Personally I think my fascination began 20 years ago when I was 21 years old and had just begun my second contract as a Senior Bar Stewardess onboard the Royal Princess with Princess Cruises. I guess I had always had an interest in the sea as I have always lived near the coast and love the diversity that a seaside town brings.

The main story begins in 1991 when I was working as a Banqueting Manager in Croydon, Surrey and during this time I worked alongside several members of staff who had worked for P & O and Cunard. The stories that they used to tell of the camaraderie and fun times they had onboard, as well as the list of exotic destinations they had visited, really made me think that I was missing out on something. In February of that year I attended an interview in Eastleigh, Hampshire, for a position as a Junior Bar Stewardess with Princess Cruises and apart from the usual interview questions I was asked what components make a London Fog Cocktail. Would you know, as I certainly didn’t, so in my very cheeky best Lancashire accent I answered, “Is it lots of swirling mist?” The actual answer was 1 ¾ oz Gin and ½ oz Pernod served over crushed ice but I got the job for having a sense of humour and believe me I certainly needed it over the next few years.

New York

Fast forward to April 1992 and I had just been promoted to a Senior Bar Stewardess which in reality meant probably $50 more per month and the occasional lie in and not having to cut fruit anymore for the array of cocktails we served daily. I had just had my first official date in New York with a young Scottish man called Bruce who also worked in the Bar department (and later became my husband) before we both had to dash back onboard for the obligatory sailaway party. This was where we made mass quantities of the DOD (Drink of the Day) and placed them on huge trays we called “aircraft carriers” before attempting to sell them to the new passengers on board.

Julie & Bruce - Royal Princess Captains Cocktail Party

We were soon en-route and heading across the Atlantic- destination Southampton for the Mediterranean season. Shortly after sailaway it was a quick dash down to the dining room where Bruce and I both worked as Sommeliers providing a drink and wine service to guests whilst they dined in the Coral Dining room. In between sittings we usually again had to dash to the show lounge to serve pre-show drinks before rushing back to the dining room for second sitting!! If you were lucky you would then finish your shift unless you were on disco duty and then you worked till whenever the last person went to bed. This was a daily routine for the next seven days however in the early hours of the 15th April something very strange happened.

Sommeliers in the Coral Dining Room on the Royal Princess - I am on the far left.

Several crew members and I had just finished their shifts and were in the crew bar area talking and winding down. Some of the senior officers had also been invited into the crew bar and we were all revelling in each others company when suddenly someone mentioned that it was 80 years to the day that the Titanic had sunk. No more was said but at 2.20am the ship suddenly lost power! Lights went out, engines stilled and officers raced from the bar to the engine room upon hearing a bravo, bravo, bravo call. When you work on a ship there is a constant vibration and humming and when it stops it is as if the ship had lost its soul somewhere in the ocean. Lucky for us within 10 -15 minutes power was restored but to this day none of the officers knew why the ship had suddenly lost power near to the final resting place of Titanic. I like to think she was paying her respects to those who had lost their lives somewhere below us.

In that moment when the lights went out just for a few minutes you realise how small you are in the grand scale of things and how fragile life is at times. For a brief time it felt as if I had been transported back to 1912 and I could empathise with the panic and fear of those involved 80 years ago. Not knowing what was happening, putting your trust and life in other peoples’ hands and wondering how would I cope if we were in serious trouble. I would like to think that I would rise to the occasion but none of us know how we would behave if we were in that situation.

And finally back to the present day and to the anniversary of Titanics maiden voyage and the array of dramas and documentaries we have been inundated with. I have finally come to a conclusion about why we are still fascinated with such a tragic story. It has nothing to do with the fact that Titanic was the largest or most glamorous ship of her time or the fact that she was declared virtually unsinkable. I believe what intrigues us all is the human story behind the ship. This was a ship were your social demographic determined whether you lived or died. 62% of the first class passengers survived against 25% of third class. I cannot imagine the horrors that these passengers faced and as a mother I cannot even begin to contemplate how the third class passengers felt once they knew there was no hope for their children.

Many stories have been written over the years of the heroes and villains but I suspect that we will never know who the true heroes or villains were. Titanic left a legacy behind by reminding us that we are not infallible and that life can be taken away from us in an instant and for that reason we must live life to the full.

Julie McIntyre
Marketing Executive
Cruise Connections

If you are worried about any family members onboard the emergency number is 001 408 916 9001.

You can also check out the latest update at the following link.

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/about-azamara/travel-alerts

P&O Cruises 2013 collection offers a whole world of discovery and excitement. We have introduced some fantastic new destinations for you to explore in the coming year. Plus, we have a fabulous line-up of Strictly Come Dancing themed cruises and Music Festivals at Sea to whet your appetite.

P&O Cruises offers the greatest choice of ex-UK cruises than any other cruise line, sailing 156 round trip cruises from Southampton. This year we have introduced more cruises to Iceland and beyond – with cruises offering the opportunity to see the spectacular Northern Lights and the Land of the Midnight Sun. We continue to offer more of passengers’ favourite cruises to choose from. Sailing weekly to the ever-popular Norwegian Fjords, throughout the summer and highlights of our longer cruises include a mystical 20-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise.

P&O Cruises is offering exceptional early booking savings to those booking prior to 30 June 2012

- Celebratory 10% Savings: We’re celebrating being able to trace our roots back 175 years this year and as part of our celebrations we’re offering a saving of up to 10% off brochure fares for our new (previously unpublished) 2013 and early 2014 cruises.

- Additional 5% Early Booking Saving: Passengers booking any new 2013/14 cruise will receive a further 5% saving.

- Free Car Parking: On all cruises of 7 nights or more which leave from and return to our cruise terminals in Southampton.

- Free Airport Parking: On all Caribbean cruises with flights departing the UK and returning to the same airport in the UK.

- On board Spending Money: Passengers booking any Caribbean transatlantic fly-cruise in the new 2013/14 programme will receive onboard spending money.

Here are just a few of the great fares which are available in the P&O Cruises 2013 Programme

7 night Cruise Breaks from £599 (N307, departs 7-Apr-13) *customers benefit from an additional 5% early booking saving!

7 night Fjords from £649 (N309, departs 27-Apr-13) *customers benefit from an additional 5% early booking saving!

13 night Atlantic Islands from £1,049 (N308, departs 14-Apr-13) *customers benefit from an additional 5% early booking saving!

14 night Western Mediterranean peak season from £1,499 (E317, departs 26-Jul-13) *customers benefit from an additional 5% early booking saving!

* additional 5% early booking saving only applicable if you book before 30 June 2012