Another summer weekend sailing off into the sunset.
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RMS Antonia Cunard White Star Postcard
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#Boats #Sunsets #OceanLiners #Postcard #Retro #Vintage #ephemera

Red Star Line SS Belgenland Postcard set.
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#RedStarLine #Boats #Ships #Postcards #OceanLiners #ephemera #vintage

On the blog. Historic photo: dining saloon aboard the SS Great Eastern, 1859. This ship, by far the largest of her day, was a quantum leap forward in the history of ocean liners. In this fascinating photo you can see the main passengers' table set for dinner in lavish Victorian fashion. My article contains some interesting tidbits on the history of this ship.
#histodons #oceanliners #photography #victorian #ships
https://www.gardenofmemory.net/historic-photo-dining-saloon-of-the-ss-great-eastern-1859/

Today on the blog. 54 years ago today, the Queen Elizabeth 2 went on her maiden voyage. She was created as the last word in modern ocean liner design, closing the door on the traditional Art Deco past. Just one problem: her décor was from 1969 and didn't age well! Within three years she was refitted, but in those early years she was the floating embodiment of the garish '60s. #histodons #ships #oceanliners #design #QE2
https://www.gardenofmemory.net/retro-future-queen-the-qe2s-brief-heyday-as-a-1960s-design-icon/

More from the SS France, 1912. I've been looking for this photo for years. Identified in a caption as first class, this doesn't look luxurious enough to me to be a first class cabin aboard a cutting edge French luxury liner pre-WWI. Still, looks pretty nice. The photo has been heavily retouched. France was beautiful, but suffered from rolling and instability in heavy seas that made passengers sick. She was retired in 1935. #histodons #oceanliners #staterooms

The Titanic was not the only ocean liner to debut on the Atlantic in the month of April 1912. The SS France sailed on her maiden voyage a week after the disaster. Also a 4-stack liner and designed as the last word in luxury, her interiors were Baroque in style (like this, the first class foyer) and she was known as the "Versailles of the Atlantic." She probably benefited from the Titanic disaster.
#histodons #oceanliners

As much carping as I've done today, I'd like to end the evening on a positive note. This is the first class dining saloon aboard the classic French Line ship SS Ile de France from 1927. One of the most beautiful rooms ever to grace the North Atlantic. Three decks high, revolutionary lighting, perfect meld of engineering and artisanry. The IdF was the first true Art Deco ocean liner and she struck the mold for so many more to come.
#histodons #oceanliners

Today is the 111th anniversary of the departure of the Titanic from Southampton. So, here is a photo of a stateroom from that ship, room B-56. A magnificent Edwardian era interior, quite luxurious for the time (1912). Note the silk wall coverings, carpet (probably green, I think), and simple but ornate matching chairs. This was part of a first class suit. Probably very comfortable, for the five days of the voyage. #staterooms #Titanic #histodons #oceanliners

Let's do some #staterooms. This is a first class cabin aboard the MV Britannic, one of the last of the White Star ships. Not its original appearance, this is after the post-World War II remodel of the ship which originally appeared in 1930. This is about 1950. Horrendous colors! You can still see hints of the original early 1930s Art Deco style, which had clearly faded by this time.
#histodons #oceanliners

Here is a first class stateroom aboard the Italian liner SS Michelangelo, circa 1965. This was one of the last ships ever built with North Atlantic service primarily in mind. You can see this as an end point in passenger liner interior design. Honestly, doesn't look very comfortable, but I bet the Italian food on this ship was awesome! #histodons #staterooms #oceanliners

First class stateroom aboard the Swedish liner MS Kungsholm, 1926. This is a rare color photo from the pre-WWII North Atlantic passenger liner era. Twin beds pushed together is very Scandinavian. Fresh flowers are a nice touch. This liner just barely predated the Art Deco craze, but still has a very clean, modernistic look in its décor. This would have been a nice ship to travel on in the mid-20s. #histodons #oceanliners #staterooms #ships

So, my intro post has been boosted a lot the last few days and several have expressed interest in ship photos! So here's one. This is the first class lounge aboard the SS Europa, a German liner that debuted in 1930 (sister ship to Bremen). These ships announced the return of Germany to the North Atlantic passenger trade in a big way post-WWI. A beautiful ship with Art Deco styling. #histodons #ships #oceanliners

One more example of #staterooms before bed. Here is a first class cabin aboard the German liner SS Prinzessin Victoria Luise, about 1900. You can tell it's an earlier era because there are berths (not stand-alone beds) and much more of a traditional shipboard layout, as opposed to a hotel-like configuration. Still, pretty nice digs in which to cross the Atlantic at the turn of the 20th century. #histodons #oceanliners

It's been a long time since I've done any #staterooms! So here is a first class room aboard the SS Lurline, a very well known ship that plied the Pacific trade in the 1930s and 40s. A very nice, well-appointed cabin of that era. The Lurline later became famous for evacuating civilians from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. #histodons #oceanliners

I'm trying to bring some of my history videos into the fediverse! Here's my piece on how the "floating palace" passenger liners helped the Allies win World War I. It's on my PeerTube channel. Fun and interesting stuff.
#histodons #oceanliners #worldwar1 #GreatWarGroup #peertube
https://vjunity.tk/w/10d75e52-9ea7-4af6-a1af-f9ceba356017

There are many reasons why the Allies won World War I against Germany, but one of the most overlooked was because they had...ocean liners?!!?? Seems odd but true. Here's my video on how the floating palaces were key to victory. This video hasn't gotten the recognition I think it deserves, in all modesty.
#history #histodons #oceanliners #worldwar1
https://youtu.be/Pqyw9IBlWZY

What are these things? #steamships #oceanliners

It broke on my recent trip to Rotterdam. Here I am posing on the bike like it's still ridable by the ocean liner Rotterdam, where we stayed.

#bikes #rotterdam #OceanLiners

An example of #staterooms before bed. I have always been baffled by this picture. This is a first class cabin aboard the SS Aquitania, a Cunard liner who made her debut in 1914 just before World War I. Beautiful and luxurious, and you can tell it's a ship because the wall outlets are at waist level (not floor level to avoid problems from flooding). But why is the bed directly next to the sofa? Not what we'd choose to do today! #histodons #oceanliners

This antique telephone was part of the original furnishings of a first class cabin aboard the SS United States, when it made its maiden voyage in July 1952. Now it's a relic of a bygone time. The ship still exists and needs to be preserved as a piece of living history. But the cost to do so is $800 million and counting. Will this great liner survive as a museum piece? #oceanliners #staterooms #histodons ⚓