How Fast Was the Titanic Compared to a Cruise Ship?

By Alice Nichols

The Titanic was one of the most famous ships of all time, and its sinking in 1912 is remembered as one of the most tragic maritime disasters in history. But how fast was the Titanic compared to a modern cruise ship?

The Titanic was a state-of-the-art White Star Line passenger liner when it set sail for its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. The ship had a total length of 882 feet and 9 inches, and a beam (width) of 92 feet 6 inches. It weighed approximately 46,328 gross register tons and could reach speeds of up to 24 knots (27.6 mph).

In comparison, modern cruise ships are much larger and faster than the Titanic. Today’s largest cruise ships measure more than 1,100 feet long and have a beam (width) of nearly 200 feet.

They weigh up to 220,000 gross register tons, which is more than four times the weight of the Titanic. Modern cruise ships are also capable of reaching speeds up to 25 knots (28.7 mph), which is just slightly faster than the Titanic’s top speed.

What makes modern cruise ships even faster is their advanced propulsion systems. The Titanic used steam turbines powered by coal-fired boilers, while modern cruise ships use diesel engines that are much more powerful and efficient. This allows them to reach higher speeds without consuming too much fuel or generating too much pollution.

In addition to speed, modern cruise ships offer many amenities that were not available on the Titanic. These include shopping centers, casinos, spas, swimming pools, movie theaters, restaurants and bars – all designed to keep passengers entertained throughout their voyage.

Conclusion: When comparing the speed of modern cruise ships to that of the Titanic it is clear that today’s vessels are significantly faster thanks to their advanced propulsion systems and larger size. Furthermore, modern cruises offer many amenities that simply weren’t available back in 1912 when the Titanic set sail for its fateful voyage.