I was fortunate enough to attend many of the events that happened on the Queen Mary yesterday for her anniversary. It was so grand to hear so many speak so lovingly about the past, present and future of this glorious ship. Long Beach and Evolution Hospitality are doing a remarkable job. From Steve Caloca’s speeches you could tell he obviously loves this ship very much. I got to watch the reveal of the Royal Standard (reproduction) in its proper place! I am very excited about the future plans and look forward to enjoying her beauty for decades to come.
Happy birthday to number 534, the Grey Ghost, the Blue Ribander. Happy birthday to my all-time favorite ship ever. Still the stateliest ship now in being. Thanks for the fantastic video, as always, Alex. And... thank you for introducing this magnificent ship to me to begin with! Long may the Queen reign. 👑
You're actually the reason i started to like the qeueen mary. My favorite room is the grand salon, specifically the mural Happy 90th. Birthday queem mary
She's looking pretty damn good for a 90 year old lady. And I'm sure the Queen didn't realize how true her words would be. Like the RMS Aquitania, Hull #534 went on to have a successful life.
Alex, your probably the reason why I got back into ships. I’ve been to the queen Mary 2 times, first in 2020 and second in 2023. Queen Mary is an absolute beauty and I’m so glad to be here for her 90th birthday. Thank you.
To think that the RMS Queen Mary is the last ocean liner of her kind makes her one of the world’s greatest treasures. She remains a symbol of hope and beauty of her time. The fact that she’s still here makes her an even bigger symbol of hope of a time long since passed. Happy Birthday to the RMS Queen Mary!
Well, for me she's still 88. I don't start counting the life of a ship until her maiden voyage. But still, I must say that the Queen Mary is the most beautiful ocean liner ever built for me!
Great video and great historic footage! I attended the 90s birthday ceremony and was lucky to meet a lady named June who came on the ship as a war bride, she's 96 and she was a guest of honor.
It is rumored that, when Cunard wrote to the King to request his permission to name the new ship after “Britain’s most famous Queen” that he would know that they meant Queen Victoria. However, Queen Mary intercepted the letter and drafted the reply for the King, which read “I should be delighted if you would name the ship after my wife.” So, having more or less already let the nation know that the new ship was to be known as the Queen Victoria, Cunard had no choice but to name her the Queen Mary.
Yeah that story was more or less made up by the press to sell papers. I try not to repeat it because people in general tend to like the entertaining notion of the story and then proceed to think of it as fact.
Such fantastic detailed history about the majestic RMS Queen Mary. You narrate so beautifully Alex. You are a true professional with your videos. Thank you.
I’m wondering if any of those models still exist Also, fun fact. That fireboat on her maiden voyage shooting up the water escorted her out of NY for the last time too. She still exists today in NY.
The water testing models don't exist anymore to my knowledge, but the hull models and at least 1 builders model of the ship still exist and both are in fine condition today.
Great job Alex. Have you thought about doing a video on the SS United States? Her future doesn't look too bright these days unfortunately. Maybe neat to capture her legacy before she is gone.
Wow, 90 years old wow she years old but she survived so much the great depression in 1930 then award war and pandemic wow truly a ship with a lot of history
The Queen Mary was oil-fired I know! I also know Titanic’s sister ship Olympic had her boilers converted from coal to oil. I bet if Titanic hadn’t sunk she would have had her boilers converted to oil too!
That's not how ship age is calculated. Officially, a ship is "born" on her launch day, the first time the ship floats in water. That's an important thing for ship fans to know. But don't worry, we all learn something everyday!
A seemingly unrelated video, about the Clydebank Singer factory, shows a brief shot of the Queen Mary under construction: ruclips.net/video/bIMxwy8CLkw/видео.html - around the 2 minute mark.
@harryvlogs7833 That's true. I think it's because since this video wasn't about White Star Line, I wanted to keep my focus on the Queen Mary as it's subject.
What was that guy's name again? The CEO of White Star who later oversaw the merger with Cunard in Parliament. I don't understand why he thought that was a good idea in the best interest of his company. On one hand, the merger obviously did help with getting Queen Mary built and revitalizing the economy so people could survive, but on the other hand, he effectively killed White Star, the company he was in charge of. Sounds like a sell out to me. That aside, a warm Happy 90th Birthday to Queen Mary. I may be late but I wished her such elsewhere the day of, so it doesn't count lol. Always glad to have also learned a few new things here.
He wasn't CEO he was chairman. What Walter Runciman did may not have saved the company but it saved jobs. Both Cunard and White Star Line would have foundered...gone forever, without government intervention. But the government and Runciman felt, why let two companies die and lose thousands of jobs, when you can merge the companies, get a government rescue, and save thousands of people's jobs.
