Titanic II’s Third Class Woos with Authenticity
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Central Press/Getty Images(LONDON) — How much would you pay to share a bathtub with 700 other cruise passengers?
Cramped quarters, communal dining and sparse decor are just a few of the amenities being offered by Australian billionaire Clive Palmer to entice travelers to reserve cabins in the steerage level of his Titanic II, a modern replica of the ill-fated luxury liner due to set sail in 2016.
“First class on the Titanic was truly unbelievable, second class was like our first class and third class — well, third class was really third class,” Palmer recently told news.com.au.
In addition to a faux ceremonial “delousing” by way of a confetti gun, Palmer said third-class cabins below the water line on his ship will be as authentic as the original accommodations, but in keeping with modern safety standards.
According to RMS Titanic, Inc, the exclusive steward of the Titanic’s legacy, “Third-class cabins were designed to hold two to six passengers, grouped by family or gender.” Furnishings included electricity, heat, bunk beds and sinks for fresh water.
If a single washbasin shared between six people sounds meager, consider that there were only two bathtubs available for use among the 700 passengers in steerage, one for men and the other for women. Sharing was a hallmark of the third-class cabins, with travelers frequently gathering in the General Room, which served as a nursery, lounge and communal dining area, states RMS Titanic.
Entertainment areas, such as the pool or gymnasium, also traditionally excluded third-class passengers. If that class separation exists in the sequel ship, don’t expect to pass the time on Instagram. In previous statements, Palmer has also alluded to forgoing Internet and television on board the Titanic II.
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio