WITH THE CENTENARY of the sinking of the Titanic fast approaching there is a multitude of commemoration events taking place, some more questionable than others.

Over 80,000 tickets have been sold for the Titanic tour in Belfast which opens in two weeks but here are a few alternative ways to remember the Titanic.

The Titanic Memorial Cruise:

Why not be part of “a once in a lifetime historical event,” as the cruise website suggests. There are two cruises to choose from – one setting sail from New York and another voyage from Southampton. There are currently 29 Irish people heading off on The Titanic Memorial cruise.

The New York journey begins on 10 April – exactly 100 years to the day that the Titanic set sail from Southampton.This eight night cruise even visits the Titanic’s final resting place out at sea. That night  a memorial service  will be held at 2.20am  to pay tribute to all the passengers and crew that perished on board that night over a hundred years ago.  Prices for the New York voyage range  from $999 to $3190.

The Southampton cruise is a twelve night cruise and sets sail on 8 April. The ship will follow the Titanic’s original itinerary and will be stopping into Cobh in Co Cork, where the Titanic stopped to pick up Irish passengers. The ship will then set off into the Atlantic. The Southampton cruise will also stop at the Titanic site where lectures will be held on the lives of the various people on board, and there will also be a memorial service. The cruise liner will then carry onto Canada before reaching New York, the port the ill- fated Titanic never reached.

(AP/Press Association Images)

Miles Morgan, managing director of Miles Morgan Travel who operates the Titanic Memorial Cruises told TheJournal.ie that at first it was difficult to get anyone to pay attention to the launch of the cruises but said that now the cruises are sold out.

When asked what he is most looking forward to Morgan said:

The memorial service itself – for many people that will be the focal point of the trip. Being in the company of those whose relatives were on board Titanic will make it even more poignant.

This Titanic cruise does have some cancellations – prices range from $2,999-$5,699.

If you can’t afford to take one of the memorial cruises there are other ways you can commemorate  Titanic’s anniversary – many are even closer to home…

Titanic – The Musical:

The sinking of the Titanic has even taken to the stage with the Killarney Musical Society staging “Titanic – The Musical” at the The INEC in Killarney. They are the only amateur musical society in Ireland to have been granted the performing rights to Titanic – The Musical in 2012. The society says they can “guarantee the spectacular sight of seeing the famous liner sink on stage”. The performances will take place from 28 – 30 March with tickets starting from €20.

Titanic’s last supper – A menu recovered from the ship will be used for the ‘last supper‘ – an 11-course black-tie dinner that will replicate the meal served to guests in the first class dining room on the Titanic. The event is being held at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) in aid of RNLI. The event has already sold out all 60 tickets.

Priced at €100 per head, the dinner guests will be supplied boarding passes and will be served oysters and champagne on arrival. Salmon with mousseline sauce, lamb with mint jelly and chocolate éclairs are just some of the courses that the guests will be sampling on the night.

GMIT Culinary Arts lecturer Noel Loughnane said: “Our menu on the night is the same as it was 100 years ago but served in a contemporary style and in a different order. It will be a great learning experience for our students who are really excited about the event and happy to be volunteering their time and energy for a charity like Galway Lifeboat, while also respectfully marking the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.”

Noel Loughnane, GMIT Culinary Arts lecturer and organiser of the event, Ciara O’Byrne, Chairperson of the Galway RNLI Lifeboat Fundraising Committee, Liz Fox, GMIT lecturer, and Cáit Noone, Head of the Hotel School, GMIT. (Via GMIT)

Titanic’s Last Dance - Cobh in Co Cork, which was the last stop for the cruise liner before setting off into the Atlantic,  is also tapping in on its link to the Titanic. Cobh 2012 festival has number events taking place. So perhaps after you have sampled the last meal of the Titanic you can also have a dance – Titanic style. On 12 April ‘Titanic’s Last Waltz‘ will take place at the Sirius Arts Centre.  People can dance along to an authentic and historically accurate reconstruction of the music played during the last night aboard the Titanic.

Titanic song and bell ringing :

The Addergoole Titanic Society, established in 2001, is keen to push their Titanic connection.  They have even launched a Titanic song. Fourteen misfortunate emigrants from the North Mayo parish lost their lives on Titanic. The people of Lahardane remember those 14 emigrants by the ringing of the free-standing Timoney Bell at St Patrick’s Church at precisely the time of the sinking.The Addergoole Titanic Cultural week is taking place from 8 – 15 April.

The Shelbourne Hotel Afternoon Tea:

Dublin’s exclusive hotel is also marking the centenary – with a Titanic afternoon tea. The lunch, which is available until the 30 April in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge, recreates pastries and dainty sandwiches  from the Titanic menus. The Titanic afternoon tea features such niceties as chocolate vanilla eclair, peaches with champagne jelly, coconut sandwich and Waldorf cake.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie a spokesperson for the hotel said “It is going really well, everyone has been really interested and excited”. She added that tourists were particularly excited and that this weekend was fully booked.

(Carolyn Kaster/AP/PA Images)

Belfast Museum and Concert:

A memorial on a much larger scale is taking place in Belfast this April. The line up for the concert was announced this week. The 90-minute event has Bryan Ferry and Joss Stone amongst its line-up. The commemorative concert is being staged at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, just across the river from the Harland and Wolff ship yard, where the liner was built.

A three-week festival will run in Belfast from 31 March to 22 April beginning with the opening of the new multi-million pound Titanic Belfast visitor attraction (below).

(Peter Morrison/PA Images)

Titanic – the movie:

If you just feel like remembering the Titanic, by sitting back and relaxing in the cinema – Titanic is set to be re-released, but this time you’ll feel like you are actually on board when the ice berg hits – as this time its in 3D.

(Via YouTube/NFV Trailers)