Time for another installment about my time spent onboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.  In case you’re just catching up, I had the opportunity to spend a few nights onboard this famous Cunard ocean liner turned floating hotel.

External view of the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA
External view of the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA

The Queen Mary was launched in 1936 and after she was retired in 1967 she was purchased by the city of Long Beach and turned into a tourist attraction.  She’s had her fair share of ups and downs since then and is currently docked, welcoming guests while at the same time in need of millions of dollars worth of repairs to keep her from rotting away into history.

So far, I’ve given you some background information on the ship and my visit, a look around my stateroom and the bathroom, and took you on a tour of the ship’s creepy Isolation Ward.  Today, I’ll take you around some of the public spaces onboard the Queen Mary where you can get an appreciation of how beautiful this ship must have been when she originally set sail.

Let’s go for a stroll!

One of the first areas you will see when you check-in, is of course, the hotel’s front desk.  A small desk by today’s ship and hotel standards, but it fits the bill.

The check in desk at the Queen Mary
The check-in desk at the Queen Mary

One of the more beautiful spots onboard, and one that truly showcases some of the art-deco design is the ship’s Observation Bar.

An art-deco style ceiling light in the Observation Bar on the Queen Mary
An art-deco style ceiling light in the Observation Bar on the Queen Mary
A beautiful railing in the Observation Bar on the Queen Mary
A beautiful railing in the Observation Bar on the Queen Mary
The Observation Bar on the Queen Mary
The Observation Bar on the Queen Mary

I managed to poke my way into one of the event spaces onboard, the ship’s Royal Salon, where wood paneling, art deco ceiling lamps and fireplaces with nautical artwork above give the room an opulent feel.  I can’t help but wonder what this room looked like back in the ship’s heyday when it was more meticulously cared for.  As you can see, time has taken her toll on some of the woodwork.

Some carvings in the wood paneling that lines the walls in the Queen Mary's Royal Salon
Some carvings in the wood paneling that lines the walls in the Queen Mary’s Royal Salon
Wood paneled walls in the Royal Salon on the Queen Mary
Wood paneled walls in the Royal Salon on the Queen Mary
A look at the Queen Mary's Royal Salon setup for a meeting
A look at the Queen Mary’s Royal Salon setup for a meeting
A serving area in the Royal Salon on the Queen Mary
A serving area in the Royal Salon on the Queen Mary
A fireplace in the Queen Mary's Royal Salon
A fireplace in the Queen Mary’s Royal Salon
An area that may be a coat room or a bar in the Royal Salon on the Queen Mary
An area that may be a coat room or a bar in the Royal Salon on the Queen Mary
A stylish door with frosted windows and an art deco frame in the Royal Salon on the Queen Mary
A stylish door with frosted windows and an art deco frame in the Royal Salon on the Queen Mary
An art deco ceiling lamp in the Royal Salon of the Queen Mary
An art deco ceiling lamp in the Royal Salon of the Queen Mary

There are several exhibits set behind glass on the passenger cabin decks throughout the ship.  This is the original first class Travel Bureau as it was remodeled after World War II.  The desks and chairs are those that were onboard the ship when she arrived in Long Beach.  Original desktop accessories and copies of brochures were placed to show what passengers would be looking at should they choose to book another voyage on the Queen Mary, other Cunard ships, or make train or plane reservations.

The first class Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary
The first class Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary
A table with a brochure in the Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary
A table with a brochure in the Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary
The first class Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary
The first class Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary
A desk in the first class Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary where passengers would sit and talk to ship staff about a future voyage
A desk in the first class Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary where passengers would sit and talk to ship staff about a future voyage
A desk in the first class Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary where passengers would sit and talk to ship staff about a future voyage
A desk in the first class Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary where passengers would sit and talk to ship staff about a future voyage
A table with a brochure in the Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary - notice the ash tray!
A table with a brochure in the Travel Bureau on the Queen Mary – notice the ash tray!

At the entrance to the ship’s first-class fitness center is an exhibit that displays some very vintage equipment that passengers would exercise on during a transatlantic voyage – including one of the famous vibration machines that many thought actually worked!

