Ocean liner fans rejoice! The Queen Mary reopened for hotel guests in May and in June, I had the privilege of spending two nights on board. I'll be uploading my album of the ship over the next few days and discussing the history of the ship that I learned while onboard.
First, a look at the room. When the ship was retired in 1967, the First-Class cabins were selected for conversion into the hotel section of the ship, while the Second and Third-Class cabins were were demolished or converted for office use by hotel staff. A First-Class cabin when the ship was in service went for the modern day equivalent of around $10,000 USD, today it goes for $300 for a double suite.Also fun fact, that fan does in fact, not work.
Stepping outside of the room, we are greeted by the Ticketing Bureau office. When the ship was still in service, this office would be where passengers would go to arrange transfer to rail, air, or even other ships once the ship docked. I'll be returning later when the room is open to give you a better look inside.
Ditto
The hotel gym
Entering the Promenade Deck. These shops once served First-Class passengers. Selling books, newspapers, and assorted memorabilia. Today they serve or more less the same purpose.
Cheeky little timestamp :)
The B-427. A Foxtrot-class submarine built in 1971 for service in the Soviet Pacific Fleet. Upon the dissolution of the Union, the aging submarine was declared surplus to the Russian Navy's requirements and retired in 1994, shortly thereafter it was purchased and moored alongside the Queen Mary as a tourist attraction for the better part of 20 years before the museum closed in 2016 and the ship fell into near complete disrepair (still in better shape than the Admiral Kuznetsov though). Today, it lies abandoned with the gates welded shut to discourage the curious from boarding. The City of Long Beach has spent years trying to get rid of the submarine, not just because of its unsightly appearance but, because it would seriously damage the Queen herself if it were to capsize. So far however, its remains in place.I actually visited the B-427 in 2012, a few years before its closure, but that's a story for another time.
The promenade deck. Unfortunately the lifeboat deck remains closed off due to ongoing remodeling so this is the highest I'll be able to get on the ship.
Currently, there's only one proper restaurant open onboard (not counting the bar and various coffee shops) but its more than enough for me.
Hmmmmm... Eggs Benedict.
Well, it's past 1AM here so I'll be going to bed. I'll try and upload some more pics tomorrow.Let me leave you with a sneak up of what I'll be posting next though.
neat.Keep posting OP. I hope you enjoyed your eggs benedict, they look fine.Is it just the pics, or does the ship feel a bit shabby tho?
>>1938394>Is it just the pics, or does the ship feel a bit shabby tho?It's seen better days. The restoration is still very much an ongoing effort. The dummy funnels in particular were in bad shape. Turns out they haven't been fully repainted since they were installed in 1970.
>>1938394i feel somewhat the same.would love to book a voyage on her but they seem to be few and far between.
Sorry, I've been out traveling some more my dudes. I'll post some more pics in the morning.
>>1941937I can't believe the submarine is still there. Wasn't it condemned or something because the hull flooded, and the city was trying to get rid of it? There aren't any news articles about it newer than 2021.
>>1941937MOAR
Sorry, I keep getting distracted by other shit guys.>>1941956The City of Long Beach has been trying to get rid of it pretty much since it closed in 2015, the problem is like a great many things, a matter of money.At one point, a Russian businessman who had been a Soviet Navy sailor was supposedly looking into buying the submarine and but I guess that plan fell through.My guess is that the sub probably could be restored, but I highly doubt anyone with the interest has the money to do it. Not to mention that the sub's association with the Soviet Union will likely become a political barrier in the future.>>1942009Ask and you shall receive
The only surviving lifeboat (the two motor launches are still on display near the bridge however). All of the others had rotted to the point where they were literally falling apart and their weight was actually starting to warp the steel hull. They were removed and scrapped in mid-2022 before the ship reopened.
Bow of the B-427.
A ferryboat that takes people out on charters to Santa Catalina Island.
Size comparison
>>1938376They had rotating fans back then?
Beautiful ship
>>1938381Thread hidden
>>1938375Great pix, anon. Thanks for sharing. A grand era gone.
>>1938375>Ocean liner fansaka Boomers, and lovers of extremely high rates of pollution
>>1938394OPs camera seems to be a piece of shit because the photo of the submarine still has that weird aesthetic.But also the interior design of the ship is very early-mid 20th century art deco. Still a nice ship, but looks better in person.
>>1945154good thing there's only one left :^)
>>1943812theyve had them since the 1910s
>>1938375Thanks for posting these pics anon. Very cool to see the old gal.>>1943773>you vs. the guy she tells you not to worry about
>>1938375I really enjoyed your thread. For once, OP was NOT a...
