asking questions.
Things got quite interesting with the spirit box, so I was told. You can’t hear the other person when you're wearing the headphones. All voices sound muffled and barely audible. We frequently picked up on the exact words and would say them almost simultaneously. An exciting narrative unfolded between the questions and our responses. It seemed we contacted a spirit who expressed disappointment with their son. I was told that one of the paranormal devices also kept lighting up yellow consistently, which was a color that signaled we were making contact with some energy.
Sorry, there are no pictures here because I was part of the experiment.
Our next stop was the Rope Locker. The space was very chilly, and hollow echoes echoed all around. When our guide initiated conversation, the yellow light on one of the apparatuses lit up, indicating there was likely a presence there. When I get the recording back, it will be interesting to see if we have any voices in the spirit box.
Our next stop was the isolation ward. The space was bathed in red light and very chilly. I had an exciting experience here and started to smell flowers like lavender or rosemary. I asked the girl next to me if she was wearing floral perfume, and she said, "No." I asked her if she could smell the flowers. After a couple of seconds, she could. It lasted about ten seconds and was gone, which was weird. We also used the Estes Method here.
Our final destination was the ballroom. We also used the Estes Method here, and other volunteers picked up on and spoke out several interesting phrases. Here are some pictures of the ballroom.
We did speak to a person who called himself Steve here. There were also some motion sensors set up around the outside perimeter of the dance floor, and these were lighting up, meaning something was setting them off. I tried to get pictures of this, but none turned out because I couldn't use Flash and didn't hold the camera still long enough. Here is one of the motion sensors, but you really can see it going off.
This is how the ballroom was set up for our investigation.
That concluded our paranormal investigation, and we all bid farewell to whatever spirits may have joined us. We ascended to the upper decks, and it was back to the land of the living. The Grey Ghost Project is currently hosting nighttime investigations on weekends. It’s three hours and includes plenty of walking, so ensure you’re ready to be active. If you’re searching for a unique way to explore The Queen Mary, I recommend this experience. None of the other tours offer this level of interaction.
I was also informed that I would get access to the footage of our investigation and previous ones so that I could review and study them. I was told it would take a little over a month before it was ready, and I would be notified by email. I learned many fascinating details while participating in The Grey Ghost Project and enjoyed immersing myself in a paranormal adventure.
I will be back, and now that my daughter has moved to Long Beach, I can visit her when I'm here. I think the next adventure here will be the 57 Ghosts Seance. This immersive experience brings you face-to-face with the spirited past of this historic and haunted ship. Guests will witness and participate in a supernatural séance where anything can happen!
Things to NOTE:
On the Queen Mary, there is a Starbucks, also called the Midship Marketplace. There are also various places to eat, and I want you to understand the differences because you have little choice of food other than Uber.
Promenade Café
Perfect for a satisfying breakfast and quick lunch, the Promenade Café specializes in gourmet burgers, seasonal salads, and comfort food classics.
Open Daily Breakfast Buffet: 6:30 am - 11:00amLunch & Dinner: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Chelsea Chowder House & Bar
Choose from various chowders, stews, and brews for an unforgettable, international culinary experience. High-quality steaks offer diners a tempting alternative to seafood, but the seafood rules at Chelsea Chowder House. Sample their most popular chowders, which change weekly, or savor one of the other signature fresh seafood dishes.
Lunch is casual, and for dinner, a shirt and tie are required for entry.
Hours & Information:
Open Daily Lunch (Bar): 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (menu is the same as Promenade Café) Dinner (Restaurant & Bar): Sunday – Thursday: 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Friday – Saturday: 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm
The Observation Bar
Exuding 1930s sophistication and style, the Observation Bar is the playground of the cool. Classic and chic, it was formerly the First-Class Lounge and served as the hub for lively discussions over delicious cocktails.
Open Daily Monday – Thursday: 4:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Friday – Saturday: 11:00 am - 11:30 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am - 10:30 pm
Happy Hour Monday – Thursday: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Queen Mary Royal Sunday Brunch
A local favorite, prepare to embark on a global culinary adventure at the Queen Mary Royal Sunday Brunch! Feast on over 50 delectable dishes worldwide, from classic breakfast favorites to spicy southwestern treats and Asian-inspired delights. Do not miss the vibrant salad station or legendary carving station featuring succulent prime rib and mouthwatering smoked brisket. Indulge in fresh-made guacamole, a delightful assortment of sushi, creamy tortellini carbonara, and flavorful gnocchi alla pesto. Dive into the Ocean Bounty seafood station with Snow and Stone Crab Claws, King Crab Legs, and a classic Shrimp Cocktail. For the sweet tooth, explore the abundant dessert selection. Plus, customize your omelet at the live omelet station. Treat yourself to a brunch fit for royalty! The cost is $99 a person, and reservations are required.
If you have ever done the Grey Ghost Project, I would love to hear about your experience.