RMS Olympic
The RMS Olympic was a British ocean liner designed by naval engineers Alexander Carlisle and Thomas Andrews and built at the Harland & Wolff (Belfast) for the White Star Line shipping company. She was the first of three ships that made up the Olympic class, along with her sister ships, RMS Titanic and HMHS Britannic. Unlike the latter, the Olympic operated for a long period—from 1911 to 1935—including service as a troop transport ship during World War I.
For two terms, the Olympic held the title of the world's largest passenger ship — the first spanning from the time of her launching in October 1910 until April 1912, when she was surpassed by the Titanic once she had this was completed and entered into Atlantic service. The second, she covered from the sinking of the Titanic, which occurred on April 15, 1912, until the completion and entry into service of the German ship SS Imperator, in 1913.
Also, briefly interrupted by the short-lived careers of her sister ships, she held the title of the largest ship ever built in the UK for 23 years until 1934, when the RMS Queen Mary was launched to sea. The Olympic enjoyed a very popular career, being one of the most used liners by high society of the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s.
The drop in transoceanic voyages in the mid-1930s, due to the economic consequences of the Great Depression, plunged White Star into a crisis that did not bring enough income to maintain its fleet, so, in May 1934, it was forced to merge with its rival company, the Cunard Line.
The following year, in 1935, the Olympic was withdrawn from passenger transport service on the Atlantic route, after almost 24 years operating on that journey, making its last trip in March of that same year, to be later sold for scrapping, along with her former Cunard rival, the RMS Mauretania.
History
Construction and beginnings
Olympic was built at the Harland & Wolff, its construction began on December 16, 1908 —with construction number 400—, and it was launched at sea on October 20, 1910, while its sister ship, the Titanic, was advancing by a 30%. Olympic was the first ship of her class to be completed, and she was delivered to the White Star Line on May 31, 1911, the same day Titanic was launched.
Thirty meters longer than its Cunard Line rivals, the RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania, the Olympic became, at the time of its launch, the largest passenger ship of its time, with 269.06 meters in length and 28.2 in width.
She made her maiden voyage between Southampton and New York on June 14 of the same year, and during the seven days of the voyage, the Olympic consumed 650 tons of coal every 24 hours with an average speed of 21.7 knots, compared to 1000 tons daily coal consumed by the Lusitania and Mauretania.
Her first captain was Edward Smith, who commanded her from June 1911 to March 30, 1912, later taking his last command on Titanic on her sea trials and tragic maiden voyage.
The interior of the Olympic brought together the best interiors that Harland & Wolff had designed until then, which quickly attracted the attention of millionaire passengers and famous personalities from all walks of life, granting the ship great popularity and fame that would accompany it throughout her career.
Incident with HMS Hawke and return to activity
On September 20, 1911, as she was preparing to make her sixth voyage, the Olympic had an incident with a warship, HMS Hawke, which came too close to her when she was pulled in by the strong suction generated by the liner. The Hawke ended up hitting the Olympic's hull on the starboard side, gouging a large hole in the third-class cabin area and damaging a propeller shaft. This accident caused no injuries.
Despite the damage, the Olympic managed to return to the port of Southampton on its own. After the White Star Line inspected the extent of the damage, the ship was sent to the Harland & Wolff to undergo repairs.
As a consequence of these events, the Titanic had to leave dry dock so that her sister ship could be repaired. In addition, part of the workers who were in charge of conditioning the Titanic were temporarily transferred to the Olympic, with the priority of reintroducing it into service as soon as possible.
The repairs had caused a significant delay in fitting out the interiors of the Titanic, which returned to its dock in November, once the Olympic was back on its regular route.
However, Titanic's completion was delayed again in February 1912, when her sister ship lost a propeller blade during a return voyage to Britain from New York, returning to Belfast for her refit. repair. To ensure that the work was carried out in the shortest possible time, the Titanic was again withdrawn from its dry dock to make room for the Olympic during its repairs, which were completed the following month.
However, those circumstances delayed the delivery date of the Titanic to White Star, so the company had no choice but to postpone, by three weeks, the date of its maiden voyage to April 10, 1912.
