Yes, Titanic 2 — the ship, not the movie — will be sailing on its own “Maiden Voyage” from Southampton, England to New York City, planned for 2016.
An Australian mining mogul has promised to “mimic the experience” of the original ocean liner and is serious about letting hundreds of third-class passengers relive the original 1912 Titanic sailing, including below-the-water-line steerage class cabins for hundreds of guests on its maiden voyage.
Anyone curious enough to challenge fate once again can sign up and experience Third Class sailing as it was in 1912: tiny cabins, shared bathrooms and mostly potatoes for meals; but this time, hopefully, finishing the entire trip high and dry, unlike those immigrants in 1912 who didn’t quite make it all the way. Stating the obvious, the developers describe the original Titanic accommodations this way: “First class on the Titanic was unbelievable; second class was like our first class today, and third class — well, third class was really third class,”
The idea is to re-create the experience of those “hopeful immigrants to America” – without the drowning. Part of that “immigrant experience” will be the then-required “de-lousing”, which will be simulated by being “hosed down” as in the original; but this time with confetti.
Probably the best part of recreating the “immigrant experience” will be the price. Booking a third-class berth will be at the same rate, between seven and nine British pounds, a bargain compared with more opulent cruises today. And some wealthy Americans have already offered as much as one million dollars for the chance to be on the ship’s maiden voyage; which sounds eerily like those Astor’s and Vanderbilt’s that filled the First Class cabins on the original Titanic’s maiden voyage.
Does history really repeat itself? We may soon find out.