RMS Titanic Shipping Holdings
Alternate name:RMS Titanic II Holdings
Who?
Shipbuilder Sarel Gous and others,based in Durban,South Africa with British financing,additional office in Belfast
What?
A "modernized replica" apparently called "Titanic II"
When?
Originally to sail on maiden voyage December 29,1999;
Then set for August 2000;
Then again deferred,to April 2001;
Now they say 2005...or maybe 2004?
Website?
Semi-official
(Was hosted by the Titanic Society of South Africa)
Official
(REQUIRES Shockwave)[not working,July 1999?]
What For?
A working transatlantic liner like the original;
Also world and Mediterranean cruises
Comments
On announcement April 7,1998,it was claimed that the identity of a British finance house pledging $400 million to the project would be announced April 8...but all that was announced then was that Saatchi & Saatchi was handling their PR.(Since replaced by College Hill).
Later it was stated that Sunray Development was the finance company (a loan,not an investment,and $691 million,of which $477 million would pay for the ship...since estimated to cost more).

They claim to have negotiated exclusive use of the original plans with Harland & Wolff,though Gous's company would build this ship in Durban...modifying the harbor to make it possible. They intend to aggressively employ modernized modular construction.

Their December 1999 in-service date seemed highly optimistic... they then postponed it to August 2000,STILL unlikely; then they proposed April 2001...

A March 1999 Norwegian magazine article reported that the ship would in fact be about 70 feet longer than the original,and 13 feet wider, so the idea of using the original plans seems to have collapsed. It is now intended that only the top two decks will look like the original,with discos,theme restaurants,and what not in modern style filling the rest of the ship.Hidden lifeboats on the regulation level deck mean goodbye to the Palm Court/Verandah Cafe,for example,and the bridge in original style will be only for show.There will be a poop deck heliport,a swimming pool between the first(used for radar and satellite,not smoke) and second funnels...if the plans hold this time!

They proposed to carry 2600 passengers on a Titanic-size ship... the QE2 never carries over 1750 despite being twenty thousand tons larger... it would be quite an irony to see the ship that was a byword for size and luxury reincarnated as the smallest,most crowded ship in its market.Their subsequent plans for a ship twice the size involve fewer passengers.

The crowding has not stopped them seeking even more exorbitant prices than Navratil's group...$30,000 for a third class cabin, $380,000 for "Imperial class"...by way of comparison the Grand Suites on the QE2 now cost(before the customary discounts) about $45,000 per voyage in the peak season and the winter is as far from peak season as you can get.(Some sources give the top fare as only about $170,000)

However,it is commendable that this group does propose to actually build and operate their ship as a liner...unless a recent Popular Mechanics article is correct that they plan to convert to tropical cruising just like the Swiss-USA group.Their official website indicates regular transatlantic crossings AND world and Mediterranean cruises are planned...but now the site is balky. And the Norwegian article treats it as primarily a cruise ship.

In mid-2000 Gous was reported to be looking to Harland & Wolff for a new,$800 million "World's largest liner" version of the Titanic II.This involved merger with an Irish group(not previously mentioned here) that proposed to build a small scale model to travel Belfast rivers.

The Ulster Titanic Society started a new unofficial site but removed it in late 2001. Press hype continues (a November 2000 story from Australia shown here as an example is no longer available). Note that it declares the previous financing fell through and they were virtually starting from scratch.

Contact
EMail Address May Not Work!
White Star Lines Foundation
Who?
Jim Sullivan,Executive Director,and others
What?
An "Olympic class steamer" built at Harland & Wolff and apparently called "RMS Titanic Centennial"
When?
2012 for centennial
Website?
Domain now lost(after deleting content and promising a total rebuild)
What For?
A floating museum only...though if not moored in Belfast it would have had to travel somewhere from H&W
Comments
A nascent nonprofit organization.Offers memberships,hopes to offer scholarships.In view of the other syndicates they are considering a land-based museum or a replica of an earlier,smaller White Star ship.At present,concentrating strictly on scholarship and grant plans,their Titanic-duplicating plans were active only briefly.
They indicated plans to start a "White Star Lines Ltd" of their own as a for-profit merchandising arm...but with confusion with other claimants an issue,this will be renamed.

