My family and I stayed on board the weekend of the 7/13, and had an amazing time! We booked last minute (with a AAA discount), and upgraded once we got there for $20 (awesome!).
When we arrived I realized I forgot a stuffed animal for my daughter to sleep with! We went to the gift shop across from the check-in desk and looked for stuffed animals. That particular gift shop didn't have any, and since it was late all the other gift shops were closed. :o( Â When I explained the situation to the woman working there, she actually took us to another floor and opened one of the shops just so my daughter could pick out a bear!!! That was way above and beyond!
Our room was pretty nice, loved the portholes, and very clean. We didn't have any mold or rust issues like I've heard from other people. I know the walls are thin, but we must have been on the quiet side of the boat because we didn't have any noise issues at all.
The hallways are a little odd- dark and long (think MGM hotel), but it IS a boat so it's what I expected. It added to the fun of staying on the Queen Mary. Check out isn't until noon, so we enjoyed being able to explore the ship at our leisure.
For those ghost hunters- I was walking down a back staircase with my daughter who informed me there were monsters following us. I looked around and asked "Monsters?" She said, "No, it's ok, it's just two people." It was late, and there was NO ONE around! Since she's 4 we never told her the Queen Mary was supposed to be haunted! Oooooooo!
Not sure what people really expect - it's an 80 year old ship people! Â We found it very clean, loved our room and the mix of old and new was great. Â Sure, you have to pay for parking, and I agree with the charging of people not staying at the hotel to come in! Can you imagine if there was no charge and the number of people that would be there for the day? Â Everyone we encountered were very nice, respectful and helpful. Â If you don't want to walk to your room, want someone waiting on you hand and foot, then maybe this isn't the place for you. Â But if you want a little adventure, feel the atmosphere of an old cruise ship and perhaps learn something, then this is the place for you! Â And the food - everything we had was fantastic. Â Yes, it is pricey, but not anymore than some of the places across the bay. Â The free buses to downtown and other places made getting around real easy. Â Overall, we loved it and will be back. Oh - and our room was SPOTLESS. Â The only thing I think it needed was better shower strips (anti-slip).
Review Source:My boyfriend surprised me with a night in the hotel. The room was adorable and had a lot of original fixtures... the flat screen tv and ipod dock don't quite fit the  décor, but I understand the need. We had a window with a beautiful view of the ocean. We spent our night roaming the deck and looking at the lights of the city. Every part of our stay here was romantic and beautiful.
Review Source:I stayed here as we had a North American conference. Â This is a good historic site, probably good for tours and just to see how massive the ship was and is good for holding conferences. Â Not recommended for accommodations.
It may be good to stay here for one night, but nothing more as I found it kind of gross. Â Hallway was long and dark, carpet in the room seemed dirty and the tubs/floors had a lot of lime and rust on them. Â I totally understand trying to keep the historic theme, but they could at least renovate the rooms. Â Anyone ever seen a show called Hotel Impossible? This hotel needs to go on that show. Â I think if you leave the hallways the way they are, leave the porthole windows, people would be happy. Â You should feel at home in your room, not like you are "afraid to sleep" (and I'm not talking about the supposedly haunted hotel). Â I actually felt dirty in the room and felt much better outside in the hot humid air. Â
First time - room had a huge chlorine, mouldy smell and had to request a new one. And I have a horrible sense of smell, so when I smell something bad, it must be really bad.
Second room - smelled better, but room was still old and lots of rust. Â The first night, the fan was blowing so hard, I could hardly sleep. I called the front desk on the 2nd night and they fixed it, but to not be able to control your own a/c is a let down. Â
Ok experience, but if I'm ever in Long Beach again, definitely not. I saw some Hyatt Place and some Hilton Garden Inn's and would rather stay there (even a Holiday Inn).
Toby Willits (me) and my wife stayed at the Queen Mary on Thursday May 23rd, 2013. Our room was B507 and we had some issues. We just wanted to bring to someone attention that Michelle B. at the front desk was a pleasure to deal with. Michelle listened to my predicament, let me vent some of my frustration, and offered to address the problem.
We were upgraded to A123 and it was awesome! This antique stateroom decked out in furnishings from the 1930's was perfect. We loved the view and being able to open and close the 2 portholes in our room.
Thursday was the day to be at the Queen Mary for sure. There was no one there, and I mean no one! We had the place all to ourselves. Seriously! We traveled all around the ship, took pictures, sat out on the decks, watched the sunset, and literally had the place to ourselves. Maybe everyone was gearing up for the Memorial Day Weekend and waiting until Friday, but it was a blast. Â We went out after midnight (no we didn't see any ghosts) and took some pictures of Long Beach and the Moon over the harbor.
This was a well worth it trip and very cool to stay aboard a piece of history for a few nights. Make sure you ask for Michelle B. and say hello. Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles and the Omelet Inn is where we ate breakfast in Long Beach both days and the food/service was great! That is for another review.
Michelle B. at the front desk turned our stay from mediocre to super fabulous. Â She was excellent and truly made our 2 nights aboard the Queen Mary fun and memorable. We stayed on a Thursday and Friday, it was definitely quiet on Thursday afternoon and evening. Â We had the run of the ship and explored it for hours, then just sat outside enjoying the weather and the view of Long Beach. Â We did not eat at any of the restaurants aboard the ship as we have family in the area and went to popular local places. If you stay be sure to book a room with a water view so you can open your port hole windows. Â Do not expect anything high end or luxurious as this is a minimally retrofitted hotel, but do relish in a small piece of nautical history.
