@tilscience TikTok/Archivist Adobe StockDr. Harini Bhat, a pharmacist turned 'science storyteller,' shares that the Titanic skipped the champagne blessing.

Everyone knows RMS Titanic and what happened to it on the night of April 14, 1912. However, a lesser-known detail is that the ocean liner skipped the champagne blessing. This raises the question: Was it cursed from the beginning?

Dr. Harini Bhat (@tilscience) released a teaser for the "I Learned Today" series, which provides an in-depth look at the history and legends of RMS Titanic. This video has been viewed 1.2 million times so far.

What is a Champagne Blessing?

One of the most recognized traditions for blessing a ship is to break a bottle of champagne on the ship's bow. This is not a new tradition; many ancient societies, such as the Greeks, Egyptians, and Babylonians, offered sacrifices to sea gods.

“The launch of the Titanic was not celebrated with the tradition of breaking a bottle of champagne on its hull,” Bhat explained.

“Its owners, White Star Line, did not believe in bad luck or superstitions. They thought it was not fitting for them,” she said. The BBC reports that no ship along this line was “blessed” in this way. However, the reason for the company's decision to refrain from doing so remains uncertain.

Romolo Tavani/Adobe StockBreaking a bottle of champagne to bless a ship is a common practice.

Still, for thousands of years, people have bid farewell to watercraft with various rituals.

An early record of appeasing sea gods has been found on an ancient tablet. This tablet, dated around 2100 BC, describes the sacrifice of a bull to the gods after the completion of a journey by an ark.

In the 15th century in England, “a representative of the king would drink a glass of wine, sprinkle wine on the deck, and then throw the glass into the sea.”

In modern times, there has been a gradual transition to champagne.

According to the BBC, one of the earliest examples of breaking champagne on a ship was the launch of Queen Victoria’s HMS Royal Arthur in 1891. A ship with a royal name required a royal send-off, and champagne is often considered the aristocrat of wines. So, in fact, the queen was sending off the ship with a good friend.

Due to its association with this celebration and tradition, we continue to break bottles of champagne to bless ships. Hopefully, Poseidon loves sparkling wine.

The Crown Jewel of White Star Line

The Belfast shipyards where the Titanic was built, shaped the city's economy for over 100 years by Harland & Wolff.

Primarily known as one of the world's most efficient shipyards, it later hosted two world wars and now serves as a tourist attraction for Titanic and other historical maritime sites.

nyiragongo Adobe StockA black and white photo of RMS Titanic, which sank on April 14, 1912.

The completion of the Titanic took over two years, and it is widely accepted that eight men died during construction. The “unsinkable ship” was built in direct competition with Cunard Line, considered the world's most innovative and prestigious shipbuilder.

Designed as a luxury ocean liner, the ship was built to gracefully travel from Belfast to New York with first, second, and third-class accommodations. The ship had over 900 crew members, of whom 679 lost their lives in the sinking.

Boiler Room Evidence

High-resolution images show the current location of the ship on the floor of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Bhat explained that four large circular boilers are still visible where the ship split. Two of them are inverted, indicating that “they were still operational while the ship was sinking.” Researchers also found evidence that the emergency generator was operational. This corroborates accounts from observers who said, “the lights were still on even as the ship sank.”

Engineers continued to work despite the desperate situation. Essentially, “there was no way out, and they knew it,” she says.

One of the Most Famous First SOS Calls

Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesThe icy waters where the Titanic sank were seen 10 days before the doomed ocean liner made its fatal crossing.

However, the engineers were not the only crew members who sacrificed themselves.

Working boilers meant the radio could be used. Radio operators Jack Phillips and his assistant Harold Bride sent out emergency messages for hours. They even jokingly said they should use the new SOS distress signal, as it was probably their last chance to use it.

Despite working in icy water up to their knees, Phillips refused to abandon his post when ordered to evacuate. Then, when the men took their life jackets, Phillips was so focused on his duty that an unidentified person managed to steal his life jacket. He perished in the wreckage. Bride refused to speak about that night for the rest of his life.

@tilscience

The writing about Titanic was on the wall. They should have broken that champagne 😩😩😩😩😩 #realcrime #darkhistory #hiddenhistory #titanic

♬ Mysterious and sad BGM(1120058) – S and N


All That’s Interesting reached out to Bhat via email and direct message on TikTok.

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