Some vintage fitness equipment that was part of the Queen Mary's gym during her time
Some vintage fitness equipment that was part of the Queen Mary’s gym during her time
Some vintage fitness equipment that was part of the Queen Mary's gym during her time
Some vintage fitness equipment that was part of the Queen Mary’s gym during her time

Walking around the ship can be confusing, especially in the decks that house the passenger staterooms.  There are many halls, passageways, and stairwells – some leading to places, some going nowhere!

Stateroom corridor on the Queen Mary
Stateroom corridor on the Queen Mary
Stateroom corridor on the Queen Mary
Stateroom corridor on the Queen Mary
One of the Queen Mary's stairs from the Promenade Deck leading inside
One of the Queen Mary’s stairs from the Promenade Deck leading inside
Some very worn and not so well maintained stairs on the Queen Mary
Some very worn and not so well maintained stairs on the Queen Mary
Some very worn and not so well maintained stairs on the Queen Mary
Some very worn and not so well maintained stairs on the Queen Mary
A typical landing on the Queen Mary
A typical landing on the Queen Mary
Wood and metal are featured in many of the Queen Mary's stairwells
Wood and metal are featured in many of the Queen Mary’s stairwells
Watch your head! Some of the stairwells on the Queen Mary don't offer much headroom
Watch your head! Some of the stairwells on the Queen Mary don’t offer much headroom
A stairwell near a now un-used bank of elevators
A stairwell near a now un-used bank of elevators

Speaking of elevators, many are no longer in operations, but here is one bank that is…

A working bank of passenger elevators on the Queen Mary
A working bank of passenger elevators on the Queen Mary
A working bank of passenger elevators on the Queen Mary
A working bank of passenger elevators on the Queen Mary

…and one that isn’t.

One of the Queen Mary's elevators that is no longer an elevator
One of the Queen Mary’s elevators that is no longer an elevator

Here’s one of the ship’s bars that did not have any name (that I could find), isn’t on any of the ship’s maps and wasn’t open during my visit.  It’s right to the side of the hotel’s front desk on A-Deck.  It does have nice views through the large windows and has that classic bar look with its black leather padding.

An unnamed bar on A Deck just off to the side of the Queen Mary's front desk
An unnamed bar on A Deck just off to the side of the Queen Mary’s front desk
Windows of this unnamed bar give a look out onto the city of Long Beach
Windows of this unnamed bar give a look out onto the city of Long Beach
The lounge area of this unnamed bar on the Queen Mary
The lounge area of this unnamed bar on the Queen Mary

This vintage 1930’s piano sits outside this bar and is an original piece.

An original 1930's piano on the Queen Mary
An original 1930’s piano on the Queen Mary

The Promenade Deck is the area onboard the Queen Mary where one can do some shopping, sign up for the Wyndham Vacation Club (yes, the QM is part of that group), have a glass of wine in the Malibu Wines bar, check out some of the historical exhibits and make your way to the Observation Bar.

A look at the Promenade Deck on the Queen Mary
A look at the Promenade Deck on the Queen Mary
Malibu Wines wine bar on the Queen Mary
Malibu Wines wine bar on the Queen Mary
The Promenade Deck on the Queen Mary
The Promenade Deck on the Queen Mary

Here are some photos from some of the exhibits that are off the Promenade Deck that have original pieces of furnishings from the ship that have been archived and preserved.

An original Grand Piano from the Queen Mary
An original Grand Piano from the Queen Mary
Photos of the Queen Mary's Cinema
Photos of the Queen Mary’s Cinema
A Charles Cameron Bailie clock with illuminated glass panels, green onyx and etched glass that was in the 1st Class Main Lounge on the Queen Mary
A Charles Cameron Bailie clock with illuminated glass panels, green onyx and etched glass that was in the 1st Class Main Lounge on the Queen Mary
The Captain's Rose Bowl which was presented to Cunard on behalf of the British marine insurance companies as an expression of pride in the Queen Mary
The Captain’s Rose Bowl which was presented to Cunard on behalf of the British marine insurance companies as an expression of pride in the Queen Mary

For a walk around some of these public spaces, be sure to watch the videos below:

In my next installment, I’ll take you around the outside decks of the Queen Mary where you can quickly see that time has not been on her side and a lot of maintenance work needs to be done to preserve her.

 

Leave a Reply