Review Source:My best advice is to look at the room before you move all your stuff in and switch if you don't like it. We upgraded to a king deluxe and it was like a shoe box, it was horrible. We went to another persons room staying with us and it was a totally different room bigger and upgraded so we asked to switch and they accommodated us. You cant adjust the ac yourself you have to ask maintence to do it. We complained and maintence went in our room when we werent in there to "fix the air" and shut the window. It's definitely cool to see but for the price you can stay at the Hyatt 1/2 mile away for $10-20 cheaper! Unfortunately we couldn't get refunded so we stayed. The restaurants are over priced for mediocre food and sub par service. The only thing I recommend is going on a tour or just exploring yourself that's what we did. I just wish I looked at the reviews on the hotel before we booked. Lesson leaned.
Review Source:The Queen Mary is AWESOME for the tours, experience, & history but NOT for accommodations. Â
I understand it's a WWII ship making it very old but that doesn't mean it cannot be cleaned. Â And I should mention that I'm not very high maintenance. Â Nothing in the room had been cleaned other than the linens and a vacuum. Â None of the mirrors or window sills have seen a rag in quite some time. Â I used the bath mat INSIDE the shower since I didn't have flip flops with me. Â Camping showers are cleaner. Â Gross.
I'm sorry but for the price they REALLY need to step up their game.
I had a great time being on the Queen Mary. The historic character of the ship makes a stay here much more interesting than staying in the Marriott. I think it would be
a great place for kids as there is plenty for them to explore.
Those interested in a comfortable new room only and not interested in ships should probably stay elsewhere however as a ship is a ship as is not as spiffy as a new
hotel. The rooms, of course, are much smaller than you would find at a regular
hotel and the noise between rooms can be high. The Queen Mary is approaching 80
years old now.
The hotel management could certainly be improved and the ship's condition could
certainly be improved without destroying the historic character of the ship. All in
all though I think most people would find a stay on the Queen Mary a lot more interesting than a regular hotel.
I spent a weekend aboard the ship with the family when the Ice Kingdom was on exhibit. Â For many years, my little girl has begged to stay here. Â Since were touring the exhibit, I agreed.
Let me start by saying that the whole ship thing is kind of cool, especially for the kids. Â The port holes in our room could be opened and the smell of the ocean was refreshing.
However, as a hotel, it leaves much to be desired. Â The staterooms are tiny. Â I've stayed on smaller yachts with bigger rooms. Â My teenage son slept on the floor while myself, my wife and little one piled into the queen bed. Â There are very few electrical outlets in the room. Â If you travel with a ton of electronics (which we do), you will need a power strip. Â LOL. Â Also, the outlets themselves are old and are very loose. Â You will have to mangle the prongs on your plug to make them hold.
Understandably, being an old ship, it is not exactly handicapped accessible in all areas. Â I'm not wheelchair bound, but walking is sometimes uncomfortable for me. Â There is elevator access to most of the main floors, but if you want to tour the ship, there are many stairs that you will have to use. Â Furthermore, on some of the decks, the floors are uneven and/or slanted in one direction or another.
The dining choices are not great. Â We only ate at Chelsea's, but by judging their quality of food and value and by looking at the menu's in the other restaurant, you'd be better off eating in town. Â There are a ton of great places in the city.
Finally, there is no pool. Â This is a big deal for our kids. Â In CA, it's pool time all year round if the pool is heated. Â There is access to a pool at a nearby hotel, but that's just inconvenient.
I will say that I'm glad for the experience, but I'd much rather stay at the Hyatt or Hilton where we normally stay.
Having stayed in the Queen Mary twice (first time in 93) the old ship has gotten a lot worse with age.
Other reviewers have already  mentioned that that the ship itself and the accommodations are in need of a major retrofit. The hotel is living on its history and its spookiness factor and that just wont work long term as people look for uniqueness and quality when they travel.
With that said if you are looking for a novelty type experience, the Queen Mary might work for a night. But I would not stay much longer and would either combine the one night stay ay Queen Mary with  over nighter to Catalina Island and or one of the thousands of better hotel properties in the LA area.
But with all that said..the 2 stars are for the hotel itself...I had a blast with my companion on the Queen Mary and for one time fun factor for the ship itself...would rank it maybe a 3.
As a LB native, I really want to see the Queen Mary succeed. Â But the hotel, just like the rest of the boat, seems to not live up to its expectations, especially for the amount of money that one can spend here.
I had never stayed at the hotel, and in the last 30 or so years, I've never really heard anything positive about it. Â When a Groupon Getaway came available, I had to check it out for myself. Â
Initially, everything went well as far as check in and service. Â We got an upgrade for only $20 from the inner stateroom with no windows, to one with windows. Â The room was small, but expected. Â Like everything else, the room seemed worn and needed of a makeover. Â The bathroom was especially sad as wallpaper was starting to peel and a really bad caulking job around the tub. Â The experience with the shower was just god awful. Â Something was wrong with the valve since you got full water pressure at full hot water, but then the water pressure would drop as you added more cold. Â
There isn't much for amenities in the room. Â No coffee. Â Water is $3.75 a bottle. Â There is a flat screen TV and the bed was comfortable which is the highlight of the room.
