RMS Titanic headed for the French port of Cherbourg, a journey of . The weather was windy, very fine but cold and overcast. Because Cherbourg lacked docking facilities for a ship the size of "Titanic", tenders had to be used to transfer passengers from shore to ship. The White Star Line operated two at Cherbourg, the and the . Both had been designed specifically as tenders for the "Olympic"-class liners and were launched shortly after "Titanic". ("Nomadic" is today the only White Star Line ship still afloat.) Four hours after "Titanic" left Southampton, she arrived at Cherbourg and was met by the
History of the Port of Southampton became the Ocean Village development with a marina for 375 yachts, residential apartments with moorings and a home for the Royal Southampton Yacht Club. It has been a venue for major yacht races; the start of seven (and finish of four) Whitbread (now Volvo) round-the-world races took place at Southampton between 1977 and 2001, and the Global Challenge started from the port in 1992, 1996 and 2000. The area includes shops, homes, offices, bars, restaurants, a multiplex and an art house cinema designed to resemble an ocean liner. The National Oceanography Centre opened south of the vacated area in 1996.