What do you think of the Titanic and her sisters?

Question

I'd just like to know your opinion of the Olympic-class steamships
(R.M.S. Olympic, R.M.S. Titanic, H.M.H.S. Britannic) in terms of appeal to the eye, construction, and performance.

Answer 1

The Olympic class was nice to look at and had a great interior for its day, quality was certainly better than todays cruise liners, and the staff would have been far better in the customer service department where as today there is very little customer service (especially with USA crewed liners) most crew members just want to get paid and laid with staff or passengers and that is based on my observation from my cruising experience. As far as performance - putting in and getting underway would be much more laboring because of steerage configurations - lack of thrusters but great for the tug owners. Performance - well DMF verses coal, side and pitch stabalizers are on modern liners and was not a thought back then - outside of that 7-15 knots through the water is the norm then and now. I think for the most part even with a rougher ride the service and atmousphere then would have been far better - if you were amoung the better off. Now days everyone is treated equally bad service bad manners more bad service and lots of excuses.
Construction: the incomplete bulkheads between engine rooms is conducive to quick sinkings via progressive flooding ( no water tight security ) and for the most part water tight security was external and not internal. Would not be bad for troop transports where the passengers have a high degree of discipline but civilians normally have none in an emergency.

Answer 2

Titanic was probably the most esthetically pleasing of the three. Olympic didn't have the glassed in forward promenade deck and Gigantic/Britannic had or would have had if fully completed the incredible gantry cranes for dealing with the larger number of boats.

Both Titanic and Gigantic had or would have had the deluxe suites with private promenade spaces that Olympic didn't have. Olympic made much more use of linoleum while the latter two sisters were more heavily carpeted. Each one of the three was slightly heavier as the result of the learning curve with each of the sisters was integrated into later production and despite having the same engineering each sister seemed to have the potential for a slightly greater speed then it's predecessor - hence the Titanic's attempt at Ismay's insistence to arrive in New York the evening before her actual scheduled arrive time the following morning.

As originally configured they all suffered from the same structural failings in their compartmentization - bulkheads that didn't extend very far up and no formal watertight deck to cap off the bulkheads and prevent water from flowing over the bulkhead and into the next compartment - the addition of this feature alone would have either prevented the tragedy or lengthened the time of the sinking until the Carpathia could actually have arrived.

They were beautiful but flawed ships designed to economize on coal and initial cost investment (reciprocating engines rather then all turbines) luxurious but non original fittings (no double decked lounges or dining salons as were found on the Cunard rivals). Third Class accomodations that rivaled Second Class most everywhere else and the most modern wireless equipment of the day (that was down for the count almost the entirety of the day before the collision) paired with an Officer's group that thought of it as a passenger's novelty rathered than a navigational aide to be taken seriously.

So in a way, everything was both right and wrong about them but the failing was more human folly then anything else.

Answer 3

These ships had great potential. Too bad fate was so cruel to them. These ships put there stock in looks and comfort which they did brilliantly, unfortunately in safety they fell short. The titanic major fault was the water tight bulkheads didn't go high enough and she didn't have enough life boats. Britannic was the victim of shock damage which knocked out her electric water tight doors otherwise she would have survived that little mine. For me the best liners of the day were the Mauritania and Lusitania they were smaller than titanic but they sure were faster and would hold the blue ribbon until the Bremen took it from her 20 years later quite the accomplishment. The construction quality as in workmanship was high as in all liners they are too big an investment not to be top quality. While not the fastest there speed was par for liners then maybe 1-3 knts slower than her rivals. She was however bigger than most except the German kaiser class liners which were 55,000 tons standard displacement and a speed of 23knts on a good crossing. I guess in finishing all the liners were top construction very pleasing on the eyes and pretty fast it simple a matter of what pleases you most. For me it's the NORMANDIE the best looking liner ever in my opinion.

Answer 4

The Olympic Class of ships were of a superb classical design, specified for luxury, comfort and elegance. However, the ship class was a terrible design with respect to safety for the very same reasons. The triple screw design made the ship difficult to turn at high speed. The 101 ton rudder was too small for the 40000 ton plus ships. In fact the only genuine safety device was the double bottom...which was comprimised on the night the Titanic sank. One out of three ships lasted beyond 2 years in service,

Answer 5

Well where to start. From a design/ structural standpoint all 3 contained major flaws, The main structural failing was an air tunnel located behind the third funnel. This was actually where the fourth funnel sat on the Titanic.

Another curious fact was Britanic (I do hope I spelled it right). Went to the bottom in alot less time than her sister vessel. This after being fitted with extra buoancy measures.

While grand to look at. These ships were flawed by not just design, but the thinking of the era.

Answer 6

R.M.S Olympic: Did alright.

R.M.S Titanic: False Advertising gone horribly wrong!!!! (Unsinkable)

H.M.H.S Britannic: Lesser known of the 3, If It wasn't for that mine, It would have been better

Answer 7

The Titanic and Britannic probably would be somewhat uncomfortable, impossible to sleep on and forget getting some sun on the deck... the Olympic would be difficult to book.

Answer 8

make nice fishing reefs