It looks like they are in the process of renovating their rooms. Â Hopefully things will improve. Â The Queen Mary has a lot of history and potential and we should not be cheated.
I came here on a business trip. Â I wasn't sure what to expect, staying on a ship and all, but it was ok. Â
I like the idea of the hotel, a rustic ship you can stay on while in the Long Beach area.
The furnishings are old, but not at all broken. Â The service was good. Â I was upgraded from a King bedroom to a ocean view with a queen bed.
Pros:
The view
The service
Cons:
The thermostat was broken
Walls are so thin that when someone opens their door, sounds like they're opening your door.
Limited hot water.
I would probably not stay here again, but I did enjoy my stay.
My date and I came here for our birthdays and it made it all the more exciting! Â I had never been to Long Beach nor a ship... That was also a hotel! Â We got a room that faced the open water which was awesome. Â The view included downtown Long Beach and its surroundings. Â The channels for tv suced, but we did not care since there was so many other activities at our disposal! Â We checked out all the parts of the ship to which we had access- we even went on one of their haunted tours. Â Was not that scary for us, but still entertaining. Â We also ate at two of the restaurants here. Â I do not remember the names, but one was by a cafe and on the same level as the shopping. Â The food was not too bad. Â We originally wanted to do the all you can eat brunch; however, we concluded that it was not worth the price for the amount that we ate. Â Perhaps next time! Â The cool thing was they also had many other places to try for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
One of our favorite things to do on the ship was to listen to the horn blow. Â There were four time slots that this occurred. Â We did some recordings. Â It was funny because despite knowing the horn was about to go off, we could not help flinch the moment it went off.
This was a fun experience and I hope to go again!
Be sure to stay well rested!
We stayed here on Xmas eve in a family stateroom (which was very large), and I must say I was a bit worried about the possible noise due to thin walls from the reviews I read here. Â But it wasn't that bad actually and my son slept through everything. Â The room with the twin bed was nearer to the hallway but the room with the king size bed was away from the hallway hence with less noise. Â I did hear our neighbor come in around midnight but that was about it. Â The only weird thing that happened was around midnight when I heard our neighbor come in and woke up, I found the lights were turned on in my room even though we had turned off the lights before going to bed, which is very strange and spooky. Â Perhaps the ship is haunted after all! Â The only negative I can come up with is that the hotel can stand to insulate the bathrooms a bit more as there is no vent so it gets pretty stuffy in the twin bedroom after a shower. Â
Also, we ordered room service for Xmas eve dinner and I have to say the food was delicious! Â I was so surprised. Â We ordered the cheeseburgers and the meatloaf. Â The food tasted gourmet to us. Â Granted it's not cheap, but then what room service is.
P.S. We also loved it that we were able to bring our small dog along for a fee.
Saddens me to write this. Â Anyone who knows me knows I love the history of this ship. Â So much so that for years, I would take my high school students on a field trip there every year. Â My wife and I figured how better to celebrate our anniversary than to stay aboard the ship! Â We had a 50% code so we booked the Winston Churchill Suite. Â Those of you who are unfamiliar, the Churchill suite is the cream of crop. Â Basically, the best room in the entire ship.
We arrive and do CHILL at the dome then walk around the ship. Â When the room is ready, we go in and find food pieces by the portholes, half the lights not working, mold in the shower with peeling wall paper around the tub and pins in the floor stabbing our feet.
There is a difference between keeping the ship historical and antique vs. letting it become run down and a disaster. Â It was not a great experience and I plan on never doing it again. Â It will also be a long while before I return to the ship. Â Sadly, as can be seen by the sinking submarine and deteriorating ship, the management is letting the landmarks sink themselves so the can keep the port land and develop it.
Salt in the wound. Â A survey was sent after the stay and I was honest about the experience. Â There was also an email address for "further concerns" so I sent an email to that person. Â Have they responded back apologizing or even acknowledging it? Â Nope. Â They have ZERO concern for guests who have concerns. Â
I would rather there be a celebration of the ships life a year and sink it respectfully than let it die a slow painful death.....
Love the Queen Mary!
Keep an eye out for their online email blasts (sign up on their website), because their 50% off deal is pretty fantastic. Â Parking is $20, prepaid with the room.
I've stayed overnight at the QM about twice a year or so for the past 6-7 years and have had every permutation of room imaginable. Â Most recently, I stayed in a full suite that had a kitchen, dining room area, living room area, and separate bedroom with couches and large flat screen TV. Â Remember to request "Harbor View" if that's important to you. Â Inside staterooms are a lot cheaper, but don't have windows, so make sure to read the descriptions carefully when you are selecting your room type. Â Some rooms have a saltwater faucet which is kind of interesting.
Also, be mindful of the events page, so you know what is going on while you are there. Â You might have more fun staying overnight during the steampunk convention or Scottish fair rather than the tattoo fair (or vice versa). Right now, there are a lot of people going next door to CHILL for their winter activities, so you see people wearing earmuffs, hats and gloves. Knowing about events will help you to pack appropriately.
