LIFE OF A QUEEN

The Queen Mary embarked on her maiden voyage on May 29, 1936. She was the grandest ocean liner afloat, larger and heavier than the Titanic. In her time, the Queen was considered the only civilzed way to travel.

A voyage on the Queen was a glamourous experience enjoyed by the world's rich, famous, royal, and elite. Sir Winston Churchill, Mary Pickford, Fred Astaire, Greta Garbo, and Clark Gable were only a few of the politicians and celebrities who enjoyed the luxury of a voyage on the Queen, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were frequent guests, practically holding court on board.

During WWII, the Queen was painted grey and served as a troop transport ship. Her ability to cross the Atlantic without being detected by enemies gave her the nickname, "The Grey Ghost." On one wartime crossing, the Queen set a record for "greatest number of souls aboard a floating vessel," carrying 16,683 troops and crew. This record stands today.

The Queen Mary resumed service as a passenger ship after the war, but with air travel becoming more accessible and affordable, the days of transatlantic voyages drew to an end.

In 1967, the Queen Mary sailed from Southampton to her permanent home in Long Beach. She had made 1,001 transatlantic crossings.