It's marketed that way yes. I've been there myself and my friends are there very frequently, they report some areas that feel a bit creepy, the odd sight or sound. But it's not haunted the way they market it as. There is no little girl "Jackie" in the pool, or a vortex to the afterlife in the changing rooms. If it's haunted, it's haunted by the many happy spirits that briefly called the ship home during their voyages.
Yet after 90's years it's taken on a new name "The Spooky House" My friends reference the Queen Mary that way. The city of Long Beach has taken the ship hostage with all these Tours, the cost to board the Queen Mary is basically $45.00 and above and the cost of food and drinks are through the roof. Now here comes Dark Harbor "Cash and Grab" Most likely for the holiday's it will be "Holiday Madness" lol Thank You for sharing the history, Yet Unfortunately all you Queen Mary tubers are going to be forced to drink that kool-aid if you want any support. I guarantee you the Mayor of Long Beach and the General Manager wouldn't even give any of you the time of day if you didn't drink that Kool-Aid, it's all business.. Captain James stated at the 90th Anniversary "WE all bleed Mary in our veins"...Not ME
I've met Mayor Rex Richardson, City Manager Tom Modica, and Director of Economic Development Johnny Vallejo on a zoom call, they didn't know who I was before I introduced myself but we had a great conversation about the future of the ship, and I can tell you they all care deeply about the ship. I can tell when someone is disingenuous. I've also had email conversations with Queen Mary General Manager Steve Caloca, he didn't know who I was prior to our first conversations, and yet he's developed many ideas I've volunteered to help the ship. Steve Caloca was a huge fan of the ship the moment he arrived, he enlisted the help of several Queen Mary historians and enthusiasts to walk around the ship with him and teach him about it. To this day, he still answers emails sent to him by the general public who have concerns about the ship. If you walk around the ship and see him and stop to ask him a question, he will give you his full attention and do it with a smile. Let's also remember that Steve Caloca is the first person in the last 30 years who had the integrity and the know-how to make the ship profitable. Yes, some people would consider the cost of admission on the ship "through the roof", but all those costs of admission go into the restoration of the ship, a restoration that is observable and palpable. As a former professional chef myself I can tell you that the food on the Queen Mary may cost too much in your eyes, but it is fair prices for what it is and how it's made, and the quality of the ingredients. Their steakhouse charges $19 for a fancy cheeseburger and wedge fries, that price is comparable to other steakhouses of it's caliber, and yet the one on Queen Mary is properly cooked and won't run you the risk of E. coli poisoning. I think the real issue you have is that the ship doesn't have a McDonalds on it. You may have an axe to grind about the past. But you are wrong about everything else in your complaint. I've met the people that keep the ship running, they're wonderful people who care about the ship. If you don't want to support my channel because I support the Queen Mary...then fine, that's on you. Not me.
@@AlextheHistorian Thank You for sharing, watching your past videos I'm aware that you are in contact with the Queen Mary staff. I've also heard you on a few occasions straddle the fence regarding ghost and the paranormal. It is no secret that Knott's Berry farm's Big Money Maker is Knott Scary Farm the Halloween haunt, Disneyland has added more days to the "oogie boogie" that sell out. The Mayor of Long Beach is a businessman and he's going to do what it takes to bring in the cash flow rolling in to keep the Queen Mary afloat. It's nice that you're in conversation with the staff Yet I guarantee you the day you start sharing we need to tone down the ghost, you will never hear from them again. Thanks Disney "The Spooky House theme" It's interesting that you're planning a trip to New Orleans Yet you won't come by Long Beach and visit the Queen Mary General Manager Steve was on a radio Interview during his first months as GM, he refused to talk about the Ghost and paranormal, he wanted to talk about the history of the Queen Mary. Well that's all changed now, he's on the City of Long Beach's bandwagon now "The Ghosts are Staying" If it's all what you say Grand and Great, why don't you fundraise to come back to Long Beach and walk the decks yourself. You know that it will cost you a boatload of money to stay on the ship for one or two nights. It's nice to have all the enthusiasm for the Queen Mary Yet it's exhausting to share with friends and family - their minds are made up about being a ghost ship, some won't even come ! they could care less about the history and that's Unfortunate, it's all a big facade. Not only is the Queen Mary cashing in but also all the RUclipsrs that chase ghosts up and down hallways $$$
