On October 14, a team aboard a Carnival Corporation-owned cruise ship discovered the Titania, a supply ship from World War I.
The German vessel was scuttled in 1914, and its exact location remained unknown for over a century. The discovery marks the first time that anyone has seen it in 110 years.
For years, fishermen would find metal components in their lobster traps, suspecting they came from the ship.
It was finally located 4.25 nautical miles from the northwestern shores of Selkirk Island at a depth of 95 meters. The island’s harbor master confirmed the find, verifying that no one had managed to visit the wreck until now.
The expedition commenced during a sailing of Seabourn Pursuit, the newest cruise vessel owned by Carnival Corporation’s luxury expedition cruise brand.
Before the dive, the Seabourn submarine team worked closely with the local community, consulting a fisherman named Gino Perez.
Together with Submarine Pilot Mauricio Hernandez and team members Henrick Enckell, Kieran Buckley, and Isaac Yebra, they narrowed down its approximate position. Perez joined the dive team and showed them its most likely location.
Fernandez described the moment of discovery, saying, “We were there witnessing history, and our guests had the chance to be a part of this discovery of Titania and the first to see this ship after she sank to the bottom of the ocean 110 years ago.”
For Perez, it held personal meaning. “I imagined this ship so many times,” he began. “And now I can see where she is, how she looks like, and how she is resting at the bottom… This means a lot to us and our family history.”
Combining Cruises With Submarine Rides
The Seabourn expedition cruise ship was hosting a 4,000-mile South Pacific itinerary, exploring French Polynesia, Melanesia, and Chile, when it found the WWI German supply vessel.
Sister ships Seabourn Pursuit and Seabourn Venture offer guests unique ocean explorations—like the discovery of the Titania—with their custom-built submarines. Each submarine seats three people, the pilot in the middle and a single passenger on each side. Acrylic spheres allow them to enjoy full 360-degree marine views.
According to the cruise line, the submarines’ safety is ensured by highly trained pilots, third-party annual inspections, ratings and certifications, and several safety features.
These rides are available for an additional fee during select itineraries. Seabourn Pursuit will continue offering them on its South Pacific travels from March to October 2025.
The cruise line’s Vice President and General Manager of Expeditions, Robin West, acknowledged the discovery as part of the guest experience.
“Seabourn’s expeditions and particularly our submarine explorations often take our guests to places where no other human has ever explored,” she remarked.
“I am so incredibly proud of our expedition team for delivering this once-in-a-lifetime and truly unforgettable ‘Seabourn Moment’ to our guests and the local community on Selkirk Island.”
Despite its name, the Titania is not related to the Titanic. While the names may sound similar, the Titania was a German supply ship from World War I that scuttled in 1914, whereas the Titanic was a British ocean liner that tragically sank in 1912.
Carnival Corporation sold the 14-year-old Seabourn Odyssey in 2023, making the average age of Seabourn ships younger at seven years.
