Differences Between Being A Passenger On The Titanic And The Modern Symphony Of The Seas
The RMS Titanic was the largest ship afloat when she made her maiden voyage in 1912, carrying some of the wealthiest individuals in the world. Before sinking, she was a marvel in both engineering and luxury. Today, the Symphony of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world, setting the bar for the ultimate cruise experience. See how life aboard the Titanic compared to that on The Symphony and how sea travel has changed over the years.
Everyone Can Swim On Symphony Of The Seas
No matter how much you pay for your ticket aboard Symphony of the Seas, all guests have access to the multiple swimming pools on the ship. Luckily, not all the passengers have to squeeze into one pool, as there are four to choose from across the ship's 15 decks. Symphony also boasts the tallest water slide in North America at an impressive 135 feet.
However, the swimming pool was only reserved for First Class passengers on the Titanic and was a single seven-foot-deep saltwater swimming pool.
Symphony Of The Seas Carries Thousands More Passengers
When the Titanic left the port of Southampton, it carried an impressive 2,223 passengers and crew. What's surprising is that the ship wasn't even at full capacity, with the ability to hold more than 3,500 people. Luckily, it didn't have that many people on board.
On the other hand, the Symphony of the Seas can carry 5,518 passengers, with a maximum of 6,680 passengers. This isn't even including the crew aboard the ship that usually ranges around 2,200 workers.
Building Costs: $7 Million Vs. More Than $1 Billion
The Titanic cost a whopping $7 million to build. Although that may not seem like all that much money, $7 million would be equivalent to around $183 million in today's money.
Still, that doesn't even compare to how much it cost to construct Symphony of the Seas. Built in 2016, the massive cruise ship cost more than $1.35 billion, which makes sense considering its size and amenities.
The Titanic Wasn't As Long As Symphony Of The Seas
At the time of its maiden voyage in 1912, the Titanic was the largest ship ever built, measuring just under 900 feet in length. In total, it was 882 feet and nine inches, which was an incredible feat at the time.
Times certainly have changed, and engineering has made great strides, as Symphony of the Seas is almost 300 feet longer, measuring in at 1,184 feet. This makes it 98 feet longer than the largest military ships ever built by the United States.
A Different Type Of Bartender On The Symphony
Of course, there was no shortage of alcohol on the Titanic, in First, Second, and Third Class. However, in First Class, drinks were typically served by waiters and bartenders aboard the ship for the passengers' convenience.
While there are real bartenders aboard Symphony of the Seas, there is also a bar on the ship with a twist. At the Bionic Bar, passengers are served cocktails by two robotic armed bartenders that create drinks for custom orders. Now that's something you don't see every day.
A Big Difference In The Number Of Restaurants On Each Ship
Impressively, there were four restaurants available aboard the Titanic, which was more than most ocean liners had available at the time. There were also two kitchens in operation: one for the First Class and another for the Second and Third Class.
First Class passengers enjoyed meals by hand-picked chefs and ate in the largest restaurant on a Trans-Atlantic Vessel. Now, aboard Symphony of the Seas, there are a staggering 26 lounges and bars along with 18 restaurants available to passengers.
There's No Shortage Of Art On The Symphony Of The Seas
Although there was more than enough room for decor in first-class aboard the Titanic, the majority of the artwork on the ship was owned by the passengers and kept with the rest of the cargo.
Symphony of the Seas boasts close to 14,000 contemporary works that range from sculptures, paintings, photographs, immersive installations, and more. Impressively, there are more works of art on the ship than in the Louvre Museum, with some even available for purchase.
Symphony Of The Seas Makes Hygiene Much More Convenient
When it came to being a Third Class passenger on the Titanic, these people got the short end of the stick in just about every way, including bathing. Most Third Class passengers only paid around 3 to 8 pounds to make the voyage to the United States. There were over 700 of them in total and only two bathtubs.
That's definitely not the case on Symphony of the Seas, in which every room is equipped with a full bathroom and shower, with some cabins being ultra extravagant.
The Titanic Could Keep Up With Modern-Day Cruise Ships
Impressively, the Titanic's top speed was 23 knots, which is around 26 miles per hour. However, the ship's speed also proved to be its downfall as it was going too fast to avoid the iceberg that led to its demise.
Today, the average cruise ship speed is around 20 knots or 23 miles per hour, with Symphony of the Seas steadily traveling around 22 knots, or 25 miles per hour. So, going full speed, the Titanic would be able to keep up.