Titanic Disaster
On the night of April 14, 1912, the Olympic, under the command of Captain Herbert Haddock, was on a return voyage to the United Kingdom when she received distress signals from the Titanic, but was 500 nautical miles (926 km) away, so their help did not arrive on time. Several hours after the end of the sinking, when the Olympic was 100 nmi (185.2 km) from the last oceanic position of the Titanic, Captain Haddock received a telegram from the captain of the RMS Carpathia, Arthur Rostron, informing that his ship was already in the disaster zone and that, since his arrival at the scene, he had recovered several of the lifeboats from the wrecked ship, with 675 people on board.
Haddock contacted the Carpathia again to request the transfer of several of the survivors aboard the Olympic. However, Captain Rostron responded to the request indicating that it would not do much good for the ship to continue its course to the site of the shipwreck, since the situation was under control and he did not see the need to put Olympic himself at risk of encountering icebergs. ice on its way, in order to avoid a similar tragedy.
Also, agreeing with the president of the White Star Line and survivor of the shipwreck, Bruce Ismay, Rostron rejected the Olympic's captain's proposal to transfer the survivors to his ship, since he considered that they were still traumatized by what had happened. happened and that the fact of asking them to board a ship practically identical to the Titanic would cause them anguish, because they feared that the same situation would repeat itself.
Nevertheless, the captain of the Carpathia entrusted Olympic with the job of announcing to the offices of the Cunard Line and the White Star, through telegrams, the loss of the Titanic and the rescue of thirteen of the twenty boats of the extinct liner, with a total of 705 survivors rescued from the disaster. After completing this task, the Olympic continued her voyage back to Great Britain. As a sign of respect for the victims, the festivities planned for the voyage, which ended six days after the shipwreck on April 21, were cancelled. and British about the tragedy.
Improvements to the Olympic after the sinking of the Titanic
On April 24, nine days after the tragedy, the Olympic was scheduled to make what would be her first voyage since the loss of the Titanic. However, White Star had to make the decision to cancel this trip, mainly because the Olympic crew did not want to leave the port of Southampton, as well as the start of a strike by the engineers, in which they It demanded a greater number of lifeboats. In addition, added to these circumstances, was added a drastic drop in passenger reservations, which caused the company to make important changes to the Olympic.
The ship was then withdrawn from service on October 9 of that year and shipped to the Harland & Wolff in order to improve her safety. During the six months it was out of service, 48 lifeboats were added, bringing the total to 68 now (among the extra boats were some belonging to the Titanic, which had been picked up by the Olympic in New York shortly afterward). of the tragedy). Later, five of the sixteen watertight compartments were improved, being placed at the level of B deck (previously they only reached up to E deck, so there was a difference of three decks), making the ship could withstand much more serious breakdowns. The height of the false bottom was also increased, which made the hull more resistant.
In March 1913, the Olympic was ready to return to regular Atlantic service. After its reconditioning, it was commercially announced by White Star "as new", highlighting in these announcements the improvements in its security elements. In addition, thanks to these changes, its tonnage was increased to 46,358 tons, thirty more than the Titanic, with which it was able to retain the title of the largest ship in the world until the entry into service, in June of that year, of the new flagship transatlantic of the German shipping company HAPAG, the SS Imperator.
Since its reinstatement, the Olympic experienced a brief period of tranquility and prosperity until the outbreak of World War I in August 1914.
World War I
During the first months of World War I, the Olympic remained in civilian service, carrying returning American passengers from the horrors of the conflict in Europe.
As a preventative measure to avoid detection by Central Powers submarines and warships, her hull was painted gray and the funnels black, her portholes were closed, and her lighting system was disabled that illuminated the boat deck. Her schedules were hastily altered so that the ship docked at Liverpool instead of Southampton; later, she would be destined for the port of Glasgow.
In October 1914, during her last voyage as a passenger ship during the war, she rescued the crew of HMS Audacious, a British warship sunk by a mine strike.
In May 1915 she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy, painted in anti-submarine camouflage, renamed HMT (His Majesty's Troopship) Olympic and operated as a troop transport. That same year, Olympic joined her newer sister ship, Britannic, which served as a hospital ship in the Mediterranean Sea transporting troops and wounded to the Gallipoli campaign.
Then it began transporting Canadian troops and by the end of 1916 it had already completed ten trips between Canada and Europe. Later it would make the journey between the United States and the European continent for the same purpose.
