What to Know
- The Queen Mary, the famous Trans-Atlantic ocean-liner, has been permanently moored in Long Beach since 1967
- Serving as a hotel and event destination for many years, the attraction shuttered in March 2020; much-needed repair work soon commenced
- The ship, which is overseen by the City of Long Beach, announced that overnight stays would resume on May 12, 2023; online reservations are now open
The Queen Mary has famously stayed in one place since December 1967, but the bustling spirit found aboard the iconic ocean liner, a ship that famously crisscrossed the Atlantic hundreds of times?
There have been many notable goings-on over the decades, even as the wave-riding icon remained permanently moored in Southern California.
Tours, yes, have been popular at the Long Beach attraction, specifically the well-attended ghost tours that held spectral sway on the ship for many years. Special events, like elegant weddings and holiday happenings, also dotted the Queen Mary's social calendar.
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But many people called upon the colossal vessel to spend the night in a classic stateroom, the sort of hotel suite that hearkened back to how celebrities and fancy swells traveled the world decades ago.
Those staterooms, along with the ship itself, temporarily closed in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic.
Now they're set to reopen on May 12, 2023, just a couple of days before Mother's Day, an occasion that was long a celebratory draw for the ship when brunch was regularly served on Sundays.
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The Queen Mary made the upbeat accommodations announcement on March 25, though no information was given as to when dining will return.
The Queen Mary's future has been under urgent consideration in recent years, as the City of Long Beach resumed control of the landmark from the previous lessee Urban Commons in June 2021.
The city quickly began reviewing the critical restoration the Queen Mary required, including the removal of the ship's decaying lifeboats.
A vow to reopen near the end of 2022 was made, and special complimentary tours were announced near the end of the year. Tours of the capacious structure not only address the ship's stylishly gadabout past, when it traveled hither and yon, but also the years it served as a troop transport in World War II, along with its important role as Prime Minister Winston Churchill's "Headquarters at Sea."
Now, with the return of overnight guests, longtime fans of the Art Deco gem, which is known for its gleaming woods, silvery details, and vintage aura, may again roam those lengthy hallways and picturesque Promenade Deck.
Eager to spend the night on the storied ship? You can book your stateroom, and find out more information about the Queen Mary, at this site.
