Queen Mary tours return in April and hotel bookings to resume in May
For the first time since March 2020, the Queen Mary in Long Beach welcomed the public aboard in December and January for limited, sold-out, tours and now, it's about to make another reopening debut.
Tours aboard the ship return on April 1 and hotel rooms will be available starting May 12. The ship had been closed for just over two years during the pandemic and while undergoing critical repairs. Officials determined the ship would need tens of millions in repairs to remain functional after previous operators deferred maintenance for years.
The ship arrived in Long Beach in 1967 and the city has been the owner, but not always the operator of the vessel. Its former operator, Eagle Hospitality Trust, filed for bankruptcy in 2021 and at that point the city took over operations for the first time in 40 years.
Some vital repair work inside the ship has been completed, such as electrical, plumbing and metal fabrication-related work.
But city leaders still have much to consider with the ship's future as it is estimated to need nearly $300 million in upgrades and repairs to remain open to the public.