Engaged in fundraising,website and mail domain were expected to reopen April 1999,date not met.

Contact
Jim Sullivan,Executive Director(Domain not working,since 2/99)
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Note that the real historical White Star Line merged into Cunard decades ago.Mark Nichol's page about them is now here.
For all the rush to use the name(see above and below) the historical company was only using the name as a d/b/a until the 1920s,being corporately Oceanic Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.

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Thomas Andrews Trans-Atlantic Line
Who?
Josh Behn,president,Ben Fields,and others
What?
"full sized,near exact replica" (called Titanic)
When?
Centennial in April 2012
Website?
Yes
What For?
Transatlantic crossings and historical cruises
"Every voyage would be a historical recreation of life on Titanic...minus the iceberg and sinking"
Comments
Of all the proposals,the most determined to replicate the original as closely as possible...down to the 1st/2nd/3rd class accomodations and menus and keeping all modernized elements camouflaged out of sight. Behn wants to avoid any structural or visible difference from the 1912 original wherever possible.
Coal powered,for a while had number of passengers clipped to 900 to minimize increase in lifeboat capacity.Crew 900 also.

Has sent inquiry to Harland & Wolff and implies future of project may hinge on response.H&W wants to see financing,he is looking for backers.

Despite long lead time,in 1998 was taking reservations for 2012 voyage. Estimated ticket prices astoundingly cheap,$1000 3rd/$2000 2nd/$4000 1st,now retracted in favor of "all under $10,000".

Associated with the Raise The Titanic Foundation which recently abandoned hope of refloating the original and closed its website.

Announced in late December 1998 that they would "open the company's doors in mid-2001"...not moving 2012 target date,but they are currently without financing and will suspend seeking it until Behn has more time on his hands.Reservation-taking was also suspended.

In February 2001 announced,"returning as we said we would... essentially starting from scratch...".Intending this time to do "research",making no public announcements until funding has been secured in response to a prospectus based on the research,and a SOLAS-compliant design.Financing and arrangements targeted for 2008, and sailing remaining set for 2012 centennial.

Formerly used names White Star Line Inc., Trans Atlantic Inc.
Based in Massachusetts and in Utah(Behn,from Brockton,is a BYU student).

Contact
Josh Behn(AOL address)
Josh Behn(college address)
Josh Behn(new address)
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Nostalgia Cruise Lines
Who?
Douglas Hoefle (and prospective investors)
What?
A 980-foot 80,000 ton cruise liner called Titanic with design elements from the original
When?
Subject to financing(nominally 2000)
Website?
Gone!
Removed September 1998
What For?
Annual Atlantic crossings,otherwise cruises in various areas of the world at their high seasons
Comments
Conceived as a business school project.The ship would replicate first class cabins only,the space occupied on the original by second and third class cabins would be taken up by modern amenities...there would,however, be five classes of accomodation,priced from $3000 to $8700(large suite) for an Atlantic crossing.
Design of this ship is clearly not on the Titanic's proportions,as scaling the Titanic up to 980 feet long yields only about 63,500 gross tons.

Budgeted at only $300,000,000 to build,less than any other project (though in proportion to the cheaper costs of cruise ships), but has an operational plan which no others have published.

A successful Titanic would spur this line to reconstruct other storied ships,including the SS United States,even though the original still exists and has recently been bought by the Norwegian-American Line.

Proposed a deal in customer service operations with Ritz-Carlton.

Treated the Navratil group's announcement as a realization of this dream...continued to offer proposal on Web for a while,but reports that Carnival,which was buying control of Cunard but then had yet to close the deal,is trying to stop anyone from building a new Titanic!(Nor will they themselves).He took their threats at face value and gave up hope.


