Ghost ship: is the Queen Mary really haunted?
15:00 AEST Fri Sep 9 2011
Kate went to Long Beach in Los Angeles to board the Queen Mary, the grand old dame who set the standard back in the 1930s.
The Queen Mary had her maiden voyage in 1936 and sailed mostly in the North Atlantic. It was the preferred mode of travel for the elite and wealthy. It oozed elegance and style but was also a troopship ferrying allied soldiers for the duration of WWII.
Following the war, she was refitted, and along with Queen Elizabeth, dominated trans-Atlantic transportation until the jet age in the late 1950s.
After completing 1001 Atlantic crossings, the retired ocean liner sailed into Long Beach in 1967 and offers a unique alternative to your stay in LA. There are 314 original firsts-class staterooms including nine full suites on three decks. Each cabin is appointed with rich wood panelling, art deco built-ins, original artworks and outside cabins have portholes. Exquisite ballrooms sweep you back to the romance and elegance of this beautiful vessel.
There are seven restaurants and lounges, shops, fitness centre and plenty of attractions and entertainment and a beautifully restored observation lounge. 'Passengers' are welcome to take self-guided or guided tours of the ship. Whether you are interested in art deco, history, the ships WWII service or paranormal investigations, there is plenty to satisfy.
Paranormal may sound a little out there, but for years, the Queen Mary has been rumoured to be home to poltergeists, ghostly apparitions and hundreds of souls who lost their lives at sea! The spirits of sailors and passengers draw ghost hunters on board for paranormal encounters from casual to intense.
It is ranked the sixth most haunted location in the United States with a reported 49 deaths and you can find out all about it on a Haunted Encounters tour.
Each Saturday, following dinner at Sir Winston's Restaurant, guests are led on a ghost exploration to Paranormal Hot Spots. Expect the unexpected! Visitors have often reported forms of unnatural activity, including sounds, smells, temperature changes and occasionally, visual activity.
The most haunted area is said to be the first class pool, and it's said the spirit of a seven-year-old girl can make her presence felt there. Some have said to have seen apparitions in their room, lights flicking on and off and housekeepers have reported freshly made beds being dishevelled.
Serious enthusiasts can join resident psychic Erika Frost on an evening tour of haunted areas. They start at 8pm and move at a slow pace.
In keeping with things ghostly, the ship is transformed into a giant haunted house during the October Halloween season. There are seven mazes on and off the ship, dance parties and live bands.