By Peter Covino
Lifestyles Editor

Leonardo DiCaprio only went down with the ship one time, but you can board Titanic and share the experience and go back again and again at Titanic The Experience.

This is a reopening of the show that was in Orlando for several years , only with new enhancements and exhibits.

The attraction, which opens this weekend, also marks the 100th anniversary of the launch and sinking of one of the most famous ships in history.

The centerpiece of the show is a 3,000-pound section of the ship's hull, the second largest piece of Titanic ever recovered.

It was restored for more than two years,  Alex Klingelhofer said, vice president of collections for Premier Exhibitions, Inc., the world’s leading presenter of museum-quality touring exhibitions and the owner of RMS Titanic Inc., the only company permitted by law to recover objects from the wreck site of Titanic. Klingelhofer led a tour of the exhibit Wednesday morning, a few days before the official opening.

The piece of Titanic hull was originally from the starboard side on C Deck, and the artifact contains portholes that looked into the ship’s dishwashing and china storage room. This section of the hull was raised 12,500 feet from the ocean floor in 1998.  It had been under water for 86 years. And, it took two attempts to bring the piece to the surface.

While the Titanic hull is the most dramatic piece of history recovered from the depths of the North Atlantic, there is much more to this exhibit, which includes “scenes” from on board the ship, including a cafe and grand staircase.

Even the “boarding” process has a feel of authenticity. Your admission into the attraction is a boarding pass reproduction of the White Star Line R.M.S. Titanic. Flip the pass over and there is an itinerary featuring information from an actual passenger on Titanic with other sailing information.

Passenger Kate Florence Phillips, for example, was from Worcester, England.  She was 19 and was traveling second class on the great ship, with Los Angles her final destination.

The background information on the card includes other details such as  she was running away to Los Angeles with Henry Morley, a man 20 years  her senior,  and her boss at a candy shop.  Henry had left his wife and child  and although Kate didn't know it at the time, she was pregnant with Henry's baby as Titanic set sail.

The Titanic exhibit features 100 artifacts recovered from the wreck site including a watch chain with pearls, cooking pot, wine bottle, a deck lamp and a marble slab with cold water faucet.

Titanic the Experience is located at 7324 International Drive and is open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the box office online at www.TitanicTheExperience.com or call 407 248-1166.

Tickets are $21.95 adults; $12.95 children 4-12. Florida resident tickets are $17.95 adults and $10.95 children.

Other options include a Saturday night dinner that recreates a retirement supper party with Titanic’s Legendary Captain EJ Smith. Adult tickets are $65.95, children 6-11 $39.95.  The  dinner is representative of the type of fare that would have been served aboard the ship.