Australian Billionaire to Tempt Fate and Fund the Sailing of a Titanic II

Well, this sounds risky.

After years of discussion, it's clear that businessman Clive Palmer will never let go of his dreams for a real-life Titanic II: it's officially setting sail in 2018.

Plans were first announced for the Titanic II back in April 2012, around the 100-year anniversary of the tragedy. The timing was intentional: Titanic II will look just like its predecessor, offering the first-, second- and third-class booking options, plus some modern updates on the inside. However, this cruise will go from Jiangsu, China, to Dubai, instead of across the Atlantic.

Palmer's company, the Blue Star Line (a nod to the White Star Line, the company that owned original Titanic) is behind the Titanic II. And of course, the staff there is doing everything it can to avoid a repeat of the Titanic's ill-fated cruise – let's just say there will be plenty of lifeboats.



"The new Titanic will of course have modern evacuation procedures, satellite controls, digital navigation and radar systems and all those things you'd expect on a 21st century ship," said James McDonald, Blue Star Line's global marketing director.

Despite the not-so-positive connotations associated with the first Titanic, people are reportedly pretty psyched to get on the second one. The Belfast Telegraph reports that some have offered as much as 640,000 pounds (that's nearly $930,000) to get on board.

Hey, if they get Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet to open the ship, then that's money well spent.