@govideo6706 yes I understand your frustration with the selling of the whole ghost aspect of the ship. And to an extent, you are right that no one is willing to let go of the Haunted tours and dark harbor thing. Yes, it's because it pulls in big cash...ghosts pull in large amounts of money for the ship. But what do you expect? If you have a coffee shop that makes more money selling a muffin than they do selling a cup of coffee, would you expect them to give up muffins to focus on improving their coffee? No. They're gonna keep selling muffins until a better idea comes along. That's what most naysayers don't understand about the managing of the Queen Mary, they want them to give up their most profitable marketing ploy, but not offer them an alternative that is guaranteed to produce more money in the long run. The management are not like Disney who have a creative wing of the company that dreams up new ideas, they're just a management company. Their imagination doesn't extend beyond the length of a spreadsheet. That's not a terrible thing...its just that people expect these non-creatives to be creative. So I've been feeding them comprehensive, creative ideas to earn them more money, many of my ideas have been implemented with great success. For instance, they recently started selling all-in-one "vacation" experiences aimed at replicating a voyage across the Atlantic, albeit with a few more fun or enticing amenities for the modern day visitor. That was my idea, and just 24 hours after they announced it, every one of the events sold out. I've also pitched an idea for a re-use of the convention hall space that would help them make money hand-over fist. And as long as the convention space is used full-time for a new and profitable attraction, they can't use that space to put a haunt maze in. If we pitch ideas that give them a much more profitable alternative, they will have to reduce their "ghost offerings". For instance, they can't use the swimming pool room for ghost tours if it's being used full time as part of an all new Spa on R deck to take the place of the former Turkish Baths. A high end spa would earn them more money than a periodic ghost tour. You have to give them profitable alternatives. As for why I'm going to New Orleans instead of Queen Mary, that's simple, if I go to Queen Mary, the only content I can produce from it is Queen Mary content that is interesting only to ocean liner fans. But if I go to New Orleans I can create a much wider range of content which will attract a wider audience and earn me more money. It's a shrewd business decision. Next time I go to Queen Mary, it will be during my layover flight to New York to catch the QM2 to Southampton. Incorporating the expense as part of my UK travel plans. When you run a RUclips channel you have to be strategic about what content you make and when to air it.
You're correct in saying Creative Idea's - Dark Harbor is off to a rough start, the reviews are a - Disastrous MESS, there's no organization whatsoever with regarding the event, most are saying it's not Safe! Good to hear your in touch with QM staff, hope it continues along with the creative workings for the Ship. Thank You for the follow up, Good Travels! Takecare
To be fair, it wasn't our country that saved the Queen Mary. It was a California city that was desperate to become a major tourist town, they put up money for it generated from the oil fracking they do. So it wasn't even taxpayer dollars. To save the SS United States, it would have taken the actual government and actual taxpayer dollars, and there was no guarantee that the ship would have opened as a successful attraction.
@@AlextheHistorian I totally agree what I meant was that our country rescued an ocean liner from another country and sadly couldn’t manage to save one of own rather it was a city or our government that did so . The ss United States in so many ways doomed by circumstances even before it was launched the coming of the jet age and tragically the heavy use of asbestos in its interior it had to be gutted for the safety of anyone who entered and that left it a useless piece of floating steel . I’am actually happy that the queen was saved and the community came together recently to invest into her by making much needed repairs etc . I personally would have rather scene the United States scrapped than turned into an artificial reef but I don’t have any say . Part of me always hoped that it could be revived but it’s lingered for decades and it was only a matter of time until it was scrapped. I hope that queen Mary can survive for many more decades. I have always been a fan of all the older ocean liners but time moves on and decisions have to be made. Great video I really enjoyed it 👍👍👍👍.
Still so sad to think America will happily buy a British ship and preserve it but allow the SSUS to end up in the sorry state it is. Mismanagement and everything else aside, all it would take is one history-minded billionaire lol
It wasn't "America" that bought the Queen Mary, it was a single city looking to make their waterfront more of a tourist destination. And that was because it happened at the right place and the right time. In 1967 Long Beach was considering building a brick-and-mortar musuem, but the Queen Mary went up for sale and it was cheaper to buy it than build a museum on water-front property so that's what they did. The SS United States wasn't even up for auction until a few years later, otherwise I'm sure Long Beach would have bought it instead. But it's no surprise that the SSUS has had difficulty finding this same fate, because Queen Mary's purchase by Long Beach, and the way she is cared for, is a very unique situation that is difficult to replicate anywhere else in the United States. Queen Mary was purchased with oil fracking money, not taxpayer dollars; she is moored at a dock that is bundled together with her in a way that prevents her from needing to pay docking fees and other state expenses, unlike other ships. And lastly, she was immediately re-designated as a floating building rather than a ship, which has allowed her to keep er original interiors. Queen Mary's situation is essentially a very lucky one, almost a once-in-a-lifetime alignment of the stars. You can't blame the country for that unique scenario not happening for the SSUS. The SSUS faces such hard to overcome obstacles, its no surprise that nothing has happened for her.