Contact
Douglas Hoefle
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Titanic 2012
Who?
"Patrik", Nicole Gaston,Montgomery,Alabama, Kevin Krzyzanski,Michigan,Stanislav Yefanoff,Moscow
What?
"An exact replica of the original", "with only necessary modernization"
said modernization "will be disguised so as not to destroy the appearance"
Possibly named Titanic II
When?
Centennial in April 2012
Website?
They registered the domain titanic2.com April 8,1998 but it was placed "on hold" by InterNic Apr 27,1998...eventually it expired,and the domain was registered a few months later by "White Star Trans-Atlantic",see below
This group's present plans "not known"...
What For?
Transatlantic liner at least once a year..."Voyages from Southampton to New York and other major ports throughout the world"
Comments
Group formed over the Internet,formerly also included Tom Hatley,Erin Collier.After they left,Patrik joined(having found the group through this website!) and at last report represented the active remainder of it.
Modern engines and safety precautions,but "we plan to have everything the same,cabins,furniture,crew outfits,silverware,dishes,a band of that era, etc." Also hoping to have Harland & Wolff construct it.Ship may make trips "elsewhere" and be displayed as a museum when not handling passengers or after retirement.Fares "affordable to everyone" after maiden voyage.

"We are contemplating a merger with several other small groups like ourselves.If this does come about,many of our plans are likely to change in order to compromise".

Since Yefanoff delivered the above he has turned his energies to a Russian version of the Encyclopedia Titanica,a more realizable project,while Patrik has taken up the flickering torch of this little group.

Aka Titanic 2.

Contact
"Patrik"(address balky)
Tom Hatley(inactive)
Nicole Gaston(inactive)
Stanislav Yefanoff(inactive)
SS Titan Foundation (formerly) SS Titan Ltd.
Who?
Joseph Ricker,president,Ronald Rust,Tom Hansen, and others
What?
"A ship honoring the Titanic" (named Titan)
In 1999 described as "the world's largest liner",few particulars
(actual design said to be not yet begun)
When?
Target date was 2001,then June--or October--2002,
Later May 2004...now??
Website?
Now Missing
(A merchandising site,intended May 5 to be ready June 10,1998, was postponed several times and then promised for imall.com... in October 1998 a page on their own domain was added for it and the imall mirror idea eventually abandoned...in May 2000 their hosted domain site disappeared,its return was promised for August 1,then for October 1) Coming Soonin late 2003

What For?
"used for shipboard tours and excursions from every world port including the Great Lakes"...six transatlantic crossings a year according to the FAQ
Comments
Only entry here announced via email to the page maintainer.
Based in Minnesota,one trusts that their "Titan" will not suffer the fate of Morgan Robertson's fictitious one!

They are now talking about a ship 1075 feet long,122 feet wide... not Titanic's proportions,but maintaining a general similar appearance "with surprises" (despite the near breakdown of the general White Star design on the Oceanic of 1928).No tonnage figure announced.

Ship was to be "a coal and oil powered concept",but they have now decided on diesel turbines with a period-design steam boiler at least for show.They hope to deal with Harland & Wolff on construction.Fares "affordable","similar to a luxury hotel's rate for an evening",frequently involving an overnight "cruise to nowhere" from rotating ports of call...ship would be open for tours in daytime and then sail with passengers each night of its visit to a port.They seek to have the St. Lawrence Seaway expanded to fit the ship.

Merchandise sales were delayed several months from initial promised date in 1998.Now they plan distribution through major retailers. Then announced an expanding merchandise line,target date June 1,1999. Next website update was promised for January 15,2000.
Profit participation and free ticket offers to loyal purchasers.

Actively seeking financing for things including a Superbowl commercial, though prospectus also underwent delays.

Published a schedule for port calls starting June 10th 2002, with a Titanic's-90-1/6th-anniversary crossing,though FAQ said the ship might not be ready for 4 more months.Revised schedule December 1999 without Great Lakes port calls commenced with maiden voyage May 2004.

Announced January 2000 that operations were suspending completely until at least summer 2000...perhaps end of 2000.In late May 2000 indicated website would return with IBM e-commerce features about August 1,2000,but this plan was abandoned in favor of having a new site linking to a cargo shipping subsidiary.

Any further impact on schedules unclear.

In July 2003 the SS Titan Ltd. corporation was dissolved, soon replaced by a nonprofit SS Titan Foundation.Ricker remains at the head.Ship plans will follow on new website.

Contact
Joseph Ricker(old address)
Joseph Ricker(transitional address)