A Little Bit of Cruising History!

Well there I was all set to tell you about the highlight of any cruisers year, the upcoming launch of 2019/20 itineraries when I had a message from an old school friend telling me about a fab day out she had recently at the V&A museum in London. I just had to share it with you as the exhibition is on until June this year so for all you cruising buffs it would be a fab day out – once the weather warms up a bit!

The exhibition has been organised by Viking Cruises and celebrates the Golden age of Ocean Liners. These days cruising is a popular way to travel for people and families from all walks of life but back in the day it was only the wealthier members of society who could afford to cruise, and a very glamorous way to travel it certainly was. This exhibition, named “Ocean Liners: Speed and Style” reveals the true luxury of cruise ships of years gone by.

There are over 250 items on display, including paintings to fashion, films to posters, There is even a panel from the ill-fated Titanic’s first class lounge, or a small part of it. There is a diamond and pearl tiara on display that was rescued when the Lusitania was sinking in 1915 too. There is even a set of 1940’s Goyard luggage on display, originally owned by the Duke of Windsor and this is the first time it has been displayed in Europe.

The photo above was a bit of a joke, my friend know’s I am a cruise ship carpet fan and she thought I would be amused by it. It is a piece of carpet from the original Queen Mary! We both agreed it was quite tasteful compared to some of the carpets you see on modern cruise ships 🙂

My friend said it was a brilliant exhibition and recommended a day out there. I am certainly going to try to get to the V&A before it finishes on 17th June as it sounds fascinating. If you go, let me know what you thought too.

For now folks, happy cruising!

If you are currently affected by the freezing temperatures in the UK, stay warm and stay safe!