@@AlextheHistorian Thanks for the history lesson! I knew it wasn't so much "America" but Long Beach itself, but lots of interesting facts in here. Visiting Queen Mary is a big bucket list item for me. SSUS would be too if things were different.
The City of Long Beach, California purchased the QUEEN MARY, in 1967. The SSUS wasn't up for sale as it was still in service till 1969. And truth be told the Queen Mary with its rich history and much more elaborate, and beautiful interiors, and more impressive exterior design, make it a much more desirable museum and Hotel ship. And of course being in a great climate like southern California where it gets little rain, no snow helps preserve it. Unfortunately, the climate where the SSUS has been docked for nearly 30 years does not offer that. Sadly, when the SSUS had its interior completely gutted, it's fate was sealed. Poor thing has been dying a long slow death for decades. I hope she winds up an artificial reef, and not sent to the scrappers. Will know soon.
@@johnfranklin5277 This really is where the sadness comes from. I do understand the unique situations that led to QM being where she is (even more now with Alex' explainer above) and SSUS being where she is, but from a zoomed-out kind of perspective though, it looks the way it looks. America's last flagship ocean liner, holder of the blue riband, left to rot for 30 years, selling her own interiors piecemeal to pay her rent, then ultimately evicted and scrapped or sunk. It feels tragic. And all it would take is one billionaire who cares about history. She'll never sail again, nor will she ever have her original interiors, but she COULD be restored in much the same way Brunel's SS Great Britain in Bristol, UK was. The only obstacle is cost. If America wanted a worthy attraction to showcase it's rich civilian maritime history, a restored SS United States as a museum ship in New York Harbor would be the perfect thing.
Check out my free Queen Mary wiki, "rmsQMwiki". There's so much cool info there! rmsqmwiki.miraheze.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Mary_wiki_Main_Page
She is still revered here at her place of birth - Bonnie Scotland!
I was fortunate enough to attend many of the events that happened on the Queen Mary yesterday for her anniversary. It was so grand to hear so many speak so lovingly about the past, present and future of this glorious ship. Long Beach and Evolution Hospitality are doing a remarkable job. From Steve Caloca’s speeches you could tell he obviously loves this ship very much. I got to watch the reveal of the Royal Standard (reproduction) in its proper place! I am very excited about the future plans and look forward to enjoying her beauty for decades to come.
A friend of mine attended those events so I'm anxiously awaiting the pictures he took!
Happy birthday to number 534, the Grey Ghost, the Blue Ribander. Happy birthday to my all-time favorite ship ever. Still the stateliest ship now in being.
Thanks for the fantastic video, as always, Alex. And... thank you for introducing this magnificent ship to me to begin with!
Long may the Queen reign. 👑
It's my pleasure, I'm glad I could help get people interested in various subjects!
Happy Birthday Queen Mary…Long live the queen!
It’s impressive how she has survived for such a long time, of course there are older ships, but her size and age is still impressive
Happy 90th Birthday Queen Mary ⚓ awesome video 💯
Happy birthday Queen Mary! God bless you!
It’s amazing that part of the original Queen Mary is still in use today on the Queen Mary 2 her iconic horn
And I forgot to say I hear it every time Queen Mary 2 comes home to Southampton
You're actually the reason i started to like the qeueen mary. My favorite room is the grand salon, specifically the mural
Happy 90th. Birthday queem mary
I'm glad I could introduce people to this magnificent ship!
She's looking pretty damn good for a 90 year old lady. And I'm sure the Queen didn't realize how true her words would be. Like the RMS Aquitania, Hull #534 went on to have a successful life.
Alex, your probably the reason why I got back into ships. I’ve been to the queen Mary 2 times, first in 2020 and second in 2023. Queen Mary is an absolute beauty and I’m so glad to be here for her 90th birthday. Thank you.
Oh wow, I'm glad I could reignite that interest in ships!
Happy 90th birthday Queen Mary! 🎉
Happy 90th birthday to our favourite queen of the oceans
QUEEN MARY
To think that the RMS Queen Mary is the last ocean liner of her kind makes her one of the world’s greatest treasures. She remains a symbol of hope and beauty of her time. The fact that she’s still here makes her an even bigger symbol of hope of a time long since passed. Happy Birthday to the RMS Queen Mary!
This made me tear up 💜💕✨
@ I just love her!
