Living in California, you get accustomed to many sights. The Hollywood sign, Dodger Stadium lit up at night, fireworks at Disneyland (you get the idea). These are all staples here in California, but one resident among these monoliths of tourism and entertainment is Long Beach’s Queen Mary.
The ship has been docked in the Port of Long Beach since Dec. 9, 1967, when she arrived following her final voyage from Southampton, England. Since then, she has welcomed countless visitors, some of whom have apparently decided they liked the place enough to never leave.
Yep, the G word. Ghosts.
This season, the Queen Mary has some spooktacular opportunities for paranormal and history fans to check out. We highly recommend you lock in those tickets and reservations because you don’t want to be dead last among your friends.
The Queen Mary is celebrating the 90th anniversary of her maiden voyage this year, and the ship is leaning heavily into the paranormal history that has become such a big part of her modern identity. As of this writing, visitors can experience three new immersive staterooms as part of Paranormal Passage, allowing guests to actually spend the night surrounded by stories inspired by some of the ship’s most famous legends.
The new overnight experiences are located in staterooms B326, B328 and B334, each offering a different atmosphere and connection to the Queen Mary’s paranormal lore. Guests can choose from The Dressing Chamber, inspired by the legendary Lady in White, Jackie’s Room, based on the spirit associated with the ship’s former first class swimming pool, or The Officer’s Study, which draws from stories of uniformed figures reportedly seen throughout the ship.
If sleeping aboard one of the country’s most famous haunted ships isn’t quite enough, the Queen Mary is also introducing Spookeasy for guests 21 and older. Beginning Sept. 28, the evening combines stories from the ship’s haunted history with cocktails, a mini tour and a visit to the hidden N.o3 Speakeasy, where guests can take part in tarot and palm readings, a sound bath and more handcrafted cocktails. Spookeasy runs Sept. 28, Oct. 5, 12 and 19 from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
The Queen Mary is also getting into the Halloween food game with the new Grey Ghost Galley, an all you can eat Halloween buffet inside the ship’s Show Room. The 90-minute experience features a variety of dinner favorites and themed desserts, along with early access aboard the Queen Mary before Dark Harbor opens. The buffet is available on Dark Harbor nights, with seating at 6 p.m. and an additional 4 p.m. option on Fridays and Saturdays.
For those who prefer their Halloween entertainment with a murder mystery, Murder on the High Seas combines a three course dinner with suspicious characters, clues and audience participation as guests attempt to solve the case. The experience runs on select dates through Oct. 19.
If that wasn’t enough, the folks at the Queen Mary want you to stick around a while and check out some horror classics with Movies on the Mary.
First up is the granddaddy of all slashers, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho takes a stab at the big screen on Sept. 28, followed by Beetlejuice on Oct. 12 and The Shining on Oct. 19.
There is also a Spooky Package available for $125 that bundles admission to Murder on the High Seas, Movies on the Mary and Spookeasy, giving visitors another way to pack multiple spooky experiences into their Queen Mary visit.
And, of course, the ship’s year round paranormal attractions aren’t going anywhere. Graveyard Tour, Paranormal Ship Walk and Haunted Encounters will continue taking visitors into the Queen Mary’s history, reported paranormal activity and some of the lesser seen areas aboard the ship. Jackie’s Spirit Shoppe will also be open for those looking to take home a little piece of the ship’s supernatural side.
Then there is Dark Harbor, which returns for select nights from Sept. 18 through Nov. 1 with its mazes, monsters and maritime mayhem. Guests looking to make a full night of it can also book the Dark Harbor VIP Hotel Package, which includes special perks connected to their stay.
For upcoming events, tickets and additional information, visit the Queen Mary’s seasonal events page.