On May 12, 1918, he managed to sink the German submarine SM U-103, which had attacked him by launching a torpedo that missed. Upon verifying this, U-103 surfaced with the idea of attacking the Olympic with a gun, but its captain, Sir Bertram Hayes, managed to maneuver, rammed and sank the submarine. The submarine began to sink rapidly and 31 people who escaped were killed. picked up by a passing American destroyer, the USS Davis. The Olympic survived four submarine attacks, including the one mentioned above, thus earning the nickname "The Old Reilable" (in Spanish: "El Viejo Reliable"), by which it was known by her crew. During the war, she covered a total of 184,000 miles (296,119 km) and carried a total of 41,000 civilian passengers, 66,000 troops and 12,000 members of the Chinese workers' battalion. The war ended in November 1918, she returned to Belfast in August 1919 for her restoration, and returned to commercial service in 1920.
Later career
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Shortly before rejoining the White Star Line fleet after the end of the war, the Olympic underwent numerous refits to refit her and adapt her to changing times. Her interiors were modernized and her boilers were modified to burn diesel instead of coal. This would reduce refueling time from several days to just a few hours. It also provided a more stable rpm rate and reduced the engine room staff from 350 to just 60 people.
During the conversion work on the boilers, when the Olympic was brought into dry dock, a dent with a crack in the center was discovered below the waterline, later determined to have been caused by a torpedo landing it had not detonated.
Following the refits, the ship's tonnage had increased to 46,439 tons, allowing her to retain the title of largest passenger ship in the fleet British - which he would keep in his possession until the launching of the RMS Queen Mary in September 1934 - although the Cunard Line's RMS Aquitania was greater in length (however, the size of a ship is measured by tonnage).
In 1921, a year after returning to passenger service, the Olympic set its highest record in its entire career to that point, having averaged 38,000 passengers during that year.
With the loss of Titanic in 1912, Oceanic in 1914, and Britannic in 1916, Olympic initially lacked suitable shipping partners for regular service between Europe and the United States. However, in 1922, as compensation for the loss of several British ships during World War I, White Star obtained two former German ships, the SS Bismarck (renamed Majestic) and the SS Columbus (renamed Homeric), which had ceded to the United Kingdom as war reparations. These new ships joined Olympic in the weekly Atlantic route service, operating successfully until the aftermath of the Great Depression reduced demand for ocean voyages during the 1930s.
Throughout the decade known as the Roaring '20s, the Olympic continued to be very popular with passengers, often carrying some of today's richest and most famous personalities: Marie Curie, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Federico García Lorca, Fernando de los Ríos, Douglas Fairbanks and Prince Edward of Wales were among the celebrities who traveled aboard the Olympic. In 1926 Walter Lord, who was then nine years old, took a trip with his family aboard the ocean liner. After being fascinated by its public rooms, the future writer compared them to the interiors of a palace.
With changes to US immigration laws imposed at the beginning of the decade, which greatly restricted the number of immigrants allowed to enter the country, the immigrant transportation trade suffered a significant recession, so shipping companies were forced to cater to tourism to stay afloat. Thus, at the end of 1927, the Olympic's third and second class cabins were remodeled to accommodate the new tourist class passengers, with the intention that those middle-class travelers who wanted comfort could enjoy these facilities without having to pay the high price of first-class tickets.
A year later, Olympic's first-class facilities were enhanced by the addition of private bathrooms in most staterooms, the installation of a dance floor in the dining room, the installation of a movie screen in the general salon and the incorporation of new suites that included private bathrooms towards the bow section.
These improvements, as well as other later ones, achieved that in 1929 the Olympic obtained the best passenger average of its entire career.
Last years in service
The ravages caused by the Great Depression in the early 1930s severely affected maritime trade. Until 1930 the general average number of passengers on the Atlantic route was one million passengers per year. By 1934 the number of passengers had been reduced to more than half.
Added to this situation, at the beginning of the decade, a new competition arose in Europe, where a new generation of larger and faster liners had been introduced compared to the British merchant fleet, such as the French ship SS Île de France, the Italian SS Rex or the Germans SS Bremen and SS Europa. The latter quickly surpassed the speed record set by the Mauretania.
In 1928, the White Star Line had plans to withdraw the Olympic's mate RMS Homeric from service and replace her with a new large ocean liner, RMMV Oceanic, and a smaller ship, MV Britannic, which would be built as motor ships rather than conventional steamers. However, the devastation caused by the Crash of 1929 led to the cancellation of the Oceanic and its replacement by the MV Georgic —the sister ship of the Britannic—. Following Homeric's withdrawal from service in 1932, Britannic and Georgic joined Olympic and Majestic in the Atlantic crossing.
