Tourist Class on R.M.S. AquitaniaIf by some romantic chance you were to fall asleep and wake up aboard the Aquitania (familiarly known as the Queen of the Fleet) and travelling to Europe in her Tourist Class, you'd probably think you were in a great English mansion done in the Grand Manner. The elegance and dignity of the interiors aboard Aquitania were no less pronounced in her Second Class accommodations. These beautiful rooms were now at the disposal of the new Tourist Class. Successfully combining a sense of pre-war style with modern facilities and economical rates of passage, Aquitania understandably became well loved by this new class of passenger.
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Tourist Class Lounge
Lounge. "Tourist Class to Europe" brochure; 1935.
The Tourist Class (formerly Second Class) Lounge was located in its own deck-house on A-deck at the very top of the Tourist Class accommodations. Continuing the theme adopted in First Class, the Tourist Class public rooms were decorated in a variety of period styles with inspiration drawn directly from great English houses. Although necessarily simpler in style, the Tourist Class rooms closely mirrored the decorative styles of their First Class equivalents. The Lounge was decorated in the mid-Eighteenth century style of the Adams brothers with the design resembling the salon at Syon House designed by Robert Adam for the Duke of Northumberland. The room was neatly divided by Cipollino marble columns in Classical style which were complemented by highly decorative pilasters on the surrounding walls. The walls were panelled by simple yet elegant fluted panel mouldings with similar decorative ornamentations periodically adorning various sections. The room was furnished with plush armchairs arranged around intimately sized tables together with a number of large writing desks. The doors were carved from Cuba mahogany whilst the flooring consisted of black and white tiling. This complemented the light and elegant decor of the room and also made the space suitable for after-dinner dancing.
Tourist Class Drawing Room
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Situated below the Lounge on B-deck, Tourist Class passengers had access to a further three generously sized public apartments. The furthest forward of these rooms was the Drawing Room, accessible directly forward of the main Entrance Hall. In a similar style to its First Class counterpart and the Tourist Class Lounge, this handsome room was decorated in the Adam style. The walls and ceiling were adorned with elaborate decorative plasterwork faithfully copied from existing examples on shore. The sections of the room were separated by tall Ionic pillars whilst the ceiling was surrounded by an ornamental frieze adorned with scrolling acanthus leaves and griffins in Neoclassical style. The central portion of the ceiling was raised higher to create a spacious middle section. This space was interrupted by the support base of the aft mast which was cleverly disguised as a large architecture feature fitted with decorative niches.
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Passengers in the Drawing Room. "Tourist Class to Europe" brochure; 1935.
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With ordinary windows, similar to a Georgian house on shore, and tasteful antique mahogany Heppelwhite furniture, there is little in the appearance of the Second Cabin Drawing Room to suggest a room on a ship.
Cunard Line Brochure; "R.M.S. Aquitania: Interior Views"; 1914
Drawing Room. "R.M.S. Aquitania: Interior Views" brochure; 1914.
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Ample natural light was provided by tall sash windows as well as a series of wrought-iron and glass lay-lights on the ceiling. The furniture was upholstered in flowered chintz complemented by a plush blue Wilton carpet. The Drawing Room was fitted by a large marble fireplace on the aft wall, crowned by an intricately moulded gilt overmantel. Further adding to the decorative scheme, mezzotints and engraved portraits were hung on the panelled walls, depicting noted historical figures such as David Garrick, William Penn, and Jeanne Poisson; Madame de Pompadour .
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Tourist Class Smoking Room
The Smoking Room for Tourist Class passengers was located in the middle of the principal suite of public rooms on B-deck to the rear of the Entrance Hall. The decorative scheme for this handsome apartment was influence by the work of Sir Christopher Wren at Kensington Palace. The walls were fitted with panelled oak which connected to ceiling beams supported by substantial Ionic columns. In the panels between the beams, the ceiling was decorated with moulded plasterwork in elegant designs of fruit and flora. As with the nearby Drawing Room, a central section of the ceiling was raised higher than the rest of the room and fitted with wrought-iron picture windows to provide additional natural light. The darker decor of the walls was balanced by the simple black and grey rubber tiling on the floor. The furniture was carved from walnut and upholstered in antique floral patterns. Surrounding the room, inner partitioning walls creating intimate booths fitted with large settees.
Smoking Room. Postcard; c.1929.
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The general decorative idea has been taken from a room in Kensington Palace, and the panelled walls, with a beautifully carved fireplace at one end, give it a dignified and restful appearance. Cunard Line Brochure; "R.M.S. Aquitania: Interior Views"; 1914 |
A large fireplace with an intricately carved marble surround was fitted to the forward wall. This cosy corner of the room was further improved by a large decorative mirror above the mantelpiece in additional to a woven rug in antique Persian design. The artwork hung in the Smoking Room depicted the story of the sea as it enterred in British and American history. The most substantial prints showed 'The Opening of Sheerness Docks' by William Watts and the 'South-East View of the City of Bath' by Samuel Buck in addition to further well-know scenes in maritime history. As was customary for Smoking Rooms, this apartment was principally the abode of gentlemen for the purposes of smoking, drinking, and playing cards. The Smoking Room was served by a communicating bar which was developed into a new American style cocktail bar in 1932-33. The Smoking Room was open from 8am until 11pm.
