Could you afford a third-class ticket onboard RMS Titanic?
While a first-class ticket to sail onboard Titanic cost enough to bring you to tears, a third-class ticket surely would have been more affordable. Right?
As the largest and most luxurious ship of her time, amid the stereotypical image showcased by various film adaptations, it's easy to believe RMS Titanic was reserved for those at the top of society. If one couldn't wear a daily Gainsborough hat, boast an inheritance, or broadcast a double-barrelled surname, were you even of White Star Line stock?
Yet, that ideal remains far from the truth. Away from the Parisian café, Turkish bath, and Grand Staircase, RMS Titanic represented a beacon of hope for hundreds of immigrants aspiring to start a new life in America. Geopolitics were at play, and the 'unsinkable ship' had been designed to offer comfort and safety for those crossing the North Atlantic under less viable circumstances, too.
Third-class passengers were tucked away towards the bottom of the ship, having packed their entire lives into suitcases and sacks, but all passengers received an outstanding element of service.
Many steerage passengers were starving upon embarkation, with harsh realities at home. Suddenly, White Star Line provided these souls with nourishment, health checks, and fine fixtures. It was a different world to the bleak contrast of home.
The fortunate mantra of success awaited those with ambition upon reaching New York, just as other voyages had taken now-wealthy steerage passengers over the same waters. Or, at least, that was the pipe-dream. Lower decks radiated with optimism, while both excitement and anxiety about a fresh American start swirled between language barriers.
Clothes, attitudes, and refinement may not have been as elegant as those with money on upper decks, but the sense of survival amidst life's hardships brought the third-class areas to life. Opulent passengers may have paid eye-watering sums of money for a first-class ticket, but the real party was downstairs.
Of course, as with any 'integrated' vessel of the era, RMS Titanic operated with a strict class system. Certain first-class inhabitants deemed crossing paths with steerage as punishment from God, whereas ghastly discussions took place over fine china regarding the lifestyles of such barbarians.
Yet, death doesn't operate with a societal hierarchy, and after only four days of sailing upon her maiden voyage, RMS Titanic brought all classes together under terrifying circumstances.
The tragedy that struck was a portrayal of the rigid class structures of the early 20th century – with only 25 per cent of the third-class passengers still alive when RMS Carpathia collected survivors from Titanic's lifeboats.
The thing is, we know all of this already. What you really want to know is: What was the price of a third-class ticket, and could you have afforded it? Well, it costs more than you might first think for a ticket that almost guaranteed a fatal end.
How much was a third-class ticket on Titanic in 1912?
Let’s do the maths... A standard first-class ticket onboard the Titanic would have set you back £82 and eight shillings. That equates to (roughly) £7,878 per person when taking modern inflation into account. Essentially, the same price as a luxury cruise nowadays.
As for a third-class ticket, this would set you back £7 in 1912, which translates to £672. Only £7? Sounds like a bargain, until you learn how much steerage passengers earned.
To put this into context, we delve into an extract from a letter of a Millwall ropemaker in 1921 who outlines his expenditure. He was paid 32 shillings a week and spent just over £5 a week on living costs such as rent, light, gas, coal and food. £7 seems like a staggering amount of money to save up in addition to the daily living expenses.
Nowadays, you can enjoy a seven-night cruise with Ambassador Cruise Line for less money than £672 – and without the impending doom. Or social hierarchy. Or an understanding of a Marconi radio system.
In truth, most third-class passengers had saved their money for years to escape Britain and head to America. It was all the savings that they had. So, this begs the question: What did the third-class actually get for their money?
Third-class facilities on the Titanic
To someone from the 21st century, facilities for third-class passengers would seem dire and inhumane. Yet for those passengers of the time, facilities were much more appealing – and far more advanced – than rival lines could offer.
Titanic historian and author Stephen Spignesi points out that “By the standards of the day, Titanic provided nicer living conditions than many of the steerage passengers were accustomed to at home.
“It was said that Titanic’s third-class accommodations resembled other steamships second-class accommodations”.
We can't help but agree. A general room in which for third-class passengers to socialise, which featured a piano for guests to make their own music after dinner, was practically unheard of.
The third-class could also keep themselves busy by playing cards on the card tables – a feature reminiscent of first-class facilities on ocean liners decades previously. This was heaven for those without a mouth-born silver spoon.
The dining saloon, located on F deck, was segregated into families/single women in the forward saloon and single men in the aft. Passengers ate in two sittings with a capacity of 473 seats per serving (third-class accommodated roughly 709 ticket holders), across tables crafted to house 22 or 23 diners.
