Titanic II to Set Sail in 2022
A trip across the ocean cost 1,517 people their lives on April 14, 1912. The luxury cruise ship Titanic had 2,206 passengers, including a crew of 898 when it left port from Southampton, England to make the journey to New York. After the ship was scraped by an iceberg and water filled six compartments, the ship began to sink. Breaking in half and plunging to the bottom of the ocean, the “unsinkable Titanic” finally sank at 2:20 a.m.. In 1985, after many attempts to find the location of the Titanic, an unmanned submersible finally discovered it at the bottom of the sea floor. Following this tragedy, documentaries were made along with a movie.
Fast forward to 2012, the project of building a replica of the original Titanic called Titanic II was to set sail in 2015. However, it was pushed back multiple times. It will finally make a possible voyage from Dubai to Southampton before embarking on
the original route of the first Titanic in 2022. The building of the Titanic II was delayed due to financial issues. According to Clive Palmer, an Australian businessman and Blue Star Line chairman, speaking to CBS news, the initial building of the Titanic II costs $500 million. It can also hold 2,400 passengers, including 900 crew members.
Palmer made a statement last month saying, “The ship will follow the original journey, carrying passengers from Southampton to New York. But she will also circumnavigate the globe, inspiring and enchanting people while attracting unrivaled attention, intrigue and mystery in every port she visits.” Palmer also stated, “Blue Star Line will create an authentic Titanic experience, providing passengers with a ship that has the same interiors and cabin layout as the original vessel, while also integrating modern safety procedures, navigations methods and 21st century technology to produce the highest level of luxurious comfort.”
Titanic II’s first journey is intended to be a two-week trip from Singapore to Dubai, followed by a trip to Southampton. Blue Star Line intended for the ship to make weekly trips between the United States and the United Kingdom during the summer. Palmer said, “Millions have dreamt of sailing on her, seeing her in port and experiencing her unique majesty. Titanic II will be the ship where those dreams come true.”