Epic Round The World Trip Adventures! Stunning Photos & Articles - A fascinating gap year travel journal covering every stop of their journey.

HMS Queen Mary, Long Beach - California
Gap Year Travel Journal

(20th August) RMS Queen Mary - Long Beach
We ventured off on a bus one day to Catalina Landing and caught a boat out to the RMS Queen Mary cruise liner which is permanently docked here alongside a Russian submarine! Most of the former Cunard ship is now a hotel but you can still board as a day visitor and walk all round her. Her maiden voyage was in 1936 from Southampton via Cherbourg to New York in 4.5 days. She was built on the Clyde and her final voyage was in 1967 from Southampton to Long Beach where she has been moored ever since. It is still a beautiful ship and from the numerous photographs everywhere you can really get a feel of her former glory and the celebrities and royals who used to travel on her. Lots of wood panelling everywhere and a real Art Deco feel to the whole ship. We promenaded arm in arm on the deck and even took the helm! They still sound the horn from the huge funnels, and believe me, it is so loud that it almost makes you drop to the floor in fright! There are lots of restaurants and bars on board to chose from and also a wedding chapel - but no, we didn't book it! She was also used as a troop carrier during World War II and still has the guns that were fitted to protect her during this time. That's the huge anchor chain Jo's trying to pick up! Not sure who the nutter is with the bell on his head! The aerial shot was taken as we flew out of LA and shows the ship alongside a modern cruise liner and a giant exhibition dome.