Day 18 – Los Angeles, California, USA

We docked early this morning at the San Pedro World Cruise Center, one of the ports for Los Angeles. Tim’s sister Alice and her husband Chuck drove up from Ramona, California, to meet us, and we spent much of the day touring the RMS Queen Mary, the last example of a North Atlantic passenger liner from the 1930s.

The View from Our Stateroom Just After We Docked in Los Angeles

The Queen Mary

Chuck, Tim, and Alice

We took the Glory Days Historical Tour, where we learned about the ship’s extensive history, which included her groundbreaking construction, her time as a troopship during World War II, and her glory days as the world’s most luxurious ocean liner.

The Queen Mary left Southampton, England, on May 27, 1936, embarking on her maiden voyage to New York. She set a new benchmark in transatlantic travel, with her speed, elegance, and luxury. I was especially intrigued by the gorgeous Art Deco and Streamlined interiors, which feature some of the grandest, most intricate, and most beautifully crafted designs aboard any ocean liner of the era.

The Main Hall

The Observation Bar

The Main Lounge, Known Today as the Queen's Salon

Tim and Sarah in Front of a Panel Entitled "Unicorns in Battle"

The Cabin Class Smoking Room, Known Today as the Royal Salon

The Queen Mary dominated the transatlantic passenger market until the dawn of the jet age in the late 1950s. She was retired from service in 1967 and then sailed to Long Beach, where she remains permanently moored and now serves as a hotel, museum, and event venue.

The Heritage Room Was Not Open, But I Took a Few Photos Through the Glass

We ate lunch aboard the Queen Mary, and then Alice and Chuck took us to Target, which I picked up a few last-minute items that I just couldn't live without for the next six months.

Tim and I returned to the Viking Sky and joined the new world cruisers who will be sailing with us to either London or New York. Viking hosted a World Cruise Welcome Event on the Pool Deck, and we enjoyed cocktails and canapes as we set sail for Hawaii.

World Cruise Welcome Event

Tonight, we welcomed a new Resident Historian on board, and Dr. Bryan Babcock presented a lecture entitled “Pacific Exploration,” which considered the issues of “East meets West” as explorers and settlers discovered the South Pacific.

Pacific Exploration - Migration, Discovery, and Identity

We will be at sea for the next five days until we reach Honolulu, and I look forward to getting to know the new passengers and crew that boarded in Los Angeles.