The third-class passengers were separated from first- and second-class areas – with accommodation located from D to G decks – excluded from the upper decks and most importantly, the deck which housed the lifeboats.
Titanic third class menu and food
Breakfast options were surprisingly plentiful for third-class passengers, with options including Quaker Oats, refrigerated milk (which would have been a treat for many third-class guests), liver and bacon, ham, marmalade, bread and butter, alongside tea or coffee.
Lunch, referred to as dinner, featured roast beef or pork, boiled mutton, baked potatoes, current buns, and even ice cream; a considerable upgrade over the slim portions endured by those on harder times.
Third-class didn’t have dinner as such, a ritual reserved only for the first and second-class, but they weren’t left to go hungry. While old money gave their stomachs a challenge with rich food, steerage passengers could instead enjoy ‘tea’ – consisting of cold meat, cheese, pickles, fresh bread and butter, stewed figs and rice, with lashings of Britain's finest tea.
And yes, Gruel was also available, but it wasn't akin to what you see in cartoons. Gruel is, basically, a thin porridge – rather than slop. As if White Star Line would serve slop.
Naturally, there was a heavy contract between what Titanic's third class ate versus the luxuries of the first class dining options, which primarily consisted of French cuisine, ranging from 10 to 13 courses spanning several hours. But with the price difference between tickets, that shouldn't come as a surprise.
Titanic's third-class cabins
RMS Titanic was far more comfortable for steerage passengers when compared to direct competitors – especially as rival shipping lines typically housed steerage in open dormitories. Located on F and G deck, Titanic's third-class cabins slept up to 10 people yet were considered spacious for the time and somewhat more private and refined.
A total of 84 steerage cabins offered upgraded berthing for two passengers, featuring panelled décor with washbasins (a revelation when compared to outdoor plumbing). White Star Line bed linens were also provided for the lucky few in these bunks.
If we skim over the concept of only two bathtubs shared between all 709 third-class passengers (eek!), life in this sector was rather pleasant – especially when taking the air on dedicated sections of the deck.
However, there was a darker, less appealing section of third-class sleeping arrangements. The type of accommodation you received mostly revolved around your marital and familial status.
In essence, single men were housed towards the bow whereas single women and families were placed in the stern. If you were an unmarried man, you were provided with only a straw-stuffed mattress and a thin blanket, instead of the proper mattress and bed linens afforded to others – so it paid to be married.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for married couples, though. The less desirable location of these cabins meant passengers were subject to the noise and vibrations from the engines – with the rooms also being the first to flood after the ship hit the iceberg.
How many third class passengers died on the Titanic?
It is an undeniable fact that third-class passengers were the primary victims in the Titanic sinking, with only 25 per cent of the third-class passengers surviving.
The reason for such a disproportionate level of third-class passengers dying when compared to the first and second class can be split into three theories, according to Mayne Hall in his ‘Social Class and Survival on the S.S Titanic’ paper.
The first is perhaps the most obvious – the lack of lifeboats. At the time, the British Board of Trade regulations stated that the Titanic was not required to carry enough lifeboats for every guest. The number of lifeboats was determined by a formula which resulted in only 20 lifeboats being carried, enough to carry 52 per cent of the passengers on her maiden voyage.
Next is the third-class’ reluctance and difficulty to leave the ship. Unlike the first and second-class, who carefully packed their leather suitcases full of their finest clothes, the third class had packed their entire lives away to travel across the Atlantic Ocean.
And when the third-class passengers did try to escape upwards, Lord Mersey’s 1912 report reports a ‘difficulty’ in doing this successfully.
In fact, Spignesi wrote that, until the lifeboats were launching, third class had been confined to the lower decks and, when released, became confused over unfamiliar passageways and identical corridors. Those who did not speak English were fighting a losing battle as they could not understand which way to escape.
The final reason for so many deaths from the third class, and really from every class, was how lifeboats were lowered before reaching full capacity. In addition, they didn't pick up passengers in the freezing sea out of fear that the lifeboat would capsize.
It remains a tragic loss that 531 third-class passengers died on the night of April 14, 1912. Perhaps more emotionally so when considering the hard work that must have occurred to secure the money for a third-class ticket, in proportion to salaries and living costs.
So, could you afford a third-class ticket on RMS Titanic? By modern standards, it's certainly most likely. But with hindsight, would you really want to buy one? We doubt it...
