Come aboard Shipwreck '97
Campus Times
October 24, 1997
Souls are invited to board Shipwreck '97 and enter the 61-year-old ship
at their own risk. It is rumored to be the site of numerous ghosts sightings
and crying voices.
"I come visit the Queen Mary yearly and I still get chills the
instant that I step on the ship and remember the stories that are told,"
said Raquel Arevalo a yearly visitor to the Queen Mary.
"The Queen Mary is always full of unexpected surprises and events,"
said Derek Smith, a tourist at the Queen Mary.
"Shipwreck first launched in 1995 and was created by Eric Prevratil,"
said Lovetta Kramer, director of marketing communications for the Queen
Mary.
According to Kramer, Prevratil began setting up halloween haunt displays
and mazes at a very young age in his parents' home. Also, he is the son
of the Queen Mary's president, Joseph Prevratil.
Kramer said, "He first began with one maze when shipwreck was first
launched, the following year he put two and this year we have gone up to
three."
Shipwreck invites daring souls to experience the most recent nightmare
of a maze, Deck's of the Dead. It is Prevratil's latest thrill that will
make chills run through its victim's soon to be corpse.
"Wow, Deck's of the Dead is quite a treat with many tricks,"
said Jose Basulto, a visitor to Shipwreck '97.
Restless souls varying in ages await impatiently in lines for the clock
to strike 7 p.m. and the event to begin.
Heidi Hernandez, a 19-year-old student at CSU, said, "I have come
to Shipwreck since it first began and I have seen the event progress in
a very positive way."
"From last year's number of visitors to this year the number has
doubled," said Cindee Toya, Queen Mary's public relations coordinator.
"We are really excited to see this event growing."
Londontowne of Terror maze takes place in the Queen Mary's marketplace
where shopping is not what guests are invited for. The maze will take you
through a series of dark corridors where the evil spells of the haunting
spirits will guide you to a never ending maze.
"Gosh, I felt like this maze had no ending," said Luana Gonsalez
an 18-year-old visitor at Shipwreck '97, as she gasps for air.
If victims make it out alive and find themselves physically able to
continue, they will then be able to board the ship and enter the Engine
Room maze where a heavy fog interferes with the soul's sense of direction.
Adrian Velasquez, a victim of the Engine Room said,"It gets so
foggy in there that it makes it hard to see where you are going."
After creeping through the maze, survivors can sit down and catch their
breath, or continue to make their night never ending by dancing in the Exhibit
Hall and enjoying the special appearances of DJs.
Appearing today will be the Y107 Van and Street Team, including on-air
personality Sheri Donovan and tomorrow, Oct. 25, hip hop can be enjoyed
with Morales.
Children under the age of 12, and visitors in costumes are not permitted.
Shipwreck '97 admission is $13 per person.
Along with Shipwreck, the Queen Mary will host a costume party on Halloween
night, in the ship's Grand Salon which will be from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Host for
the night will be Jim Carson, K-Earth on-air personality.
The price for the costume party is $29 per person. Tickets are on sale
at the box office and can also be purchased on the night of the Halloween
party.
For information on Shipwreck '97 and the "Queen of Scream"party,
call (562) 435-3511 or visit their Web site (http://www.queenmary.com).
