You’ve seen the commercials for the re-release of the movie “Titanic” – this time in 3D – just in time to memorialize the most infamous sea disaster in history … except maybe one or two ships that dropped off the face of the earth back when the world was flat.
Alan Whitt
As we draw closer to the 100th anniversary date of April 15, 1912, you can expect to see Titanic references, memorials, acknowledgments and even celebrations.
Two ships – Azamara’s Journey and Fred Olsen Cruises’ Balmoral – have charter cruises that will anchor at the exact spot and exact time the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank off Nova Scotia that fateful night – at approximately 2:20 a.m.
The Balmoral cruise sold out one year in advance, necessitating the addition of Azamara Journey.
Why someone would want to recreate similar circumstances and follow a doomed ship’s path is beyond me … but (no pun intended) whatever floats your boat.
Other cruises lines have chosen to quietly let the occasion pass and that makes more sense to me, especially in light of the Costa Concordia tragedy. Why remind your customers what could happen – no matter how remote the possibility?
Since “Titanic’ debuted I’ve had a fascination with the ship that at the time was the largest man-made vessel ever built.
I’ve loved cruising for more than 15 years, and to be able to actually see that history and authenticity of the ship on the big screen was captivating. I even purchased two versions – widescreen and letterbox – because each half of the movie is better in one more than the other.
I guess the romance of Jack and Rose also helps make it one of my all-time favorites.
But never for a moment have I considered abandoning cruising since seeing the chilling re-enactment. I know that with my limited swimming abilities, a disaster could spell the end for me. But I’m also aware that a cruising remains one of the safest modes of travel on the planet.
And that’s why avid cruisers like me need to pay a moment of tribute to those who perished onboard Titanic. That disaster helped make cruising what is is today, thanks to changes in safety protocol still in affect today.
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