In the last years of its career the Olympic had experienced a significant recession in its average number of passengers per route—of the 1,000 passengers carried per trip up to 1930, it only carried half in 1932. This caused several of its routes were canceled and replaced by cruises bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Nevertheless, the ship continued to enjoy good popularity almost until its withdrawal from service - proof of this are the nicknames "Oly" (as an abbreviation of its name) and "The Ship Magnificent" (in Spanish: "The Magnificent Ship") with which he was known by his passengers. Between 1933 and 1934 the number of passengers increased slightly.
In late 1932, with passenger traffic declining, White Star withdrew Olympic from service for four months to refit her interiors, resulting in a new accommodation layout, able to accommodate a total of 618 passengers in first class and 829 in economy class. After the renovations, in March 1933, the ship returned to its regular service in the Atlantic during the summer months, which alternated with cruises to Canada during the winter. On these voyages she operated with her engines running at her maximum power, reaching approximately 24.2 knots , the highest speed achieved during the entire service from her
On the morning of May 15, 1934, the Olympic was involved in one of the most serious incidents of her career.
In the approaches to the port of New York, several lightships were sailing that delimited the area. However, it was quite common for ocean liners to sail close to these vessels.
Due to heavy fog that day, it collided with the lightship Nantucket LV-117, which was sunk, killing seven of its eleven crew. The four survivors of LV-117 were rescued by Olympic and interviewed together to the captain of the liner upon arrival at port. The captain expressed his regret for what happened, but mentioned in the interview that the ship reacted quickly in the rescue efforts, using several of its lifeboats - a fact that was confirmed by one of the survivors of the LV-117. Olympic's damage, which had been light, was quickly repaired, returning to normal service several weeks later.
That same month, the White Star Line merged with its longtime rival, the Cunard Line, to form the Cunard White Star Line. Olympic was one of ten ships White Star added to the new company's fleet. At the service of the new company, she incorporated the flag of the Cunard Line on her stern mast, next to that of the White Star—a common practice aboard all the shipping company's ships. However, she also continued her regular Atlantic route during the summer, interspersed with her regular cruises to Halifax in the fall and winter.
In early 1935 the Cunard White Star announced that the Olympic would be withdrawn from service in the spring of that year and that, for that reason, her summer cruise schedule was cancelled.
In March of that year, after a nearly 24-year career, the Olympic made her last voyage to New York, before leaving service the following month.
Scrapping
Due to its years and spurred by the economic situation derived from the Great Depression —which caused serious lack of financing for the shipping companies— they led the Cunard White Star to take the decision to withdraw the Olympic from service in April 1935, together with with other veteran ships such as Mauretania and Homeric.
In October of the same year Olympic was sold for £97,500 to Sir John Jarvis, Member of Parliament, for part scrapping at Jarrow, located in the English county of Tyne and Wear.
The Olympic left the port of Southampton for the last time on October 11, arriving at Jarrow three days later, where she was greeted by a large crowd of people—in contrast to the sparse crowd that saw her off on her departure from Southampton—. During a period of almost two weeks, until October 26, the ship was opened to the public for the last time, being visited by hundreds of people.
Dismantling work began after Christmas 1935. In September 1937 the remains of the Olympic were towed to the Thomas W. Ward scrapyard in the Scottish port of Inverkeithing, where they were finally dismantled.
Features
Boat Deck
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The lifeboats were located in two columns, one on the starboard and one on the port side. Before the number of boats was increased to 68, there were ten lifeboats on each side—two with a capacity of 40 people, four with a capacity of 47, and the rest with a capacity of 65.
Towards the bow, there was the command bridge and the cabins for the officers and the captain, and also the Marconi radiotelegraphy room, the machines that moved the elevators and four first class simple rooms.
The gym was located on the starboard side, next to the first-class entrance and next to the second funnel. Between the second and third fireplaces, was the raised ceiling of the general hall and the first-class reading room.
Beyond the third chimney, there was a small block for a water tank, the entrance of light to the engine room and a reserved space with a promenade deck for engineers. To the side of this block was a skylight covering the first-class rear stair cupola. On either side of the fourth funnel was the raised ceiling of the First Class Smoking Lounge and Verandah Cafes on the lower deck.