Evening tours are fun, but can be pricy. Â Keep in mind that hotel guests are allowed access to areas on the self-guided tour, which includes the Engine and Propeller Rooms during certain hours. Â People forget about that and you shouldn't, it's really cool and often fairly empty if you want to hang around and take pictures. They even have a ghost sighting scavenger hunt that you can participate in if that's fun for you.
I know what to expect, so when the horn goes off, it's a part of the charm. Â I like the old wood, porthole windows, and long hallways. It's a ship, which is why people stay there and not the plenty of places on the other side of the shore. True that the walls are thin, though. Â If you are a light sleeper, bring ear plugs, because there is a lot going on on the ship and there will be steady streams of drunk people returning to rooms between 10pm-2am. Put out your "Do Not Disturb" sign for sure.
Friends visiting you on board? Â Note that CHILL patrons get to tour the QM same day for free, so if you have friends meeting you, they can come aboard hassle free. Â Friends used to be able to join you onboard if they were meeting you for dinner, but they have become really strict at the front door downstairs. Â If they have to pay to get on board, they are being provided with a $15 voucher for food, so it kind of evens out. Do yourself a favor and hit Sir Winton's for lobster bisque ($12).
Again, I usually don't like to write a review until I have  been to a place 3 times. Well, I can oficaially say that I have been here 3 times now and each time is worse than the time before.
This time, we stayed on the night of December 13, a Thursday night. We had stopped at a local Denny's and grabbed a Hotels,com Magazine and found a 25% off coupon. I called to make our reservation at about 4:00 pm that evening and was told that the room was $109.99 and there would be no discount for the coupon.--- Those of you who have gotten to know me on here and read past reviews know this did not set well with me--
The reservations should have been the first clue. I had to call FOUR times as now they are using an outside company for reservations instead of the front desk. The call kept going to the operator "Monica" and then finally when I did get a res agent on the phone that is when I was given the rate and told no coupon discounts.
I was also given the name of the reservations manager "Spencer" and told to call him regarding the coupon. NO PROBLEM--- I WILL!!!
I contacted Spencer and advised him on the coupon. It didn't expire until 12/31/2012 AND there were NO lised dates for black outs or any other issues. It just said "Upon availability" When I asked if they had a room... that was "An availability".
Then Spencer said, "I will honor the coupon IF it is valid!" WHAT... IF IT IS VALID... you sponser the damn page idiot... of course it is vaild, how can you sit there and even act like you don't even know about it!
We got there and were told that, they would take the coupon....oh thank you lord Queen Mary... and that there was also a charge of $17.00 for overnight parking AND they hold $75.00 for "Incidentals". So the $81.75 charge became $166.00+.
We got to the room and it was almost 11:00 p.m, and I called down to room service that closed at 11. I asked if they had a can opener, because even the best planner can't remember everything and I was told that NOWHERE on the ENTIRE BOAT (With 6 restaurants) did they have ONE DAMN CAN OPENER!
So we were stuck ordering room service. We got the cheapest thing on the menu... a tuna melt. One for me and one for Buzz and it was brought to our room and we were presented the bill.... $36.63!!... you read that right $36.63!!!
We were pissed.... but we took a look around the ship until about 2:00am and then headed back to the room to shower and headed to bed.
7:01 am BANG....BANG...BANG.... WTF?!?!?
We fell back asleep.... 8:16 am boom, bang, bang, boom.... Jeez!! Also, we heard "Ladies and Gentleman we are glad to have you aboard the Queen Mary, your Tour will be starting shortly."
We fell back asleep...9:25 the walls began to shake and I was D O N E!! I called the front desk... Check out time at 12 noon right? right? Then why am I being awakened just about every hour by banging and shaking and noise...
"Oh, I am sorry, we have a full house tonight and we are just preparing the ship!" "Let me see if I have this right, their comfort is more important than mine?" "oh, no ma'am" ... I even asked about the tour announcement and said there has to be a way to make the announcement where the sound of the PA doesn't penetrate the rooms.....As I hung up, housekeeping started the vaccuum in the room next to ours...
Just as I dozed off, 10:00 am--- The ships horn went off. THAT WAS IT!!!!
We checked out, I made a scene in the lobby and we left. They even tried to deny that it was their housekeepers.I asked, "Oh, you let your guests vaccuum their own rooms, but you can't give them a can opener?" She just looked at me. I said, "you were on the phone with me when housekeeping turned on the vaccuum in the next room!!"
Then what about the banging and painting on the side of the boat and the horn we weren't told would go off at 10. We would have made other arrangements if we had known about all this.
Way too commercial now & 2 big 4 their britches. The scorpion Submarine is now closed as it is listing to the side due do holes in the bottom causing it to take on water and they have no ETA on a reopening date, but the gift shop is open to take your cash!!! That was another reason we picked this location, because of Buzzie's love of Submarines and Old Ships and the water. Staying on a boat (an old cruise ship) and having a submarine tour available almost makes the $109.99 worth it, but even Buzz was disappointed at the sight of the sub.
Would I recommend it... This critical Yelper says not at all... it is going down hill. The nostalgia is amazing, but this is one attraction that I would not feel bad if I just saw it driving by and didn't happen to make it on board to see that "infamous" guided tour.
The Queen Mary needs Help! New management perhaps because what they are doing now isn't working! Get it together Spencer!! I hold you responsible and Tiffany, c'mon, you could have done better than a partial refund... you know that.
