Titanic: the Grandeur and Splendor That Made History

© Photo : Public DomainTitanic's reading room
Titanic's reading room - Sputnik International
Subscribe
RMS Titanic, one of the biggest and most luxurious ocean liners of its time, was 269 meters long, with a beam of 28 meters and a displacement of 52,000 metric tons. Journalists at the time said it was as long as three city blocks and as tall as an 11-storey building.

RMS Titanic, one of the biggest and most luxurious ocean liners of its time, was 269 meters long, with a beam of 28 meters and a displacement of 52,000 metric tons. Journalists at the time said it was as long as three city blocks and as tall as an 11-storey building.

Only the well-to-do could afford tickets for a journey on Titanic. In today's prices, a 1st class cabin cost tens of thousands of dollars. Before Titanic set sail on its first and last voyage, newspapers reported that it would transport ten millionaires and millions of dollars in gold and jewelry.

The White Star Line, the company that owned Titanic, promised passengers complete safety, calling the ship “unsinkable.” The liner had a double bottom and its hull was divided into 16 water-proof sections. Naval architect Thomas Andrews said the liner could have continued its voyage even if four sections had been flooded.

Titanic had 762 cabins divided into three classes. It could accommodate 2,566 passengers, with all of them, in all classes, enjoying unprecedented amenities.  Obviously, the difference between luxurious 1st class cabins and the cheapest 3rd class accommodation was vast. They were different in every way – size, décor and number of rooms. Some 3rd class cabins had no sinks or closets, and their passengers had to use their bags as pillows as the cabins had only one bed with a straw mattress.

Third class cabins on decks E and F were separated from 1st and 2nd class cabins by gates in different parts of the liner. Separate accommodation for 3rd class passengers, many of whom were immigrants, was stipulated by U.S. immigration law to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.

The liner’s interior was designed by Harland & Wolff.

Special cabins on decks B and C stood out for their opulent décor. Their interiors were designed in 11 different styles, including the Adam Style, Italian Renaissance, Georgian style, Regency style, the Empire fashions, styles of Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XV and Queen Anne, and varieties of the Dutch style. Harland and Wolff even had its own unique style: one of the bedrooms was reminiscent of the Louis XV style but had simple carved oak panels and elegant oak furniture on cabriole legs.

In comfort, luxury and service, Titanic was comparable with the best hotels of the time and was rightly considered a posh floating hotel.

The liner had seven kilometers of corridors and promenade decks. The Boat Deck was open for promenades, but despite the yellow pine finishing, it did not look great because of the visible holes of machinery rooms.

First class cabins were located on decks A, B and C; the kitchen was on Deck D, 2nd and 3rd class cabins were on Deck E; Deck F had only 3rd class cabins and Deck G accommodated utility services.

Deck A had a reading hall, a smoking room, and a winter garden. Deck C had a library and a cozy smoking room. Deck F accommodated the 3rd class dining saloon, a swimming pool and a Turkish bath with recreation rooms. Deck G had a hall for ball games, a tennis court and a gallery for spectators.

It was considered good form to take a walk on the broadest and most splendid deck – Promenade A Deck. It was reserved exclusively for 1st class passengers who enjoyed strolling in the fresh air or resting in reclining chairs.

The kitchen on Titanic was designed to handle the preparation of 6,000 to 10,000 meals per day, most of which consisted of at least four dishes. The kitchen for the 1st and 2nd class passengers was divided into sections and each section was designed for making one type of food – cakes, chicken, fish, snacks or soups. Titanic had separate dining spaces for passengers of the three classes, a restaurant with a large menu and numerous cafes.

The dining room for 1st class passengers, located on D Deck, accommodated 554 people. They did not have to reserve seats for dinner – tables were always reserved for them. Children were not allowed to visit the 1st class salon unless they had a separate, paid room in their family’s cabin.

Products for restaurants on Titanic were ordered from different parts of the world. Fruits arrived from California, cheeses from Europe, oysters from Baltimore, ice cream from New York City, coffee from Brazil and tea from India.

During its first and last voyage, Titanic carried, among other things, 44 metric tons of meat and poultry, 27,000 bottles of beer and soda water, 35,000 eggs, 40 metric tons of potatoes and five metric tons of sugar.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала