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 Guests at the 2009 Art Deco cocktail party. Photo courtesy of J. Christopher Launi By Lindsey Cranton, Marketing Intern
28 July 2010
Hello everyone! I’m Lindsey, the marketing intern for the summer here at the Queen Mary. This summer has been a wild and fun ride here at the Queen with amazing festivals like Ink and Iron, the 4th of July festivities, and the Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show. Now we are gearing up for the first ever Summer Concert Series, which is already shaping up to be an awesome event however, I think the event I am most looking forward to this summer is the 6th Annual Art Deco Festival. I was never much for art history in college; I actually found it really boring, so when I heard about a three day festival celebrating everything that put me to sleep in my classes I was not at all excited. Then I found out it’s a costume party, the entire weekend is a giant costume party.
The Art Deco Festival is not just a bunch of art historians and snobs getting together to make other people feel inferior, quite the contrary actually, these Decophiles (as they prefer to be known), are part of the Los Angeles Art Deco Society (http://www.adsla.org/) and they come ready to party, Gatsby style. People arrive in their classic Rolls-Royces and Chryslers with steamer trunks packed full of vintage fashions that would make any dust bowl girl green with envy. Before the sun even sets these amazing revelers are dressed to the nines and ready to go for the first great party, the infamous Bon Voyage Pajama Party!
The Bon Voyage Pajama Party probably feels more like time traveling than anything else, with everyone dressed up in their vintage pj’s, drinking, dancing and playing games that passengers would have played during the golden era of the ship. During the days there are so many fun things to do and see at the ship; go shopping at the Bazaar, check out the stunning array of vintage cars, take the art deco tours, sit in on some lectures, and enjoy several scheduled and impromptu cocktail parties at different locations on the ship.
The following night the fun gears back up for a formal ball. Only the dress code is formal for this event though, and it is shaping up to be the absolute highlight of the summer with a fabulous dinner, flowing champagne, live big band music by the Queen Mary Orchestra, and dancing until the wee hours of the morning. The money raised from this event will go to saving the priceless piece of art ‘Birds of the Old World/Birds of the New World’ that is located in the Grand Salon.
I certainly am counting down the days till the Art Deco Festival; time is running out for dress shopping after all. Aside from the amazing experience of playing dress up for three days, the prices of tickets to go to these super fun events is actually affordable with some events starting at $10 a person. For more information check out http://www.queenmary.com/index.php?page=artdeco, and keep looking here because I will be posting more as we get closer to the date.
By Christine Company, Attractions Sales Manager
June 20, 2010
Hello all! I’m Christine the new Attractions Sales Manager onboard the Queen Mary! I had the opportunity to experience our new summer tour “The Paranormal Spirit” walk the other night and I wanted to pop by and share my experience with all of you. First I should start by saying that while the tour is new, some of you may recognize the name of the tour guide- Erika Frost. Erika used to give tours on the ship and has amassed quite a following and we are very excited to welcome her back.
I don’t know about all of you, but I go back and forth on whether ghosts exist or not. Do I get the heebie jeebies walking around at night? Yes, definitely. Have I been scared walking around the Queen Mary? Oh yes! There are definite areas on the ship where the hair stands up on the back of my neck! (Wait can hair actually stand up on the back of your neck? Where did that phrase come from?). However, I could never tell whether these physical reactions of mine were due to something real or simply my mind playing tricks on me. After taking this tour with Erika, I still can’t tell you whether ghosts are real or whether it’s all in my head, but I can tell you that without a doubt I had a fantastic time! In the end, that’s all that really matters right?
I won’t get into too many details because I don’t want to ruin the tour for you, but I can give a brief summary. Erika starts out by talking about the different possibilities of what a “ghost” is. Many people think of them as lost souls, but there are lots of different theories. There are some groups of thought that say it’s possible we manifest them with our minds, while others say that science is involved and that ghosts are electromagnetic manifestations of energy. No matter which way you look at it, it’s all pretty fascinating.
After the opening discussion about ghosts, Erika leads the group through some of the most famous reportedly haunted spots of the Queen Mary. At each of these locations, the group spends time trying to communicate with the ghosts said to haunt these areas. In my group, some of the people reacted quite strongly and very firmly believed that we were not alone in those rooms. I didn’t feel such a strong reaction but then I may not be as open to other phenomena as those people were. I can say, however, that I did experience a lot of interesting physical reactions. I went through a number of temperature changes, was very dizzy in several of the “hot spots” and in one location had a great deal of difficulty breathing. I can’t say for sure whether these reactions were to paranormal activity around us or perhaps simple claustrophobia, but either way I definitely had an experience!
