SAN PEDRO and the QUEEN MARY

April 26, 2018 (Day 19) of our Panama Canal cruise. The Norwegian Pearl docked in Los Angeles (San Pedro) just after midnight with a departure scheduled at 4:00pm. This is the first port of entry into the United States so mandatory customs and immigration processing is required for all passengers. 

The customs and immigration process did not begin until 7:00am, and then only passengers who were on the Norwegian organized shore excursions were allowed off.  The remaining passengers were released at timed intervals based on cabin location.

Group A                     7:30am            Decks 11, 14 and 15

Group B                     8:00am            Deck 10

Group C                     8:30am            Deck 9

Group D                     9:00am            Deck 4 and 5

Group E                     9:30am            Deck 8

For passengers not taking a Norwegian shore excursion you would think you could simply walk through customs and immigration and then immediately re-board the ship.  Think again.  The clearing process was very annoying as you are restricted from returning to the ship until ALL passengers have cleared the ship.  If you found yourself in the 7:30am group this meant you would not be able to re-board until 10:00am at the earliest. 

I had pre-arranged a 10:00am private tour of the Queen Mary with Commodore Everette Hoard.  Our little group of four would consist of Eric and Anne Kirkby from Perth, Australia along with myself and my cabin partner Marci Inman.

Eric and Anne exited the ship at 7:30am but Marci and I were not scheduled until 9:00am as we were in GROUP D.  We were finally released at 9:25am, putting our friends 2 hours ahead of us.  By the time our line arrived at the immigration center it was 9:55am.   

Once cleared, Marci and I began making our way to the escalator leading to the terminal exit.  As I glanced up I noticed Eric and Anne sitting in a tiny immigration room.  They were not given clearance because of a passport issue so they found themselves sitting in a waiting room for over 2 hours.  Marci and I were not allowed in the room nor did the authorities allow us to talk with them.  We were forced to leave the terminal and wonder when we might see them again. 

Unfortunately there are no seats inside the terminal and very few outside.  Marci and I did manage to finally secure a bench and I placed a call to the Queen Mary to advise we were running late.  Fortunately within ten minutes Eric and Anne emerged from the terminal.  The passport number for Anne had been incorrectly input by the cruise ship company.  Problem solved and we were ready to head to the Queen Mary.  LYFT to the rescue.  The car arrived within 1 minute, the cost was $12.49 and it took 16 minutes to complete the trip. 

Commodore Everette Hoard met us at the red carpet looking simply stunning in his dress blues.  Even though I had never met him I instantly knew it was him.   

Commodore Everette’s love affair with the Queen Mary began at the age of 4 and by the time he turned 20, his family had moved to California, allowing him to be close to his first love.  Beginning his career with the Queen in 1981, he took over as Commodore in 2009. 

Commodore Everette Hoard

As the Commodore escorted the four of us into the ticketing area we came across four fellow passengers - Steve and Judy Rohrer from Texas and Big Al and Jan Malone from Vancouver, Washington.   With permission from the Commodore, I was pleased that they were allowed to join our private tour. 

The Commodore and I

We had secured Grand Voyage Passports for our visit and discovered that this type of ticket also included our admission to the “Diana: Legacy of a Princess” exhibit,  “Churchill” exhibit,  “Titanic in Photographs” exhibit and also the “Queen Mary 4-D Theater".  With so much to see, time was of the essence.  We had to be back onboard by 3:30pm.

The R.M.S. Queen Mary began her maiden voyage May 27, 1936. She is 1,019.5 feet long, 118 feet wide, 185 feet high and contains 12 decks.  She offered 22 first class suites, 328 first class staterooms and 18 first class public rooms accommodating 815 passengers.Second class comprised 303 staterooms and 9 public rooms accommodating 787 passengers.  Third class contained 309 staterooms with 6 public rooms for 573 passengers.  She is 81,237 gross tons and is made of high tensile steel plating with 2,000 portholes all held together by 10 million rivets.  The Titanic, in comparison, used only 3 million.  The Queen carried approximately 2,000 passengers and 1,200 crew members.

The Queen Mary also held the record as the fastest ship in world, snatching the title from the French liner Normandie in August 1936.  In 1937 the Normandie re-claimed the title but the Queen won it back in 1938 and held it for the next 14 years.  She crossed the Atlantic in 3 days 20 hours and 42 minutes at a speed of 31.69 knots (around 36 or 37 land mph), using a barrel of oil every 12 seconds.  Most impressive to say the least.

