The Titanic. Its name alone is symbolic of one of the greatest tragedies in history. After striking an iceberg on the morning of April 15, 1912, it sank. A total of 1,503 people died and just 705 survived.

One of those lost was Walter Douglas, formerly of Cedar Rapids. His father was one of the founders of what is now Quaker Oats. Just nine years before his death on the Titanic, Walter and his brother George started Douglas Starch Works in the city. Walter's wife, Mahala, survived after boarding a lifeboat but Walter wouldn't join her. He stayed behind, helping women and children into boats, telling her "I must be a gentleman." 

One hundred ten years after that horrific night, Titanic II is expected to set sail, on the same Southampton to New York voyage.

The Titanic
Topical Press Agency, Getty Images
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The Titanic
Topical Press Agency, Getty Images
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Australian billionaire Clive Palmer is the man behind Titanic II. Palmer told Cruise Arabia the ship,

... will create an authentic Titanic experience, providing passengers with a ship that has the same interiors and cabin layout as the original vessel, while integrating modern safety procedures, navigation methods and 21st century technology to produce the highest level of luxurious comfort.

The ship will follow the original journey, carrying passengers from Southampton to New York, but she will also circumnavigate the globe, inspiring and enchanting people while attracting unrivalled attention, intrigue and mystery in every port she visits.

While it will appear almost identical to the original Titanic, Titanic II will have a number of safety features, made possible by today's technology. Cruise Fever says the ship's hull will be welded, not riveted. It will be 12-feet wider than the original and will be equipped with satellite, radar, and a digital navigation system. It will also run on diesel, not coal.

The dining rooms will appear the same as on the original ship, and the menu will match that of the 1912 voyage. Titanic II will have room for 3,300. That number will include 2,400 passengers and a total of 900 crew members. There were 2,208 people on Titanic in 1912.

What do you think? Would you hop on board Titanic II?

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