In the end, I walked away from the tour thoroughly satisfied. I had been entertained, learned quite a few things, got very spooked and just really enjoyed myself. I could see that everyone else in the group felt the same way. I hope that you all will come take the tour and see for yourself. It’s definitely an experience you won’t forget!
 Chef Larry, is a Certified Executive Chef and brings more than 30 years of experience as chef, culinary educator, television personality, consultant and restaurateur to his position as Executive Chef on board the Queen Mary. During the past several years Chef Larry has worked at many prestigious destination resorts, served international celebrities and world leaders, traveled internationally competing on the U.S. culinary team, and appeared on numerous media programs to share his passion for fine food and cooking.
In fact, Chef Larry is a familiar face for television viewers, he has been on VH1’s The Fabulous Life…,” The Food Network’s “Roker on the Road,” and “Barbecue America” for PBS. He appears regularly on San Diego television including ABC’s KGTV Channel 10 and also hosts and produces “The County Cooks with Chef Larry” and “Chef Larry’s Cuisine” on cable television.
The website “Chef Larry’s Cuisine” has been featured on ABC’s World News Tonight and in Entertainment Weekly Magazine. A true “culinary ambassador,” Chef Larry was heard around the world on his popular radio program “The Chef Larry Show” on World Talk Radio and was the food columnist for the Asian Reader.
Internationally recognized for his culinary accomplishments, Chef Larry was a member of the 1988, 1992 and 1996 U.S.A. Culinary Teams, winning three gold medals and a special “cloverleaf” award at the world’s most prestigious cooking competition, the “Culinary Olympics.” Chef Larry has served as Executive Chef / Food and Beverage Director for many destination hotels and was named “Chef of the Year” by the American Culinary Federation Orange Empire Chef Association. He has cooked for numerous celebrities and dignitaries including superstar Michael Jackson, the Sultan of Brunei, former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos, entertainers Brian McKnight, Tony Award-Winner Lea Salonga and Philippine Presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Estrada.
His published work includes “New Currents in American Cuisine: Cooking With Team USA,” “Kochkunst in Bildern III & IV,” and “The New American Barbecue” video / recipe book with Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay. Chef Larry is currently producing a DVD series, “Chef Larry Live” cooking events and a new 26-show television / on-line series. He has appeared internationally on GMA Pinoy TV and GMA 7 Philippines and on the ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel’s “Balitang America,” “Speak-Out,” and “Adobo Nation” shows.
You can experience Chef Larry’s cuisine aboard the Queen Mary daily or make one of his famous dishes. Visit the following sites for Chef Larry recipes and tips:
http://www.10news.com/cheflarry/index.html
http://www.discoversandiego.com
 June 10, 2010
Renovations to Chelsea Restaurant begin shortly with a new name, menu and a new look. The restaurant will be renamed Chelsea Chowder House and Bar, and yes the menu will feature a selection of chowder. The theme will be reminiscent of New England’s coastal cuisine and atmosphere, you will find tables at the new Chelsea Chowder House covered with brown butcher block paper. We will be offering chowder flights which change weekly – featuring New England Clam Chowder, Manhattan Clam Chowder, Chicken Chorizo Chowder, and Roasted Corn & Poblano Chowder. We will also be offering Seafood kettles and a variety of Organic Wines.
We are committed to serving a menu that only features sustainable seafood that is in accordance with Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.
We therefore pledge:
- To serve no wild-caught or farmed seafood on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch red “avoid” list.
- To communicate our commitment—with peers and the public—so others will join us.
- To use our talents to introduce new dishes demonstrating that sustainable seafood is also delicious to eat.
The oceans are resilient, and fish populations can rebound—if we give them a chance. Through our actions, we intend to be part of the solution.
Propeller Facts
- The ship’s propellers are made of manganese-bronze, a highly non-corrosive metal.
- There were four propellers originally on the ship, and only 1 remains on the ship today.
- The weight of each propeller is 35 tons each is 18 feet in diameter.
