Titanic II’s maiden voyage as early as 2027, billionaire builder says

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Anyone who has ever wanted to sail on the Titanic could have that opportunity within a few years.

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The Titanic II, that is. It’s part of an Australian billionaire’s plans for a new version of the doomed liner, with visions of a maiden voyage as early as 2027.

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Clive Palmer, 69, recently unveiled his latest plans at the Sydney Opera House, claiming his build would be “far superior than the original.”

We’ll humbly suggest it can’t be any worse.

The mining tycoon’s Blue Star Line company would construct “the ship of love and the ultimate in style and luxury,” he told his audience, while admitting he doesn’t currently have a shipyard in which to build the ship.

Palmer said he was confident he would be able to find a yard and start construction by 2025, with the first sail from Southampton to New York, replicating the ill-fated 1912 voyage of the original.

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It won’t come cheap. Construction of the 56,000-tonne replica is estimated to cost $1 billion.

According to 3D renderings, the vessel will include a grand wooden staircase similar to the one seen on the set of the blockbuster Titanic.

The Blue Star Line’s website has featured images of cabins featuring wooden dressers and high-arched doorways, bearing a striking resemblance to the interior of the original ship.

“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,” the company said, according to the Daily Mail.

The new design will include nine decks, 835 cabins (383 in first class, 201 in second and 251 in third) as well as a replica of the original vessel’s bridge.

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“Other amenities will include a traditional dining room and first-class dining saloon, luxurious staterooms and suites, grand ballroom, gymnasium, squash court, swimming pool, baths, theatre and casino,” Blue Star Line added.

Palmer said a “couple of million people” have already registered interest in travelling onboard the 2,500-passenger ship.

It’s not Palmer’s first go at building a replica Titanic. He unveiled plans more than a decade ago during a press conference at London’s Ritz Hotel.

He first launched plans for Titanic II in 2012, and again in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic was blamed for construction delays, Palmer said.

The RMS Titanic sank in 1912 with more than 2,200 people on board.

Only around 700 passengers survived the ocean liner’s doomed maiden voyage.

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