What Happened to Queen Mary Chill Christmas Event in Long Beach

What replaced CHILL at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California

CHILL was the Queen Mary’s big annual winter/holiday attraction from about 2012 through the 2017–18 season. It featured a large Ice Kingdom (often with ~2 million pounds of ice sculptures), ice skating, the Glacier Glide ice tubing slide, outdoor holiday villages, and other winter activities, typically in the Queen Mary Dome and surrounding grounds.

In November 2018, the ship ended CHILL after its six-year run and shifted to an onboard holiday experience instead. Features included:

* An 80-foot Christmas tree
* Ice skating on the sports deck
* A gingerbread village
* Carolers and light shows
* Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus
* Other onboard activities (e.g., a 4-D Polar Express screening in some years)

The event ran roughly from late November through early January and moved most festivities from the exterior grounds onto the ship’s decks and into its interiors.

Holiday programming has continued and evolved in later years (including after the ship’s post-pandemic reopening), with events such as “12 Days of Christmas,” Holly Days, a Peppermint Lounge, gingerbread workshops, Santa photo ops, and seasonal décor. These are smaller-scale or differently themed compared with the original outdoor CHILL ice park.

The following is a description of what Queen Mary Chill was all about – Chill Queen Mary Ice adventure.

Queen Mary’s Chill in Long Beach returns with a new theme this year.  2018 is going to be the biggest and best holiday event ever. Chill features the first-ever Ice Adventure Park in the country. The enormous 38,000-square-foot ice park includes an ice skating track, ice bumper cars, ice tricycles, a zip line, ice shuffleboard, and a two-story, 100-foot-long ice tubing slide.

What is new? For starters, Chill has doubled in size. Recent adventures include a 100 ft Matterhorn Mountain ice slice and a 300-foot-long Alpine Zip Line.

Attractions at Chill Long Beach Ice Adventure

• Ice bumper cars, ice tricycles, and ice shuffleboard.
• Holiday adventure in Germany featuring the famous Munich Market and Gnome’s Wishing Well.
• Swiss Alpine Lodge with holiday treats, including chocolate and cheese.
• Weekly fireworks, Lion Dances, Shanghai Speedway, and Chinese Lantern decorating.
• For adults, sip vodka in the 9-degree Ice Bar.
• An outdoor ice skating rink with a village, live shows, and a Windmill.
• Gourmet donuts and pancakes at the Dutch Pantry.
• Germany’s Twisted Pretzel and Tasting Tavern and the Brat Haus.
• Sip on traditional teas in China’s Zen Teahouse.
• Gingerbread house.  Fire Pit, where you can roast marshmallows and make s’mores.
• Groupon may have a deal for Chill. Costco may offer Chill discount tickets – check with the local store.

Long Beach Area Holiday Events 2026 – Not Quite Chill But Worth a Look

Visit Long Beach Christmas Tree Lighting — December 7, 2026, 5–8 PM at Terrace Theater Plaza (300 E. Ocean Blvd). Free with required tickets. Features a 67-foot tree, more than half a million lights, falling snow, fireworks finale, live music/performances (including Long Beach Ballet Nutcracker dancers), photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, free holiday train rides, food trucks, and photo ops.

Queen Mary New Year’s Eve Glitz & Glamour Masquerade — December 31, 2026 (doors 8 PM; VIP earlier). Ages 21+. General admission from $175 (includes ship access, entertainment, champagne, fireworks viewing); VIP $295 (adds early entry, buffet, dessert bar, exclusive lounges). Features Art Deco/Hollywood golden age theme, live entertainment, and a fireworks show over the harbor. Hotel packages available.

Queen Mary Holly Days / onboard holiday activities — Through late December, including Peppermint Lounge pop-up bar, gingerbread workshops, Santa photo stops, holiday movies (e.g., Christmas Vacation, Elf, Grinch), and seasonal décor/events.

908 Holiday Fair — November 28–29, 2026, 12–5 PM at Sports Basement (Bellflower Blvd.). Free community market with local vendors, holiday drinks, music, Santa photos, and kids’ activities.

More  About  the Queen Mary in  Long Beach, California

The RMS Queen Mary is a historic Art Deco ocean liner built in Scotland for the Cunard Line. She entered service in 1936 as one of the world’s largest and fastest passenger ships, making transatlantic crossings between Southampton and New York and later serving as a troopship during World War II. Retired in 1967, she was purchased by the City of Long Beach and permanently moored there, opening as a hotel and tourist attraction in 1971.

Over the decades she has faced periods of decline, operator changes, and major financial and structural challenges, including a multi-year closure during the COVID-19 pandemic after her previous operator filed for bankruptcy. Today the ship is owned by the City of Long Beach and operated by Evolution Hospitality as a hotel, museum, and event venue. Visitors can take guided or self-guided tours of her restored interiors, stay overnight in original staterooms, dine in venues such as the Observation Bar and Chelsea Chowder House, and attend seasonal events (including the popular Dark Harbor Halloween festival). The ship marked the 90th anniversary of her m Queen Mary Website.

Guide to Southern California Christmas Events & Attractions (2026)