I want to give this place a higher rating but......I can't.
First off, I will say that I loved the room we stayed in and the view of the pier was nice. The problem was when we arrived to check in, their system went down right before it was our turn in line. I understand that this wasn't anyone's fault, but having to sit around for an hour and a half with our bags was really annoying. They gave us a $25 'gift card' to the Observation Deck while we waited, but AFTER we ordered our drinks and presented them with it, they refused to accept it. Probably because it was just a hand written note that said, "$25 gift card", but the front desk should have known that so, once again, quite annoying....I also feel like they should have taken that off of the price of the room instead of offering us a couple (not) free drinks...but oh well I guess.
Also not thrilled about the $17 a day for parking.
As part of our honeymoon, my husband and I recently stayed aboard the Queen Mary for 1 night. Staying on the ship was such a cool experience! I felt like I was royalty sailing the seas on the Titanic!
We checked in a little early, and because our room wasn't quite ready, the sweet, helpful girl at the front desk bumped us to a room with original wood, and a queen size bed (the bed was very comfortable) with portholes facing the harbor. I absolutely loved the original details in the room, such as the "cold fresh" faucet.
A self guided tour is included with your stay, but unfortunately, we didn't have time to explore the ship as we spent the day at Disneyland and woke up early the next day and had to leave for a tour in Hollywood. What we did see of the ship was so neat!
My only complaint was the noise level, which I wasn't expecting. Our next door neighbors woke up about 6am (we had gotten back from Disney at 1am) and were very loud talkers, slamming doors and crashing ice from their ice bucket. At one point, it sounded like they were IN our room. I sat up in bed and realized it was coming from next door. I immediately grabbed a pair of earplugs I had packed and slept just fine after that. I highly recommend packing earplugs!
Yes, the parking is really expensive ($17). At least I knew this going in, so it wasn't a total shock. It was added to our total when I was charged for the room, so it just felt like another tax and I moved on with my life.
I would definitely stay here again, and leave myself more time to enjoy the amenities of the ship!
Staying at the Queen Mary really is a lot like staying on a cruise ship. Expect to be charged for everything and the walls to be very, very thin.
Let me start out by saying that the parking situation is ridiculous. Expensive and we couldn't find a valet. We ended up parking far from the actual hotel area and then having to lug our bags down the road for quite a distance. On the way out a just-married couple put up a fight at the exit over payment and snarled traffic so badly that fights were breaking out between cars trying to exit. Not cool, people!
Check in was okay, albeit a little slow.
We reserved a deluxe king room. Not sure what the difference is between the regular rooms and the deluxe since our room was still on the small side and featured just a couple of portholes. I have to laugh that the website states that the rooms are larger than the average cruise ship. I have to disagree. Maybe a couple more square feet at the most? Not really worth stating, that's for sure.
The room was clean and the layout worked for the small space. The period decor was nice. The bathtub should come with a warning label. I like a hot bath in the morning and when I unplugged the stopper to drain I thought the suction was going to suck my intestines out. That may be the only vortex I experienced on the whole ship, LOL. Even the husband came running when he heard the water go out.
Unfortunately they put us on the non-water side and we had to listen to people outside at the Dark Harbor event till the wee hours.
Yes, those walls are thin. To the point where I felt like I was eavesdropping on people having sex, calling their mothers (not at the same time ;), and reprimanding their kids.
Would I go back? Definitely a maybe. I felt like one night was not enough to see all we wanted to see on the boat. Secondly, it's a convenient and not a badly priced "stay-cation" place. Halloween next year? A strong possibility.
My kids are OBSESSED with ships--Titanic especially--so I knew the QM would come close enough for them (even though it was built 25 yrs after Titanic)) and I was right.
They loved exploring the ship and our self-guided tour was included with our overnight stay, which was also nice. A unique experience for all of us. We had a family stateroom that was ideal in that we could close the door to their room after they went to bed so we could have some "alone time" (wink, wink!) and the king-size bed was VERY comfy! Loved the view of the Long Beach skyline! And loved the mix of old and new furnishings.
Yes, parking is an egregious $17 for self-park but we opted to pay $3 more for valet.
Only complaint was the noise. We had some young, filthy-mouthed, partying-til-dawn neighbors that slammed the door across the slim hallway at 12:30 am, then at 2 am and again at 4 am! Ugh. I know the hotel is not to blame, but come ON! (don't worry, we got them back...when the kids woke up, we let them be as loud as they wanted and we made sure to slam the door on the way out!)
Staying aboard the Queen Mary was an amazing experience!
They offered a 24-hour deal via email for 50% off rooms if you booked the day the email was sent! With a deal that good, I didn't care about the mixed reviews because I thought it would be SO COOL to stay here!
(The ONE night they allow you to book in October was opening night for Queen Mary Dark Harbor - which was perfect for us since we were going!)
CHECKING IN: The first thing I noticed was a couple checking in and loudly arguing with 2 ladies behind the desk. That scared me and I hoped everything would go smoothly. It did! The lady who checked us in was kind, helpful, cheery, friendly. She let me choose what side of the ship we wanted to stay on. We chose the side facing the harbor/downtown Long Beach (towards the front, on the right; fore, starboard). She said the room will have a full size bed, as opposed to the queen size bed that the other room facing the parking lot would have. Oh well! You get a map of the ship and your room keys come in a cute little "passport" book! Parking overnight is $17.
