The Queen Mary is considered haunted mainly due to its long history filled with tragedy, deaths, and paranormal sightings during its nearly three decades of operation as an ocean liner and troop transport ship. Around 50 recorded deaths occurred aboard the ship, mostly from natural causes, but also from accidents such as crew members being crushed or falling overboard. The ship's transformation during World War II into a troop carrier, nicknamed the "Grey Ghost," and its associated wartime tragedies contribute to its eerie reputation. Guest and crew reports of paranormal activity include disembodied whispers, footsteps, laughter, ghostly apparitions, lights flickering, sudden cold spots, and doors opening and closing by themselves. Specific haunted hotspots reported are the engine room, the first-class swimming pool (where a young girl named Jackie is said to have drowned), Room B340, and the Mauretania Room. Several ghosts have been identified, including a young girl in boiler room #4, a woman from room B474, and crew members who died onboard. Psychics and ghost hunters have suggested the presence of "vortexes" or portals for spirits on the ship, particularly near the boiler room and swimming pool. The haunting stories have been supported by ghost tours and investigations popularized since the 1980s, with the ship now considered one of the most haunted places in America.
