Titanic II: Disaster ship being recreated for leisure travel
27 Feb 2013
Australian mining entrepreneur and billionaire Clive Palmer on Tuesday unveiled blueprints to build Titanic II, a modern replica of the doomed ocean liner.
The Titanic II cruise liner, which will be constructed in China, will largely recreate the design and decor of the original, with some modifications to keep it in line with current safety rules and shipbuilding practices, and the addition of some modern comforts such as air conditioning, Palmer said at a press conference in New York.
The three passenger classes, however, will be prevented from mingling, as in 1912, Palmer said.
More than 1,500 people died when the Titanic hit an iceberg on 14 April 1912 on its maiden voyage from Southampton in England to New York, and sank the following morning.
The replica plan has evoked mixed reactions. A newer generation has welcomed it as recreating history, but relatives of those who were killed - including a descendant of Capt Edward Smith, who piloted the original ship - have said it is in "poor taste".
The computer generated images of the inside of Titanic II bear a startling resemblance to the 1997 James Cameron film about the ship, which starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio, and show that many of the original features, including the famous grand staircase, will feature in the new boat.