ROOM: Our room was all the way at the end of the (creepy, but cool) hall. The "full size bed" she told us we would have seemed more like a KING BED to us!! Which, by the way, was EXTREMELY comfortable! The room didn't feel small or cramped at all. I guess these were one of the "renovated" rooms? It felt a little more modern than I expected, but I was fine with it. Regular shower and regular toilet. The bathroom has Crabtree & Evelyn products! The bed, bathroom, room overall was clean! Like everyone says, the walls are thin. The people in the room next to us screamed to scare their friends and it scared the crap out of us too! The room doors have a vent thing, which enables every sound inside and outside of the room to be heard. No other problems with noise bothered us for the rest of our stay. We had a beautiful view of the harbor and DTLB!
CHECKING OUT: You don't have to drop your keys off or do anything, pretty much! You'll wake up to your bill that was slipped under the door. Just be out before 12pm!
OTHER: We left after checkout and we were able to come back to the ship using our room key to get thru the parking gates and using our room key to get past the front door guys.
I recommend staying here at least once!
I stayed at the Queen Mary this past weekend. The rooms are very small and nothing special. Of course this is part of the charm of the hotel. I can understand now liking the hotel if you were looking for something a little nicer and more plush. The rooms are very basic, but the beds are comfortable, the TVs are a good size, and the service is friendly.
Complaints: The food at the restaurants on the Queen Mary are not great. I ate at the Tea Room and at the Promenade Cafe. Both were less than ok. I also tried to get  taxi from the hotel. It took about 30 min (making me almost miss my flight). I wouldn't blame this on the hotel except that after 15 min of waiting they told me they got my a car service to take me to the airport. I am 99% sure the driver of this car service was connected to the employee who was helping me. I understand wanting to get some business for a friend but I was VERY close to missing my flight so I did not appreciate this.
The sundeck is beautiful! You get great views of Long Beach and there was hardly anyone around. I read my book peacefully hardly ever getting disturbed.
I'm just hooked, but maybe that is because I am a Psychic and Paranormal Investigator!
The place has always felt like home to me, and I stay sometimes up to a week!
It is just PLAIN cool to be aboard such a beautiful vessel, that once sailed and was such a huge part of history, and she sits just right in my backyard!
My only complaint is WHY they have to charge $15/DAY for HOTEL GUEST TO PARK, given one has already paid quite a bit for a room. THEY SHOULD CHARGE $5 HONESTLY! (HINT,HINT!)
The food is great, I LOVE the fluffy beds, and it is INCREDIBLY HAUNTED.
The last time I was there I was SCRATCHED by a demon, but then again, I probably pissed him off a little!
The Queen Mary hotel is a must stay if you live in the Los Angeles area. The boat is an icon and staying aboard is an interesting experience.
The Queen Mary hotel does float but you will not be able to feel the ship rock back and forth when you stay aboard. Personally, I think part of it is stuck in the mud or something.
The rooms were awesome and they all have the little porthole windows that you can look out of. The rooms have a very old school vibe to them which is great.
On this day I got there early and we explored the back of the boat and gave ourselves a self guided tour and this took us a few hours and was very fun. The next morning we got up early and spent another 3 hours or so exploring the front of the boat. This is one huge boat and I would say that it would probably take 5 hours to check out all the nooks and crannies that are open to the public!
Where to start, where to start? I will just start with how incredibly awesome this place was! My hubby and I were looking high and low, for a cool spot to stay on our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We wanted close enough to get home if we needed to, but distant enough to feel like we were getting away from it all...Queen Mary won, and won our hearts.
Let me start with price. Â We were certain we would find something wrong, as it was just so affordable, especially for a place with so much nostalgia and history...we just couldn't find anything seriously wrong. However, we know the tricks now though, where they stay affordable for guests, they make up in food and alcohol...and boy do they! $35.00 for a six pack of coors light was a bit ridiculous, now, before you think I am complaining, I'm really not, everything was so perfect that paying $35 was a given. We got a beautiful King size, and deluxe stateroom, with real working porthole windows that faced beautul Long Beach, that lit up magically at night, for $108.00 (after AAA member discount). Parking was $15 a night, and some silly Long Beach entertainment tax or something was another $12...all in all, you just couldn't beat the price.
Now on to the accomodations!! As mentioned above, we had a king size deluxe stateroom. This room was absolutely beautiful, considering the age of the wood and built ins. I had only wished that the "salt water" shower and tub, really did work, but then again, have you seen our harbor?? Eegads, guess I'm glad it didn't work! The room was spacious enough, once you get out of the hallway (that was a little scary and closed up), and the working porthole windows were magnificant! Nice flatscreen TV, super hot, rather scalding hot showers...careful when taking a shower...I came out with a sunburn!! A SUNBURN! lol! The bed was super comfy, bedding and floors, etc very clean.
Moving right along to the staff...LOVED THEM! From the girl on the phone with the very unique name, so unique I cannot even pronounce it (or remember it), to the cleaning ladies, and even our bartender who had to jump over the bar everytime he came back, so funny...very friendly, sweet and wonderful! They know all the stories about the ship, and are eager to tell them. One of the cleaning ladies was a bit spooked though, she almost peed her pants when I came around the corner, said she always gets a little "jumpy" in the early morning hours there...that will be my next topic, but just all around wonderful staff.
