Portions of the ship are on track to reopen this spring with the rest of the long-shuttered ocean liner opening in phases over the summer, a city official said Thursday.
The $150 annual membership is tax deductible and includes visits to the ship and discounts on tours, attractions and events, among other things.
The free guided tours begin Thursday, but ongoing repairs mean that on-board bathrooms, as well as the ship’s bars, restaurants and shops, remain closed to visitors.
Despite additional repairs being identified, the city is still targeting a partial reopening of the ship before the end of the year.
The aging vessel is still undergoing $5 million in safety repairs after a report last year from marine engineering firm said the Queen Mary would need urgent work to stay “viable” over the next two years.
The launch went smoothly, perhaps better than expected as the 73-ton vessel slid stern-first down its slipway at John Brown & Co. Shipbuilding into the water, sending giant waves up and down the River Clyde.
Patrick O’Donnell, who represents Long Beach in the state Assembly and is retiring at the end of his current term, is the highest profile official to criticize the city’s proposed transfer of control over the ship to the Port of Long Beach.
The assessment of the ship will cost about $3 million and is expected to take at least a year.
The Queen Mary has been closed to the public since 2020, but the city plans to reopen the ship this fall after a round of critical repairs.
Councilwoman Cindy Allen took an extensive guided tour of the Queen Mary and then spent the night on the ship along with her husband despite it being closed to the general public.