At the end of the deck were the second-class entrance and stairway—which led down to F Deck. Likewise, the passengers had their respective promenade deck.
Interior equipment
First class
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In her day, Olympic was considered one of the most luxurious ships in the world thanks to the high quality and elegance of her interiors—consisting of a diverse mix of styles popular among Edwardian and Belle Époque society—described as "of incomparable extent and magnificence".
The ship was equipped with a gymnasium, squash court, indoor swimming pool, Turkish and electric baths, a Parisien café, library, a reading room, general lounge, smoking room, reception areas, dining room, two Verandah cafes, a prestigious À la Carte restaurant, a darkroom, luxurious Parlor Suites —located on decks B and C—, some with private bathrooms (which was a luxury for the time), among other amenities for the exclusive use of first class.
It should be noted that, in the original interior design of the Olympic, some elements of the Titanic were not included, such as the Parisien café or the extension to the port side of the À la Carte restaurant. However, many of these facilities were incorporated during the refit of the ship to improve the safety of it after the Titanic tragedy.
Passengers in that class had their own promenade area along much of the boat deck, where the entrance to the Grand Staircase was located, as well as the gymnasium on the starboard side.
The gym was located between the first two funnels, and was decorated with numerous windows in the starboard bulkhead, allowing plenty of natural light during the day. The walls and ceiling were paneled in white wood. Three oak columns with Ionic capitals were distributed along the entire length of the gym, the port wall was decorated with two paintings: a world map indicating the different routes of the White Star Line, and a painting with a profile view of the ship (originally and until the loss of the Titanic, the legend of said painting mentioned both ships, describing them as the largest of their time). It was equipped with sports equipment and the most advanced technology devices of the time. Coming from Germany, these were the best in the field at the time. These devices included a punching bag, rowing machine, training bikes, an electric horse and camel, as well as massage devices and weights. The passengers also had a gym teacher.
On deck A, passengers had a second promenade area, which ran the full length of the ship along said deck. These rides were wide open, providing passengers with clear views out to sea. On this deck, in the forward part and near the first funnel, were the standard first-class cabins; decorated with white painted pine paneling and incorporating electric stoves, as well as luxurious mahogany furniture.
On board the ship, there were two luxurious staircases, one located towards the stern area —which descended from deck A to deck C—, and another located towards the bow section —decorated with a clock on its upper level representing "Honour and Glory crowning Time". The latter spanned five levels from the Boat Deck to E Deck, decorated in the English William & Mary; and ended on F deck like a conventional staircase.
In the area near the starboard entrance to the forward staircase, there was a corridor that had a revolving door. This passageway communicated with the reading room and the general room.
The Reading and Mail Room was a room decorated in the Georgian style, with white wood paneling and large windows that stretched out onto the boat deck, allowing plenty of natural light during the day. This room had a decorative electric fireplace. Due to its low popularity on the Olympic, it was decided to reduce it on board the Titanic and Britannic, and replace the excess space with several cabins. To the side of the reading room and in the middle of the second and third fireplaces, was the general salon, located in the center of A deck, between the two first-class stairs. The salon was upholstered and decorated in a Louis XV-inspired style, incorporating replicas of objects from the Palace of Versailles into its decorations. The walls were lined with beautifully carved, natural-colored wood paneling. In the front area, near the door, there was a marble fireplace, topped by a mirror and a miniature replica of the Diana of Versailles sculpture, made with predominantly green and gold tones. In front of the third chimney, a library was located, where books could be taken out. On either side of the library were a clock and a barometer. As in the reading room, the ceiling was raised a few feet above the boat deck, so that the windows rose up to the boat deck. In the central part of the room, the ceiling was vaulted with a dome, which connected with a vent on the boat deck, in order to ventilate the room; the center of said dome was decorated by a large and beautiful oval crystal chandelier. The hall was subdivided by a dozen partitions that created small private areas. These were lined with walls decorated with mirrors and bronze sconces.
Toward port, the rear part of the saloon had a passageway that communicated with the rear staircase, similar in decoration to the front one —although smaller and with fewer details.
