Southampton holds a unique connection to some of the most legendary ships ever to sail the high seas.

While the roar of steam turbines and the glamour of grand ocean liners have largely given way to modern cruise ships, the legacy of the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) designation continues, with a precious few vessels still carrying the coveted prefix, and one in particular a regular and revered visitor to Southampton's shores.

The term Royal Mail Ship once signified a vessel contracted by the British Royal Mail to carry mail, a designation that guaranteed punctuality and a certain level of prestige. 

In an age where global communication relied heavily on the sea, these ships were the lifeline of empires and personal connections. 

Today, with the advent of airmail, the active ranks of RMS vessels have dwindled dramatically, becoming almost a symbolic nod to a bygone era of seafaring.

Undoubtedly the most prominent of the active RMS ships, and a true icon of Southampton, is the RMS Queen Mary 2 (QM2). 

Queen Mary 2

Launched in 2004, she is not merely a cruise ship, but the last true ocean liner in active service, designed for transatlantic voyages rather than purely recreational cruises. 

Cunard Line, with its deep ties to Southampton, bestowed the RMS designation upon the QM2 as a tribute to its illustrious past, even though she no longer carries official mail contracts in the same way her predecessors did.

For residents and visitors of Southampton, the sight of the QM2 gliding into or out of the Solent is an event in itself. 

She regularly docks at the city's modern cruise terminals, offering passengers a taste of classic transatlantic luxury, much like the great liners of the past. 

Walking along the waterfront and seeing her towering over the city is a powerful reminder of Southampton's rich maritime heritage and its continued role as a major cruise port. 

Though she doesn't carry sacks of mail, the QM2 does have a Royal Mail post box on board, allowing passengers to send postcards franked with the prestigious RMS designation – a nod to her heritage.

Beyond the grand spectacle of the QM2, two other vessels quietly uphold the RMS tradition, though their operations are vastly different and far from Southampton.

The RMV Scillonian III is a lifeline for the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the coast of Cornwall. 

Operating as a passenger and cargo ferry, she is the only active vessel still officially contracted by Royal Mail to carry mail. 

While not a global leviathan like the QM2, her vital role in connecting the isolated islands to the mainland gives her the distinction of being a true working Royal Mail Vessel (RMV, a variation of RMS).

Thousands of miles away, in the serene waters of Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, Canada, sails the RMS Segwun. 

Built in 1887 as a steamship named SS Nipissing, she was later rebuilt and renamed Segwun in 1925. 

She is unique among the surviving RMS ships as the only remaining steam-powered vessel to hold the designation. 

While she no longer carries mail for a regular contract, her onboard mail box allows for mail to be franked with the "RMS Segwun" mark, making her a living piece of Canadian and maritime history, and a charming reminder of steam's golden age.

While the active RMS fleet is small, the legacy of countless other Royal Mail Ships lives on in various forms, though none are directly tied to Southampton in the same living, breathing way as the QM2. 

Many have met their end in shipbreakers' yards, or lie beneath the waves. 

However, a select few have been preserved, allowing us to step back in time and experience a tangible connection to their grand histories.

Perhaps the most famous example of a preserved RMS vessel (though she was never solely an RMS, but sailed for a line that had many) is the RMS Queen Mary, Cunard's magnificent pre-war liner, now permanently moored in Long Beach, California. 

Transformed into a hotel and museum, she offers visitors a chance to explore her majestic interiors, dine in her elegant restaurants, and even spend the night in her historic staterooms. 

Though thousands of miles from Southampton, she represents the pinnacle of transatlantic travel that many RMS ships, including her sister RMS Queen Elizabeth (which tragically caught fire and capsized in Hong Kong), embodied.

Even without a fleet of historic RMS ships physically present, Southampton remains intrinsically linked to their stories. 

The city's SeaCity Museum is a symbol of this connection, particularly concerning the most famous and tragic RMS of all - the RMS Titanic. 

While the Titanic herself lies at the bottom of the Atlantic, the museum in Southampton tells her story through the eyes of the city that built and crewed her. More than 500 households in Southampton lost family members in the disaster, and the museum sensitively explores the impact on the community.

Visitors to the SeaCity Museum can explore interactive exhibits, see personal artefacts from passengers and crew, and even view an original carved wooden panel from the Grand Staircase of the Titanic's sister ship, the RMS Olympic. 

This stunning piece of craftsmanship offers a tangible link to the opulent interiors that defined these legendary liners. 

Captain Smith's sword, White Star Line tableware, and poignant personal effects all contribute to a deeply moving and educational experience.

The docks of Southampton, where the Titanic and so many other RMS vessels embarked on their journeys, are still active today.

While the specific berths have been redeveloped and modernised, standing at the waterfront evokes a sense of the bustling, hopeful atmosphere that would have surrounded the departure of these floating palaces. 

The echoes of their whistles and the cheers of onlookers can almost be imagined.