Everyone is calling it the "return of a legend". Australian mining entrepreneur & billionaire Clive Palmer on 26 February 2013 unveiled blueprints for Titanic II, a modern-day functioning replica of the original luxury doomed ocean liner, although he stopped short of calling the vessel unsinkable.
The ship will largely recreate the design and decor of the fabled original, with some modifications to keep it in line with current safety rules and shipbuilding practices.
According to the design plan, "While every bit as luxurious as her namesake, Titanic II will have every modern amenity along with 21st century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems." Passengers can purchase tickets and experience a journey across the ocean in a real life flash to the past, including class divisions and even costumes from the time period.
Just like the original, the accommodations are designed to match the finest restaurants and hotels on land. The plush furniture, carved oak designs, wrought iron and glass dome, and grand central staircase will mimic the grandeur of the original ship, and Palmer says, "This magnificent vessel is to be constructed in memory of the heroic people who served on the ship, the passengers who sadly shared their fate, and all those that survived the tragedy."
Palmer hoped construction would begin later this year, and that the maiden voyage, recreating the trans-Atlantic crossing of the original, would take place in 2016 from Southampton to New York and something important to note, the new design will be extremely prepared for any emergency, equipped with 18 modern lifeboats that can hold beyond the ship’s capacity of 2,435 passengers and 900 crew.