To the stern, next to said staircase, was the entrance to the smoking room, a favorite place for first-class gentlemen after meals. It was decorated in the Georgian style, as was the reading room; unlike this one, however, its walls were paneled in dark mahogany, decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays, stained glass windows, and niches, giving it a certain elegance and reproducing the atmosphere of continental men's clubs. The furniture was upholstered in green leather. The floor was covered with green and white linoleum tiles, decorated with a floral pattern.
It should be noted that after World War I, while the ship's interiors were being refitted, the floor tiles in the smoking room were replaced with ones of a more modern design.
At the back of the room, in the center of the wall, was a marble fireplace - the only one used for heating purposes, so it had two baskets of coal, one located on each side -, on which was displayed a painting by Norman Wilkinson, entitled "Arrival in the New World", depicting the entrance to New York Harbor. To the right of the fireplace, there was a door turntable leading to the portside Verandah Cafe. This area also housed a toilet. Cigars and drinks served to passengers had to be ordered from the managers responsible for the adjacent bar—also used by the Verandah cafes.
At the end of A Deck were the two Verandah Cafes — also known as Palm Courts. Both cafeterias were separated by the second class staircase. The cafe on the port side, connected to the smoking room, was the exclusive area for the use of smokers, while the one on the starboard side was for non-smokers. It was quickly observed that the starboard cafe was less frequented than the port one, being used by first class children as an unofficial playroom. The decoration of both cafeterias was inspired by English country houses, and presented its walls covered with ivy and decorated with mirrors, which gave it a feeling of spaciousness. They were furnished with rattan tables, chairs and sofas and decorated with palm trees. The four large iron windows of each café, as well as the sliding doors that led to the promenade deck, gave passengers the feeling of being on an open-air terrace. The luminosity of the windows, added to the opening of the deck, allowed to observe a magnificent view of the sea. Snacks and light meals were served in these cafeterias, which came from the bar shared with the smoking lounge. As for deck B, unlike the Titanic, the Olympic had a third promenade area for first class, which consisted of an almost entirely covered promenade. However, this promenade was not very popular, which led to the design of the Titanic replacing it with new cabins, in addition to amplifying the space of the suites and adding private promenade areas to the Parlor Suites.
Until the renovations of 1912, the Olympic maintained the original third promenade area until, after observing the success of the configuration of the B deck of the Titanic, part of it was closed at the height of the restaurant À la Carte —which was extended to port, while to starboard the popular café Parisien was built, which communicated with the restaurant.
The rest of the promenade remained intact until, in 1928, the ship underwent a series of renovations to add more suites forward—without private promenade areas and decorated in more modern designs.
The restaurant À la Carte, located on deck B and next to the aft stairs, was a restaurant where passengers could go between 8:00 and 23:00, and eat there within said time slot. This restaurant, unlike the dining room -located on D deck-, did not have a set menu, so passengers had various dishes to choose from. The restaurant's decor was inspired by the Louis XVI style and was illuminated by large windows. It was decorated with a carpeted floor with Axminster rugs, and furnished with small tables with capacities ranging from two to eight seats. The decor included porcelain pieces and crystal chandeliers. This place was the most ideal for privacy since, unlike the dining room, half of the tables were for only two people.
Originally, the restaurant was smaller due to the promenade areas on deck B. However, its great popularity meant that, during renovations in 1912, it was enlarged to port, leaving space on starboard to install the cafe parisien Initially, the restaurant lacked a reception area. However, when the Titanic was built, one was incorporated aboard the Titanic—which took up the entire B deck level of the stairway. After the sinking of her sister ship, while the Olympic was undergoing renovations to improve her safety, a reception room was added to the restaurant - although, unlike that of the Titanic, it was independent of the stairs and, therefore, of a smaller size. The reception was decorated in the Georgian style, including white painted wood paneling for the walls—similar to the reading room. The furniture consisted of armchairs and sofas upholstered in crimson silk. The room functioned as a meeting place for passengers before entering the restaurant, as well as to meet at the exit.
Incorporated into the Olympic in 1912, the Café Parisien was located on the starboard side of the restaurant À la Carte, with which it was connected. He shared his team of waiters with him, so his opening hours were the same. The meals served there had the same conditions and advantages as those of the restaurant. Its decoration was inspired by a traditional French cafeteria porch, clad with white wooden lattice walls, along which climbing plants were placed. The furniture in this cafeteria consisted of small sets of wicker tables and chairs, with a capacity for accommodate a total of 68 people.
