Great News?

[bdever]

I think this is a win win win in the making for LB, Queen Mary & Carnival. 
https://longbeach.gov/press-releases/city-of-long-beach-regains-control-of--the-queen-mary-for-first-time-in-over-40-years/?fbclid=IwAR2xcrlfHjmUdUwV559VHVBc3pux5AMGd1qek2Hre-44AS0aBRsm3ascBM0

[CruiserBruce]

Supposedly in terrible shape. LB is going to need to invest a lot of money. Not sure that is a good deal.

[4hunters]

Yes, she is in really bad shape.  She's belonged to many different companies throughout the years, all of whom weren't up to the task, financially, to properly maintain her.  Hopefully the city will do better.  I bet they will.  👍

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, bdever said:

I think this is a win win win in the making for LB, Queen Mary & Carnival. 
https://longbeach.gov/press-releases/city-of-long-beach-regains-control-of--the-queen-mary-for-first-time-in-over-40-years/?fbclid=IwAR2xcrlfHjmUdUwV559VHVBc3pux5AMGd1qek2Hre-44AS0aBRsm3ascBM0

 

I agree this is good news.  Having been a visitor to Queen Mary when she was in active service and as a guest at Queen Mary Hotel, she is worth preserving for historical reasons, if nothing else.  Perhaps the City of Long Beach may be able to use some of the Federal stimulus money that they are receiving to assist with the work that needs to be done.  

[bdever]

9 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Supposedly in terrible shape. LB is going to need to invest a lot of money. Not sure that is a good deal.

Bruce,

A multi million restoration job like that could benefit greatly from a multi million restart of cruising out of the LB terminal. I’m sure the city is thinking the same thing and now is highly motivated to enter into a port agreement with Carnival for resumption 

😉

[Donald]

Let me see now.

There are about a dozen old floating hotel cruise liners parked around the planet right now. Every one of them has either done bankrupt (some several times), or is in the process of going bankrupt.

The Queen Mary is in worse shape than most of them.

What a great idea, to invest big tax dollars into a concept that is a proven loser, just t attract as few extra tourists to a generally boring industrial port.

 

Although it is a wonderful thing to try to preserve icons from the past, this is really not the way to go.

If Long Beach scrapped the ship and offered free shuttles from the airports to the cruise terminal, they would save a lot of money and attract far more visitors.

[rkacruiser]

12 hours ago, Donald said:

Although it is a wonderful thing to try to preserve icons from the past, this is really not the way to go.

 

You surely are entitled to your opinions.  Not all of us will agree, however.

 

While Rotterdam V went through some difficult financial years after she left the HAL fleet, as Hotel S. S. Rotterdam she seems to have been reasonably successful, at least pre-Covid.  

[K_e_short]

I actually came to this part of CC to ask a question that relates to your post.

 

Any ideas on how long it will take for them to fix up the Queen Mary and have it open again?

 

In a perfect world we'll be cruising out of Long Beach in December.

Edited June 8, 2021 by K_e_short

[Bruin Steve]

54 minutes ago, K_e_short said:

 

In a perfect world we'll be cruising out of Long Beach in December.

 

K_e_, 

My advice is, when you cruise out of Long Beach...and if you are just planning on one night pre-cruise...stay at the Hyatt Regency...or the Hyatt Centric at the Pike...or at the Renaissance...or at the Westin...or the Maya Doubletree...or at the Residence Inn Downtown...Enjoy a real hotel in good condition...and just go to the Queen Mary to check it out--if it's open...It is a curiosity piece and an interesting historical relic....but those mentioned above are much nicer hotels.

 

If it's not open, then enjoy a visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific...and stroll around Shoreline Village and the Pike and have a nice dinner...

[Heidi13]

23 hours ago, Donald said:

Although it is a wonderful thing to try to preserve icons from the past, this is really not the way to go.

If Long Beach scrapped the ship and offered free shuttles from the airports to the cruise terminal, they would save a lot of money and attract far more visitors.

 

The cost to dismantle the ship would be astronomical, as the ship would require dismantling in accordance with the Basel Convention, which has IMO guidelines on ship recycling.

 

Since it is highly unlikely they could sell her to a 3rd World country, as a going concern, she would require recyling in an environmentally approved yard. The asbestos and other pollutants will cost a fortune to dismantle.