Tourist Class Verandah Café
Verandah Cafe. "Tourist Class to Europe" brochure; 1935.
Located furthest aft on B-deck, Tourist Class passengers had access to a light and airy Verandah Café. This room directly adjoined the Smoking Room and provided magnificent views over the stern of the liner. The decor of the Verandah Café was reminiscent of a Seventeenth century Orangery, with wooden trellises treated to resemble natural stonework and covered with climbing ivy. The room was furnished with large wicker settees and armchairs arranged intimately around tables for two, three, or four persons. On the forward wall, windows connected the Verandah with the adjoining Smoking Room, providing an open atmosphere between the two spaces. Two large sets of sliding French doors connected the Verandah Café with the promenade deck. When closed, these doors ensured that the room functioned as a interior space fully sheltered from the elements. The doors could also be fully opened during periods of good weather, thereby allowing passengers to enjoy the sweeping views and fresh air from the deck whilst taking light refreshments in the enclosed environment of the Café.
Tourist Class Staterooms
A stateroom for one or two passengers showing the improved appearance of the late 1920s. "Tourist Class to Europe" brochure; 1935.
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Tourist Class Statements were located across C-deck, E-deck, and F-deck and arranged to accommodate between one and four passengers. These formerly Second Class accommodations provided bright, comfortable, and economical passage for the new Tourist Class passengers. All staterooms were fitted with spacious wooden berths or neatly folded Pullman bunks. The furniture was build from dark woods including large vanity mirrors and bedside tables. Wicker armchairs were also added to add a more modern effect. All rooms were fitted with washstands with fresh running water, electric heaters, modern ventilation systems, bedside lighting, and steward call buzzers. During the 1932-33 refit, further improvements were made to these rooms to freshen their appearance for the modern Tourist traveller. The staterooms were repainted in white or cream to enhance their bright appearance and enhanced by the addition of new floral rugs and upholstery. Fresh flowers and linens were supplied daily.
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Tourist Class Dining Saloon
The Dining Saloon for Tourist Class passengers was located on D-deck, occupying a large apartment which extended the full width of the ship. The classical architectural style adopted in other public apartment continued into this space. The work of Pergolesi as displayed in his book of designs in 1777 was the general inspiration for the decorative scheme. The walls were fitted with richly moulded wood panelling adorned with decorative panels with Eighteenth century style ornamentation. Along the middle of the apartment, two sets of delicate Ionic columns were fitted to support the ceiling, their designs copied from original examples in Fitzroy Square, London. The ceiling itself was richly decorated with large plasterwork panels with delicately moulded surrounds. The room was furnished with free-standing mahogany dining chairs fitted with cane backs and upholstered with 'Havanah' coloured fabric. The walls were painted in a delicate grey and hung with large portraits of noted persons of the late Eighteenth century.
A corner of the Dining Saloon. "Tourist Class to Europe" brochure; 1935.
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Original layout of the Dining Saloon before the addition of the Theatre. "Second Class by Cunard; Berengaria, Aquitania, Mauretania" brochure; c.1925.
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The arrangement of this room changed considerably over the years. Originally build for Second Class passengers, the Dining Saloon was a vast space crowned by an open-well and domed ceiling in the centre. The well was decorated with a chiselled plaster frieze and fitted with a wrought-iron balustrade copied from an original designed by Robert Adam. This created a gallery on C-deck above from which passengers in the passageways could look down into the Dining Saloon. Passengers could also descend directly into the room from C-deck by means of an elegant staircase at the forward end of the room. By 1929, the starboard section of the room had been separated to create a second Dining Saloon for Tourist-Third Cabin passengers. Further alterations were made in 1932-33 when the central portion and open-well in the remaining Second Class section were converted into a Theatre & Concert Hall. With the merger of both sections into Tourist Class in 1933, the room was once again pulled together into a single Tourist Class Dining Saloon, thus creating a U-shaped arrangement with the Theatre space remaining in the middle of the room.
Tourist Class Leisure Facilities
Theatre & Concert Hall. Deck Plan; c.1935.
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A Theatre & Concert Hall was a newly fitted feature for Tourist Class passengers, added during Aquitania's extensive refit of 1932-33. This room occupied space which had once formed the middle section of the Second Class Dining Saloon. Around the top of the room was the remains of what had formerly been an open-well looking down from C-deck into the Dining Saloon below. Although its elegant Adams style balustrade remained as a decorative feature, walls were fitted to enclose the open well to make the space suitable for its new use. Passengers entered the Hall either down a sweeping staircase from C-deck or through doors communicating with the adjoining Dining Saloon. The room was fitted with a three-hundred square foot stage and cinema screen at the aft end. Removable folding armchairs allowed the space to be arranged for a variety of functions. Additional new features for this class of travel included a new shop and information kiosk on D-deck and an enlarged Barber Shop on C-deck. Tourist Class passengers were also given access to the First Class Swimming Pool at fixed times of the day.
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