Deck C was dedicated primarily to accommodation. Meanwhile, on D deck, there were the first-class boarding doors, which closed hermetically by adhering to the hull; they were closed inward with ornate double bars. The boarding gate was decorated with natural-colored carved oak panelling, and the floor was tiled with the same tiles used for the Grand Staircase. This room communicated with the reception through double wooden doors with iron and windows, as well as with the elevators through an arch. To the stern, each room had a display case.
The reception room, located on the same deck, was decorated with white wood paneling and had a floor covered with a red Axminster rug, with a decorative pattern inspired by Persian designs. The furniture consisted of armchairs and wicker tables, as well as numerous plants and a grand piano. This reception was connected to the dining room through double doors similar to those of the boarding entrance.
The dining room was decorated in the Jacobean style and was the most spacious room on board the ship, with the capacity to accommodate a total of 554 diners. Its opening hours ranged from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the first shift, and from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the second. Its walls were paneled in white wood and it was furnished with luxurious mahogany furniture. The floor was decorated with blue linoleum tiles highlighted by an elaborate red and yellow pattern. The portholes of this roof were carefully concealed with profuse stained glass windows, which received natural light, giving the sensation of eating in a restaurant. The tables, with a total of 115 seats, could accommodate from two to twelve people. Each table included its own lamp. Towards the bow, there was a piano, which was used during religious ceremonies. During the 1928 reforms, a dance floor was incorporated into the dining room.
The last first-class cabins were located on deck E, which was accessed by going down the Grand Staircase and by the three elevators that reached this level. On deck F, in the area that covered the central zone and the bow, the Turkish and electric baths, the covered swimming pool and the grandstand for the spectators of the squash room were located.
The Turkish and electric baths were accessible via a simply decorated staircase from E deck, and were attended by three waiters and two hostesses. The cost for access to these services was additional to the ticket. The complex consisted of three shampoo rooms that offered different temperatures—hot, cold, and room temperature—as well as a massage room and sauna. The decoration of these rooms was inspired by the Neo-Arabic style, with coffered ceilings. The different temperature rooms were equipped with sofas, tables and loungers. Access to the Turkish baths was at different times for men and women, as was the custom. Passengers spent most of their time in the cooling room, and it was here that cigarettes, books, and snacks were placed at their disposal.
The indoor pool was associated with the Turkish baths, so it had the same hours as these. The pool measured 10 meters long by 4.30 meters wide, had a depth of 1.80 meters and was equipped with a diving board. It was filled with heated seawater and entered via a marble staircase. The pool area was equipped with fifteen individual changing rooms so that passengers could put on their swimsuits.
The squash court was located in the forward part of G deck, and had a grandstand on the upper deck, protected by a net. The Olympic became the first ship to include a squash court aboard her facility, and her success was such that the length of the sessions had to be reduced. From the platform there was access to a small room where the team's material was stored.
The facility was attended by a monitor, whose services were included in the price of admission to the field.
In addition to these comforts, first class passengers had an orchestra of expert musicians, as well as several pianos on board; one of them located in the reception of the dining room and another inside it, as well as two others in the À la Carte restaurant and at the entrance of the boat deck level of the Grand Staircase.
Second class
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Olympic's second class was comparable to the first class facilities found on other ships of the time.
On deck B was the smoking lounge, which was decorated in the Louis XVI style, with its walls paneled with natural oak wood, and had a floor covered with white linoleum tiles decorated with a black and green bicolor pattern. The living room was furnished with oak chairs upholstered in green Moroccan moroccan morocco, which surrounded square tables for playing cards.
On deck C was the library, which also functioned as the main salon, decorated in the Adam style. Its walls were paneled in light sycamore and dark mahogany, making a great contrast. There were white-painted columns throughout the room, supporting a coffered plaster ceiling. Mahogany tables and chairs furnished the room, with desks set by the room's windows, equipped with reading lamps. It was equipped with a large bookstore that functioned as a library, where passengers could rent books during the voyages.
The dining room with capacity for 394 diners was located on deck D, it was covered with oak panels in natural color, decorated with simple but sophisticated carvings. The food served in this dining room was prepared in the same kitchen as the first class. In this dining room was located one of the pianos available for the entertainment of the passengers. The second was located at the entrance of the back stairs.
The second class also had an elevator, which ran the length of the ship from the Boat Deck to E Deck.
