The big day for sailing arrived, the 10th of April, and the crew boarded early in the morning. Captain Edward J. Smith, with 25 years as a captain behind him, had planned to retire after this journey. Passengers boarded and the historic voyage was about to begin. The number of passengers was 1,324 and the crew numbered 899.
The passengers were separated into first, second, and third class. First class cabins were luxurious by all accounts and third class accommodations were meager. Second class cabins were described to be somewhat like hotel rooms. Lunch and dinner included all kinds of meats, fish, vegetables, and desserts as well as a buffet for first class passengers while third class people were served things like corned beef and cabbage, biscuits, and potatoes. The first meal of day was served for two hours starting at 8:30 a.m.
Some of the rooms on the Titanic were designed to look like rooms in palaces and other expensive dwellings. There was a room where passengers could enjoy a Turkish steam bath and the cooling room looked like a colorful palace room of a sultan. There was a grand staircase covered by a glass dome to allow natural light to filter in. There was a smaller version of the staircase elsewhere on the ship. There were smoking rooms for men and a reading room for women. Two doctors sailed on the Titanic and staffed the hospital that was on board.
How did passengers spend their time?
There were numerous perks on the ocean liner, many of them accessible to first class passengers only.
There was a gymnasium with exercise equipment
A swimming pool was available
First class passengers had access to a squash courtÂ
A Turkish bath was available, also for first class passengers only
Passengers could play cards, read, or write letters in one of the lounges, or just relax on the decks. Music was available from the on board orchestra. Passengers enjoyed sending wireless messages to friends and family.