Spooky Ghost Stories from the World's Most Haunted Ship

• The World's Most Haunted Ship: Cunard's famous ocean liner RMS Queen Mary carried royalty and movie stars, but she is now best known for having over 150 resident ghosts.

• Sleep with Spirits on Board: The historic liner is permanently moored in California as a hotel, meaning you can actually book a night in her spookiest cabins.

• Tranquillity at Sea: Swap ghostly scares for total relaxation aboard Cunard's modern ocean liner, Queen Mary 2.

Turn down the lights, grab a hot drink, and get ready for a proper Halloween ghost story. When you picture classic ocean travel, you probably imagine crystal chandeliers, black-tie dinners, and glamorous sea views.

But out on the open water at night, with the floorboards creaking and thick fog rolling past the windows, things can feel distinctly spookier.

No ship proves this better than the legendary RMS Queen Mary. First launched in the 1930s as one of Cunard's most celebrated ocean liners, she spent decades ruling the waves, carrying royalty, world leaders like Winston Churchill, and Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn across the North Atlantic.

Decommissioned in the 1960s, she retired from service and no longer sails under the Cunard flag. Today, permanently preserved as a historic landmark, she holds a very different claim to fame: she is widely known as the most haunted ship in the world, with as many as 150 spirits said to roam her decks.

The Phantoms of RMS Queen Mary

Decades of crossing the stormy North Atlantic have left plenty of ghost stories behind, and visitors have reported some truly hair-raising encounters on board.

One of the most famous spots is Door 13 in the engine room. Back in 1966, a young crew member was crushed by a heavy watertight door during a drill.

Ever since, night guards have reported seeing a figure in blue overalls walking down the dark corridor before disappearing into thin air, often accompanied by the sudden sound of a wrench clattering against the metal pipes.

Up in the cabins, Room B340 is the stuff of real-life spooky legends. It was once locked up and taken off-limits for years because of all the strange goings-on.

Guests who have stepped inside say the taps turn on full blast in the middle of the night, bedsheets get pulled right off the mattress, and strange shadows appear in the corner of the room.

Even the old first-class swimming pool has its own ghostly reputation. Although it has been drained of water for decades, visitors still spot wet footprints appearing along the dry tiles as if someone just hopped out.

People have also heard splashing sounds and a little girl laughing in the empty changing stalls, while others have caught sight of a mysterious "Lady in White" gliding across the balcony.

Spend the Night in a Floating Haunted Hotel

The most exciting part? You can actually go and see all of this for yourself.

The original RMS Queen Mary is permanently moored in sunny Long Beach, California, where she is now run as a floating hotel and museum.

You can stroll her historic teak decks, take late-night ghost tours deep down into the spooky engine rooms, and even sleep in her original staterooms.

If you are feeling extra brave, you can even book a night in Room B340 to see if you make it through until breakfast.

A Relaxing Escape on Queen Mary 2

If spending the night in a creaking, haunted stateroom sounds a little too hair-raising and you prefer something far more relaxing, why not step aboard her ocean-going successor, Cunard's Queen Mary 2?

As the world's last true ocean liner, Queen Mary 2 captures all the grand romance of golden-age sea travel with zero phantom footsteps to disturb your sleep.

Instead of bracing for icy chills and rattling pipes, you can unwind in complete serenity on a classic seven-night transatlantic crossing between Southampton and New York.

Sea days on Queen Mary 2 are all about unhurried indulgence. You can lose yourself in a good book inside the largest library at sea, gaze up at celestial shows in Illuminations (the world's only full-scale planetarium afloat), or spend a peaceful afternoon recharging with thermal treatments in the Mareel Wellness & Beauty spa.

Come evening, trade spooky shadows for pure maritime glamour. Enjoy white-glove Afternoon Tea served to the sound of live violins in the Queens Room, savour fine dining in the Britannia Restaurant, and dress to the nines for glittering black-tie gala balls under crystal chandeliers.

Dare to Walk in the Footsteps of History

Whether you dare to tour the shadowy corridors of the original Queen Mary or prefer watching the ocean roll by from Queen Mary 2, both offer an unforgettable brush with maritime royalty.

For those who favour pure pampering over poltergeists, a transatlantic crossing aboard Queen Mary 2 remains the ultimate way to unwind in timeless elegance.