Inside the Haunted Encounters Tour Aboard the Queen Mary

When the world practically shut down in 2020, so did the Queen Mary. The historic liner was already in need of major repairs, and even when establishments began to open their doors for business, her royal highness remained closed. I’ve kept a close eye on updates regarding the vessel, and it’s undergone not only significant renovations and maintenance but also a change in management, putting complete control back in the hands of the city of Long Beach, CA.

Last Halloween season, the attraction partnered with Shaquille O’Neal and Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group to host Shaqtoberfest on the surrounding grounds. Then, it was announced there would be a limited number of tours in January. Those booked so fast, I didn’t have a chance to reserve a spot. Fortunately, the Queen Mary is continuing with its soft opening and, as of April, has started offering more tours. When I saw Haunted Encounters on the bill, I knew it was the experience for me.

Before I delve into details about the spooky tour, I first want to share why the ship is special to me. My grandfather sailed on it during his time serving in World War II; my mother has photos of him on the vessel. Since I grew up in Long Beach and currently reside here, the liner has always been a place I love to visit. In years past, I enjoyed walking the decks, imagining what it must’ve been like in its glamorous heyday when it welcomed old Hollywood celebrities as passengers. For a brief period, a famous Marilyn Monroe exhibition was held here. My husband and I would sip on cocktails at the 1930s-inspired Observation Bar & Art Deco Lounge, and he proposed to me on the upper decks. It was also an annual tradition of ours to attend Dark Harbor, an amazing haunt that used to take place every October. Yes, the Queen Mary holds a lot of significance to me, so I’m thrilled she’s opening her doors once again after nearly three years.

Now, let’s move onto the Haunted Encounters experience. I’ve done this tour years ago, and it differed because the ship was entirely accessible at the time. Many areas and levels are still closed off to the public, so the current tour is restricted to where it can take guests. However, the one-hour excursion is worth doing.

The weather was absolutely beautiful. The sun was glistening, and the sky and ocean were equal shades of azure. Perhaps not the type of weather or time of day you’d expect for a ghostly expedition, but I reveled in it. The vessel already emanates enigmatic energy naturally, so I felt the magic as soon as I stepped foot on deck.

From what the staff told us, the tours for opening weekend were entirely booked. Our journey began in the Mauretania Room, which was the tourist class main lounge. Our guide recounted a tale that occurred during the 1980s. A cleaning crew was sent to prepare the space for a reception, and they noticed a passenger sitting in the middle of the dance floor. When the individual refused to move at their request, they called security. But the figure wouldn’t be there by the time reinforcement entered because they vanished into thin air right before the very eyes of the employees. The incident was reported and verified by the attendants sent to tidy up the room.

We continued on to explore other rooms and areas of the liner, walk down dark hallways and hear several more accounts of ghost sightings. There were too many stories shared for me to remember, and there’s no way I could do justice to them here, but they were fascinating to listen to while being in the very spots these spine-tingling events happened. Here’s a brief rundown of a few:

• There was an account of a man who approached an unchaperoned little boy, assuming he was lost, and suddenly realized he could see right through him.

• In the past, various hotel guests who’ve walked by the main lobby at night to get to the ice machine have reported seeing the bench in front of the piano move and hearing a soft melody coming from it.

• A young crew member was crushed to death by a hatch door in 1966, and his apparition is said to linger in the area. Some people say they either see him or hear running footsteps behind them. The door is now known as Hatch Door #13.

• There’s the legend of “The Lady in White” who occupied the Queen’s Salon, the first class main lounge. People would catch sight of her by the grand piano, but when the instrument was moved to Sir Winston’s restaurant, her apparition was spotted there.

• Stateroom B340 is notorious for being surrounded by high levels of paranormal activity. When Dark Harbor was around, one of the haunted mazes took guests through this area. Folks wanting to book the room were warned beforehand about the strange things occurring in there, and it’s no surprise it was commonly reserved by paranormal investigators. One couple complained to the front desk that they could turn off the special effects. When the staff told them there were no special effects set up in the room, the guests decided to cut their stay short and leave in the middle of the night.

• Speaking of hotel rooms, I have a bit of a creepy account of my own to tell. Years ago, my husband and I stayed a night on the ship. Two unusual circumstances happened, which, sadly, I slept through, so this is what my significant other told me. There were air conditioning vents in two of the upper corners of the room. When it got too cold, he turned the vents away from the bed. In the morning, he noticed they were facing us again. Then, in the middle of the night, he woke up startled because I rose up and gasped for air, then laid back down and returned to sleep. Perhaps these occurrences were unrelated to anything supernatural, but I had to mention them.

• Finally, there’s the first class swimming pool, which is another area that’s believed to be highly haunted. We weren’t able to enter but got a view from afar through a large glass window. All sorts of spirits, from adults to children, have been spotted by employees and passengers. Past tours used to venture into the space, and it’s eerie. Hopefully at some point, it’ll be accessible again.

After the tour, visitors were allowed to stay and explore on their own. I took my time wandering around the parts that were open. One deck has an exhibit featuring impressive replicas of ships, such as The Normandie, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. Many areas are still under construction and closed off, so it’s difficult to experience the Queen Mary in her full glory, but I was grateful to take what I could get.

The Haunted Encounters tour is wonderful for anyone interested in learning about the ship’s spooky history. Although the subject matter may seem frightening, it’s definitely a family-friendly activity and many kids participated in the excursion. At one time, there was a haunted tour that incorporated special effects to create a more immersive experience, so I’m wondering if that’ll make a comeback.

Besides the Haunted Encounters Tour, you can also check out the Glory Days Historical Tour and Steam & Steel Tour. Tickets are $10 and available now. The Queen Mary is also accepting reservations for hotel stays starting in May! It appears the iconic vessel is gradually coming back to life and ready to welcome guests once again. I’m eager to see what other areas of the ship are revived this year, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that a special Halloween event will happen on board this October.

Where to Stalk

The Queen Mary official website

Queen Mary Tour Tickets via FareHarbor