Martin Williams
Member
For my money, the 'Olympic' class would be hard to beat in terms of both exterior profile and elegant interiors. And since the 'Titanic' improved on her older sister in various ways, I would have to say that she rates as my favourite liner of all time, quite apart from the sensational circumstances of her demise.
As a lover of art and decoration, I feel that the English companies, White Star and Cunard, achieved the best results when fitting out the first-class quarters of their vessels. White Star excelled at the 'floating hotel' look - if one was fortunate enough to find oneself in the Louis XV lounge or on the Grand Staircase of the 'Olympic' or 'Titanic', I really do feel that one could have convinced oneself that one wasn't at sea at all. The smoking rooms aboard both ships displayed real originality in their decoration - the combination of illuminated stained glass and mother-of-pearl inlaid panelling was really something rather special. The Turkish Baths were similarly striking; such exoticism aboard staid British ships must have come as something of a surprise!
The interiors of the 'Mauretania', 'Lusitania' and 'Aquitania' were subtly but discernably different. I've always felt that their interiors were somehow more 'nautical' in feel - a trend that later Cunarders, like the 'Queen Mary' and the 'Queen Elizabeth', followed. Although not as large or as grand as her White Star contemporaries, I do have a real affection for the 'Lusitania' - the use all over the ship of exquisitely moulded white plasterwork produced a light and airy atmosphere which I much prefer to the dark and heavy woodwork of her sister. The 'Aquitania' was impressive, and her staircase, garden court and dining saloon were lovely in their way, but the famous Palladian lounge was not a total success.
The 'Imperator' and 'Vaterland' were very mixed quantities. The 'Ritz' restaurant aboard the 'Imperator' ranks as one of my very favourite ocean liner interiors - I would have forsaken the dining saloon entirely! And the swimming pools of both vessels were truly epic, unquestionably the greatest that ever went to sea. But, as some critics observed at the time, several of the public rooms succumbed to a gloom and pomposity which renders them unattractive in my eyes.
Although it is far from an original observation, the 'Normandie' of 1935 was, in my opinion, the greatest, grandest and most beautiful liner of the inter-war years.
As a lover of art and decoration, I feel that the English companies, White Star and Cunard, achieved the best results when fitting out the first-class quarters of their vessels. White Star excelled at the 'floating hotel' look - if one was fortunate enough to find oneself in the Louis XV lounge or on the Grand Staircase of the 'Olympic' or 'Titanic', I really do feel that one could have convinced oneself that one wasn't at sea at all. The smoking rooms aboard both ships displayed real originality in their decoration - the combination of illuminated stained glass and mother-of-pearl inlaid panelling was really something rather special. The Turkish Baths were similarly striking; such exoticism aboard staid British ships must have come as something of a surprise!
The interiors of the 'Mauretania', 'Lusitania' and 'Aquitania' were subtly but discernably different. I've always felt that their interiors were somehow more 'nautical' in feel - a trend that later Cunarders, like the 'Queen Mary' and the 'Queen Elizabeth', followed. Although not as large or as grand as her White Star contemporaries, I do have a real affection for the 'Lusitania' - the use all over the ship of exquisitely moulded white plasterwork produced a light and airy atmosphere which I much prefer to the dark and heavy woodwork of her sister. The 'Aquitania' was impressive, and her staircase, garden court and dining saloon were lovely in their way, but the famous Palladian lounge was not a total success.
The 'Imperator' and 'Vaterland' were very mixed quantities. The 'Ritz' restaurant aboard the 'Imperator' ranks as one of my very favourite ocean liner interiors - I would have forsaken the dining saloon entirely! And the swimming pools of both vessels were truly epic, unquestionably the greatest that ever went to sea. But, as some critics observed at the time, several of the public rooms succumbed to a gloom and pomposity which renders them unattractive in my eyes.
Although it is far from an original observation, the 'Normandie' of 1935 was, in my opinion, the greatest, grandest and most beautiful liner of the inter-war years.