[K_e_short]

20 hours ago, Bruin Steve said:

K_e_, 

My advice is, when you cruise out of Long Beach...and if you are just planning on one night pre-cruise...stay at the Hyatt Regency...or the Hyatt Centric at the Pike...or at the Renaissance...or at the Westin...or the Maya Doubletree...or at the Residence Inn Downtown...Enjoy a real hotel in good condition...and just go to the Queen Mary to check it out--if it's open...It is a curiosity piece and an interesting historical relic....but those mentioned above are much nicer hotels.

 

If it's not open, then enjoy a visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific...and stroll around Shoreline Village and the Pike and have a nice dinner...

 

My son is obsessed with Titanic and ocean liners in general. We'd just go in and look around for the experience.

He would love to stay over but I'd rather not. 

Thank you for the suggestions for touristy things though as we may not be flying out until 10pm, which gives us time to look around.

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, K_e_short said:

My son is obsessed with Titanic and ocean liners in general. We'd just go in and look around for the experience.

He would love to stay over but I'd rather not. 

 

None of my business other than curiosity; if you choose not to respond, that's OK.  How old is your Son?  I wonder if he is around the age that I was when I became quite interested in ocean liners?  I was 13.  

[KeepCalmBearOn]

On 6/6/2021 at 11:16 PM, Donald said:

What a great idea, to invest big tax dollars into a concept that is a proven loser, just t attract as few extra tourists to a generally boring industrial port.

 

Where the Queen Mary is and Carnival docks is essentially in Downtown Long Beach and it is not generally boring. It has the Aquarium of the Pacific, Pine Ave, Rainbow Harbor, Shoreline Village, East Village Arts District and the Pike Outlets, plus Belmont Shore and Naples. Plenty of very good dining as well.

[Tapi]

On 6/7/2021 at 2:16 AM, Donald said:

What a great idea, to invest big tax dollars into a concept that is a proven loser, just to attract as few extra tourists to a generally boring industrial port.

We’ve only sailed from Long Beach/Los Angeles twice, but found the Long Beach area to be far from being a “generally boring industrial port”. Most recently, we stayed at the Hyatt The Pike pre cruise and had a wonderful time checking out the sights and attractions within walking distance. Much more enjoyable than staying near the port in places like Port Canaveral and Ft Lauderdale.

 

As far as the Queen Mary goes, I agree that financially she may be a burden, but she’s an impressive and integral part of the Long Beach landscape. Even if the money isn’t there to bring her back to her full former glory and to maintain her indoors and hotel operations going, maybe the city of Long Beach could at least keep up her exteriors.

[K_e_short]

On 6/9/2021 at 3:27 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

None of my business other than curiosity; if you choose not to respond, that's OK.  How old is your Son?  I wonder if he is around the age that I was when I became quite interested in ocean liners?  I was 13.  

 

He's 14.

 

He watched the 1997 Titanic movie when he was about 8 and has been obsessed ever since.

He's watched every documentary on Titanic. He can tell you all the stats.

When he was 9 we went to Halifax and visited every historic site linked to Titanic.

 

We are doing a transatlantic in the summer of 2022 so we can see Southampton and do the museum there. We are also going to Belfast to see the museum there.

 

He builds ocean liners in Minecraft and googles deck plans from ships I have never even heard about...

 

Did I mention he's obsessed......

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, K_e_short said:

 

He's 14.

 

He watched the 1997 Titanic movie when he was about 8 and has been obsessed ever since.

He's watched every documentary on Titanic. He can tell you all the stats.

When he was 9 we went to Halifax and visited every historic site linked to Titanic.

 

We are doing a transatlantic in the summer of 2022 so we can see Southampton and do the museum there. We are also going to Belfast to see the museum there.

 

He builds ocean liners in Minecraft and googles deck plans from ships I have never even heard about...

 

Did I mention he's obsessed......

 

If interested in ships, may I suggest having him check out the options for a career in the Merchant Navy. While Canada doesn't have the same options as other countries, we still do produce some excellent officers.

 

In Ontario, you have Georgian College and out West, we have Pacific Marine Training Institute, which offer co-op programs. Basically they spend time in college and also go out to sea on commercial ships. Back East, they also have St John's Marine Training Institute.