Second class passengers had a hair salon available to them, located on the E deck level next to the main staircase. This also functioned as a souvenir shop. On the back staircase, on the same level, was the information office and on-board commissary, where passengers could store their valuables and send telegrams.
Although second-class cabins weren't as big as first-class cabins, they were quite acceptable for the time. Its decor consisted of white-painted oak paneling on the walls, linoleum floors—or carpeted in some cases—and mahogany furnishings that typically consisted of an oversized sofa, armoires, and a vanity with sink—equipped with mirror and storage shelves. All the taps were connected to the huge fresh water tanks, located in the depths of the ship.
Many rooms had collapsible sinks—which could be stored in the vanity cabinet to save space.Second class had shared cabins—similar to third class—and were segregated by gender, so that the Single women or men often shared a single cabin. The privilege of private bathrooms in the cabins remained a unique aspect of first class, so all the bathrooms present in second were shared. The communal toilets and toilets were separated by the second class stairs and divided by gender.
There were three separate outdoor promenade areas for second class. The main one was located at the aft end of the boat deck and was 44.2 meters (145 ft) long. A cabin was installed that functioned as a second-class entrance, from where the elevator and main staircase were accessed..
There were several wooden and wrought-iron benches along the deck, as well as several teak sun loungers, which could be rented for three shillings per person.
Third class
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Single men were assigned to the forward cabins, while single women and families were placed in the larger cabins, located in the aft section.
Third class aboard the Olympic included four assembly rooms to serve passengers, plus the outer space of the castle sections and fore and aft shafts that functioned as promenade areas.
Among the amenities and rooms, immigrants traveling in third class had a dining room on deck F, with a capacity to accommodate a total of 473 people. This dining room was actually two rooms separated by a bulkhead, and had a waiter—something unusual for the time. The decoration of this dining room was simple - in the same way as the rest of the third class areas. Part of its walls were paneled with white painted pine while the rest of the sections were left intact, leaving the steel exposed. These walls were also painted white. The only decoration posted on the walls consisted of various posters announcing the introduction of new ships in the company's fleet. The dining room furniture consisted of simple, free-standing wooden chairs.
Towards the rear end of C deck, under the fantail, were the common room, located to the starboard, and the smoking room, which spanned the port side.
The common room—like the dining room and other rooms—was modestly decorated and simple, consisting of white-painted pine paneling for the walls and linoleum tile for the floor. The furniture consisted of wooden benches and wide seats to sit on. It also included a piano, along with which passengers could form bands with their own instruments to liven up the evenings; this room was a recreational space in which both male and female passengers could interact, as well as the place where parties were held. In the adjoining room was the smoking room, which was for the exclusive use of men — in the same way as its first and second class counterparts. Its decor was similar to that of the common room, though it had natural-colored wood paneling on the walls. Its simple furnishings consisted of several benches identical to those in the common room, as well as a bar, spittoons, and tables fixed to the floor for playing cards and other activities.
On the upper level, in the sterncastle, was the promenade deck, which incorporated several benches for the use and leisure of passengers.
The Olympic in the present
The Olympic's lavish sets were auctioned off immediately before the ship was scrapped; Some of her rooms—especially those of the first-class general room and parts of the stairs—are located at the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick, located in the English county of Northumberland. The crystal and ormolu chandelier in the First Class General Lounge is installed in the Cutlers' Conference Center in the United States. Sheffield Hall. The carved panel of the famous "Honour and Glory crowned to Time" clock on the Grand Staircase of the Olympic, presumed to be identical to the one on the Titanic, is kept at the Southampton Maritime Museum. Other pieces, such as some panels, are at the Haltwhistle paint factory. The rest of her decorations were bought by wealthy people in the UK, who used them to decorate the interiors of their homes.
In 2000, according to sources at Celebrity Cruises, the company acquired some original wood paneling from the Olympic's À la Carte restaurant and used them to decorate the walls of the restaurant built on board. of his best cruise ship, the GTS Celebrity Millenium. This restaurant operates under the name of "RMS Olympic Restaurant".
Olympic's first-class staircase watch panel, exhibited at the Southampton Maritime Museum.
Original Olympic interiors, which can be seen in this photo of the Olympic Suite at the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick.
Olympic marble fireplace at the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick.
Main staircase of the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick, coated with original pieces from the Great Olympic Staircase.
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