It is 100 years since the ill-fated British passenger liner, the RMS Titanic, collided with an iceberg that resulted in around 1514 deaths. Now the journey of the doomed ship is being retraced aboard the MS Balmoral to commemorate the centenary of the sinking of the liner.
The Titanic Memorial cruise is a 12-night voyage with the same number of 1,309 passengers excluding the crew aboard the MS Balmoral. Included in the passenger list are relatives of the survivors, historians and authors apart from people fascinated by the Titanic story.
To recreate the environment, meals provided on the cruise are from the Titanic's original menu. There will also be a five-piece Grupetto band from Belgium hired by the organisers to play era style music in honour of the Titanic's musicians who are said to have played until the ship sank.
The cruise from Southampton however left two days earlier than the Titanic as it cannot steam as fast as the latter.
The ship will trace the same path as the Titanic that is, via Cherbourg in north-west France and Cobh on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland, to exactly the spot where the liner sank 100 years ago.
According to the Press Association, there will be a special memorial service for passengers above the wreck site on 14 April, 2012 starting at 11:40pm, when the ship hit an iceberg and another at 2:20am on 15 April, 2012 when it sank. A line-up of 10 specialist lecturers - some of the world's leading experts on the sinking - will be on board including Philip Littlejohn, grandson of Titanic survivor Alexander James Littlejohn, and the only Titanic relative to have made the dive to the wreck site.
Apart from relatives of the passengers, people from 28 different countries have booked to be a part of the 100<sup>th anniversary cruise.
The sinking of the Titanic is regarded as one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. She was the largest ship afloat at the time of her maiden voyage.
Catch a glimpse of the Titanic Memorial Cruise and the passengers aboard the liner:
Newlyweds Mary Beth Crocker Dearing (L) and Tom Dearing of Newport, Kentucky pose while wearing period costume before boarding the Titanic Memorial Cruise in Southampton, England April 8, 2012. The cruise is to retrace the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner, which hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago on April 15, 1912.ReutersEight month old Alisa Dounaeva of Godalming is held by her mother Lorna while seeing off her grandparents on the Titanic Memorial Cruise in Southampton, England April 8, 2012. The cruise is to retrace the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner, which hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago on April 15, 1912.ReutersRobert Burr of Southampton, whose grandfather Ewart Burr was a 1st class saloon steward who perished on the Titanic, poses on the bed of a replica Titanic cabin before boarding the Titanic Memorial Cruise in Southampton, England April 8, 2012. The cruise is to retrace the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner, which hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago on April 15, 1912.ReutersPassengers wearing period costume queue to board the Titanic Memorial Cruise in Southampton, England April 8, 2012. The cruise is to retrace the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner, which hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago on April 15, 1912.ReutersStephen and Judy Keast of Melbourne, Australia arrive wearing period costume before boarding the Titanic Memorial Cruise in Southampton, England April 8, 2012. The cruise is to retrace the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner, which hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago on April 15, 1912. Today is Stephen and Judy's 30th wedding anniversary, and Stephen's 50th birthday.ReutersMaritime artist James Allan Flood (2nd L) of Del Ray Beach, Florida arrives wearing period costume to board the Titanic Memorial Cruise in Southampton, England April 8, 2012. The cruise is to retrace the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner, which hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago on April 15, 1912.ReutersKerry Kimble (R) of Oshawa, Ontario reacts after successfully donning a life jacket during a drill on board the Titanic Memorial Cruise in Southampton, England April 8, 2012. The cruise is to retrace the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner, which hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago on April 15, 1912.ReutersTitanic Memorial Cruise leaves port in Southampton, England April 8, 2012. The cruise retraces the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner, which hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago on April 15, 1912.ReutersThe RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage.titanic memorial cruise