 

My son came to work with me fairly often, with the crew teaching him to steer when only 9 yrs old. He also knew how to stow cargo, work the anchor, handle mooring lines, complete rounds, etc.

 

On completing school, he decided that he wanted to work for P&O/Princess. As a Canadian/UK citizen residing in Canada, he couldn't join a cadet program in UK, so I got him into the local PMTI program. He was hired by Princess, staying with them until S/2/O.

 

He now works on some of the World's largest private mega yachts, having been relief Captain on the 2nd biggest at only 30. Has spent the last few years in shipyards standing by and then delivering new mega yachts. Makes incredible money and works 10 wks on 10 off.

 

If your son is interested, might be worth checking it out.

 

Feel free to send me an email if you have any questions. Email address is on our travel blog.

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, K_e_short said:

 

He's 14.

 

He watched the 1997 Titanic movie when he was about 8 and has been obsessed ever since.

He's watched every documentary on Titanic. He can tell you all the stats.

When he was 9 we went to Halifax and visited every historic site linked to Titanic.

 

We are doing a transatlantic in the summer of 2022 so we can see Southampton and do the museum there. We are also going to Belfast to see the museum there.

 

He builds ocean liners in Minecraft and googles deck plans from ships I have never even heard about...

 

Did I mention he's obsessed......

 

There are a couple of organizations in which your son might be interested:  The Titanic Historical Society (titanichistoricalsociety.org) and the Steamship Historical Society of America (www.sshsa.org).  I have been a member of SSHSA for many years and have also been a member of THS.  (I dropped my membership because their journal went being a hard copy to being online only.  I don't care to read such things online.)  

[K_e_short]

19 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

If interested in ships, may I suggest having him check out the options for a career in the Merchant Navy. While Canada doesn't have the same options as other countries, we still do produce some excellent officers.

 

In Ontario, you have Georgian College and out West, we have Pacific Marine Training Institute, which offer co-op programs. Basically they spend time in college and also go out to sea on commercial ships. Back East, they also have St John's Marine Training Institute.

 

My son came to work with me fairly often, with the crew teaching him to steer when only 9 yrs old. He also knew how to stow cargo, work the anchor, handle mooring lines, complete rounds, etc.

 

On completing school, he decided that he wanted to work for P&O/Princess. As a Canadian/UK citizen residing in Canada, he couldn't join a cadet program in UK, so I got him into the local PMTI program. He was hired by Princess, staying with them until S/2/O.

 

He now works on some of the World's largest private mega yachts, having been relief Captain on the 2nd biggest at only 30. Has spent the last few years in shipyards standing by and then delivering new mega yachts. Makes incredible money and works 10 wks on 10 off.

 

If your son is interested, might be worth checking it out.

 

Feel free to send me an email if you have any questions. Email address is on our travel blog.

 

Thank you for that info. I will show him the email and your blog.

[K_e_short]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

There are a couple of organizations in which your son might be interested:  The Titanic Historical Society (titanichistoricalsociety.org) and the Steamship Historical Society of America (www.sshsa.org).  I have been a member of SSHSA for many years and have also been a member of THS.  (I dropped my membership because their journal went being a hard copy to being online only.  I don't care to read such things online.)  

Thank you for those suggestions. I will share this post with him.

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, K_e_short said:

 

Thank you for that info. I will show him the email and your blog.

Here are website of some classic liners that I worked on.

 

SS Canberra - http://www.pandosnco.co.uk/canberra_part_one.html

SS Oriana - http://ssmaritime.com/oriana.htm

SS Uganda - http://www.ssuganda.co.uk/

[KeepCalmBearOn]

On 6/11/2021 at 8:33 PM, Heidi13 said:

Here are website of some classic liners that I worked on.

 

SS Canberra - http://www.pandosnco.co.uk/canberra_part_one.html

SS Oriana - http://ssmaritime.com/oriana.htm

SS Uganda - http://www.ssuganda.co.uk/

 

Have you ever read any of the Tod Moran stories by Howard Pease? They made me want to runaway and join a tramp steamer.

[Heidi13]

30 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

Have you ever read any of the Tod Moran stories by Howard Pease? They made me want to runaway and join a tramp steamer.

 

Hadn't heard of them, but will check out the series. Thanks.