A week-or-so ago, I was waiting around the Cutty Sark, when I noticed a sign. It claimed that the Cutty Sark is the world's most famous ship.
Surely, that's not true. In America, the Niña, the Pinta, the Santa Maria, the Mayflower, and the Titanic are all far more famous than the Cutty Sark. I don't know why the Cutty Sark would be quite so famous anywhere outside the UK (and perhaps, given her history, Australia).
But it does raise the question: What is the world's most famous ship?
(Not fleet. Not sailor. Not navigator. Ship. And what is the most famous ship in Russia? India? China? etc.)
Surely, that's not true. In America, the Niña, the Pinta, the Santa Maria, the Mayflower, and the Titanic are all far more famous than the Cutty Sark. I don't know why the Cutty Sark would be quite so famous anywhere outside the UK (and perhaps, given her history, Australia).
But it does raise the question: What is the world's most famous ship?
(Not fleet. Not sailor. Not navigator. Ship. And what is the most famous ship in Russia? India? China? etc.)
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owlfish- S. Worthen
- S. Worthen
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It does have the Tall Ships Race named after it so in sail training circles it is probably the most famous. Smallish circles though.
Other cndidates might include Argo, Bismark, USS Constitution as well as the ones you named.
FWIW, the most famous ship here in San Diego is the Star of India. But I know that's not a worldwide thing by any means.
"On 25 October 1917, the refusal of an order for the Aurora to take to sea sparked the October Revolution. At 9.45 p.m. on that date, a blank shot from her forecastle gun signalled the start of the assault on the Winter Palace, which was to be the last episode of the October Revolution. Aurora's crew actually took part in the attack."
Historians are a bit sceptical about some of that but when I was out in Russia with a university trip in the early 90s we were proudly given the grand tour of the thing and told all the history, which I imagine means your average Russian is well aware of it.
And er, no, I'd not really heard of the Cutty Sark much before seeing it, and wasn't quite sure *what* it was when I did. Most famous one I can think of is the Marie Celeste, but I'm not sure that counts :)
But I would have said Titanic, too.
The Lusitania sticks out for me and the Titanic.
The Titanic came into my consciousness early via children's lit about the sinking namely the Blossom Culp books.
The Lusitania because my father is a history nut and always talked about the sinking of the Lusitania kicking off WWI in the US.
Perhaps the marketing department is basing it on the fact that the London Marathon is so well known and part of the route goes around the Cutty Sark every year ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famous_ships
Also, the Vasa. Because that's just hilarity.