Well, for me she's still 88. I don't start counting the life of a ship until her maiden voyage. But still, I must say that the Queen Mary is the most beautiful ocean liner ever built for me!
The ship truly is, a testament to time. Happy 90th birthday!
Well done, excellent!! I need to get back down to see the Queen soon😀
Great video and great historic footage! I attended the 90s birthday ceremony and was lucky to meet a lady named June who came on the ship as a war bride, she's 96 and she was a guest of honor.
I love this channel because you keep the queen alive still
Thank you!
Awesome vid!
Thanks Ken!
Love this video Alex! Great footage 😊
Thanks Laurie!
@@AlextheHistorian Your welcome :))
Alex wonderful tribute. HAPPY BIRTHDAY QUEEN MARY. Many more!❤
Happy birthday Queen Mary!!
Keep up the work
It is rumored that, when Cunard wrote to the King to request his permission to name the new ship after “Britain’s most famous Queen” that he would know that they meant Queen Victoria. However, Queen Mary intercepted the letter and drafted the reply for the King, which read “I should be delighted if you would name the ship after my wife.” So, having more or less already let the nation know that the new ship was to be known as the Queen Victoria, Cunard had no choice but to name her the Queen Mary.
Yeah that story was more or less made up by the press to sell papers. I try not to repeat it because people in general tend to like the entertaining notion of the story and then proceed to think of it as fact.
Such fantastic detailed history about the majestic RMS Queen Mary. You narrate so beautifully Alex. You are a true professional with your videos. Thank you.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
What a beautiful history. I did not know this. No wonder why she was the pride of Great Britain.
Happy Anniversary Alex! Great Video. W e had to share!
Thank you!
Nice one, Alex!
Happy Birthday to the Queen! Beautifully done tribute Alex! Finding footage that matched the timeline was perfect!
Glad you liked it!
Cool video!
Visiting this legendary ship is one of the biggest dreams
Alex excellent job as always. Thanks for the clip.
My pleasure!
Thank you, Alex. Stories of the build during the depression era. Interesting!
Yep, this ship has quite the multi-faceted history!
A very nice piece Alex. Long may she reign! All the best, David Ellery
Awesome video alex well done ❤
Thanks Ozzie!
09-30-2024, Alex, you did good work! 90 years ago, Happy Birthday! to the Queen Mary ship: ocean-liner. ☀️🌎⛪🎉🎂🚢🙂👏
Another great video Alex!!
Thank you!
Happy birthday Mary!
You've seen so much, and you'll always be a queen to me!
I’m wondering if any of those models still exist
Also, fun fact. That fireboat on her maiden voyage shooting up the water escorted her out of NY for the last time too. She still exists today in NY.
The water testing models don't exist anymore to my knowledge, but the hull models and at least 1 builders model of the ship still exist and both are in fine condition today.
Great job Alex. Have you thought about doing a video on the SS United States? Her future doesn't look too bright these days unfortunately. Maybe neat to capture her legacy before she is gone.
@@PaulVanBuskirk I agree ! So sad isn’t it.
Thank you so much. This is way cool
Great video ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thanks Susan!
@@AlextheHistorian you are so welcome. I so much enjoy this channel.💙🤍🙏
So much history but so little time. Thanks to Alex "The Historian" for helping to keep history alive and kicking.
That's very kind of you to say!
Happy birthday Queen Mary. I hope I can see you one day
Happy 90th birthday to the greatest ocean liner ever built!
Long live the Queen!!
Love your videos
Happy birthday queen mary ❤❤🎉🎉🎉
Happy birthday Queen Mary I miss you since last time I saw you 12 years ago but I will see you soon!
Time to go visit and wish the Queen a happy birthday 😊
Indeed!
A beautiful ship
Happy 90th Birthday To The Queen Of The Seas And Humanity’s Greatest Creation On Water
Happy birthday
Happy 90th birthday to the greatest ship ever built! 🎉🎂
So John Brown & Co signed a $30,000,000 contract in 1934 to build No534, which in todays money is $704,767,164.18
Actually they signed the contract in 1930, during the Great Depression, so I'm sure that changes the conversion of the money quite a bit.
@@AlextheHistorian I'd say money well spent, she's surpassed her expectations many times over.
I agree
Happy early 91th birthday queen Mary!
Yes❤
happy birthday queen mary
Epic
I saw a video about Jackie, the ghost in the queen mary making sounds i never cringes so hard in my life
Wow, 90 years old wow she years old but she survived so much the great depression in 1930 then award war and pandemic wow truly a ship with a lot of history
90 what an age, queens almost old as my grandfather
thank you
take ma and go pay her a well-deserved visit
The Queen Mary was oil-fired I know! I also know Titanic’s sister ship Olympic had her boilers converted from coal to oil. I bet if Titanic hadn’t sunk she would have had her boilers converted to oil too!
