The legend behind the name Legend states that Cunard’s board of directors decided to name the ship Queen Victoria. Following the tradition of giving Cunard ships the suffix “ia” (Mauretania, Aquitania, Berengaria). According to protocol, Cunard’s directors asked King George for his blessing on the proposed name, stating. “We have decided to name our new ship after the greatest queen of England – Queen Victoria, the King’s grandmother.” The King is said to have responded, “My wife (Queen Mary). Would be pleased if you would name the ship after her.”
Is The Queen Mary Haunted?
Over the years, there has been a significant increase in sightings of ghosts on the Queen Mary. The Queen Mary is a luxury liner that once sailed the North Atlantic from the 1930s to the 1960s. And is now a famous tourist attraction around the world. The reason is not only because of the ferry’s history. But also because of the paranormal guests who boarded and were haunted by ghosts. It should be.
The luxury liner Queen Mary made its maiden voyage in 1936 from Southampton. England, to New York, USA, via Cherbourg, France. During World War II, the Queen Mary carried soldiers instead of tourists, as it was the top priority. The fastest ship at the time, which reached a length of 300 meters. Made its final voyage in 1967 and was then moored in California, Long Beach, as a permanent tourist attraction.
And this is where the most exciting aspect of the Queen Mary begins: her ghostly history. Today, the Queen Mary is known not only for its former luxury and the cruise ship-going public. But also, for the ghosts that are said to haunt its rooms, pools, and corridors. The ship has been out of service for over 40 years. And there have been numerous sightings of tourists seeing various ghosts and occurrences that would not normally occur.
Reports claim
It has been reported that the Queen Mary is home to over 150 ghosts. And judging by the regularity of these paranormal sightings. There seems to be a lot of truth to this. People had reportedly experienced sudden temperature changes when they entered certain areas of the ship, such as the area near the second-class pool, the haunted cabin, the shaft passage, and the adjacent toilets.
The cabin is said to occasionally smell of cigars and perfume. Another strange phenomenon is the sound of creaking doors, knocking, sudden creaking, laughter, and people talking and whistling in empty rooms. Like other ghost stories, the Queen Mary case has its witnesses and witnesses. The lights went out, and laughter was heard from the rooms, but there were other events that were said to be unusual in the case of Queen Mary.
Sightings of a bearded crew member wearing blue overalls are common. This ghostly apparition refers to a famous incident on the Queen Mary when a firefighter was crushed to death by a watertight door during a routine fire drill. This ghost belongs to the same crew member who was killed and now haunts the entrance that originally caused his death. The appearance of wet footprints on the ground near the first-class pool when one is unable to swim at all is also a spooky occurrence frequently mentioned by tourists.
Major Incidents
In addition to these two incidents, there have also been reports of children crying and laughing in the third-grade nursery and witnessing a girl drowning in the second-grade pool. Visitors have also allegedly seen the ghosts of a deceased engineer in the engine room, a woman dressed in white, and children near the first-class pool.
That is why Time magazine chose the Queen Mary as one of the most haunted places in America. Ghostly encounters on board leave people in awe and amazement. The thought of ghosts roaming a place where people continue to comfortably frequent creates anxiety and doubt. Nevertheless, we must understand that the existence of ghosts cannot be ruled out, just as most of us believe in the existence of gods, fairies, and other benevolent spirits.
The presence of ghosts on the Queen Mary indicates the presence of the paranormal hovering on the edge of our everyday lives, giving them a whole new dimension. It is up to us to accept this or to consider it with doubt. The Queen Mary is not going anywhere, and from the looks of things, neither are its paranormal inhabitants.
From the Height of Luxury to World War II
For three years after her maiden voyage, the Queen Mary was the most luxurious passenger ship in the world, carrying Hollywood stars such as Bob Hope and Clark Gable, royalty such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and dignitaries such as Winston Churchill. During this time, she also set a new speed record, which she held for 14 years. When the Queen Mary pulled into New York in September 1939, it was the last ship to carry civilian passengers for many years.
When World War II began, the conversion of the Queen Mary into a warship began. She was painted in gray camouflage, and her luxurious amenities were removed. Nicknamed the “Grey Ghost” for her stealth and bright colours. The Queen Mary was the largest and fastest troop ship at sea, capable of carrying up to 16,000 troops at 30 knots. After the end of World War II, the Queen Mary began a 10-month refurbishment process aimed at restoring the ship to its former glory. On July 21, 1947, the Queen Mary resumed scheduled passenger service across the Atlantic, continuing to do so for nearly two more decades.
The Last Great Cruise
The growing popularity of air travel marked the end of an era for the Queen Mary. By 1965, Cunard’s entire fleet was losing money, and the decision was made to decommission. And sell the legendary Queen Mary. On October 31, 1967, the Queen Mary departed on her final cruise, arriving in Long Beach, California on December 9, 1967. Southern California has been her home ever since. The Queen Mary now serves as a floating hotel, attraction. Event and wedding venue, is home to three world-class restaurants and is a Southern California icon.