OK, I cant even think of anymore wonderful things to say, so just try it out yourself, you will be glad you did!
This boat is a time capsule.
Beautiful wood finish everywhere, art deco influence abounds, definitely apparent in the Observation Bar on the bow with its lovely indoor and outdoor views. Â If it weren't for all the tourists, this would be a great venue for a flapper-themed party.
They do give guided tours into the bowels of the ship, including the vast engine room and the **haunted** indoor pool. Â You can also just stroll around and peer into the various windowed exhibits, like the children's play pen, the medical quarantine ward and the musicians waiting room. Â
The standard room which we had was small but adequate for two people who just want to crash and sleep. Â As others have said, the walls are so thin you can hear everything. Â Everything. (Maybe the peeping Tom's don't care...) You may want to check if you're room is next to one of the entertaining halls. Also, I wouldn't stay here for a romantic night... too many families and kids...
If you're into sailing, there's a small pier nearby where you can rent sail boats and enjoy the beautiful harbor like we did... how often do you get to sail by seals lounging on buoys, massive tankers and cargo ships and palm covered islands?
I wish I had more time to explore it but I did enjoy my stay here. If you're a history buff, can sleep through noises, and don't mind the thin veneer of Disney layered onto some of the exhibits, do stay here, otherwise, if you're claustrophobic and need your beauty sleep, sail on...
The best part about this hotel is the experience. Â You're staying on an actual cruise ship that was built in the 1930s! Â There's something very romantic about it. Â Our cabin was on floor B (which is supposed to be the most haunted floor). Â We had 2 twin beds (I was there with a friend) and windows. Â It was actually pretty nice! Â The walls were all made of wood. Â There were all kinds of original items in the room: the closet, desk, vanity, fans, door knobs, etc. Â But don't worry... the mattresses and pillows aren't original! Â They were actually very comfortable. Â There was also a TV installed in the room.
The room was quite large in comparison with my experiences onboard modern cruise ships, as was the bathroom. Â The old air vents were still in use, which made my stay on the one super hot and humid day in Long Beach in 2012 slightly uncomfortable. Â I doubt it would be an issue on nearly any other day.
Be aware - people were apparently shorter in the 1930s than they are now. Â I am 5'6" and the shower head was at my shoulder (but the water pressure and flow were great). Â The bathroom sink, desk, and vanity all seemed low to me.
The staff was not remarkable either way - some friendly ones, some not-as-friendly, but no real bad experiences. Â The parking was confusing. Â It also costs $15 per day per car.
The ship itself is amazing. Â It's fun to just mill around and explore. Â We also did the Paranormal Investigations tour that started at midnight... so fun and interesting. Â I'm a skeptic but my friend is a believer and we both enjoyed the whole experience thoroughly. Â I would stay again in a heartbeat.
I have been to The Queen Mary for many different occasions but finally got the chance to stay the night. Â The entire ship has a vintage feel and the rooms have some of the original fans, knobs, etc.The beds are very comfortable, we got a good nights rest. Â Only thing a women might want to know before hand is the lighting in the rooms is very dim, kinda hard for doing makeup.
Another couple staying same night, very possibly saw a ghost! Enjoy...
I stayed here for a few days when I was taking my bar exam. Â One morning I ordered breakfast and the Queen Mary Hotel servers brought it decorated with actual snot and actual carpet. Â Yes, really. Â Actual snot and actual carpet on top of my morning toast. Â You can't make this stuff up. Â I wasn't a bitch or anything, so I don't think I deserved it (hey, I've worked in food service, I get that sometimes a customer might deserve it). Â I think they were just having fun, maybe they were loopy or hungover and just wanted to fuck with the patrons. Â And I had tipped them like 50% (before noticing the decorations). Â
Well, it was the morning of day 3 of my bar exam and I didn't have time to dick around but the Queen Mary Hotel manager came and took photos and said my stay would be comped (it was like $600). Â I thanked them and rushed out and was late to the biggest exam of my life. Â I probably could sue their pants off. Â I wasn't comped for the stay as promised. Â When I complained to Queen Mary Hotel management, they said they "meant the breakfast would be comped." Â You mean I don't have to pay for snot and carpet on my meal? Â Fabulous. Â Sure, you can't necessarily control bad employees but you can have a refund policy when your employees fuck up & open you up to potential liability. Â
So, my Long Beach friends, if you, like me, prefer breakfast without boogers and pieces of rug, check out the Renaissance or the Hilton, both of which are awesome and less expensive and more centrally located.
Since I've been to LA I've been on the Queen Mary but never had the overnight experience. Â This past weekend we decided to make it a go...... Andrew had been before but this was my first. Â Overall I LOVED IT! Â We were there for ane event so it made it easier to stay the night vs the hassle of driving back that night. Â Here are some highlights:
STAFF: Â very friendly, helpful.
SHIP: historic, clean, pretty cool views from the top!
FOOD: Â we actually had a light lunch there when we first arrived which was pretty good and not that pricey. Â It was nice to see that they had options... wasn't sure if that was because of the event however there were on-ship options which was nice. Â In the morning we treated ourselves to in-room dining which YUMMY..... blueberry pancakes, steelcut oatmeal, eggs, toast... coffee... yup, we had it all! Â Price was a little steep, but it's going to be what you would expect when you're doing in-room dining......
