Just like Titanic, but no iceberg

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Source: The Daily Telegraph

BLUEPRINTS for a second Titanic, are unveiled. But just don’t call Titanic II ‘unsinkable’. Tara Cleary reports.

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Clive and Anna Palmer with daughter Mary in front of a poster for his planned Titanic II cruise liner.
Source: The Courier-Mail

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CLIVE Palmer’s $195 million Titanic II will look like the original inside and out – complete with passengers dressed in 1912-style garb.

As these images show, the exterior of the ship will be an identical replica of the original, as will the interior sections including the grand staircase, gymnasium, Turkish bathhouse and restaurants. The ship will also cruise along the ill-fated original’s route between England and the US.

But Palmer hopes that’s where the imitation will end.

Launching his bold scheme in New York yesterday, the eccentric billionaire refused to label Titanic II “unsinkable”. But he did detail the modern safety features hidden within his 269m replica ship and joked that any journey would now be made even safer by global warming.

“There aren’t so many icebergs in the North Atlantic these days,” he said.

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The original “unsinkable” Titanic famously hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on April 15, 1921 – with the loss of 1502 passengers. Mr Palmer said he wanted to complete the voyage it never finished when Titanic II starts sailing sometime in late 2016.

The outline of the ship is almost an exact match to the original, while its interior will imitate the lavish furnishings and intricate decoration.

But hidden away from view will be modern lifeboats and escape staircases, and the hull will be welded rather than made with rivets.

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Construction of Titanic II is expected to be completed in China in the second half of 2016 and Mr Palmer said demand for tickets for the maiden voyage had exceeded supply, with some reports of enthusiasts offering $1 million for a ticket.

Just like the original, passengers can buy first, second and third class tickets for the six-day voyage. Mr Palmer said

it will be like stepping back in time.

“I’ll be in third class,” the mining magnate said. “I’ll be looking forward to banging the drum and playing the fiddle and all of those sort of things and twirling around like Leonardo (DiCaprio) did in the movie.”

While the ship will resemble the 1912 original, it will also feature the latest technology, with airconditioning, a theatre, casino, modern hospital and helicopter landing pad. The ship will also have stabilisers and diesel engines. And, as Mr Palmer was keen to point out, state-of-the-art lifeboats.

But a decision is yet to be made as to whether Titanic II will have email or televisions.

“I’m against having internet on the ship,” Mr Palmer said.

The ship will have a crew of 900 looking after about 2435 passengers.

 

Just like Titanic, but no iceberg