The RMS Titanic carried three classes of passenger: first, second and third (nicknamed ‘Steerage’). The dining was also divided into the three classes.
Mr. Palmer will be recreating all of the Titanic’s original dining rooms and other public rooms, on-board his titanic II.
Café Parisian
Above, Titanic II’s re-creation: Designed to look like a sidewalk café in Paris, the Café Parisian was exclusively reserved for first class passengers
Below: Titanic’s original Café Parisian:
Below: The First Class Smoking Room
The First-Class Smoking Room was located on the promenade or A deck. The design of the room consisted of finely carved mahogany panelling with supporting pillars and floral and scroll ornamentation with numerous leaded glass panels and windows, The room offered several alcoves in which to enjoy an intimate conversation, a pipe or cigarette and a drink. In other areas, tables were conveniently located for a friendly game of cards. It was the only room on the ship to be heated by a real open coal fire.
Below: First Class Dining Saloon
The First-class Dining Saloon. The Dining Saloon, found on D Deck, was the ships largest room, spanning the full width of the ship, being 114 feet long. It could accommodate over 500 passengers. The Jacobean-inspired room had panelled walls and a strapwork ceiling.
At the time of writing renderings of the Titanic II’s second class dining room had not been released.
Below: Titanic’s original Second Class Dining Room
Titanic’s second class dining room, located on D Deck, could accommodate all 564 second class passengers in a single seating. It was a large elegant room, with mahogany furniture upholstered in crimson. A piano was provided to entertain the diners.
The long tables and mahogany swivel chairs were bolted to the floor in case of bad weather during the voyage.
Below: Titanic II’s Third Class Dining
And also below:
Third class dining was a basic affair. The seating was at long tables each accommodating up to 22 people, each. There were two rooms with a combined capacity of 400, with a provision for two sittings if Third Class was heavily booked. The room was bare and decorated in enamelled white and brightened by sidelights. The forward room was reserved for families & single women and the aft room was reserved for single men.
The uptake shafts from Boiler Rooms 2 and 3 partially occupied spaces in both rooms, dividing them into four different sections.
Details of the original Titanic menus still exist so re-creating the food will be very possible. However, it is expected that the fist and second class passengers will be served fine-dining.
The third-class (steerage) passengers will be served simple fare, such as Irish stew etc. in their simple 3rd class dining hall. This of course should be very atmospheric, but not luxurious by today’s often high standards of cruise ship cuisine.
Authentic Food
Authentic meals will be recreated especially for the Titanic II, by the Blue Star Lines culinary director and his staff.
(Acknowledgement: Some of the text in this article comes from ‘Fandom’)
Below: Unofficial video (using official Blue Star Line dialogue and some images).
See my page about Titanic II accommodation – HERE
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