Each chain attached to her two great anchors is 990 feet (165 fathoms) long and weighs 145 tons. Each link has a diameter of 4⅛ inch and weighs 225 pounds.  The anchors themselves weigh in at 16 tons each.

THE QUEEN MARY CHIEF FEATURES

Number of passengers: 2,000

Number of crew: 1,050

Classes: First, Tourist and Third

Overall length: 1,019 feet

Beam: 118 feet

Depth (from keel to superstructure top): 135 feet

Depth (from keel to masthead): 234 feet

Number of funnels: 3

Diameter (larger) of funnels: 30 feet

Circumference of funnels (approx.): 100 feet

Number of propellers: 4

Weight of propellers (approx.): 35 tons each

Number of boilers: 27

Working pressure of boilers, per square inch: 400lb

Steam temperature: 700 deg. (Fahr.)

 56 different kinds of wood veneers were used

Different types of wood on display

Many of the scenes from the TV mini-series “Winds of War” starring Robert Mitchum were filmed on the Queen Mary in the Main Hall and Main Staircase. The Observation Bar is also a popular spot for Hollywood.  Feature films shot here include: ”Being John Malkovich” with Cameron Diaz,  “The Aviator” staring Leonardo DiCaprio also “Out to Sea” with Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon.  More recently “He’s Just Not That Into You” staring, Jennifer Aniston and Ben Afleck was filmed. 

As we made our way around the ship I was constantly amazed at both the beauty and the history surrounding this icon, not to mention the facts and stories that Commodore Everette shared, all from memory.  I found him to be so inspiring and enthusiastic with a true zeal for anything and everything relating to the Queen.  Several times he would say  “Now this is one of my favorite rooms.”   He just made me smile.  

I could write volumes about my tour and perhaps some day I may.  For now, I will highlight a couple of my favorites.  First, the First Class Main Hall, whose theme was music.  Without a doubt this is the grandest room on the Queen Mary and also one of the largest and finest ever built aboard any ship in human history.  Designed to seat the entire compliment of over 800 first class passengers in one sitting, the room retains many aspects of her early magnificence.

Passengers enjoying dinner on maiden voyage 1936

View in 1936

Current view

"Unicorns in Battle" at one end of hall

A fascinating voyage tracking decorative map, 24ft. by 15ft. occupies a position at the forward end of the room. The work of Mr. MacDonald Gill, F.R.I.B.A., this map represents the North Atlantic Ocean. He incorporates a clock and the vessel’s summer and winter courses with an illuminated model in crystal indicating the position of the ship on the voyage between Bishop’s Rock and the Nantucket lightships.

Voyage tracking map

Another striking feature is a series of carvings by Mr. Bainbridge Copnall.  These carved plaques, 14 in total, illustrate the history of the art of shipbuilding through the ages.

Depicting the Great Eastern, Mauretania, Queen Mary and Britannia

The Queen Mary also houses many attractions, shops and various dining options.  She has a variety of gift and souvenir stores that cater to those who love to shop.  For those who love art, the ship still houses some of her original Art-Deco pieces.  She also features great sightseeing views from her Promenade and Sun Deck.  

Shops in Main Hall

Stores onboard

Stores onboard

Stores onboard

There is even a great hotel onboard for those who want to experience the ultimate on the Queen.  Passengers have the option of staying on A deck, B deck or M deck.  There are many different cabins available ranging from small twin bed cabins to luxurious first class staterooms.

 

You will be able to view the world’s largest brick model of the Queen Mary on display. Built on a 1/40 scale, it contains 250,000 lego bricks, the brainchild of Ed Diment, co-found of Bright Bricks of England.  The project required four builders four months to complete and stands 26 feet wide weighing over 600 pounds.

Lego Model of the Queen Mary

 

 

Other sights around the ship. 

Wheelhouse

Promenade Walk

Elevator bank

 

 

From the Titanic Exhibit

From the Titanic Exhibit

View from the deck

Titanic Exhibit

Art-deco bar

Reception

Diana Exhibit

Beautiful woods

Oh, I almost forgot to mention - she has been voted as one of the top 10 most haunted places in America by Time Magazine.  Haunted tours are offered but time wouldn't permit us to find out for ourselves.  Oh darn. 

Now what room did that ghost duck into?

