D
Daniel Odysseus
Guest
I just returned from a day trip to the Queen Mary in long beach... That first view of the ship's red smokestacks from the freeway were really amazing... I took a whole roll of 24 pictures; they're not developed yet, though. I'm waiting rather impatiently... I tried to get one picture by hanging over the back rail to get the name, upside-down. But I didn't succeed; the guard was coming and you could only see "Mary" and below it "pool" so I decided not to waste my film...
The ship itself was really good though, but the interiors weren't any better than the Olympic-class would've been; the first-class staircase was much more humble on QM, though, but the "haunted" first-class pool on QM was much nicer. But they should've moored the Olympic in Long Beach too! And the first Mauretania...
I only regret that I didn't see "Treasures from the QM" exhibit... I thought it would be a room with old bed sheets or something, and I was rather pressed for time... Then I found out halfway back south, that it had the replicas of staterooms, etc. Oh well. Next time.
The "Haunted Queen Mary" exhibit was good; a little cheesy at some points (like the tourguides saying "I don't know what we'll see today"), but still pretty good, you get to see the pool and the boiler rooms, and the special effects were good. When the water flowed in... Wow, I was just thinking Titanic there; I was so mesmerised that I didn't get a picture of the water flooding in. Another note for next time...
It was an interesting crowd onboard today; there was a motorcycle convention in the parking lot, so onboard the QM were ship nuts, tourists, and bikers...
One note: If you go to the QM go round the other side across the bridge as well... You can get a great view from across the harbor...
The only thing I think was disappointing about it was that it was very choppy... Since some parts were removed, the hotel's in the center, and there are scattered restaurants... The self-guided tour didn't really show you any interiors; I understand most of the lounges and dining saloons are now restaurants and convention centers... Oh well. I guess I can imagine the rest... The gift shop wasn't very good either; they only sold one book; I bought it and read it the whole way back south. It only told about her time in Long Beach... Not the ship biography I was hoping for, but still informative...
NOTE: If you're ever within driving distance, go see the Queen Mary, and when you get there, see it all! It's all really good. And get a guided tour (we didn't, but we should have... A third note for my next trip!) This tour makes me want to go on the QM2 when it premieres... I just need to find a way to get a quick ten thousand dollars... lol.
-D.O.
The ship itself was really good though, but the interiors weren't any better than the Olympic-class would've been; the first-class staircase was much more humble on QM, though, but the "haunted" first-class pool on QM was much nicer. But they should've moored the Olympic in Long Beach too! And the first Mauretania...
I only regret that I didn't see "Treasures from the QM" exhibit... I thought it would be a room with old bed sheets or something, and I was rather pressed for time... Then I found out halfway back south, that it had the replicas of staterooms, etc. Oh well. Next time.
The "Haunted Queen Mary" exhibit was good; a little cheesy at some points (like the tourguides saying "I don't know what we'll see today"), but still pretty good, you get to see the pool and the boiler rooms, and the special effects were good. When the water flowed in... Wow, I was just thinking Titanic there; I was so mesmerised that I didn't get a picture of the water flooding in. Another note for next time...
It was an interesting crowd onboard today; there was a motorcycle convention in the parking lot, so onboard the QM were ship nuts, tourists, and bikers...
One note: If you go to the QM go round the other side across the bridge as well... You can get a great view from across the harbor...
The only thing I think was disappointing about it was that it was very choppy... Since some parts were removed, the hotel's in the center, and there are scattered restaurants... The self-guided tour didn't really show you any interiors; I understand most of the lounges and dining saloons are now restaurants and convention centers... Oh well. I guess I can imagine the rest... The gift shop wasn't very good either; they only sold one book; I bought it and read it the whole way back south. It only told about her time in Long Beach... Not the ship biography I was hoping for, but still informative...
NOTE: If you're ever within driving distance, go see the Queen Mary, and when you get there, see it all! It's all really good. And get a guided tour (we didn't, but we should have... A third note for my next trip!) This tour makes me want to go on the QM2 when it premieres... I just need to find a way to get a quick ten thousand dollars... lol.
-D.O.