Titanic First Class | Titanic News Channel

RMS Olympic First Class Lounge (1912)
Photo: Robert John Welch (1859-1936), official photographer for Harland & Wolff
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Titanic made its last stop yesterday (11 April 1912) in Queenstown (now Cobh) Ireland. She has now begun her maiden voyage to New York. Passengers adjust to the ship routine and their temporary lodgings. The ship was laid out not unlike a major hotel and designed with luxury in mind. First class cabins were designed in Empire style, which had become popular towards the end of the 19^th century. Napoleon had started it back when he was in power and it became popular outside of France. It faded in popularity, but many upper class and aristocrats began to appreciate it again in the late 19^thand early 20^th centuries. Other styles were used in Second Class and public areas of the ship. All of it was designed to convey you were not on a ship but in a grand place.

RMS Olympic’s A la Carte Restaurant, located in B-Deck level. Circa May 1911
Robert John Welch (1859-1936), official photographer for Harland & Wolff
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Aside from amenities such as a salt-water swimming pool, a gymnasium and Turkish bath (to name a few), there was a massive reception area, a smoking room for men, and a room to read and write while aboard. The A La Carte restaurant was designed like the Ritz Hotel and run by well-known Italian restaurateur, Gaspare Gatti. The Cafe Parisien was designed to resemble a French sidewalk café. This was an annex to the restaurant and offered high end French cuisine. The Dining Saloon on D deck could seat up to 600 at a time.

Third Class (called Steerage back then) was different from other ships of its time. In other ships, most slept in dormitories, had little food and toilet facilities were inadequate. White Star changed that (they made a lot of money from this class, so it was worth the improvements). Single men were housed in the forward areas while families, single women, and couples in the after. All had private rooms that were small but comfortable holding each up two, four, six or eight and ten passengers depending on the accommodation. Running water and toilet facilities were provided as well (though not in the rooms). Unlike first and second class toilets that required the passenger to flush, the ones in third class were always running. This was done because many were unaccustomed to these types of toilets (many from rural and even small towns had no indoor plumbing and relied on outdoor latrines). An attendant was assigned to help people understand how to use the toilet.

Third class had its own dining rooms and gathering areas as well. There was a large open space on D Deck for socializing, its own smoking room for men, and an area on C Deck women could use for reading and writing. Third Class on Titanic was luxurious compared to other shipping lines of the day.

Including her stop in Queenstown, Titanic traveled 326 miles by this date.

https://youtu.be/3OPJRWRDdAs

Updated 2022-Added information about third class toilets and attendant.

Sources:

Books

Behe, George TITANIC: SAFETY, SPEED AND SACRIFICE, Transportation Trails, Polo, IL 1997

Eaton John P. & Haas Charles, TITANIC TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY, SECOND EDITION, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, New York, 1995 First American Edition

Lord, Walter, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York, New York, 1955. Multiple revisions and reprints, notably Illustrated editions (1976,1977,1978 etc)

Lord, Walter, THE NIGHT LIVES ON, Willian Morrow and Company, New York, New York, 1986 (First Edition)

Lynch, Don & Marshall Ken, TITANIC AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY, Madison Press Books, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1992

Internet

Britannica.com
Cobh Heritage Center
Encyclopedia Titanica
History.com

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Third Class (called Steerage back then) was different from other ships of its time. In other ships, most slept in dormitories, had little food and toilet facilities were inadequate. White Star changed that (they made a lot of money from this class, so it was worth the improvements). Single men were housed in the forward areas while families, single women, and couples in the after. All had private rooms that were small but comfortable holding each up two, four, six or eight and ten passengers depending on the accommodation. Running water and toilet facilities were provided as well (though not in the rooms). Third class had its own dining rooms and gathering areas as well. There was a large open space on D Deck for socializing, its own smoking room for men, and an area on C Deck women could use for reading and writing. Third Class on Titanic was luxurious compared to other shipping lines of the day.