The Queen Mary (Long Beach, CA)

The Queen Mary haunting describes the paranormal events reported on the retired British ocean liner now docked in California. Launched in 1934, the ship was both a luxury liner and a troop transport during World War II. Many people consider it one of the world’s most haunted places, with claims of hundreds of spirits said to remain inside.

People link the hauntings to the ship’s long history of accidents, wartime deaths, and natural causes during its 31 years at sea. Visitors and staff often report seeing full-body ghosts, hearing strange voices, or feeling odd sensations, especially in the Engine Room and the old First-Class Swimming Pool.

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Overview

Attribute	Details
Name	The Queen Mary
Other Names	The Grey Ghost, The Ghost Ship of Long Beach, RMS Queen Mary
Address	1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, California 90802
Country	United States
Coordinates	33.7525° N, 118.1903° W
Nearest City	Long Beach
Property Type	Retired ocean liner and floating hotel
Built / Established	1934 (launched), 1936 (maiden voyage)
Closed/Abandoned	1967 (retired from sea), Still in use as a hotel/museum
Owner	City of Long Beach
Type of Haunting	Residual, Intelligent, Apparitions
Manifestations	Shadowy figures, disembodied laughter, wet footprints, knocking sounds, temperature drops, greasy handprints, internal phone calls
Tragic Events & Causes	Collision with HMS Curacoa (1942), watertight door crushing accident (1966), drownings in swimming pools, various natural deaths (heart attacks)
Known Entities	John Pedder (Door 13), Jackie (Pool child), The Lady in White, William Eric Stark
Fear Rating	6/10 (Moderately Frightening) [See Explanation]
First Recorded Sighting	Late 1960s (shortly after docking in Long Beach)
Most Recent Sighting	October 2025 – Reports of a “Lady in White” dancing in the Queen’s Salon during a paranormal tour
Activity Level	9/10 (Extreme Activity) [See Explanation]
Current Status	Active hotel, museum, and tourist attraction
Open to the Public?	Yes, through hotel bookings, museum tours, and seasonal events
Best Time to Visit	Late night for guided ghost tours; October for the “Dark Harbor” event
Danger Warning	Narrow passageways, steep stairs, reported “heavy” or oppressive energy in lower decks
Similar Haunted Locations	USS Hornet, SS United States, RMS Titanic (wreck), Eastern State Penitentiary, Stanley Hotel, Whaley House, Winchester Mystery House, Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Lizzie Borden House, Crescent Hotel, Myrtles Plantation, Villisca Axe Murder House, Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Moundsville Penitentiary, St. Augustine Lighthouse, Fort Mifflin

The Queen Mary’s Haunted History

The Queen Mary’s haunted reputation comes from its long history of ocean travel and wartime service. Records show that at least 49 people died on the ship, from natural causes like heart failure to accidents and disasters at sea.

A major tragedy happened on October 2, 1942, during World War II. At the time, the ship was called the “Grey Ghost” and was carrying about 15,000 soldiers.

To avoid German submarines, the ship traveled quickly and zigzagged. During these moves, it hit its escort ship, the HMS Curacoa, cutting the smaller vessel in half.

Because of orders not to stop and risk submarine attacks, the Queen Mary kept going, leaving hundreds of sailors in the water. About 338 men died in the accident. Many people who believe in the hauntings think the spirits of these sailors are still connected to the bow where the crash happened.

In July 1966, a tragic accident during a routine drill led to the death of 18-year-old crew member John Pedder. He tried to run through a closing watertight door in the engine room, Door No. 13, but was crushed. Since then, this spot has become one of the ship’s most famous places for reported paranormal activity.

Other incidents happened in the ship’s swimming pools. The First-Class Swimming Pool was said to be the site of several deaths. However, historians debate whether some, like the drowning of a young girl named Jackie, really happened.

Still, stories from staff and visitors over the years have made these tales a big part of the ship’s history. Stateroom B340 also became well known after a passenger, Walter J. Adamson, died there in 1948. Many guests later complained about strange events in the room, so it was closed for a time.

Local Legends

Since the ship arrived in Long Beach in 1967, employees and guests have shared many legends about its haunting. These stories usually focus on certain ghosts and places on the ship.

The Lady in White

One well-known story is about a ghost called the Lady in White. People usually see her in the Queen’s Salon, which was once the first-class lounge.

People say she looks like a young, beautiful woman in a fancy white evening dress from the 1930s. She is often seen dancing alone in the ballroom’s shadows or standing by the piano. Unlike other ghosts, the Lady in White appears peaceful but vanishes when anyone gets close.

