Champagne, Steamer Chairs… and the Night the Titanic Sank

How America’s heiresses crossed the Atlantic — and witnessed history from first class

There was a moment — a very specific, very glamorous moment — when crossing the Atlantic was not something one endured, but something one curated. The right ship. The right cabin. The right people glimpsed from a steamer chair, pretending not to look at one another.

For American heiresses like Alberta Sturges, the Atlantic was no longer an obstacle. It was a stage.

And steamships were the set.

RMS Titanic departing Southampton on 10 April 1912.

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When the Ocean Became Fashionable

Before steam, Atlantic crossings were something one endured. After steam, they became something one planned.

By the time Alberta was travelling regularly to Europe in the 1890s, ships were faster, safer, and… crucially, predictable. Eight or nine days from New York to Southampton was now normal. Schedules could be trusted. Seasons could be kept.

This changed everything.