The ship was not completed until May 1936, She will actually be 90 in May 2026. Just had to point it out but have a great day! ^_^
That's not how ship age is calculated. Officially, a ship is "born" on her launch day, the first time the ship floats in water. That's an important thing for ship fans to know. But don't worry, we all learn something everyday!
she was a key for the britsh and us winning th 2 world war
A seemingly unrelated video, about the Clydebank Singer factory, shows a brief shot of the Queen Mary under construction: ruclips.net/video/bIMxwy8CLkw/видео.html - around the 2 minute mark.
👏👏👏
Actually white star line stated making oceanic but went bankrupt
Yes, in the video I said that both companies were facing financial troubles and were going into debt. You can't file bankruptcy unless you're in debt.
@@AlextheHistorian yes but you never mentioned oceanic was originally being built before by white star as a big ship contender
@harryvlogs7833 That's true. I think it's because since this video wasn't about White Star Line, I wanted to keep my focus on the Queen Mary as it's subject.
@AlextheHistorian I do love queen mary although I love queen mary 2
What was that guy's name again? The CEO of White Star who later oversaw the merger with Cunard in Parliament. I don't understand why he thought that was a good idea in the best interest of his company. On one hand, the merger obviously did help with getting Queen Mary built and revitalizing the economy so people could survive, but on the other hand, he effectively killed White Star, the company he was in charge of. Sounds like a sell out to me.
That aside, a warm Happy 90th Birthday to Queen Mary. I may be late but I wished her such elsewhere the day of, so it doesn't count lol. Always glad to have also learned a few new things here.
He wasn't CEO he was chairman. What Walter Runciman did may not have saved the company but it saved jobs. Both Cunard and White Star Line would have foundered...gone forever, without government intervention. But the government and Runciman felt, why let two companies die and lose thousands of jobs, when you can merge the companies, get a government rescue, and save thousands of people's jobs.
Happy Birthday i will make a video for you
This ocean liner is 94 years old
The birth of an ocean liner is measured from the day it is launched
Was the RMMV Oceanic comparable to the almighty RMS Queen Mary in your opinion?
It's supposed to be haunted by lots of Ghosts is it not ? Well according to the late Derek Acorah anyway !
It's marketed that way yes. I've been there myself and my friends are there very frequently, they report some areas that feel a bit creepy, the odd sight or sound. But it's not haunted the way they market it as. There is no little girl "Jackie" in the pool, or a vortex to the afterlife in the changing rooms. If it's haunted, it's haunted by the many happy spirits that briefly called the ship home during their voyages.
Yet after 90's years it's taken on a new name "The Spooky House" My friends reference the Queen Mary that way. The city of Long Beach has taken the ship hostage with all these Tours, the cost to board the Queen Mary is basically $45.00 and above and the cost of food and drinks are through the roof. Now here comes Dark Harbor "Cash and Grab" Most likely for the holiday's it will be "Holiday Madness" lol Thank You for sharing the history, Yet Unfortunately all you Queen Mary tubers are going to be forced to drink that kool-aid if you want any support. I guarantee you the Mayor of Long Beach and the General Manager wouldn't even give any of you the time of day if you didn't drink that Kool-Aid, it's all business.. Captain James stated at the 90th Anniversary "WE all bleed Mary in our veins"...Not ME
I've met Mayor Rex Richardson, City Manager Tom Modica, and Director of Economic Development Johnny Vallejo on a zoom call, they didn't know who I was before I introduced myself but we had a great conversation about the future of the ship, and I can tell you they all care deeply about the ship. I can tell when someone is disingenuous. I've also had email conversations with Queen Mary General Manager Steve Caloca, he didn't know who I was prior to our first conversations, and yet he's developed many ideas I've volunteered to help the ship. Steve Caloca was a huge fan of the ship the moment he arrived, he enlisted the help of several Queen Mary historians and enthusiasts to walk around the ship with him and teach him about it. To this day, he still answers emails sent to him by the general public who have concerns about the ship. If you walk around the ship and see him and stop to ask him a question, he will give you his full attention and do it with a smile. Let's also remember that Steve Caloca is the first person in the last 30 years who had the integrity and the know-how to make the ship profitable.