>>1938394i grew up there, tje ship is a little patchwork because i have to imagine its a large project you cant do all at once. there's a lot of nice pieces but yeah the ship as a whole is definitely shabby
>>1944080Nigger.
OP hereSorry I abandoned this thread. It's been a busy past few months. I'll try and catch up by posting some more.
Fun fact, that lighthouse is just for show. It was built by the Lions Clubs International charity in 2000.
Lunchtime
Returning to the First Class shops awaiting the start of the tour.
Diagram of the ship.
LEGO model of the ship. I'm told that it's the largest LEGO model of a ship currently in existence and one of the largest in the world.
Couldn't even get it all in one photo it's that big
Good ole' Winston
>>1938375ewwemissions are fucking awful from liners like this. much worse than flying even. don't use them
>>1954021
>>1954021silence
>>1954021stfu faggot
>>1938708Holy fuck that rotting paint
>>1938375What was it like?
>>1961890Quite fun and reasonably priced too.
>>1938375I feel like i'd rather just do the queen mary 2 on a transatlantic, it's only like $800 per person if you book during shitty times of year and don't care about having an interior cabin.I don't get the point of staying on a boat that doesn't go anywhere.
>>1962539But it’s ugly though
>>1965695Yeah, but it actually takes you somewhere for your money, AND it's still a hotel when you're on board.Also Queen Anne's first cruises are in a few months if you want something newer and not quite as large as Queen Mary 2.
>>1945154Why dont you get angry at gooks when they pollute. Give a hoot, dont pollute
>>1943768Mobile harbor, Alabama has the USS Drum and the Battleship. It would be neat if they had two subs.
OP here, gonna post some pics from my phone.
Hope y’all have a very merry Christmas
>>1954021Silence
>>1938377>>1938376>>1938378Depressing and familiar
>>1938708Jesus Christ that paint
>>1938375Comfy thread
Continuing from >>1954001Meet our tour guide. Guy was originally laid off when the hotel closed in 2020 and immediately quit his new job to get his old position back when the Queen Mary reopened, pretty dedicated guy.
He explained that the Queen Mary in carpentry circles is known as the Ship of Woods. Over 50 different types of wood were used to make the ship's furnishings, one for each colony and commonwealth member of the British Empire. Several of these species of wood are now extinct, making them exceedingly rare.
The ship's First Class playroom. This room is actually a fraction of its former size, it once comprised of two floors and even had a full-sized slide connecting them.
The First Class Main Lounge, where passengers would come to read, smoke, drink, and chat.
This room is actually one of several you can rent for use in everything from banquets to weddings. It will cost you a pretty penny though.
Postcards showcasing various rooms of the ship that no longer exist.
The Second Class Lounge, I actually honestly prefer the artwork of this one. Not as big, but impressive nonetheless.
Little cowboy statue.
Unfortunately it was very late in the day so I didn't have time to explore the engineering section of the ship. Maybe next time.
>>1978436Good enthusiasm but how come all your photos look like they were taken with a digital camera from 2002. And on top of that they're out of focus and it looks like there was oil smeared over the lens. Do you not review your photos after you take them?
>>1978498It was a camera that was made in 2012 if memory serves and unfortunately it just fucking sucks. I've tried customizing the settings to make it higher quality and they either just come out worse or the shots take forever to take capture and I basically can only take stills.
>>1945154>lovers of extremely high rates of pollutionBecause dumping thousands of gallons of jet fuel into the atmosphere is just fine and dandy right?
>>1982117yes
>>1938381Man, I hope you're not who I think you are because if so it was very stupid of you to post that image and I do mean this in the best way possible.
>>1984025cringe
>>1984025Holy moly, someone here is seething lol
Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun. Numerous batteries were installed when the Queen Mary was a troopship during WWII. I believe this was a post-war example that was reinstalled when it became a museum though.
Models of various other Cunard vessels, plus the Titanic.
Some of the paint's falling off near the bridge.
Dinnertime
Post themehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUH0dEe1jvA
>>1965698Is that sea lion bottom left a joke
>>1990552Hyppo
>>1990552Do you think they have an actual wine cellar down there too?
As you can see, they have sections of the bow still sealed off so they can replace the decking, some of that wood has been there quite literally since the ship was built.
A small display of the ship's firefighting equipment
And now to close out with the ship's bar. Newly restored.
Well that's it for the photos. Unfortunately I only had time to stay on the ship for one full day due to late arrival/early departure but I think I made the most of it.It's been a fun 10 months. If anyone else has been to the Queen Mary or just wants to post about ocean liners in general, feel free to do so, otherwise I'll just let this thread die.
very cool>>1938381based
