The Queen Mary

Los Angeles is rife with famous sights and places to visit. One of the more famous along the coastline, beaches aside, is the Queen Mary. My family and I stayed here last year, thinking the fame and grandeur of the storied ship would be a fun adventure. Unfortunately, we were left with an impression to never come back. Here's a little bit about the ship, the hotel, and our experience.

A Brief History of a Legendary Ship

The RMS Queen Mary first launched in 1934, quickly becoming one of the most iconic ocean liners of her day. She crossed the Atlantic for decades, served as a troopship during World War II, and later returned to luxury passenger service before retiring in 1967. That same year, she made her final voyage to the Los Angeles harbor area (specifically Long Beach), where she has remained permanently docked as a museum, hotel, and historic landmark.

First Impressions: Charming From Afar, Less So Up Close

Visiting the Queen Mary had been on our family list for years. The idea of sleeping aboard a historic ocean liner sounded fun—something unique and memorable. But from the moment we arrived, some practical realities became clear.

Difficult to Reach

Getting onto the ship itself was more cumbersome than expected. Between the parking situation, navigating the pathway to the main entrance, and figuring out where we were supposed to go, the arrival felt more like entering an industrial site than an iconic attraction.

Aging Gracefully… or Just Aging?

Of course the ship is old—that’s part of the appeal—but once inside, the age feels less “vintage charm” and more “in need of love.” The hallways are dim, the décor is dated, and the overall atmosphere is darker and more cramped than the bright, polished marketing photos would suggest.

Rooms That Don’t Match the Photos

Our stateroom in particular felt much smaller, darker, and outdated than expected. The website photos make the rooms seem airy and gorgeously restored, but the reality—at least for the room we booked—was noticeably more worn and shadowy. Definitely not what we had envisioned or hoped for. The electrical outlets in the room were dingy, two were falling out of the wall, and one didn't work. In all, there was only one that actually worked.

Dining Onboard: Pricey and Underwhelming

We tried the main restaurant on the ship, and for what it cost, the experience simply didn’t deliver. The food was just okay—not bad, but not memorable—and the service landed somewhere around “fine,” but nothing that justified the price tag. It felt like we were paying more for the novelty of eating on the Queen Mary than for the meal itself. For five of us – 3 of which are kids that just each chicken fingers – it was almost $200. And that was for only 2 kids chicken finger meals, 2 adult salads, and 2 sodas. Not worth the price.

Very Little to Do Onboard Without a Tour

Once we were done exploring our deck and grabbing a meal, we realized there wasn’t much else to do. The ship has a single café, and my family and I ended up spending time there doing coloring books because there really weren’t many other activities available. After that, we mostly wandered—walking up and down hallways, visiting accessible decks, and looking for anything interactive or engaging. There wasn’t much.

For a place that markets itself as part museum, part hotel, part attraction, the self-guided experience between tours felt surprisingly empty.

The Saving Grace: The Tours Are Excellent

Now for the good part—the tours. These are absolutely where the Queen Mary shines.

We joined a couple of guided tours, and they were hands-down the most interesting and enjoyable portions of our visit. The guides brought the ship’s history to life, took us into mechanical and historical areas we never would have found on our own, and made the experience genuinely educational and fun.

WW2 war room seen during the tour

If you’re thinking about visiting, the tours are the reason to go. They’re engaging, well-run, and probably the only moments when the Queen Mary feels like the historic gem it’s marketed to be.

Should You Stay Overnight? My Recommendation

My family and I stayed aboard for one night, and while we’re glad we experienced it once, I wouldn’t recommend the overnight stay. Between the outdated rooms, limited activities, underwhelming dining, and overall sense that the ship hasn’t kept up with what modern travelers expect, the value just wasn’t there.

But the tours? Definitely worth the trip.

If you're curious about maritime history or just want to see behind the scenes of one of the world’s most famous ocean liners, take a day trip and book one or two tours. You’ll get the best of what the Queen Mary has to offer—without feeling stuck on a ship with not much to do.

Final Verdict

• Tours: ★★★★☆ — Absolutely worth it

• Dining: ★★☆☆☆ — Pricey and average

• Hotel Stay: ★☆☆☆☆ — Unique, but not comfortable or worthwhile

• Overall Visit: Great for a day trip, not for an overnight stay

If you're nearby or planning a trip to the Los Angeles harbor area, go for the history and the tours—but skip the sleepover.