DID YOU KNOW?
Fun facts about the Queen Mary
* Launched Sept. 26, 1934, in Clydebank, Scotland.
* King George V spoke and Queen Mary christened the ship before a crowd of 200,000.
* More than 10 million rivets used in construction
* 1,004 ft. at waterline – longer than the Eiffel Tower
* 1,019 ft. overall length – 228 feet shy of the Empire State Bldg.
* 81,237 gross tons – nearly twice that of the Titanic
* Driven by four 32-ton propellers, each spanning 18½ ft.
* May 27, 1936 — began maiden voyage to New York with 1,742 passengers and 1,186
crew
* Initial cabin-class fare: £53.15 or about $86; tourist-class: £8.10 or about $13
* Served more than 10,000 meals each transatlantic trip
* 640-line switchboard provided ship-to-shore phone service to all first-class cabins
* First ocean liner fitted with fully motorized lifeboats
* 314 guest rooms including 305 staterooms and 9 suites
* Air-driven Tyfon horn could be heard 10 miles away
* Served more than 24,000 meals each transatlantic crossing
* Carried 20 tons of meat each trip, with 50,000 lbs of potatoes, 70,000 eggs, 3,600 lbs
of cheese, 1,200 lbs of coffee and 500 gallons of ice-cream
* Stored 10,000 bottles of wine each trip with 40,000 bottles of beer, 6,000 gallons of
draught ale, 5,000 bottles of spirits
* Carried 5,000 cigars and 20,000 packs of cigarettes each trip
* Six miles of carpet were vacuumed each day.
* Linen supplies: 210,000 towels, 30,000 sheets, 21,000 table cloths and 92,000
napkins
* Dining table held more than a half-million pieces of china, glassware and silverware.
* Carried more than 810,000 Allied military personnel during World War II
* British leader Winston Churchill sailed under the alias “Colonel Warden."
* Won ‘Blue Riband’ speed prize in 1936, crossing Atlantic in 4 days, 4 hours and 12
minutes.
* Celebrity passengers included: Bob Hope, Spencer Tracy, Greta Garbo, Marlene
Dietrich, Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, Stan Laurel and
Oliver Hardy
* In 1967, she retired to Long Beach, Calif., which bought her for $3.4 million as a living
landmark, event venue and hotel
* Since 1971, she has attracted over 50 million visitors
About the Queen Mary
Located in the Port of Long Beach, the Queen Mary features a rich maritime history,
authentic Art Deco décor, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Long Beach city
skyline. At the time of her maiden voyage in May of 1936, she was considered the
grandest ocean liner ever built. The Queen Mary features award-winning restaurants,
historical attractions, numerous special event salons and 346 staterooms.
Media Contact:
Johanna Felix
Freeman McCue Public Relations for The Queen Mary
j.felix@freemanmccue.com
860-655-4221
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