PARKING: parking was $15 for each night.. again, what you would expect with hotel parking.
ROOM: Â I loved our room. Â Great water view as you peep out the porthole. Â I've been on cruises before and expected the room to be really really small, but was pleasantly surprised to see how spacious our room was. Â I appreciated the nice touches with having Crabtree and Evelyn stuff in the bathroom..... didn't expect that :) Â We had a nice sized tub/shower and then an additional sink outside of the bathroom which made getting ready for 2 really quick :) Â There was a vanity that was perfect for doing your hair, makeup etc.... Â Our room had a widescreen tv with cable..... Â We were there for fun so didn't bother with the internet so really don't have any comments around those amenities :) Â
If you're looking for a fun little local getaway.... Â you'll love this place. Â I did! Â :)
We stayed one night on the ship before we left on a Carnival Cruise, which is right next door. Â The history of the ship is very interesting and worthy of a visit to the museum during the day. Â The hotel is a different story. Â Hotel staff at the front desk, in the shops, and in the restaurant are not very friendly to guests and everything is overpriced. Â Additional fees of $10 fee per day for wireless internet service and $15 per day for parking. Â Also, due to the ship's steel exterior, it is almost impossible to get a cell phone signal in any of the rooms. Â We requested to move to another room and I was able to get a faint signal. Â
All in all, I would say skip the hotel stay and visit the museum instead.
I recently stayed at the Queen Mary, and I was very, very impressed with the service.
I'll be honest- I'm a picky, picky b!tch. Â I like things the way I like them, and when I can, I ask for them. Â The staff of the hotel did an AMAZING job of keeping up with my nitpicky requests, did it with a smile, and generally treated my annoying questions like it was no problem whatsoever. Â I would absolutely stay again.
I just returned from a two-night stay on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. My wife and I went there with two goals. The first was to experience the history of this beautiful old ship and the other was to experience the paranormal experiences that have been reported since the ship's early history.
We were a little nervous about staying on the Queen Mary, not because of ghosts, but because the customer reviews were split. Many people loved the experience, while others had written they did not enjoy themselves while on the Queen. Fortunately, for us, we did stay on board and loved it. We figured out that those who didn't appreciate the Queen were probably looking for a different experience.
The Queen Mary was launched over 77 years ago. It is a historical monument to an age of classic beauty and simple elegance. There are over 36 types of exotic woods used in decorating the interior of the ship. Most of the woods are dark which some people find oppressive. We tended to view it in context of the times and recognized its beauty. The furnishings were old style and the staterooms were kept historically accurate. They kept several features in the room that no longer work such as an old wall fan, and faucet handles for salt-water baths.
Some of the poor reviews that were accurate were about the thin walls. You can hear every word said by your neighbors at normal talking volume. This could be a real issue should you have very noisy neighbors and would influence my decision to stay on a weekend. That being said, it was not a deal breaker for us. One of our favorite things was when we were between tours or meals we would sit in the old fashion teak lounge chairs on the sun deck and read.
The ship exudes history including 40's style music playing over the ship's sound system. Maybe this adds to the ghostly feel of the hotel, but I prefer to think the preserved history keeps the spirits comfortable. While we did not see or hear anything that one would consider paranormal, we were exposed to some of the most haunted areas of the ship and felt what I call, "the chill."
If you are not familiar with the stories of ghosts on board the Queen let me give you a small sample. The late and gifted psychic Peter James would often give tours on the Queen and reported that he had identified over 600 spirits on board. Most of these spirits just hang around and do not interact with guests or employees.
Several spirits do seem to be very active, like the seven or eight year old girl named Jackie. Jackie is seen everywhere in the ship including staterooms. She is most often seen and heard around the first class pool.
Another famous spirit is that of John Pedder, a 18-year-old sailor who was the unfortunate victim of competitiveness. It seems that the crew would often play chicken with the hydraulic fire doors, jumping back and forth between the entrances as the doors closed. On July 10, 1966, John was a little slower that he though and Water Tight Door 13 trapped and crushed him, killing him almost immediately.
John now haunts the area near that door and according to the tour guide; John likes the females that tour the boiler room. It is reported that he often touches them as they come through. This is consistent with other stories at reportedly haunted locations where young men have died.
The facts are almost every employee I talked to have a ghost story to tell. When you couple that with incidents documented in the ship's log and historical accounts, evidence seems overwhelming. There are lists of folks who died on board as a well as sailors who died because their British Light Cruiser Curacoa was struck broadside by the Queen and sliced in half. Over 338 men died in the waters and possibly hitched a ghostly ride on the Queen as she sailed off. The Queen could not stop because she was carrying over 10'000 troops at the time, and at risk of torpedo attack.
The Queen Mary's halls are long and a little creepy when vacant.
My personal belief is the Queen Mary is probably one of the most haunted places I have ever visited. Unfortunately, I do not have anything to show as evidence. It is kind of like being in the forest. You may not see any bears, but you know they are there. We are looking forward to another trip back to the Queen and doing a more intensive investigation.
Even if this great ship were not haunted, I would still return and just soak up the history.
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