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The Interior
The vessel had been fitted out to the highest standard. There was a veranda café, which had large glass doors at either end allowing in plenty of light. Highly decorated arched trellising covered the walls and large potted floor plants brought a more homely feel to the room according to passengers. Flowers adorned each table, which in turn were surrounded by white wicker chairs on a chequered wooden floor.
Tyrrhenia's smoking room was the height of elegance. The tiled floor supported eight marble pillars towards the centre of the room and mahogany panelling covered the walls. High-backed, arched chairs allowed passengers to relax in complete comfort.
Lancastria's Tourist saloon
For first class passengers a large writing room was available. Its white walls contrasted with the wooden floor and at the centre of the room a large fireplace was set below a decorated ornamental mirror. Draped curtains covered the windows.
Tyrrhenia's 1st class dinning saloon had a large ceiling decorated with wooden panelling on both walls and supporting pillars. Again ornate marble Greek style pillars were used to support walls and roof. Napkins, cutlery, a lamp and a small floral display sat neatly on each table.
The Tourist Saloon was much bigger. It had a small chequered wooden floor. Seven double-paned windows stretched the length of the saloon each with its own elegant curtain drape. 10 equidistant pillars supported the low ceiling, but in the centre of the room, brightness streamed down from the large skylight. Passengers on the top deck could look in through this and to the dinning saloon below.
The 2nd class dinning saloon also doubled as a dance floor. Looking up from the centre of the room the arched and partially glazed ceiling was beautifully decorated, each circular window surrounded by an engraved marble wreath. At night up lighters in each of the four corners of the ceiling lit up the alabaster walls and roof. Again wonderfully decorated marble pillars, each with a highly polished mahogany base surrounded the room. 12" circular fans were carefully placed around the room to help cool off passengers who were becoming too hot from their efforts on the dance floor!
Lancastria's gym, situated in the upper part of the vessel on the boat deck.
On the top deck the ship also had a fully equipped gym that had climbing apparatus, a boxing bag, an assortment of weights and even fencing equipment. A weighing machine was also available to ensure that those crucial pounds were being lost. The walls were covered to half height with vertical wooden panelling and the upper portion of the room was painted Cunard white.
A typical Tourist stateroom included hand basin with wash mirror above and a standard radiator fitted below the sink, two wicker chairs, bunk beds on one side of the room, each with two brilliantly starched white pillows and official Cunard bed linen. A double bed was placed on the other side of the room underneath the porthole window. A short pile rug covered the floor. Decency curtains were fitted on both sides of the room and drapes covered the porthole window. The walls were wood panelling but painted standard Cunard white throughout.
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