THE TITANIC TOUR AND EXPERIENCE
More than 80,000 tickets have already been sold for the new £90 million Titanic visitor experience in Belfast and it’s well worth booking yours.
The new iconic Titanic Belfast building is a six-storey complex built in the slipways where the luxurious liner was constructed a century earlier.
The dramatic story of the ill-fated ship and its passengers is brought to life across nine galleries that focus on different aspects of the ship, its passengers, crew and myths and legends about the ship.
There are also reconstructions of passengers’ cabins – highlighting the sumptuousness of First Class and the starkness of Third.
Just don’t expect to see the replica of the liners’ famous staircase – it’s strictly for VIPs, though some special Sunday visits are planned.
A ‘Shipyard Ride’ takes you through the grimness experienced by the shipyard workers while another gallery shows the final resting place of the Titanic with footage of the wreck on a massive video screen.
A family ticket for Belfast Titanic is £34. It is a very child-friendly day out with lots of artefacts and interactive features as well as the Ocean Exploration Centre.
Of course, the souvenir shop is where the kids will rack up the budget for the day out.
Pens, pencils, note-pads, Titanic tea-bags, jam and whiskey marmalade all of which had some sketch of the great ship on their packaging.
There’s no getting away from it.
Some have branded it ‘Titanic tat’ but judging by the queues, it was very popular.
The Bistro was reasonably priced serving soups, chowder, scones and sandwiches.
A nice touch on leaving the exhibition was being presented with our Titanic tickets which really impressed the kids.
If you’re still on form for more Titanic history a short walk to Titanic’s Dry Dock and Pump-House is well worth it.
Entrance is £15 for a family and this is where you really get some understanding for the size of the ship.
The children were really taken aback by the size of the Titanic and this came to life as they walked the length of the dry dock area.
There are guided tours for this area but it’s as easy to do it yourself.
MORE INFORMATION:
Log onto the Titanic Experience website here http://www.titanicbelfast.com/ for more details on opening hours and how the exhibition works. There’s also a 5% discount for booking tickets online.
STAYING IN BELFAST:
For a great location in a friendly hotel it’s hard to beat Jurys for comfort.
Located in the city centre, it’s a short drive or cab drive to the east of the city where Titanic Experience is located. It’s also a short walk to Belfast City Hall and the new Titanic Memorial Garden which opened on Sunday, the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the liner.
It’s the perfect location for everything else Belfast has to offer, including city centre shopping and nightlife.
With rooms from just £59, it won’t hurt the pocket either. Log onto their website for the best offers http://belfasthotels.jurysinns.com/
