Billionaire Re-Ups Plans for Titanic II

Australian billionaire Clive Palmer says he plans to build a replica of the Titanic, to set sail in a few years. That might feel like deja vu. The mining tycoon first launched the idea of building the Titanic II, "a more buoyant version" of the original ship, in 2012, but its touted 2016 sail date came and went without the ship ever being built, per CNN. Palmer tried again in 2018, but the COVID-19 pandemic threw a giant wrench in his plans. In launching the project for a third time Wednesday during a press briefing at the Sydney Opera House, Palmer claimed the time is finally right.

• What he's saying: "I've got more money now" and "I'm gonna do it," said Palmer, chairman of the Blue Star Line company behind the project, per the Belfast Telegraph. "It's a lot more fun to do the Titanic than it is to sit at home and count my money," added the billionaire, who pulls in nearly $500 million in annual mining royalties, per CNN.

• The build: It's estimated to cost $1.28 billion, per the Telegraph. The hope is to secure a builder by the end of this year, with construction to begin early next year, per CNN. Palmer told reporters he expects the winning bids will come from a European company. He claimed Chinese standards weren't good enough (which isn't much of a surprise coming from him).
• The size: The ship is to measure 833 feet long by 105 feet wide, making it "slightly wider than the original," per CNN. It will hold 2,345 passengers in 383 first-class cabins, 201 second-class cabins, and 251 third-class cabins, distributed across nine decks, per 9News.
• The look: Palmer said the ship would have "the same interiors and cabin layout as the original vessel, while integrating modern safety procedures, navigation methods, and 21st-century technology," per 9News. There's to be a first-class dining saloon, grand ballroom, squash court, pool, theater, and casino.

• The experience: "The essence of this venture is to offer passengers an unparalleled journey back in time," Palmer said, per 9News. Passengers are encouraged but not required to dress for the 1900s, CNN reports, adding that willing third-class passengers "will be treated to stew and mash at long tables in a communal dining room," though there are other options for those seeking "a less authentic experience."
• Maiden voyage: It's planned for June 2027. It will re-create the Titanic's 1912 route from Southampton, England, to New York, hopefully with a better result. For the superstitious, Palmer stressed the replica would be "far, far superior than the original Titanic," per 9News.

(More Titanic stories.)