▁parents . ▁Robin ▁is ▁interested ▁in ▁how ▁the ▁ship ▁works ▁and ▁frequently ▁vis its ▁the ▁engine ▁room . ▁Ret ired ▁Jewish ▁store ▁owner ▁Mann y ▁Rosen ▁and ▁wife ▁Belle ▁are ▁going ▁to ▁Israel ▁to ▁meet ▁their ▁young ▁grand son ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁Hab erd ash er ▁James ▁Martin ▁is ▁a ▁love - sh y , ▁health - cons cious ▁b ach elor . ▁The ▁ship ' s ▁singer , ▁Non nie ▁Par ry , ▁re he ars es ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁Day ▁celebr ation . ▁ ▁Pass engers ▁gather ▁in ▁the ▁d ining ▁room ▁to ▁celebr ate . ▁The ▁captain ▁is ▁called ▁to ▁the ▁bridge ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁a ▁report ▁of ▁an ▁under se a ▁earth qu ake . ▁He ▁receives ▁word ▁from ▁the ▁look out ▁that ▁a ▁t sun ami ▁is ▁approaching ▁from ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Cre te . ▁He ▁issues ▁a ▁may day ▁dist ress ▁signal . ▁The ▁ship ▁is ▁hit ▁broad side ▁and ▁caps izes . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁d ining ▁room , ▁surv iv ors ▁take ▁stock ▁of ▁their ▁pred ic ament . ▁Ac res , ▁an ▁injured ▁wait er , ▁is ▁tra pped ▁at ▁the ▁gal ley ▁door ▁now ▁high ▁above . ▁Scott ▁sur m ises ▁that ▁the ▁escape ▁route ▁will ▁be ▁found ▁" up wards ", ▁at ▁the ▁outer ▁h ull , ▁now ▁above ▁water . ▁Robin ▁tells ▁him ▁the ▁h ull ▁near ▁the ▁prop eller ▁sh aft ▁is ▁only ▁ ▁thick . ▁Scott ▁attempts ▁to ▁conv ince ▁the ▁do z ens