Queen Mary: Is The Historical Landmark Haunted, Or Is It A Hoax?

LONG BEACH, CA — It was their wedding night when they checked into the Queen Mary. After a long day of dancing, eating and mingling with their loved ones, the couple checked into the hotel. They grabbed drinks, watched fireworks from the ship and quickly fell asleep.

But their romantic evening quickly turned into an otherworldly encounter when an unexpected, undead visitor walked (or floated) into their room unannounced.

Shortly after midnight, they were jolted awake, and were met by a tall, ghostly-looking sailor loitering near the locked door of the adjoining room. He stared at the couple, but wasn't threatening, they said. Loud music and party chatter was heard in the next room over, as a dull yellow light illuminated the figure. He turned around and left without a word.

It was as if the sailor had too much to drink and accidentally gone into the wrong room, they said, even though they were sure the adjoining door was locked. But about an hour later, he returned. This time, the couple shouted at him to "get out and stay out" — who had the nerve to enter the wrong room twice?

The next morning, the newlyweds told the front desk about their unexpected visitor.

"I'm sorry sir, that's not possible. The adjoining door in your room was bolted shut years ago and can't be opened," the front desk clerk said. "Plus, that room was vacant last night."

The newlyweds were my parents, 28 years ago. Although their ghostly visit was on the night of July 20, 1991, the story has lived on through countless campfire stories, Halloween parties and chats over Travel Channel's Ghost Encounters throughout their marriage. Their experience isn't unique — Time Magazine named the Queen Mary one of the "Top 10 Haunted Places" in the U.S. But is the historical landmark really haunted, or is it a hoax? Many say there are still looming spirits roaming the halls.

The Queen Mary is a retired British ocean liner that sailed primarily on the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967. After World War II, the ship was refitted for passengers — but by the 1960s, it was operating at a loss and was officially retired in 1967. Once docked in Long Beach, California, talks of haunted encounters began.

"Among the ghosts reportedly still hanging around is an engineer who died in the ship's engine room, a 'lady in white,' and various children located throughout the ship including the 1st Class Pool," according to the Queen Mary's website.

There are countless encounters floating around Reddit, too. One user said they were walking on the ship's deck at night, when a man and woman walked past him dressed in "really old-timey, Titanic-like clothes." He followed them as they walked into a room, but when he entered they were gone.

Another said they were on a haunted tour of the ship, and legend has it, a young girl drowned in the (now drained) pool. They felt a small child's hand grab three of their fingers and begin to pull them away from the pool.

Plus, there's the infamously haunted Stateroom B340, which has a "large volume of recorded paranormal activity, with many stories of haunted encounters noted in the ship’s logs," the Queen Mary website said. Reports date back to the final ocean voyage in 1967. Guests complain of someone knocking on the door in the middle of the night, lights turning on by themselves, the sink faucet turning on and off on its own and doors shutting on their own. Guests have also reported the covers of their bed being pulled off while asleep and waking to see a dark figure standing at the foot of the bed, the website said.

Now, the ship has plenty of events and activities to celebrate its spooky status. There are ghost tours, haunted room specials (guests can specifically choose to stay in Stateroom B340, if they dare) and their yearly Halloween haunt, Queen Mary's Dark Harbor.

So, have you stayed on or visited the Queen Mary yourself? Did you experience any paranormal activity, or do you think it's a hoax? Let us know in the comments.