Located in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, beside the soon to open Titanic Distillers, our journey started on land in the historic Titanic Pumphouse with its ticket office and displays showing the ships relationship with Belfast and information on its history and restoration.
It was both exciting and a little nerve-wrecking to have the opportunity to experience life aboard a ship largely intact from the day it was completed in 1914.
I have to admit that none of us knew anything about The Battle of Jutland – the largest naval battle of the First World War, involving 250 ships and around 100,000 men.
That was rectified on our first stop on board HMS Caroline in the Drill Hall, where the momentous battle at sea was brought to life on film.
The 11-minute long immersive cinematic experience, complete with explosive scenes and sounds, was projected onto the side of the boat, putting us in the heart of the action.
We discover that the 12-hour battle for control of the North Sea between 31 May and 1 June 1916 cost the lives of more than 8,500 sailors, with 25 ships being sunk.
Caroline is now the sole survivor of the Battle of Jutland still afloat. After the war’s end, she became a training ship, being returned to action during the Second World War to protect North Atlantic convoys from U-boat attacks.
Now transformed into a museum, there is much to be explored beneath deck and plenty to entertain all ages.
History is further brought to life with audio handsets. Despite this and being armed with a map, the ship is like a tardis and we did find ourselves ‘lost’ on more than one occasion.
There are elevators on board to make it more accessible, but you do need to take care with steep stairs, uneven surfaces and low ceilings.
My 10-year-old is not a big history lover, but the interactive features and authenticity of seeing where the officers and crew lived, what they ate, what they read, what they wrote and even the music they listened to captivated her. The touch screens, where she discovered the various pets that lived on board Caroline also were a talking point on the way home.
My son found the seaman manual with knots more interesting as well as being fascinated with the engineering and mechanics of the vessel.
In the ships' virtual access suite, modern technology blends with history. We tried signalling morse code by light, cracked codes, fired a torpedo and steered a virtual reality ship.
Noises are piped into various areas to add to the authenticity, including the mighty rumble of the engine room. Preserved just as it was when she was an active warship, its smell also transports you back over 100 years ago.
For younger visitors, there is a play area where they can dress up as a sailor, do crafts and play in a kitchen area that completes with a range cooker. They will also enjoy the naval-themed play park, back on land, beside HMS Caroline’s free car park.
If the exploring has made you peckish, you can get a snack at The Mess Deck Café – truly Belfast’s most unique coffee shops, complete with seating and mugs which replicate those used by used by the crew.
My pair enjoyed the outside decks of the ship as well, especially the navigating bridge, where they each took turns at navigating. The views of the resurgent Belfast docks and Titanic area from there prove that, whilst standing on a piece of history, the city has a vibrant future.
:: HMS Caroline tours are available from 10am to 5pm daily. Last admission is 4pm. Save money by booking tickets online at www.hmscaroline.co.uk. Tickets are valid for an entire year, so you can visit the floating relic as many times as you like.
