You won’t need a Jules Verne time machine to cruise on Titanic.

Alan Whitt

Not unless it takes you into the future. If you’re patient, you can buy passage on the Titanic in 2016.

Huh?

No, not that Titanic. It’ll remain on the bottom of the north Atlantic – the final resting place for hundreds who sailed on the ill-fated maiden voyage 100 years ago.

We’re talking about Titanic II, a replica to be built at a Chinese shipyard by an Australian billionaire as “a tribute to the spirit of the men and women who worked on the original Titanic.”

I’m sure its going to be a bit eery when Titanic sets sail on its maiden voyage from England to New York … just like the original.

The new Titanic will be nearly an exact replica, with modern shipbuilding technology and obviously improved safety systems the primary enhancements.

This Titanic – one of five luxury cruise ships commissioned by billionaire Clive Palmer – will be welded together while the original was riveted. It will also be fuel efficient, and have an enlarged rudder for greater maneuverability.

The ship’s interior will honor the original with design work underway, assisted by a historical research team to maintain authenticity.

Titanic II will hold similar number of passengers – less than 1,700 – but will be considerably smaller than today’s biggest cruises. The world two biggest ships – Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas – each holds 6,000 with all berths filled.

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