Is The Queen Mary Haunted?

by Leo Wilson, age 11

The RMS Queen Mary is a ship with a storied past that was built in 1934 by The Cunard-White Star Line, the same company that made the Titanic. It was an elegant and large cruise ship that was permanently docked in 1967, after years of decreased profits, partly due to the rising popularity of air travel. Ghost stories and claims of paranormal activity have given The Queen Mary its reputation as one of the most haunted ships in the world.

In Long Beach, California, where it is docked alone, it has had an estimated 50 million visitors since its first voyage in 1936. Including distinguished guests, such as The Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Winston Churchill. The Queen Mary's life as a cruise ship did not last long, due to it being used to transport thousands of soldiers to the front lines during World War II. Today, The Queen Mary is not only a historical landmark but serves as a hotel and entertainment venue.

The Queen Mary has had a haunted history for a long time. There have been at least 49 recorded deaths on the ship. In 1966 there was a reported ghost sighting from a woman who claimed to have seen a figure of a man standing at the end of her bed in room B340. Room B340 is the most infamous room aboard the Queen Mary. The room has been closed to the public but is currently open for those brave enough to book a stay.

Another hotspot to hear screams and voices is one of the Queen Mary’s boiler rooms. It has been claimed that the boiler room is home to many spirits. The best-known spirit is said to be that of a man by the name of John Pedder. John was an 18-year-old crew member who was sadly crushed to death in an evacuation drill by the 13th watertight door in 1966.

The ship also has a pool that is no longer in use, and there have been claims of spirits being present there. The most well-known spirit is of a little girl named Jackie Torin, who died by drowning. Guides on the ship provide ghost tours, and some even say Jackie sings and likes to play hide and seek with guests.

The Queen Mary’s history and appeal continue to be kept alive partly by its alleged spirits and people’s fascination with the scary rumors, and also by its connection to WWII and its transatlantic voyages. Although it has not touched water for a long time, its decks are still a popular and unique destination in California for anyone interested in history and a good ghost story.

[Sources: Telegraph, QueenMary.com, Travel + Leisure, World of Cruising]