J/Brice Design International will preserve the luxury and romance of the 70- year old Queen Mary

Long Beach, CA – Hostmark, operators of the fabled Cunard Line R.M.S. Queen Mary, has named J/Brice Design International of Boston to refurbish selected interiors of this iconic example of the hey-day of the luxury ocean liner.

After the Queen was retired from some three decades of transatlantic service in 1967, the vessel was permanently docked in Long Beach, CA where it just celebrated its 40th anniversary as a much-desired destination hotel and setting for romantic weddings and social events.

The J/Brice design team (www.jbricedesign.com) will face numerous challenges. Explains Jeffery Ornstein, founder and CEO, “The Queen is probably the most unique ‘hotel’ in the world. The interior surrounds you, not only with the art and luxury of a bygone era, but with history as well. Those who boarded the Queen Mary were international leaders or luminaries who shaped the world we now live in, or were embarking on life-altering experiences of their own – immigrating to a new country or going off to fight in a World War. The voices of the past still resonate within the Queen Mary and that history is part of the appeal we want to capture in this new chapter of her life.”

The ocean liner was launched in 1934, made its maiden voyage in 1936 and has been refurbished numerous times since. Notably, the Queen, once considered the only civilized way to travel, played host to Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, David Niven and Mary Pickford, to name a few. She made 10001 transatlantic crossings during her career.

In World War II, she was stripped of her elegant interior and camouflaged to serve as a troop carrier. In 1947, The Queen was returned to her original splendor and resumed regular transatlantic service, explained Jay Primavera, General Manager, a walking encyclopedia of Queen Mary lore, who has made a career of managing historical hotel properties. At 1,000 feet, she is 100 feet longer than the Titanic, but with four times the horsepower and 200 more crewmembers (1,174) to serve just under 2,000 passengers – the Titanic had 2,440 passengers, which included third-class As a hotel, The Queen makes 307 staterooms available for a capacity of some 650 guests.

Art Deco Treasure Trove

She is one of the finest examples of the Art Deco era in the world – with perhaps the Chrysler Building in New York being the most visible. Everywhere one looks there are-bas relief sculptures, carved fireplaces mantles and other examples of a modernist art movement -- Arts Decoratif -- that began in the mid1920s. It recognized by its bold geometric shapes, colors of the cubist painters and use of a wide range of materials. “The materials in the Queen Mary include 56 species of wood veneer and inlay such as walnut, birds eye maple and some that are extinct - plus nickel, brass, bronze marble and alabaster,” notes Primavera.

The Queen Mary, with her three distinctive Cunard Line colors, red funnels (stacks) with black bands, white upper decks and black hull, is in the National Register of Historic Places. "

Today’s Cruise Ships are designed to create a positive onboard experience for vacationers with the destination being almost incidental. The Queen Mary is instead an Ocean Liner. She was designed to get passengers to their destination in two levels – the opulent first class or in the newly created tourist class designation, which was far more elegant and attentive than what we now regard as “tourist class.” notes Primavera.

The elegance of a 1930s “crossing” comes alive from the moment one steps on the gangways and into the salons. The Windsor Room, for example, has a 30-foot ceiling, inlay veneers and luxurious velvet window treatment with a capacity of 750 people. Historian James Steele eloquently describes the regard the public had for this marvel or art and shipbuilding in the beautifully illustrated Queen Mary (Phaidon Press, May 10, 1995).

The guestrooms, or more accurately staterooms, are unlike a hotel where the designer can establish a theme and repeat it 200 or, for that matter, 3,000 times. The staterooms on the Queen vary markedly. While there are eight generous suites, many of the staterooms are configured to accommodate the needs of the ship rather than the passengers. Some rooms are overly long -- with head-to-head single beds -- while interior staterooms lack windows.

“No matter, our goal is to deliver a positive and romantic experience to every guest with the design decisions we make,” emphasizes Ornstein, whose firm celebrated its 20th year and will now became part of the next chapter in history of The Queen Mary.

Queen Mary Brings J/Brice Design Onboard for Stem to Stern Restoration of the Fabled Ocean Liner turned-Hotel-and-Event Venue in Long Beach