The Prophecy of Lady Mable

On the day the ship was launched in 1934, a British psychic named Lady Mabel Fortescue-Harrison reportedly made a prediction. She said, “The Queen Mary will know her greatest fame and popularity when she never sails another mile or carries another fare-paying passenger.”

Paranormal fans often mention this legend as proof that the ship was meant to become haunted. Today, its fame as a “ghost ship” in Long Beach may even be greater than when it was an ocean liner.

The Ghost of Door 13

One of the most famous stories is about John Pedder, the young man who died in the engine room. People say his ghost, called “Half-Hatch Harry,” haunts the area near Door No. 13.

Visitors say they have seen an entity in dark blue overalls with a beard, or sometimes a younger man, hanging around the door. People often report seeing greasy handprints on the walls or feeling as if someone is watching them while working with the machinery.

Reported Ghosts

Besides the famous legends, investigators and staff often talk about other ghosts. In the First-Class Pool area, people say the spirit of a young girl named Jackie remains. She is often heard singing, laughing, or calling for her mother. Some witnesses even say they have seen wet footprints around the empty pool.

Another ghost people mention is William Eric Stark, a senior officer who died in 1949 after accidentally drinking carbon tetrachloride, thinking it was gin. His ghost is said to haunt the officer’s quarters, where visitors sometimes smell chemicals or hear a man coughing. In the Third-Class Nursery, people often report hearing a baby cry, even though no children have been there for years.

Documented Sightings Timeline

Witness	Date	Details
Cleaning Staff	1960s	Early reports of shadowy figures and disappearing tools during the ship’s conversion.
Unnamed Guest	1966	A woman staying in B340 reported her bed covers being pulled off by unseen hands.
Three Cleaning Employees	1989	Witnessed a person sitting on the floor of the Mauretania Room who vanished instantly.
Hotel Guest	1991	A man felt a “greasy” brush against his cheek in the engine room; a grease stain appeared on his skin.
Ship Employee	2001	Observed a man in white clothing pass through a solid door in the Mayfair Room at 5:30 a.m.
Tour Visitor	2022	Heard a little girl’s voice saying “help me” near the pool area and saw elevator doors cycle.
Paranormal Tour Group	2025	Reported a full-body apparition of a woman in a 1930s-style gown in the Salon.

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal activity on The Queen Mary happens often and in many forms. Unlike hauntings that just repeat past events, many reports suggest the spirits on the ship interact with people.

Common reports include Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), where people record voices they can’t see, and poltergeist-like events such as faucets turning on, lights flickering, and furniture moving. These things happen most often in the Engine Room, Stateroom B340, and the Pool areas, where visitors often say the air feels heavy.

Notable Investigations

Since the ship was retired, the Queen Mary has been investigated by scientists and TV crews looking into paranormal claims. These studies have used a range of methods, from field research to reality TV shows.

Scientific Study by Christopher Chacon

In the early 1990s, the company running the ship hired anomalist and parapsychologist Christopher Chacon to lead an 18-month scientific investigation. This study is known as one of the most detailed ever done on the ship.

Chacon worked with a team of scientists, including physicists and doctors, and used advanced equipment to monitor radiation, magnetic fields, air pressure, and chemical levels on the ship at all hours.

During the study, the team interviewed over 1,500 people and recorded about 13,000 unusual events. Chacon found that 60% of these could be explained. However, about 30% remained mysterious, showing signs of both frequent and interactive hauntings.

Peter James and the “Jackie” Recording

In 1991, well-known psychic investigator Peter James explored the ship. He is best known for claiming to have spoken with the spirit of a young girl named Jackie in the First-Class Swimming Pool.

James said he spoke with Jackie’s spirit for ten minutes while a film crew watched. This event helped spread the idea that the pool area is a “vortex” for spiritual energy.

Televised Investigations

The ship has often appeared on paranormal TV shows, which have shared many different claims:

• Ghost Hunters (TAPS): In 2005, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson investigated the ship for Season 2, Episode 11. They focused on the First-Class Pool and Stateroom B340. They recorded some minor events, but a video showing a bed moving was later examined in detail.
• Ghost Adventures: In 2014, Zak Bagans, Nick Groff, and Aaron Goodwin did a lockdown for Season 10. They said they caught a full-body ghost on camera near Door 13, which they thought was John Pedder. They also recorded several EVPs, like a woman’s laugh and a voice saying “5 gate.”
• Most Haunted: The British show also investigated the ship, with medium Derek Acorah and investigator Yvette Fielding exploring the engine rooms and the Suez Canal area.

Unsolved Mysteries

In 1988, Unsolved Mysteries featured the ship in its Halloween special. The show included interviews with ship historian Bill Winberg. It focused on stories from employees who said they saw ghosts in the bow, especially those linked to the HMS Curacoa tragedy.

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