Dreams do come true: you can sail on the Titanic

Neaaaaar, faaaarrrr… WHEREEEVEERRR YOU AARREEE. I seriously think that 90 percent of the people who are on a boat in 2020 are reenacting Jack and Rose on the bow, regardless of the size of the boat. Or ship. Tender. Rowboat. Just everything that is in the water. And shouting ‘I’m the king of the world, woehoeee’ is also done by 90 percent. And even though the movie is from 1997 (hooooly sh**, that was seriously 23 years ago and I feel a bit old), it still remains an awesome movie. Not in the least because Leonardo DiCaprio that was really the most beautiful. Kate Winslet too, by the way.

I think the most replicated ship is also named Titanic. And that replication is actually more expensive every time than the original ship. James Cameron already built a full replica (and traditionally let it sink), now another one is coming. It was announced in 2012 by the Australian Clive Palmer, and the first voyage is now in sight. It will cost you about 500 million dollars and ten years of your life, but then you have a full replica of the Titanic.

Because in 2022 this ship will be launched — it is currently being built in Dubai. It will sail from Dubai to Southampton. And — drumroll — from there it will sail exactly the same route as the Titanic. Or well, minus the iceberg, and the plan is to take the full route this time. And yes, this version does have enough lifeboats, in case that iceberg is still there. That chance seems small because yes, global warming, right.

The ship will have the fitting name Titanic II and looks not only like the original version from the outside, but also from the inside. How cool is that. Partying just like Jack and Rose in third class and of course posing at the staircase where they meet again… Very romantic. The number of passengers (2400) and crew members (900) is identical to the ‘real’ Titanic. So really a throwback.

But, just like Jack was incredibly lucky with a bag of money he won (and the tickets), most tickets for this trip are also not available for everyone… There is quite a price tag attached. The company that Palmer has hired, Blue Star Line (not the least, you know if you have a bit of knowledge about cruise ships), already has offers of a million dollars per ticket. Hooooly. Hey Leo, if you’re reading this and happen to suddenly speak Dutch, will you take me with you?