The date was September 3, 1939 and the Second World War had begun in Europe. Queen Mary was at sea, two days away from ending her one hundred and forty third Atlantic crossing.  In a coded message from the British admiralty, Captain Irving was instructed to put his ship on full war alert.  He was ordered to “take all necessary precautions” to ensure the liners safe arrival in New York and to give particular attention to the threat of submarine attack. There were 2,332 passengers aboard during that last civilian crossing.  Bob Hope and his wife Dolores were two of those passengers.

 

Many people are familiar with the Atlantic passenger transport of the Queen Mary but more importantly was the role she played as a troopship from 1940-1947.   She is undeniably the most famous troopship still in existence today.

Queen Mary painted battleship gray

In March of 1940, the Queen Mary was the first Cunard liner called up by the admiralty for active war duty as a troopship.  Her well-known Cunard colors of black, white, and red were replaced with a coat of drab, gray paint.  Even the letter spelling our QUEEN MARY on the bow and stern were blocked out.   Most of her carpeting, furniture, artwork and fragile fittings were removed along with 200 cases of crystal, china and silverware.  They were housed for the duration of the war in Cunard warehouses along the Hudson.

On March 21, 1940 at 8:00am the Queen Mary left New York harbor escorted by the United States Coast Guard and the New York Police Department and headed to Sydney, Australia.  Aptly nicknamed the Gray Ghost, all of the windows, as well as the portholes, were blocked out and every crack or crevice that light could possibly seep thru was sealed up so that after dark, with no external lights on and all internal light contained, the Queen Mary could pass thru waters swiftly, silently and undetected.  Troops were carried up to 15,000 at a time across the dangerous submarine infested seas.

Loaded with troops

December 1944

Meals were served twice a day, food provisions for a 6 day sailing were 124,000 pounds of potatoes, 53,000 pounds of butter, eggs and milk powder, 31,000 pounds of sugar, coffee, tea, 29,000 pounds of fresh fruit, 31,000 pounds of canned fruit, 18,000 pounds of jam, 155,000 pounds of meat and poultry, 21,000 pounds of bacon and ham, 76,000 pound of flour and cereal, 4,600 pounds of cheese.  In addition there were 9 canteens aboard which required 40,000  bottles of soft drinks, 5,000 cartons of cigarettes, 400 pounds of candy and several crates of toothpaste, shaving crème, razor blades, etc.  Some 6,500 tons of fresh water was pumped aboard as well.  Fresh water was rationed during voyages.  Each soldier was given a half of a gallon of fresh water for the 5 day crossing. 

The Queen Mary would make 72 wartime voyages, transporting 800,000 troops between 1940 – 1946.  Her record number of passengers was 16,683 in July of 1943.  That still stands as the largest number of human beings ever transported on one vessel in the history of the world.  She crossed the Atlantic in approximately 5 days traveling at anywhere from 25 –29 knots or approximately 30 miles per hour.

The war ended in 1945 but the Queen Mary was not finished with her troop transfer service.  After being demilitarized and refitted, she became part of the U.S. Army “Operation Diaper” or more commonly known as the “Bride and Baby Shuttle”.  From February thru September of 1946 Queen Mary made 13 round trips between Southampton and New York.  She safely transported  nearly 25% of all service dependants brought from Europe in the year following the end of World War II. 

47,783 "war brides" and 21,950 children were transported by the Queen Mary

In May 1967, Cunard Line announced that the Queen Mary would be retired and sold. The City of Long Beach submitted the highest bid of $3,450,000. A final voyage took 39-days, traveling 14,500 miles from Southampton, England, to Long Beach due to the fact that she was too large to pass through the Panama Canal.  Instead, she traveled down the coast of South America and then into the Pacific Ocean via Cape Horn, arriving in Long Beach on December 9, 1967.

A 20-year refurbishing project included repainting.  It required 20 tons of paint, cost $4.5M and took 10 months to complete.  In a word the Queen Mary is simply STUNNING! 

There are very few ships still in existence that compare to the innate beauty and rich history of the RMS Queen Mary.  She is perhaps, the most legendary liner to ever sail the oceans. 

But she isn’t just a ship, she’s a legend.  She definitely speaks of a nostalgic and bygone era.  

Commodore

Thank you Commodore Everette for making the tour so very special.  With the clock fast approaching 3pm I called a LYFT driver.  Arriving within 5 minutes the return trip took 15 minutes at a cost of $14.11.