Symphony Of The Seas Blows The Titanic Out Of The Water In Terms Of Amenities
On the Titanic, passengers had several activities to choose from for entertainment. The most common were listening to live music, socializing on the deck/smoking rooms, exercising in the gym, playing squash, swimming, or reading in the library. Of course, most of these were only reserved for First Class passengers.
While this was impressive for the time, Symphony on the Seas offers more activities than anyone could hope for, such as a rock-climbing wall, waterslides, arcades, laser tag, simulated surfing, live performances, spas, and countless more.
Room Options On Symphony Of The Seas
Every passenger that pays for a trip on Symphony of the Seas gets an option when it comes to the kind of room they want. Passengers can select from a standard stateroom or upgrade to a much nicer suite. Staterooms also have the option of an interior, ocean-view, balcony, or virtual balcony.
Unfortunately, for those not in First Class on the Titanic, it's unlikely you got to choose your room and were more than likely sharing your cabin with strangers.
Both Ships' Suites Are Fancy In Their Own Way
Although the more expensive suites on Symphony of the Seas may have everything any family could want in a room, from television, games, to slides going downstairs, the Titanic's suites were incredible in their own ways.
First Class cabins were finished in the Empire Style and ranged in decorative styles from the Renaissance to Louis XV on the interior of the rooms. The goal was to make it so the passengers felt as though they were on a floating hotel rather than a ship.
There Were No Private Balconies On The Titanic
While traveling First Class on the Titanic was like staying in a five-star hotel, one amenity that even the richest passengers didn't have were their own private balconies.
Having a private balcony on Symphony of the Seas is more common than not and only costs a small amount more. Furthermore, some of the interior rooms without windows or a balcony have virtual balconies, so an entire wall looks as though you're looking out over the ocean.
Traveling On Symphony Is Vastly More Expensive
In today's money, the price of a Third Class ticket on the Titanic would have cost between $170 and $460. A Second Class ticket would have been around $700, and a Third Class ticket would range between $1,700 to $50,000.
When it comes to Symphony of the Seas, if you're looking for the most comfortable experience, the most expensive suite on the ship is the Ultimate Family Suite. This option costs a minimum of $85,000! On the other hand, the cheapest ticket available is around $600.
The Titanic Relied On Lookouts
One of the reasons the Titanic met its end was that the ship's safety relied on human lookouts to make sure they didn't crash into anything. Furthermore, the lookout on duty when the ship sank didn't even have binoculars on him.
Luckily, the passengers on Symphony of the Seas don't have to rely on the human eye to avoid disaster. The ship and its crew rely on advanced technology and radar systems to stay on course and keep everyone safe.
Private Bathrooms Were Rare On The Titanic
When you consider how big Symphony of the Sea is, there have to be public bathrooms available for people who are far away from their own rooms for hours of the day. Yet, no matter how much you pay for your ticket, every room has a private bathroom.
That was a luxury that many of the passengers on the Titanic didn't have. Typically, only First Class passengers had their own bathrooms, something that was rare for even those in Second Class.
There Is No Separation Of Class On Symphony
Although passengers can pay a premium to have more entertainment, dining, and other accommodations available while on Symphony of the Seas, there is no separation of passengers regarding how much they paid for their ticket.
This was far from the case on the Titanic, in which the three classes were almost isolated from each other, with many parts of the ship being reserved for First Class passengers only. This way, those who paid more didn't have to associate with the "rabble."
Communication Was Not A Luxury Aboard Titanic
When it came to getting in touch with other passengers or people on land, this was essentially impossible for anyone on the Titanic. The ship was equipped with a Marconi "Radio Room," which used Morse-Code and was considered state-of-the-art technology.
Fast forward to today on Symphony of the Sea, and all passengers have access to onboard telephones and wi-fi for a little extra so you can use any of your devices as though you were on land.
Egg Consumption Is Similar On Both Ships
Although eggs might seem like an inconvenient food to have aboard a ship considering that they need to be kept cool and are fragile, both the Titanic and Symphony of the Seas have their fair share of them.
When the Titanic set sail, it had more than 40,000 eggs for its 2,000+ passengers. That's not far off from Symphony of the Sea, which typically goes through around 60,000 eggs on a seven-day voyage.
The Titanic Relied On Coal While Symphony Uses Diesel
The Titanic relied on coal for fuel. In order to keep the vessel moving, it's estimated that the ship burned around 825 tons of coal per day. This was done through the use of 159 furnaces that heated the 29 boilers on the ship.
Symphony of the Seas definitely does not use coal, and instead is powered by six marine-diesel sets that are made up of three 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 16V46D common rail engines and three 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 12V46D engines.
