The Queen Mary

Launched in 1936, the Queen Mary served as a WWII troop transport before permanently docking in Long Beach in 1967.

The Queen Mary launched in 1936 as one of the fastest and most luxurious ocean liners of her era, crossing the Atlantic for Cunard Line before being requisitioned for World War II service. Repainted grey and stripped of her finery, she carried hundreds of thousands of troops and earned the nickname "Grey Ghost" for how easily she slipped past enemy submarines.

After the war she returned briefly to civilian service before retiring in 1967 and settling permanently in Long Beach, where she now operates as a hotel, museum, and event venue — a floating piece of maritime history that never left the dock again.

The ship's reputation traces to documented wartime deaths, with reports concentrated in the engine room, pool area, and Stateroom B340.

Much of the ship's reputation traces back to her wartime years and a handful of documented onboard deaths, including:

• A sailor crushed in a watertight door
• A young female passenger who drowned in the ship's pool

Crew and guests have long reported activity concentrated in the engine room, the pool area, and the corridor around Stateroom B340.

Paranormal investigation shows have filmed extensively aboard the ship, which has amplified the reputation but didn't create it — staff accounts of unexplained sounds and cold spots predate the ship's television appearances by decades.

Stateroom B340

The most requested room on the ship, tied to reports of a phantom presence, flickering lights, and a bathtub that guests say fills on its own.

The First-Class Pool

Drained and no longer in use, but consistently cited by staff and guests as the site of splashing sounds and apparitions matching 1930s-era swimwear.

The Engine Room

Site of the sailor's death during the war; visitors on the below-deck tour frequently describe a heavy, oppressive feeling near the watertight doors.

Expect a stay that's equal parts hotel and museum — the ship's Art Deco interiors are original and well preserved, and most of the vessel beyond the hotel floors is open to daytime tours. Cabins are smaller than a modern hotel room by design, true to the ship's original layout.

The Long Beach waterfront and Aquarium of the Pacific are both a short walk or rideshare away.

The Long Beach waterfront, Aquarium of the Pacific, and downtown Long Beach's restaurants and shops are all a short walk or rideshare away, making this an easy stay to pair with a broader Southern California trip.

Best for history buffs, paranormal enthusiasts, and anyone who wants a genuinely unusual overnight stay. Less ideal for travelers who want a modern, spacious hotel room — the charm here is the ship itself, not the amenities.

Yes, particularly for a single night as part of a longer trip. The history is real and well documented regardless of how you feel about the ghost stories, and the setting is unlike almost anywhere else you could book a room.