Titanic: Life on Board the Ship of Dreams - Facts for Kids
Updated: Jun 27, 2022
The Titanic was a grand ship that famously hit an iceberg and sank on its first-ever voyage, despite being marketed as being “unsinkable”. We already shared with you some mind-blowing facts about this ship's construction. Now you can impress your family, friends, and teachers with these fascinating facts and figures about what life was like on board this luxurious ship.
Where did the Titanic set sail from on her maiden voyage?
Southampton. She visited Cherbourg in France and Queenstown in Ireland before setting off across the ocean to New York, America.
When did she set sail?
The Titanic set off from Southampton on 10th April 1912.
Who was the Captain of the ship?
Captain Edward J. Smith was the Captain. He had over 43 years of experience.
How many people were on board?
Around 2,200 people. There were approximately 1,300 passengers, with around 300 people sailing First Class, 300 sailing Second Class, and 700 sailing in Third Class. There were around 900 crew members on board.
Who was the richest person on board?
John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest man on board (and considered to be one of the wealthiest people in the world at the time) and sadly died in the sinking.
Did You Know?:
Though many people are familiar with the name Titanic (meaning "of enormous strength, size, and power"), not many people know that the ship’s full title was actually the “RMS Titanic”. RMS means Royal Mail Ship (or Steamer) and is a title given to a ship that carries letters and other postal items for the Royal Mail service. The Titanic carried nearly 3,500 bags of mail sent over to America. There was even a mail room and a Post Office on board, and 5 postal workers to sort through all of the letters during the fateful voyage.
Above - a First Class stateroom and the First Class gymnasium aboard the Titanic and the First Class staircase aboard Titanic's sister ship, the Olympic.
What was it like as a First Class passenger?
The Titanic was luxurious for First Class passengers. Their decks were at the top of the ship with their own private suites to stay in. They had lots of facilities such as a large dining room, a barbers shop, a swimming pool, cafes, sports facilities, steam rooms, and more.
What was it like as a Third Class passenger?
The accommodation for Third Class passengers aboard the Titanic was much nicer than on other ships at this time. Cabins were shared between up to 10 people and were located at the bottom of the ship near the engines. There were only 2 bathtubs available for all 700 Third Class passengers.
Did You Know?:
There were 6 different restaurants and cafes on board the Titanic, the majority of which were reserved for First Class passengers. The First Class dining saloon could cater to up to 550 people at any one time. In full there were around 44,000 pieces of cutlery aboard the ship – that’s a lot of knives and forks!
