Is the Queen Mary Truly Haunted?

It's no secret that I love the Queen Mary. She brings so much color and personality to Long Beach. She's from an era when ships ran on steam. It was a time of glamor, then practicality as she was used during the war. Promoters claim she's haunted. It provides a basis for much color and a different spin on a visit to a hotel. The Queen Mary event staff plans an annual haunted event called Dark Harbor.

At Dark Harbor, you'll meet the characters that you can read about in the books available for purchase. Those books share the deaths that happened during the long and storied history of the ship. The characters you will meet are characters based on real people. Some of them are, anyway. I question that the Ringmaster actually existed. I imagine if the Ringmaster was a real person, there are some untold stories that might include a traveling circus, with animals in the hold. I wonder how the presence of an elephant might affect the ship's balance? Imagine if that elephant saw a mouse? How would that affect it? I imagine the circus monkeys escaping the hold and getting into the cabins of the rich and famous. They might have left behind a trail of banana peels for some unsuspecting Duke or Duchess to slip on.

As usual, I digress. My apologies. Back to my question.

Is the Queen Mary truly haunted?

Caprice's Story

Friend Caprice told me of her experiences when she did Bard in the Yard on the Queen Mary... I think that was the production series that she supported on the Queen Mary... she shared of seeing a little girl on stage every night after cleanup. She never said anything, and no one challenged her. She was just there. I accepted the story. Who am I to question anyone's memories, especially if I was not present?

My Story

Now, I will share with you that I, too have a story. It was a brief encounter, as I might imagine any ghostly encounter might be, but it is a real memory. As memories go, the details are less clear at some times than at others.

I was on the ship for one reason or another. This one might have been the Steam Punk Festival, which was an awesome celebration of Victorian era props, costumes and culture, real and imagined.

I simply had to use the facilities, and was directed to the ladies' room. There was no one in the room. I imagine this happens more often than not with ghostly encounters. There was a closet door open. It was a closet where one might store brooms and cleaners. As I passed by, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone in the closet. I didn't say anything, simply hurried up and used the facilities, washed up and left as quickly as I could.

You may be laughing as you read this. I'm not laughing as I write it. My memory is there. I saw something. Someone. I didn't say anything. I just skedaddled.

What would you do if you saw a ghost?

When you visit the Queen Mary for Dark Harbor, think about this story as you visit the ladies room. Go with a buddy, because you are there for the entertainment, not for the real encounters with ghostly characters. I wouldn't want you to be scared out of your wits, to have sleepless nights and screams of terror.

You might anyway.

Trish Tsoiasue is a credentialed creative problem solver trained in intentional creativity methods (CPS and LEGO Serious Play) and developer of creative communities. She is the founder of Educational Travel and Experiences (ETES) and creates International conferences and learning experiences, the designer of the Makersville community and she is the creator of a community learning and entertainment center called Brickersville, which finds its home in lovely Shoreline Village in Long Beach, CA. She is an old timey kind of gal who believes in the power of play and shared experiences. She is currently thinking about starting a project to explore Long Beach history and the history of Shoreline Village and the Long Beach Pike in LEGO® bricks. If you would like to connect with her, visit Brickersville, her blog (at http://www.squigglemom.net) or her experiential YouTube channel , Squigglemom.