Queen Mary Hotel

The bed was comfortable and the linens were nice, and the shower had good pressure. The coffee shop served good coffee, and we had fun on the ghost tour. We didn’t try the restaurant, and the onboard marketplace was closed. There’s a lot of potential here, but it needs investment to get back to what it could be. Our room was big but odd, with half of it empty, as if furniture had been removed without being replaced. A small TV hung strangely on the wall, and the bathroom was very outdated. I’d love to see the place restored to its original glory.

I loved the harbor view and all the art and antique pieces there are to look at. The ship has a cool history. The rooms are low tech, naturally, but that can be a nice change of pace. If you’re sensitive to vibes, expect to feel a lot of them. Anyone squeamish about ghosts should avoid the place. But if you’re more comfortable with the natural vibrations of historic ships, it can be a relaxing, spiritual experience, as it was for me.

The staff are always kind and helpful, and the food is good. I’ve also taken a guided tour to hear about the history, including how the place is haunted, or full of spirits, as I’d put it. Halloween is when I usually go for the fun, scary mazes, but I recently went to the Valentine’s masquerade party too. There were three mazes, a DJ and dancing, plus a live band outside. It can be relaxing as well, and I’m looking forward to going back soon.

The self-guided tour is worth doing, and after a few stays we paid for a guided one that let us see some rooms we otherwise couldn’t access. I learned a lot. The staff are friendly, and we love staying at the Queen Mary. It’s really convenient before a Carnival cruise, and staying the night there makes it feel like the cruise gets an extra day.