Perhaps the most famous of all ocean liners that have not met with a disastrous end, the magnificent 1,019 by 118 foot QUEEN MARY still dominates the Long Beach, CA skyline as a prominent tourist attraction, museum, and hotel. Laid down in 1930, but not completed until 1936 due to Cunard-White Star's depression era economic limitations, the QUEEN MARY was rivaled only by French Line's NORMANDIE as the world's greatest ship in her pre-war years. As built, the MARY carried 776 cabin (first), 784 tourist, and 579 3rd class passengers. She was powered by John Brown geared turbines capable of 200,000 SHP to drive quadruple screws at a service speed of 29 knots.

Her Blue Ribband - capturing maiden Atlantic crossing to New York on 27 May 1936 was made at an average speed of 30.14 knots, with a return at 30.63 knots. In a good-natured tug-of-war with the more streamlined NORMANDIE, the MARY traded the coveted title for fastest crossing until 1938, when her peak average speed of 30.99 knots westbound and 31.69 knots eastbound was untouched until being shattered by the UNITED STATES in 1952.

Joined by the 1940-built QUEEN ELIZABETH for trooping duties, the MARY and her near sister were even acknowledged by Winston Churchill for having shortened the war by safely and quickly transporting hundreds of thousands of troops to the battle theater. Her one tragic incident occurred in October of 1942, when she rammed and sank the cruiser HMS CURACOA, with a loss of 228 lives.

In 1946, the 81,235 gross ton liner returned to transatlantic service alongside the QUEEN ELIZABETH. Her new passenger configuration accommodated 711 in first, 707 in cabin (tourist), and 577 in tourist (third). After 1,001 successful crossings, she was finally sold to the City of Long Beach in 1967. While her engines and a good portion of her cabin and tourist class accommodation were sadly gutted in the conversion that ensued, the QUEEN MARY is the only surviving major pre-war transatlantic liner in existence.

Under a long term lease to the Prevratil Corporation, the latest in a line of operators since her Long Beach tenure, the ship has seen an upsurge in public attendance since the 1997 movie TITANIC hit the big screen. Currently, a number of restorative efforts are under way to return portions of the ship (including the Verandah Grill, Observation Lounge, and first class suites) to their Cunard-era configuration.