The Former First and Third Class Pool
The former first and third class pool room is by far, one of the most talked about areas on the ship. Based on my personal experiences and captured evidence, I will confidently say that this area is one of the most haunted areas on the ship. Most people equate the pool room with Jackie: a very popular, loving and energetic spirit on board the RMS Queen Mary. From experience, I have encountered Jackie in various other hotspots aboard the ship, including the engine room and boiler room 3. However, she is most commonly heard, seen or felt in the pool area. aI have actually had the honor of seeing Jackie with my naked eyes. One of the reasons may be that she enjoys hearing her voice in this area as it has an acoustic quality to it, due to room being surrounded by tile. Picture Shirley Temple! Yes, Jackie could be her sister, with a similar physique, round face and curly hair.
Other popular spirits include a young woman named Sarah, who is commonly encountered in the dressing stall area, and two other female children (a female toddler about 2-3 years of age and a 10-11-year-old girl). Additionally, an Italian soldier by the name of Antonio is seen in the dressing stall area, as well as a male spirit who doesn’t really like when people go into this area. Furthermore, an older female spirit is commonly seen jumping into the pool as well.
Common claims of the pool area, include: phantom swimming, child laughter, numerous audible voice phenomena and electronic voice phenomena captures, shadow entities seen in the upper levels of the room – specifically starboard and port side, apparition sightings, wet footprints and footsteps, among others. The use of trigger objects seem to be quite successful in this area; with Jackie in particular. I am excited to say that I have many personal experiences from this area and interesting captured evidence, specifically EVPs (see Ghost Voices Section). If you have a chance to visit the former first and third class pool area, make sure to go in quietly; by doing so, you may hear Jackie as she sings one of her favorite songs. Below is an article I wrote about Jackie, for http://www.unexplainable.net
Paranormal-Revelations: Communication with Jackie aboard the RMS Queen Mary
http://www.unexplainable.net/Ghost-Paranormal/Paranormal-Revelations-Communication-with-Jackie.shtml
The Aft Engine Room
The engine room is another classic hot-spot aboard the Mary. Probably the most famous talked about entity in this area is J.P. (Out of respect for his family, I am not listing his full name). He was an 18-year-old crew member who tragically passed away after getting stuck in shaft alley’s water-tight door #13. Many allegedly claim that J.P. and fellow workers were playing a game of “chicken” to see who could slide through this door before it closes. However, this is absolute nonsense and in my opinion, this young man’s demise was just a tragic accident. A former crew member who worked in the engine room at the time J.P. was employed strongly feels that he was trying to manipulate the black levers on the forward and aft side of the water-tight door when the accident occurred.
J.P. is commonly heard, seen or felt around water-tight door #13 and nearby the escalator in the area. Even though he passed away tragically, he seems to be a jovial and happy spirit, often communicating with guests. It has been learned that he especially enjoys communicating via dowsing rods, which has been evident on Matt Schulz’ para-tours on Friday and Sunday nights. I had an interesting encounter with J.P. as I was walking through shaft alley, straight through water-tight door #13. I felt someone tug my purse (J.P. has been known to tug on hair, especially long hair) and there was no one behind me. No one living that is! On another visit to the ship and while on a tour in the engine room, I shared my experience of someone tugging on my purse. I was recording the tour and right after I say, “There was no one behind me…” a disembodied male voice comes through and says, “I am down here.” (See Ghost Voices section to hear this EVP). Perhaps this entity (most likely J.P. as I have heard him many times before and this capture strikingly resembles his voice) was correcting me by relaying that there was someone present.
Another common claim is the sound of a chain rattling, which is preceded by an equipment process sound. Both Matt and I have investigated this sound and we have pinpointed its origin (although it does seem to travel around the engine room). It closely resembles the sound of Jingle Bells. And, I don’t believe that Santa Claus is camping out in the engine room. I could be wrong, though! We are going to get an engineer’s perspective on this specific sound, as it does seem to come from a natural environmental origin. It is strange though! Other common sightings include engine room crew workers and senior second officers. Additionally, a woman is commonly heard throughout the engine room (I have heard her several times).
The Boiler Rooms and Green Room
The boiler room of interest here is #3 and this area is also a known paranormal hotspot on the ship. This para-spot is ripe with disembodied voices, drifting shadow figures and full-bodied apparitions. One of the most popular entities is John Henry or Henry, who was a boiler worker who allegedly received third-degree scalding burns, which tragically lead to his demise. He does not like women to be present in the boiler room or the green room, which was an area for Disney actors to hang out prior to performances. John Henry likes to be left alone and is very territorial of his space. He is sometimes known to whisper in peoples’ ears and emphatically say, “Get out!” The spirits of WWII servicemen have also been seen on the above red bridge as well. A particular female entity has been encountered before and a picture of her captured by a guest on Matt Schulz’ Sunday night para tours. To view the picture, please visit, http://www.paraxplorerproject.com/submissions/submissions-lead.html.
I have also heard the disembodied voices of a woman crying in this area. Strong evidence suggests that this female entity’s name is Amanda. As for the Green Room, many people have felt sensations of nausea and vertigo, including myself. A male entity, most likely John Henry, makes himself known in this area, specifically to women. Many shadow figures and apparitions have been seen darting by the entrance door. Disembodied moans and screams have also been heard from time to time as well.
Forward Cargo Hold
The forward cargo hold is claimed by many paranormal researchers to be the most active area of the ship. I have visited and conducted research in this area about four times. All I know, is that there is an abundance of spiritual energy in this area. Specifically, the area, also known as, “the pit” housed many Italian and German POWs. It has been said that there was standing room only; food and water (bread) were lowered to the pit via buckets. Many of the POWs succumbed while trapped here and their bodies unceremoniously given to the sea.
