RMS QUEEN MARY - 1964 TICKETS & MORE
September 10–15, 1964 | Southampton, England, to New York, United States
This collection of ocean liner ephemera comes from my friend, jazz musician Alan Rowe’s, September 1964 transatlantic crossing aboard RMS Queen Mary (Cunard Line), for which he paid £86/15/0, approximately £2,280 or US$3,030 in 2026 money. Alan was traveling to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston on a full scholarship and chose the voyage over flying. He departed Southampton at 2:00 PM on September 10, traveling to New York in Tourist Class.
Despite rough seas at times, Alan fondly remembered the dining, entertainment, proper English afternoon tea, and the opportunity to play with the ship’s onboard band. Before his passing in 2009, he entrusted these cherished documents to me, making them a meaningful addition to my ocean liner memorabilia collection. By sharing his original tickets, menus, and daily programs in a larger format, I hope to make their details easier to read while preserving something of Alan’s experience aboard this remarkable liner.
The documents are displayed individually below. Click any image to enlarge it and read the details.
Entering service in 1936, RMS Queen Mary was one of Cunard’s principal North Atlantic ocean liners. Built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland, she combined high-speed ocean travel with extensive passenger accommodations and public rooms. Her career included wartime troop transport, a return to transatlantic service, and eventual preservation in Long Beach, California.
Information List
Name: RMS Queen Mary
Operator in September 1964: Cunard Line
Year Entered Service: 1936
Launch Date: September 26, 1934
Maiden Voyage: May 27, 1936
Shipyard: John Brown & Company, Clydebank, Scotland
Type: Transatlantic ocean liner
Length: Approximately 1,019 feet (310.7 meters)
Beam: Approximately 118.5 feet (36.1 meters)
Gross Register Tonnage: Approximately 81,237 GRT
Propulsion: Geared steam turbines driving four propellers
Service Speed: Approximately 28.5 knots
Passenger Capacity: Approximately 2,000, varying by configuration
Passenger Service Classes: First, Cabin, and Tourist
Retired from Cunard Service: 1967
Current Use: Preserved historic ship, hotel, visitor attraction, and events venue
Current Location: Long Beach, California
History and Features
Construction and Entry Into Service:
Construction began at John Brown’s Clydebank shipyard in 1930 under the designation Hull 534.
Work stopped during the Great Depression and resumed in 1934.
Queen Mary launched and named the ship on September 26, 1934.
The liner departed Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York on May 27, 1936.
Design and Features:
Three funnels, a long promenade deck, and a black hull gave the ship her recognizable profile.
Her public rooms featured decorative woods, murals, and interiors associated with the Art Deco period.
Accommodations were divided into First, Cabin, and Tourist Class, with public spaces and facilities allocated to each.
Four propellers and powerful steam turbines supported the speed required for scheduled Atlantic crossings.
Stabilizers installed in 1958 helped reduce rolling during the later years of her passenger service.
Service:
Queen Mary won the Blue Riband for Atlantic speed in 1936, regained it in 1938, and held the distinction until SS United States surpassed her in 1952.
During World War II, she served as a troopship and became known as the “Grey Ghost.”
Following restoration, she resumed passenger crossings in 1947.
Alongside RMS Queen Elizabeth, she formed a central part of Cunard’s postwar North Atlantic service.
She retired in 1967 and sailed to Long Beach for preservation.
Alan Rowe’s September 1964 Crossing:
Alan was a jazz musician traveling to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston on a full scholarship.
He chose an Atlantic crossing aboard Queen Mary rather than flying to the United States.
His journey began at Southampton on September 10, 1964, with arrival in New York on September 15.
The recorded fare was £86 and 15 shillings, written in the currency notation of the time as £86/15/0.
Despite periods of rough weather, he enjoyed the dining, entertainment, and afternoon tea.
One of his memorable experiences was playing with the ship’s onboard band.
Before his passing in 2009, Alan entrusted these documents to me, and they became part of my ocean liner memorabilia collection.
Tickets, Menus, and Daily Programs:
The collection includes original travel documents and printed material retained from the crossing.
Tickets and embarkation notices record the practical arrangements involved in traveling by ocean liner.
Menus and daily programs provide a closer view of meals, entertainment, and the routines of life at sea.
The images are displayed individually so visitors can examine the documents and enlarge them to read the details.
Legacy:
Queen Mary remains one of the best-known surviving examples of the great transatlantic liners.
Her career links scheduled ocean travel, wartime transport, and historic-ship preservation.
Passenger documents such as Alan’s preserve the everyday experiences behind the ship’s larger history, connecting a famous liner with an individual journey.
