Well heeled travelers looking for their next adventure will have a unique opportunity in 2018 and 2019. A company called OceanGate Expeditions is taking customers to the wreckage of the Titanic and allowing them to see the sunken ship up close and personal aboard a submersible. The 11-day trip will cost $105,000.
OceanGate is currently taking applications for "Mission Specialist Support" positions, which is a fancy way of saying "paying clients." The first expedition will take place in late June of this year, with six total visits scheduled. In 2019, another six trips will take place, with the company leading travelers out to sea 380 miles (611 km) off the coast of Newfoundland. Once they reach the position of the Titanic, they'll launch a 22-foot submarine that can descend down to 12,500 feet (3810 meters) to survey the wreckage. The submersible is capable of carrying four passengers plus a pilot, and will spend 90 minutes under the water on any given dive.
It has been 13 years since anyone has visited the Titanic, and researchers believe that it will soon become unrecognizable as a shipwreck. OceanGate reps tell Expedition News that they want to take visitors to the historic vessel while they still can. Before long, all that remains of its legacy is likely to vanish, given up to the depths of the ocean.
While this adventure travel experience is an expensive one, OceanGate doesn't seem to have much of a shortage of paying customers. Most of the departures for this year are already full, with the others offering just limited availability. In other words, if you have the cash and want to join the team, you'd better sign up soon.
Find out more at TitanticExpedition.com.
