Why the Queen Mary is the most storied ocean liner of the 20th century - AOL

The Queen Mary’s storied 20th‑century life began with a dramatic debut that reflected Britain’s recovery from economic crisis. Exactly 90 years ago, on May 27, 1936, RMS Queen Mary departed Southampton Water for her maiden voyage, escorted by a flotilla of yachts, and five days later she received a rapturous welcome as she docked on Manhattan’s West Side. The liner was among the first to exceed 80,000 gross register tons and could complete the Atlantic crossing in four days, a feat that underscored luxury and speed. Conceived in the Roaring Twenties as the first of a deluxe two‑ship service between Southampton and New York, the project embodied Britain’s ambitions for transatlantic prestige.