Stirring New Photos Of The Titanic Memorial Cruise: MS Balmoral Brings Back Poignant Memories Of Doomed Ship 100 Years Later

By Aditi Mathur
April 12, 2012 9:58 PM EST

Stirring New Photos of The Titanic Memorial Cruise: MS Balmoral Brings Back Poignant Memories of Doomed Ship 100 Years Later

The Titanic memorial cruise ship, MS Balmoral, which set out from Southampton in England Sunday, is on its way to the North Atlantic location where the "unsinkable" RMS Titanic sank 100 years ago, killing about 1,500 passengers and crew.

The cruise is retracing the voyage of the ill-fated Titanic liner that hit an iceberg and sank April 15, 1912 and recreating the whole experience once again.

The 12-night cruise journey will hold two special memorial services- the first around April 14 midnight when the Titanic hit the iceberg and another in the early hours of April 15 when the ill-fated ship sank a century ago.

MS Balmoral is carrying 1,309 passengers. Most of them are the relatives of the survivors and of those who died in the Titanic disaster.

"The 2012 cruise will be a great tribute to the Titanic and not one to be missed," a passenger traveling in The Titanic Memorial Cruise had told its website just before the journey began.

Interestingly, the organizers have tried to recreate the entire 19th century Titanic experience aboard the cruise... with people dancing to the same music of that era, band playing the period music, passengers relishing food from the same menu that was on Titanic, crew and stewards dressed in same kind of costume.

Passengers aboard MS Balmoral are delighted to be a part of this historic occasion. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," a traveler told its website. "Fascinated by all things Titanic, I could not pass up the ships hundredth anniversary."

"My great grandfather was a Glory Hole steward onboard and survived rowing lifeboat No 13 to safety," said a relative of a survivor, who is aboard the Titanic Memorial Cruise.

According to the recent reports, the cruise liner has to hold its itinerary, make a "huge U-Turn in the ocean" to head back to the Irish coast, within the reach of the helicopter due to a medical emergency onboard.

However, it is likely to resume its journey to Halifax, Canada, before it reaches its final destination, USA Today has reported.

Also, the ship was reportedly stopped near Cobh, Ireland, due to 20-30 ft high waves, Monday as the "sea was little rough," CNN has reported.

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