Yes, some people would consider the cost of admission on the ship "through the roof", but all those costs of admission go into the restoration of the ship, a restoration that is observable and palpable. As a former professional chef myself I can tell you that the food on the Queen Mary may cost too much in your eyes, but it is fair prices for what it is and how it's made, and the quality of the ingredients. Their steakhouse charges $19 for a fancy cheeseburger and wedge fries, that price is comparable to other steakhouses of it's caliber, and yet the one on Queen Mary is properly cooked and won't run you the risk of E. coli poisoning. I think the real issue you have is that the ship doesn't have a McDonalds on it.
You may have an axe to grind about the past. But you are wrong about everything else in your complaint. I've met the people that keep the ship running, they're wonderful people who care about the ship. If you don't want to support my channel because I support the Queen Mary...then fine, that's on you. Not me.
@@AlextheHistorian Thank You for sharing, watching your past videos I'm aware that you are in contact with the Queen Mary staff. I've also heard you on a few occasions straddle the fence regarding ghost and the paranormal. It is no secret that Knott's Berry farm's Big Money Maker is Knott Scary Farm the Halloween haunt, Disneyland has added more days to the "oogie boogie" that sell out. The Mayor of Long Beach is a businessman and he's going to do what it takes to bring in the cash flow rolling in to keep the Queen Mary afloat. It's nice that you're in conversation with the staff Yet I guarantee you the day you start sharing we need to tone down the ghost, you will never hear from them again. Thanks Disney "The Spooky House theme" It's interesting that you're planning a trip to New Orleans Yet you won't come by Long Beach and visit the Queen Mary
General Manager Steve was on a radio Interview during his first months as GM, he refused to talk about the Ghost and paranormal, he wanted to talk about the history of the Queen Mary. Well that's all changed now, he's on the City of Long Beach's bandwagon now "The Ghosts are Staying" If it's all what you say Grand and Great, why don't you fundraise to come back to Long Beach and walk the decks yourself. You know that it will cost you a boatload of money to stay on the ship for one or two nights. It's nice to have all the enthusiasm for the Queen Mary Yet it's exhausting to share with friends and family - their minds are made up about being a ghost ship, some won't even come ! they could care less about the history and that's Unfortunate, it's all a big facade. Not only is the Queen Mary cashing in but also all the RUclipsrs that chase ghosts up and down hallways $$$
@@AlextheHistorian I send you a follow - up comment
@govideo6706 yes I understand your frustration with the selling of the whole ghost aspect of the ship. And to an extent, you are right that no one is willing to let go of the Haunted tours and dark harbor thing. Yes, it's because it pulls in big cash...ghosts pull in large amounts of money for the ship. But what do you expect? If you have a coffee shop that makes more money selling a muffin than they do selling a cup of coffee, would you expect them to give up muffins to focus on improving their coffee? No. They're gonna keep selling muffins until a better idea comes along.
That's what most naysayers don't understand about the managing of the Queen Mary, they want them to give up their most profitable marketing ploy, but not offer them an alternative that is guaranteed to produce more money in the long run. The management are not like Disney who have a creative wing of the company that dreams up new ideas, they're just a management company. Their imagination doesn't extend beyond the length of a spreadsheet. That's not a terrible thing...its just that people expect these non-creatives to be creative.
So I've been feeding them comprehensive, creative ideas to earn them more money, many of my ideas have been implemented with great success. For instance, they recently started selling all-in-one "vacation" experiences aimed at replicating a voyage across the Atlantic, albeit with a few more fun or enticing amenities for the modern day visitor. That was my idea, and just 24 hours after they announced it, every one of the events sold out.
I've also pitched an idea for a re-use of the convention hall space that would help them make money hand-over fist. And as long as the convention space is used full-time for a new and profitable attraction, they can't use that space to put a haunt maze in.
If we pitch ideas that give them a much more profitable alternative, they will have to reduce their "ghost offerings". For instance, they can't use the swimming pool room for ghost tours if it's being used full time as part of an all new Spa on R deck to take the place of the former Turkish Baths. A high end spa would earn them more money than a periodic ghost tour.
You have to give them profitable alternatives.
As for why I'm going to New Orleans instead of Queen Mary, that's simple, if I go to Queen Mary, the only content I can produce from it is Queen Mary content that is interesting only to ocean liner fans. But if I go to New Orleans I can create a much wider range of content which will attract a wider audience and earn me more money. It's a shrewd business decision.
Next time I go to Queen Mary, it will be during my layover flight to New York to catch the QM2 to Southampton. Incorporating the expense as part of my UK travel plans.
When you run a RUclips channel you have to be strategic about what content you make and when to air it.