- With 4 blades on every propeller, each blade is 7 feet tall.
- At cruising speed the propeller would spin at 172 revolutions per minute (about 3 times every second!!)
Something this large, going around that fast had to be perfectly balanced. Occasionally a propeller would get a nick or cut, which would cause the entire ship to shudder and vibrate. The damaged propeller would then be shut down until the ship could go into dry-dock to have it repaired or replaced. According to records, this occurred about 24 times at a cost of $35,000 (or $1,000 per ton).
After the Queen Mary came to Long Beach in 1967 a propeller box was constructed to allow visitors to see the propeller in its original position. The box is filled with approximately 150,000 gallons of fresh water.
Anchor Facts
Manufacturer: Samuel Taylor & Sons, Ltd. in England
Design: Stockless dreadnought. The anchors are forged steel.
The chief advantage of the all-forged design is that it allows the anchor to be guaranteed perfectly sound, and free from defects which may be associated with steel castings.
Cables: Each cable (chain) is 990 feet long and weighs 75 tons.
Destruction tests were conducted on a section of chain consisting of three links.
The Facts: The Queen Mary dropped anchor when arriving at a port which did not have a berth large enough to accommodate her. From our records, the ship dropped anchor approximately 600 times during her 31 years of service. This occurred mostly in Cherbourg, during World War II, on several 1960’s cruises, and on her final voyage to Long Beach.
It takes a great team to manage a great ship! From the front desk agent to dishwashers and cooks, every crew member is integral to keeping the historic Queen Mary running 365 days a year. If you have ever been on the ship and have seen it’s beauty and amazing location in Long Beach Harbor, imagine working here on a daily basis!!
We are hosting a Career Fair on Thursday 4/29/10
Join us from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. or 6 – 9 p.m. in the Windsor Salon
Food & Beverage:
- Executive Sous Chef
- Sous Chef
- Executive Steward
- Cooks
- Dishwashers
- Food servers – Part Time
- Bus Attendants – Part Time
- Host/Hostess – Part Time
- On Call Banquet Servers
- Cocktail servers
Facilities/Property Services:
- Landscaper
- Utility Engineer
Hotel Operations:
- Front Desk Agent – Full Time
- Reservations Agent – Part Time
- Housekeeping Room Attendant – Part Time
- Housekeeping House person -Part Time
- Administration/ Sales
- Hotel Sales Manager
Representatives for All departments will be available to interview and some hiring will be done On-The- Spot!
The Queen Mary is a drug free workplace. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of Drug and background screening.
Interviews will be conducted on the Spot for ALL positions.
Don’t forget … dress for success!
The Queen Mary is proud to announce the completion of a number of updates and improvements to our original staterooms and suites. Among the noted renovations, we introduced new carpet and curtains, fresh paint and wallpaper, upgraded lighting and new soft goods, including duvets, bed skirts and pillows. Also new to the staterooms is in-room signage that highlights our GreenPath initiatives, which encourages guests to conserve water, energy and energy.
 
Crew Member Spotlight: Captain Roy Sorge
For more than 17 years, Captain Roy Sorge has manned the helm of the Queen Mary as her honorary shipmaster.
And while he’s never had the pleasure of guiding the Queen Mary on the open seas, he does take great care to educate and inspire the ship’s guests about the history and significance of this treasured ocean liner.
His many responsibilities as “Captain” consist of greeting foreign visitors, giving lectures on the Queen’s history and overseeing various functions. But perhaps his favorite responsibility has been performing more than 1,500 weddings, including the ceremony for a couple, aged 94 and 92, in which the groom had served aboard the Queen Mary in his youth.
When not on the ship, Captain Sorge likes to take command of his own personal, and much smaller, vessel, a 36-foot Yorktown sailboat that he likes to sail to Catalina Island and along the California coast.
The Swimming Pool
Did you know?
The Queen Mary’s first-class swimming pool held more than 28,000 gallons of heated seawater, which could be filled or emptied in 25 minutes.
Of course when navigating the rough North Atlantic weather the ship would, at times, roll 15 degrees from side to side, making the draining of the pool a common occurrence. In fact, because of the side-to-side movement, the diving boards were permanently removed in 1936.
Today, the pool sits empty of any water. However, it is rumored to be filled with haunting apparitions and can be explored as part of the Ghosts & Legends show.
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