The Queen Mary: Take Part In The Brunch In Style

The Queen Mary was a distinguished ocean liner, and she had a fascinating history during her years at sea. Pressed into service as a troop ship during WWII, she transported 765,429 soldiers between 1940 and 1946. The ship even survived a mysterious and terrifying rogue wave in 1942. Royalty, statesmen, military troops, prisoners of war, passengers, and stowaways all have had berths on the Queen Mary.

Today, the Queen Mary is docked in Long Beach, California, a reminder of the grand tradition of ocean liner travel. Guests can stay in restored staterooms onboard, and visitors can tour the ship to learn about its history as well as some of its ghosts! It is a popular place for weddings and receptions. Besides the hotel, there are several restaurants, and the ship hosts events throughout the year.

One of the treasures of the Queen Mary is its spectacular Champagne Sunday Brunch. Held in the Grand Salon, the ship's first class dining room, the selection of food is dazzling and the experience is nothing short of wonderful. At $39 for adults, $12 for children 5-11 years old, the prices are quite reasonable, considering the expansive selection of food (tax and gratuity are extra, of course). Brunch begins at 9:30 a.m. and lasts until 2:00 p.m. If you arrive close to the start of brunch, it is not crowded, allowing you to appreciate the multiple stations of food with the wide variety of offerings, not wait in line, and savor the peacefulness of the dining room. This is the optimum time to appreciate the harpist's talents, as she sits on a platform atop a large central food station. After the dining room fills with several hundred people, the atmosphere changes to a busy hum. The experience begins as you arrive at the Queen Mary. Somehow, just looking at the massive sides of the ship and coming onboard is extraordinary. As you walk down the hallway to check in for the brunch, you enter a different place, a bit quieter and slower paced than outside. The dark wood paneling and the art deco styling immerses you in the charming timelessness of the ship. Before entering the main dining room, you walk down a hallway where the light comes in through the portholes. The stately dining room has beautiful wood paneling, featuring the route chart that shows the location of the ship as it crossed the Atlantic, and you can begin to feel as if you are part of a gilded age.

As you are seated at a table, your server pleasantly pours a glass of champagne (or sparkling cider--a big hit with my kids) that is constantly refilled during your meal, and invites you to explore the splendid brunch offerings. Other beverages such as orange juice, water, and coffee are readily available.

I'd be amazed if anyone could leave this brunch hungry, considering there are more than 50 delightful choices of food. There are numerous themed stations in the dining room, starting with the pint-sized children's buffet that features fruit, pizza, grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, and cookies. There's classic breakfast fare, with made-to-order omelets; a waffle station with fruit syrups, whipped cream, and maple syrup; blintzes, sausage, bacon, and Eggs Benedict. There's a pasta station, with a selection of noodles and sauces, garlic bread, and seafood linguine. The salad station starts with basic greens and salad makings, and expands into tortellini salad, grilled marinated vegetables, seared ahi tuna with wasabi, and antipasto. If it's carved meat you want, then you can find roast beef and turkey at the carving station as well as potatoes, grilled chicken, and Seafood Newburg. Seafood offerings include shrimp, mussels, bay shrimp salad, smoked trout, and pickled herring. There are also Mexican and Chinese stations, as well as a tower of rolls, croissants, and pastries.