You're correct in saying Creative Idea's - Dark Harbor is off to a rough start, the reviews are a - Disastrous MESS, there's no organization whatsoever with regarding the event, most are saying it's not Safe! Good to hear your in touch with QM staff, hope it continues along with the creative workings for the Ship. Thank You for the follow up, Good Travels! Takecare
And yet the United States can’t manage to save even one of our own historic ocean liners like the ss United States 😒😵💫🤬🤬🤬🤬.
To be fair, it wasn't our country that saved the Queen Mary. It was a California city that was desperate to become a major tourist town, they put up money for it generated from the oil fracking they do. So it wasn't even taxpayer dollars. To save the SS United States, it would have taken the actual government and actual taxpayer dollars, and there was no guarantee that the ship would have opened as a successful attraction.
@@AlextheHistorian I totally agree what I meant was that our country rescued an ocean liner from another country and sadly couldn’t manage to save one of own rather it was a city or our government that did so . The ss United States in so many ways doomed by circumstances even before it was launched the coming of the jet age and tragically the heavy use of asbestos in its interior it had to be gutted for the safety of anyone who entered and that left it a useless piece of floating steel . I’am actually happy that the queen was saved and the community came together recently to invest into her by making much needed repairs etc . I personally would have rather scene the United States scrapped than turned into an artificial reef but I don’t have any say . Part of me always hoped that it could be revived but it’s lingered for decades and it was only a matter of time until it was scrapped. I hope that queen Mary can survive for many more decades. I have always been a fan of all the older ocean liners but time moves on and decisions have to be made. Great video I really enjoyed it 👍👍👍👍.
@@kennethgates5790 Oh I see what you mean. I agree.
Still so sad to think America will happily buy a British ship and preserve it but allow the SSUS to end up in the sorry state it is. Mismanagement and everything else aside, all it would take is one history-minded billionaire lol
It wasn't "America" that bought the Queen Mary, it was a single city looking to make their waterfront more of a tourist destination. And that was because it happened at the right place and the right time. In 1967 Long Beach was considering building a brick-and-mortar musuem, but the Queen Mary went up for sale and it was cheaper to buy it than build a museum on water-front property so that's what they did. The SS United States wasn't even up for auction until a few years later, otherwise I'm sure Long Beach would have bought it instead. But it's no surprise that the SSUS has had difficulty finding this same fate, because Queen Mary's purchase by Long Beach, and the way she is cared for, is a very unique situation that is difficult to replicate anywhere else in the United States.
Queen Mary was purchased with oil fracking money, not taxpayer dollars; she is moored at a dock that is bundled together with her in a way that prevents her from needing to pay docking fees and other state expenses, unlike other ships. And lastly, she was immediately re-designated as a floating building rather than a ship, which has allowed her to keep er original interiors. Queen Mary's situation is essentially a very lucky one, almost a once-in-a-lifetime alignment of the stars. You can't blame the country for that unique scenario not happening for the SSUS. The SSUS faces such hard to overcome obstacles, its no surprise that nothing has happened for her.
@@AlextheHistorian Thanks for the history lesson! I knew it wasn't so much "America" but Long Beach itself, but lots of interesting facts in here. Visiting Queen Mary is a big bucket list item for me. SSUS would be too if things were different.
The City of Long Beach, California purchased the QUEEN MARY, in 1967. The SSUS wasn't up for sale as it was still in service till 1969. And truth be told the Queen Mary with its rich history and much more elaborate, and beautiful interiors, and more impressive exterior design, make it a much more desirable museum and Hotel ship. And of course being in a great climate like southern California where it gets little rain, no snow helps preserve it. Unfortunately, the climate where the SSUS has been docked for nearly 30 years does not offer that. Sadly, when the SSUS had its interior completely gutted, it's fate was sealed. Poor thing has been dying a long slow death for decades. I hope she winds up an artificial reef, and not sent to the scrappers. Will know soon.
@@johnfranklin5277 This really is where the sadness comes from. I do understand the unique situations that led to QM being where she is (even more now with Alex' explainer above) and SSUS being where she is, but from a zoomed-out kind of perspective though, it looks the way it looks. America's last flagship ocean liner, holder of the blue riband, left to rot for 30 years, selling her own interiors piecemeal to pay her rent, then ultimately evicted and scrapped or sunk. It feels tragic. And all it would take is one billionaire who cares about history. She'll never sail again, nor will she ever have her original interiors, but she COULD be restored in much the same way Brunel's SS Great Britain in Bristol, UK was. The only obstacle is cost. If America wanted a worthy attraction to showcase it's rich civilian maritime history, a restored SS United States as a museum ship in New York Harbor would be the perfect thing.
Happy birthday