Chase Titanic’s Ghosts on Its Final Route (Just Like We Did)

The Titanic Belfast Museum in its glory

Heavy duty history

It all started at slipway number two at the Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast, Ireland, the very place where Titanic was designed, built, and launched. The Titanic Belfast Museum tells the story of Her Majesty’s Majestic ship from her conception through her construction and launch all the way to her maiden voyage and that notorious night in naval history when it took on an iceberg of epic proportions. Many lives were lost and heroes made. All of them are memorialized in this incredibly touching display.

The H & W Cranes that still stand today

The fateful final route we were following

Food for thought

To fortify us on this journey, we needed to get our epic first-class feast vibe on, just like in the grand dining halls on the ship. Enter The Pantry, the museum’s must-try restaurant inspired by the meeting halls from the White Star Line ships. It’s a smorgasbord of big and small plates, burgers, steaks, and some Mexican fare. But the specials are the savory choices you won’t want to miss during your visit. We opted for the traditional layered flavor of the Irish lamb stew, that light tangy soda bread, and the thick juicy goodness of the sausage roll.

None of them disappointed with their rich, authentic tastes of the Belfast region. Too bad we couldn’t borrow some of that fancy, fine bone first-class China that was on display later in the museum.

First-class dining on her Majesty's Ship

Landlubbers lodging in two styles

Not cruising but still want to follow the fates of Kate and Leo! If you want to experience the bustle of the surrounding Belfast crowds during your historic adventure, Titanic Hotel Belfast is located right in the heart of the Titanic Quarter. The hotel is fittingly housed in the former Harland & Wolff headquarters, offering a unique atmosphere with a genteel restaurant and cocktail bar.

If you want to travel back in time with your lodging décor as well look no further than The Warren Belfast, a more intimate, refined guesthouse located in a Victorian house, offering a quieter stay with a communal kitchen.

The replica of Titanic's hallway

Experiencing the era

Finally, it was time to take our tickets and head up to the Titanic Experience, a 2-hour, 10-hall exhibit that tells the entire genesis of the ship. Room one is the Boomtown Belfast, setting the stage for the textile revolution that grew most rapidly during the 1860s and by the end of the 19th century was the linen capital of the world. Vintage pictures provide insight into this bustling town in that era.

Darlene at the famous staircase replica

A solemn ride into the past

The first part of the tour takes you through the complex process of building the ship and its many phases. Lots of period photos and interesting facts are provided, like did you know that it took 3 million rivets to build the Titanic. That’s a lot of sore hands.

Then comes the only ride of its kind in the world: the Shipyard Dark Ride, opening in 2012 along with the $100 million museum on the 100th anniversary of the sinking. It is a four-and-a-half-minute experience of what it was like to be in the hot, steamy bowels of the shipyard and gives riders the sights and sounds of what the workers endured on a daily basis. “Skilled work... you had to bend down more than you needed because the flame straightened out a little... and he put it in the hole in the plate... there were two of us on the other side of the plate to hold her up... we had the hammer there to rivet it so it filled the hole before it turned all red... after work I get scared working through that double bottom, you only had candles for light.”

Another part of the tour we found fascinating showed the sleeping quarters of Titanic, all the way from the bunk beds of steerage all the way up through the swanky beds and digs of the upper crust.

Titanic's actual launch site

A very solemn sinking simulation ends the tour.

Cruise ships now and then

In one corner, you have our modern cruise ship, the Norwegian Star out of Papenburg, Germany: 965 feet long, 105 feet wide, weighing in at over 91,000 tons, over 2,300 passengers, 1,000 crew, and going 25 knots. Two main dining rooms, three swimming pools, and eight elevators.

In the other corner, you have the iconic Titanic out of Belfast, Ireland: 852 feet long, 92 feet wide, weighing in at 46,000 tons. It was holding 2,200 passengers, 900 crew, and going 21 knots. She has two main dining rooms, a swimming pool, and a Turkish bath.

The cruise liners might be getting bigger and more boisterous, but none of them will outclass the legend of the Titanic, a ship they built a 100-million-pound museum for 100 years later.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Cruises page.