Tourist Third Cabin

[Matthew O'Brien]

Can anyone out there explain to me what the difference would be between Tourist Third Cabin and Third Class? I had always assumed that they were just two names for the same accomodations, and that The Tourist Third Cabin title was added to make that class of travel more appealing in the twenties. But, in a brochure that is posted in this forum, I see them listed together, this is what confuses me. If they were actually seperate classes, where were the two classes housed after the refits of the ship? Does anyone know about the Tourist Third Cabin public rooms, if they were infact seperate from the the regular third class rooms?

Thanks,

Matt

 

[Tracy Smith]

I don't know much about this, but I would speculate that Tourist Third would have been intended for pleasure travelers and regular Third would be for immigrants. Just a guess.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

As I understand it, Tourist Third Cabin was intended for the trade of people going back to the "Old Country" to visit friends, reletives, etc. and that the accomadations were upgraded to a degree.

The shipping lines really had no choice but to do this as a matter of economic survival. Prior to the First World War, their bread and butter was the immigrant trade, but that went up in smoke when the new immigration laws came into effect post war in the United States.

If you care to read up on this, get a hold of John Maxtone-Graham's excellant "The Only Way To Cross" as this goes more in depth on the matter as well as the way it was on the North Atlantic liners.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Matt,

Looking at a reprint of the Shipbuilder I note that the Queen Mary was designed to have
740; pus 36 additional in Cabin-class; 760 plus 24 children in Tourist-class; and 579 in Third-class

From a book called: The Great Liners; I quote:
"On the Queen Mary ... 776 cabin-class accomodations replaced first and second class, and there were staterooms for another 784 travelers in tourist and 579 in third class"

Putting these two pieces of information together suggests that Tourist was a higher class of 3rd Class; but does not solve your quesion about Tourist Third Cabin. Which book does it come from?

On Titanic Cabin Class = 1st and 2nd Class. - A Tourist Third Cabin class sounds unreal.

Lester

 

[Matthew O'Brien]

Lester,

The description of Tourist Third Class comes from a pamphlet that is posted on this Olympic forum under the heading of Olympic Ballroom, I believe. This pamplet describeds many moderations that were made to the Olympic over the years, and it seems to describe two typed of third class existing at the same time on the liner. I understand that many ships were modified at this time, and that some classes were combined. It just seemed odd to me that the ship would have first, second, tourist third class, and then finally third class all at one time. The first time that I have ever heard of such an arragement on the Olympic was from reading it on this site. It doesn't really seem to make sense to me though.

Matt

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hi Matt,

In the 1st Olympic post I see mention of Tourist Third Class and near the end of the closed threads a Third Class Rates brochure.

I may have missed it but I see no mention of Tourist Third Class in the Epilogue section of Olympic and Titanic.

Are you sure that 1st and 2nd Class were not then combined as Cabin Class? Does the pamphlet [where exactly is it?] mention 1st and 2nd Class as well as Tourist 3rd Class and 3rd Class?

For the Aquitania, I note: In 1929 a very large proportion of her accommodation was entirely reconstructed to bring her into line with the latest requirements of the day and catering for the then new "Tourist" Class of passenger.

Lester

 

[Mark Chirnside]

Olympic had 'tourist third cabin' introduced in 1925, to cater for the finest third class or less attractive second class accommodation; travellers paid more than a standard third class fare and a little less than a second class fare. From what I remember, it wasn't really a bona fide separate class, just a different set of rates.

In 1928, the accommodation became first, 'tourist' (ex. second) and third class. Changes included the addition of a dance floor for tourist class during reconstruction of the previous second class areas, the modification of the dining room, the cinema screen, and new public rooms constructed forward for third class, combined with other additions to the liner's first class, to continue her attractiveness to passengers.

I haven't any of my sources so can't quote any passenger figures from memory. Sorry.

Best regards,

Mark.