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Latest News...Carnival Radiance has resumed year-round operations from Long Beach, California, following a 15-day dry dock at the Seaspan shipyard in Victoria, Canada. The ship welcomed its first guests back on October 3, marking the completion of a targeted refresh that updated interior spaces, open-deck areas and onboard retail. The dry dock included upgrades to the Effy jewelry boutique and general enhancements...
Latest News...Oceania Cruises has released its 2027 and 2028 Europe deployment, featuring an expanded range of itineraries across Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Aegean. The program includes the line’s first full winter season in the Mediterranean, operated by Oceania Allura between November 2027 and March 2028. The winter schedule aboard Allura comprises 17 voyages...
Latest News...Holland America Line is preparing to celebrate its 80th year operating in Alaska, following the close of its 2026 season. The cruise line, which has sailed in the region since before Alaska achieved statehood, will mark the milestone in 2027 with expanded itineraries, new Denali accommodations and additional ways for guests to explore the state by sea, rail and land. Six ships—Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam..
Urban Commons, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment and development firm and operator of the iconic Queen Mary Hotel, has announced the next phase for the historic Queen Mary ship docked in Long Beach, California. With the intent of continuing to further stabilize the structural integrity of the ship, Urban Commons will focus its development and revitalization plans on a few key areas aimed at improving the guest experience and maintaining the overall health of the ship. Since assuming the 66-year master lease in April 2016, Urban Commons has already successfully addressed numerous projects prioritizing fire and life safety issues and structural integrity.
"Restoring or even maintaining a historic vessel like the Queen Mary is not something that is accomplished overnight. We knew this would be a long road and that the end product would be something of great importance to the Long Beach community which is why we were eager to roll up our sleeves and get to work from day one," said Dan Zaharoni, Chief Development Officer of Urban Commons. "We are pleased to see how the renovations undertaken so far have benefited the ship and we look forward to continuing to improve the Queen Mary in 2019 and beyond. Our collective goal is to ensure that the Queen Mary's future is as illustrious as her glorious past."
Among the renovations and enhancements that have been completed over the past two years include structural improvements in the boiler room of the ship that allowed the popular Ghosts & Legends attraction to reopen, roofing and decking repairs to ensure longevity and safety, updating the ship's fire sprinkler system and painting the exterior hull of the ship and remediating rust. Enhancements to the visitor experience were also made including a new 4D theater, Ellis Island Experience and new Titanic and Winston Churchill exhibits as well as a multimillion-dollar renovation to the Carnival Cruise Terminal unveiled in February 2018.
"While many of the improvements are visible to the everyday visitor such as the new 4D Theater, most of our work and focus areas lie below deck and are not always visible to our patrons," said Adam Grandorff, Vice President of Construction for Urban Commons. "We understand that the community easily observes the cosmetic advancements that are made, but it's important that we always give proper attention and care to the heart and soul of the ship to continue to safeguard its future. We appreciate the public's excitement as we continue to make the Queen Mary the best version she can be."
Urban Commons has also vastly expanded the ship's entertainment offerings and family-friendly attractions. A newly formed partnership with leading music festival producer, Goldenvoice, will bring more than a dozen concerts to the Queen Mary in a calendar year while festive holiday events like "Queen Mary Christmas: Where Holidays Set Sail" bring the festivities of the holidays, including an all-new ice-skating experience onboard the ship for locals and tourists alike.
The 65 acres of waterfront land surrounding the ship earmarked for the all-inclusive entertainment destination known as Queen Mary Island is currently in the conceptual approval phase and Urban Commons is working collaboratively with the City of Long Beach to finalize plans that will allow the highly anticipated development to come to life.
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