If you’ve ever looked into the history of the famous ocean liner the Queen Mary, you may be wondering if the ship had a swimming pool. Modern cruise ships usually have multiple.
The Queen Mary was incredibly modern by ship standards when she launched in 1934. She had many amenities onboard that are very similar to modern ships.
I have stayed on the Queen Mary since she has been converted into a hotel. There is no pool on the ship available for guests to currently use.
Did The Queen Mary Have a Pool?
The RMS Queen Mary had two swimming pools, one for first-class passengers and one for second-class passengers. Both pools were free for guests to use. Men and women had to swim at different times.
| First Class Pool | Second Class Pool | |
| Depth | 4ft (1.2m) – 6ft (1.8m) | 4ft (1.2m) – 6ft (1.8m) |
| Size | 60ft (12m) by 40ft (18m) | 20ft (9m) by 35ft (10m) |
| Current State | Dilapidated | No Longer Exists |
The Design of Queen Mary’s First Class Swimming Pool
The first class swimming pool built onboard the Queen Mary was built in at art deco style.
The pool was built over decks C and D and featured a level at the top, where guests could look over the pool. The design of the pool itself remained largely unchanged throughout the decades.
The below photo is of the first class pool:
At one end of the pool is a staircase and there were originally two diving boards. The diving boards were removed before the ship set sail, as it was decided that due to the water moving as the ship sailed that this could be dangerous.
How Deep Was The First Class Swimming Pool on The Queen Mary?
The first-class swimming pool on the Queen Mary was 4ft (1.2m) deep in the shallow end and 6ft (1.8m) deep in the deep end.
The majority of modern cruise ship swimming pools are relatively shallow, especially the main pool found on the deck. Some swimming pools will have deep ‘plunge’ pools which have a small surface area.
The pool was large measuring around 60ft by 40ft. This equates roughly to around 18 metres by 12 metres.
The Queen Mary wasn’t like a modern cruise ship, where passengers in the inside cabins have access to all the same amenities as those with balconies or suites. Access to areas of the ship was determined entirely by which class you were. Many areas were for first-class guests only.
Did Queen Mary’s Swimming Pool Cost Anything to Use?
Swimming in the pool on the Queen Mary was free for guests. This is different from earlier cruise ships like the Titanic where all guests had to pay.
Swimming on the Titanic was free for Men to use from 6 am-9 am, then women only were allowed to swim from 10 am-1 pm at a cost of $0.25, cost adjusted for inflation this would be around $6. Men could then swim again from 2 pm-6 pm.
Mixed-gender swimming was allowed on the Queen Mary which shows a change in attitude from the Titanic where mixed-gender swimming was never allowed.
To learn more about how the Queen Mary compared to the Titanic, check out this post: Titanic vs The Queen Mary – Size, Power, and Speed Comparison
How Deep Was The First Class Swimming Pool on The Queen Mary?
In March of 1940, the Queen Mary was fitted as a troopship to help with the war effort. Her capacity increased from just over 2000 to over 5000.
As part of this renovation, the pool was converted to provide extra accommodation for troops.
Why is The Queen Mary’s Swimming Pool Closed?
The swimming pool on the Queen Mary is closed to guests for safety reasons. Decades of decay have left the pool in a dangerous state of disrepair. Structural issues and loose tiles mean that the pool has to remain closed to guests.
Many people hope that the pool will be restored and that the guests staying on the Queen Mary will be able to use the pool as the original guests did. However, this is unlikely.
The swimming pool of the Queen Mary is said to be one of the most haunted places on the ship and for this reason, it is a popular stop on the ghost tours that the Queen Mary regularly complete.
Queen Mary’s Second Class Pool
The Queen Mary also had a second-class pool for guests traveling in this class. The design of the second-class pool is similar to that of the first-class pool if a little simpler.
The below photo shows the second class pool:
The Design of Queen Mary’s Second Class Swimming Pool
The second class pool was slightly smaller than the first-class pool. It was known as the ‘tourist class’ pool prior to world war two.
The second class swimming pool had multiple small rooms for changing and showers on the right hand side.
How Deep Was The Queen Mary’s Second Class Swimming Pool?
The second class swimming pool on the Queen Mary was 4ft (1.2m) deep in the shallow end and 6ft (1.8m) deep in the deep end.
What Happened to Queen Mary’s Second Class Swimming Pool?
The Queen Mary currently operates as a hotel in Long Beach, California. The second class swimming pool onboard the Queen Mary was removed when the ship was converted into a hotel.
The space which used to be the second class swimming pool is now a public area for use of the museum.
It’s unlikely that this pool will ever be restored.
Queen Mary Swimming Pool Deaths – Did They Happen?
The first-class swimming pool on the Queen Mary is said to be one of the most haunted places on the ship. It’s reported that multiple people died in the pool.
Despite this, there are no reported deaths in the logs of the Queen Mary.
| Where | Evidence | |
| “Jackie” | First Class Pool | None |
| Lady in Black and White | First Class Pool | None |
To learn more about who died onboard, check out this post:
Queen Mary Swimming Pool Deaths – Jackie
One of the most common drowns supposedly took place in the first-class pool and involves a young girl called Jackie who, it is said, drowned in the pool. Guests have reported hearing the giggling of a young girl around the pool and seeing wet child-sized footsteps leading away from the pool.
There are no official records of a Jackie having ever drowned onboard the Queen Mary.
Queen Mary Swimming Pool Deaths – Lady in Black and White
There are also stories about a lady in her 50s or 60s who supposedly drowned in the first-class pool. She is often seen by guests wearing black and white.
There are no official records of a lady drowning in the pool.
To learn more about the Queen Mary, check out the following post:
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