One interesting encounter that I had occurred back in 2009 while I was attending Pat Wheelock’s tour. I was intuitively sensing a young male, who was extremely weak and frail. I proposed the following question to him: “Is there anything that we can do for you tonight?” I clearly heard the disembodied voice of a male say, “I’m hungry.” I was heart-wrenched after hearing this reply and I felt the tears swelling in my eyes.
Common paranormal happenings in this area include a multitude of anomalous vocalizations (both as EVP and AVP–audible voice phenomena, the feeling of being touched (one occurrence that I know of, is that one of Pat’s tour guests had her pony tail vertically pulled up and held in place for a few seconds), environmental instrument fluctuations, apparition sightings and more. Currently, this area is closed off to the public.
Capstan’s Room
The Capstan’s Room is a banquet room, located A deck stern. It now serves as meeting space for the Wyndham hotels and resorts. I have had the chance to do some paranormal investigating of this area, and I must say that it does have interesting energy. Many sensitives and intuitive investigators (including myself) have picked up on WWII servicemen in this area. One of my fellow friends and paranormal colleagues saw a full-bodied apparition of a WWII soldier. One of the common claims in this area is hearing the disembodied sounds of footsteps and shuffling feet. I have witnessed this several times while in the room. There is a mini bar in the Capstan’s Room and a few investigators have heard the sounds of glass bottles moving around.
Back in 2010, while conducting an EVP session, one of my friends saw the apparition of a man in blue overalls. According to Rob Wlodarski, Queen Mary historian and author of Queen Mary Ghosts, this area used to be the Second Class Overflow Lounge; in both pre-war and post-war. It also included a dance floor and fireplace. The room was renamed the Capstan Room for the large capstans in its wings, which were enclosed in the room. In the 1950s the room was somewhat modified to function as a rendezvous for teenage passengers. It was then called the Beachcomber Club and it included a bowling alley and a soft drink bar.
The Propeller Room
Many people have visited the Propeller Room and have reported strange feelings while in the room. Some have even claimed to see faces within the water. An interesting audible voice phenomenon occurred the last time I was in this area. I was looking downward to see the propeller and heard a female say, “Do you see me down there?” I surmised that “down there” meant down in the water. Water is a natural conductor of electricity, so this may partially explain why many people have odd experiences in this area. One guest even reported that she saw the propeller moving. If this occurred, then it would most likely fall under the category of residual paranormal phenomena. Claims of dizziness, vertigo, and the feeling of being watched have all been reported. As a side note, many people throw pennies or other pieces of money in the water to make a wish. One staff member mentioned that there is approximately $1,000 at the bottom of the propeller floor.
Staterooms
The Queen Mary functions as a 314-room hotel, with staterooms on M, A and B decks. If you ask the front desk about staying in a “haunted room” it will gladly help you arrange your stay in one of these rooms. The haunted room list is also included in my book, Spirited Queen Mary: Her Haunted Legend. However, I think any one of the rooms available can provide guests with a ghostly experience. There are certain rooms that are known to have certain paranormal happenings. Please refer to my BLOG section to read about some of my interesting experiences. I have stayed aboard the vessel many times, sojourning on all three hotel decks. In my personal opinion, both M and B decks seem to be most active. Winston Churchill and his entourage took up the entire M Deck during World War II.
Common paranormal happenings that occur in the staterooms include, shadow figures, footsteps, disembodied voices, items disappearing and reappearing in another location, doors opening and shutting, dresser drawers opening or shutting, water turning on and off and the feeling that someone is sitting down in your bed. This happened to me when I stayed in M001, one of my all-time favorite cabins.
The Isolation Ward
The Isolation Ward aboard the Queen Mary is a hotbed of spiritual energy. It was used to treat ill and injured passengers during the ship’s luxury cruise days, as well as during World War II. Some of my intuitive impressions in this area have centered on former WWII soldiers, as many of them were treated here for various injuries. There have also been sightings of a former doctor and nurse, probably residual energy from when the ship sailed. As with other hotspot areas, the Isolation Ward is ripe with disembodied voices, apparition sightings, phantom smells and various cold spots. It has been theorized that cold spots can be indicative of spiritual energy, as entities draw the energy from the environment. Many people who visit this area complain of transient pain in their body, which may be a way spiritual energies relay how they were injured or ill. I have experienced headaches and pain in my extremities while investigating this area.
R Deck Forward
On October 2, 1942, the Queen Mary sliced in half one of its British World War I Lightcruisers, the HMS Curacao, while on a zig-zag motion to avoid the enemy. At the time, the RMS Queen Mary was carrying some 10,000 servicemen to join allied forces in Europe. After being sliced in half by the Mary, the HMS Curacao sank quite rapidly, within a six-minute time frame, unfortunately losing the majority of its sailors. Sadly, the Queen Mary could not stop to help rescue the surviving men, due to strict orders from the Navy.
R Deck forward is quite a paranormal hot spot as the residual screams of dying men from the Curacao can still be heard. Additionally, there are several disembodied voices and shadows in the area; impressions of Captain Illingsworth have also been sensed by various people, including myself. On a recent mini-investigation of R Deck Forward, while on Matthew Schulz’s late-night para-tour, I asked the question, “What is the name of the ship? The RMS Queen...?” I was hoping that someone would answer me by saying “Mary” and that is exactly what happened via the PSB7 Spirit Box. The entire group heard a man’s voice come through the box saying, “Mary.”
Socials and Contact
