Welcome to Cruise Talk the Internet's most popular discussion forum dedicated to cruising. Stop by Cruise Talk anytime to post a message or find out what your fellow passengers and industry insiders are saying about a particular ship, cruise line or destination.
>>> Reader Reviews >>> CruisePage.com Photo Gallery >>> Join Our Cruise Club.
Latest News...Princess Cruises today announced it is making a significant enhancement to the main dining options found across its fleet, designed to give guests the ultimate in flexibility and choice when it comes to their dining experience by offering three table service options – Traditional, Reservable, or Walk-in Anytime - coupled with the brand's industry...
Latest News...Carnival Cruise Line Captain Niccolo De Ranieri and his team on Mardi Gras were honored Tuesday evening by the Association for Rescue at Sea (AFRAS) for saving the lives of 16 people. De Ranieri accepted the Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award at the AFRAS annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., an event that recognizes heroism at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard...
Latest News...Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, today revealed fresh, new culinary and beverage experiences debuting aboard Norwegian Aqua, the Company's next evolution new build and first vessel of the expanded Prima Plus Class, setting sail in April 2025. In line with the Company's commitment to delivering the ultimate vacation experience, ...
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.
Ultimate Bulletin BoardTM 6.1.0.3
More Vacation & Cruise Specials...