RMS Olympic sailed from Southampton on June 14th, 1911. Her first time at sea would not prove to be a record breaker, but she did overwhelm her First Class passengers with splendor and grace the likes of which they had never experienced. Her First Class accommodation were beyond measure; indeed even her Second Class rooms were plush. They rivaled First Cabins on most other liners at sea. White Star's newest flagship had impressed the media; she was truly the grandest ship afloat. "Let Cunard have the Blue Ribband" Bruce Ismay must have mused, "Olympic, together with her sisters Titanic and Gigantic will all but secure White Star as the preeminent line to travel on..."

Among Olympic's accouterments were two "Grand Staircases". The First Class staircases, located just before the 2nd and 4th funnels, were wondrous sites to behold. Enormous carved oak rails, fanning out at each landing, the stairs allowed the aristocratic elite a lavish entrance to a social event. Descending to the First Class Dining Room, one stepped off the Grand Staircase into the First Class Reception Room to mingle with the rich and famous before dining on the finest food and drink at sea.

Diners who wished to avoid the stairs could use one of three elevators, still a rarity at sea, situated forward of each landing (behind the stairs if you were looking at them). The roof of each stairwell was topped with a wrought-iron and glass dome. The upper most landing on the forward stairs was graced by a clock that featured an elaborate carving of Honor and Glory crowning Time.

The decor of Olympic reflected several different eras in interior decoration. The First Class staterooms, for example, offered a wide variety of motifs to suite the particular tastes of the Atlantic traveler. Period decor included Empire, Adams, Italian Renaissance, Louis XIV, XV and XVI, Georgian, Regency, Queen Anne, Modern and Old Dutch. Such a multitude was unheard of on a vessel. There were also a particular large number of multi-room suites in First Class. These consisted of a sitting or parlor room, a private bath and one or two bedrooms. The price tag for passage in one these suites topped $5,000 (the equivalent of more than $50,000 today!) for a one-way ticket.

The pictures at left are of three First Class staterooms and clearly show the opulence in which a well-to-do traveler would cross the ocean. In the days before movies and movie stars, the notoriously famous were the upper class aristocrats who, by virtue of birth rite or hard work or smart investments, had been elevated far above the masses. To the common working man, the names meant little or nothing, but to the upper echelons of high society, image and reputation meant everything in the world. It was important to be on the right ship at the right time and be seen with the right people. The rich thought nothing of the lower classes, viewing them only as plebeian laborers on whose backs there was much money to be made.

Providing onboard diversion for the aforementioned aristocracy were several gender-specific rooms. The First Class Smoking Room and Lounge were exclusively male haunts. Retiring from dinner for political jabber over liquor and cigars, these rooms were occupied well into the wee hours when most of the ship lay silent and dark.

The First Class Reading Room was designed so that female passengers would have a place of their own to mingle and consort with their constituents. Lavishly decorated and lit by natural light during the day, all of these rooms were stunning.

The Palm Court and Verandah Cafe were unique getaways that provided a more intimate environment for a meal. The Cafe Parisien was a replica of an outdoor Paris locale that quickly became a favorite among younger passengers.

Olympic was the first liner equipped with a swimming pool. A gymnasium, complete with fitness instructor, was there to provide passengers with a means of exercise, although most of the equipment was a novelty at the time and for the most part, passengers saw the mechanical camel or rowing machines more as curiously entertaining than a means of staying fit. A Turkish Bath, essentially a steam room, was intricately adorned in Ottoman theme.

Olympic was without a doubt the most beautiful ship afloat when she sailed on her maiden voyage. Although her splendor would soon be outdone by her sister Titanic, her own reputation would distinguish her in the years to come. While both her sister ships would end up on the ocean floor, Olympic would go on to earn the nickname "Old Reliable" as she proved herself to be what her sisters were not; unsinkable.