I take your point WantedOnVoyage, but where do we draw the line between history, education and tastelessness?
All things Titanic have been incredibly popular with the general public for decades and their thirst does not seem to be waning.
Cameron’s movie of 1997, was one of the most successful movies ever made. There is Titanic music, CDs, books, a stage show, TV Dramas, documentary’s, exhibitions, submarine-expeditions, museums, hotels, pubs, restaurants, ship models and other collectors’ items. All these have generated vast profits.
I remember being in the British museum as a child, seeing Mummies and Skeletons, from ancient Egypt. Educational or ghoulish? You could argue that they should be buried or something, rather than being on display daily, in glass boxes. These were once people, after all.
The Titanic was lost 112 years ago, so I guess descendants would be elderly great-granddaughters and great-grandsons. There are two (relatives of Ismy & Molly Brown) that support the Titanic II project and serve on its advisory board.
Anybody interested in historic ships, who saw a full-sized replica Titanic sail into Southampton waters, would surely feel their heart miss a few beats! Who would not want to go on-board and at least have a look around? I guess that’s why Palmer is building it.
(Speech over!😉)