MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
The Titanic II will mark the entrance of China to the cruise-ship industry
Australian mining billionaire Clive Palmer plans to build a 21st-century replica of the Titanic and sail it from England to New York accompanied by the Chinese navy by the end of 2016. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesIt will only be viable if the nostalgia element attracts business. Titanic was an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship and is only 1/5th the size of the monstrosities they build nowadays. Royal Carribean operate vessels over 225,000 tonnes. Titanic was barely 50,000
May 01st, 2012 - 09:08 am - Link - Report abuse 0I only hope will not end like the first one.
May 01st, 2012 - 09:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0The choice of name isn't perhaps in the best of taste, but at least it'll have a fair chunk of PLAN escorting it on it's maiden voyage.
May 01st, 2012 - 10:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0That way if something happens (and lets face it, if the fate of the RMS Titanic was partly due to the captain showboating, and Palmer doesn't exactly strike me as the shy retiring type based on this) they can fish out the survivors sharpish.
The Titanic memorial cruise was sold out two years ahead of the trip.
May 01st, 2012 - 01:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If they really do reproduce the glamour and style of the original ship it may well attract passengers wanting to sample the golden age of travel.
A cruise on a modern ship is my idea of hell.
When I first read this, I thought that it made no business sense, but after reading further I find there is much more behind the story. The Australian government has been investigating the business kickbacks and tax evasion allegedly committed through with the Chinese by the billionaire Clive Palmer. It's illegal to pay bribes under Australian law and apparently Palmer's success has been based on greasing the palms of many key political figures in China. There is strong speculation that the Titanic shipbuilding scheme is a clever mechanism to continue the graft using a legitimate business front. (Seems also perfect for Argentina with Russian Tupolev Jets or high speed Chinese trains...)
May 01st, 2012 - 01:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@2
May 01st, 2012 - 01:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I don't know...I can never grow bored of watching Leonardo DiCaprio come to a watery end.
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Sorry...somebody had to say it...
@6 You watched until the end? I gave up. The script was so bad it made my teeth itch. I still don't know why they couldn't have sailed away to safety on that preposterous hat Kate was wearing at the start of the film.
May 01st, 2012 - 01:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Elaine, Please stop. I rather liked her in the movie. The secret to surviving the movie is to watch it at home with a nice Cabernet and selection of cheese.
May 01st, 2012 - 02:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Funny though about the hat...
As the Chinese have never built anything like this are they really the best choice to build a modern replica of the Titanic?
May 01st, 2012 - 02:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Has all the hallmarks of tempting fate.
@7 Dammit...I let my guilty secret out.
May 01st, 2012 - 02:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@8 By “selection of cheese” are you referring to real cheese or the film?
#10 I guess both. You need something to dull your mind a bit to accept all the ersatz cheese, but this is a date movie to watch with women. If Bruce Willis had acted in this he would have escaped...
May 01st, 2012 - 03:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@11 I'd say yes to the wine and cheese, no to the film Titanic, or any RomCom, or anything written by Richard Curtis, or anything in 3D, or anything animated , or containing comic book heros, runaway trains/boats/buses, or disaster movies too ridiculous to be believeable even by under-five's. Other than that I am really easy. : )
May 01st, 2012 - 04:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#12 You'll find me really boring, but I enjoy watching Downton Abbey... with a nice glass of port, a bunch of grapes and aged cheeses. Also, HBO series like HBO's Rome.
May 01st, 2012 - 05:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@Chucky!!!
May 01st, 2012 - 05:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I find you really boring too :)
@13 But did you see the original film the series was based on? Gosford Park. Written by Julian Fellows with a witty script and a great cast. I don't watch any series as I am never home long enough to follow them but some friends enjoyed it.
May 01st, 2012 - 05:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0(11) Chicureo
May 01st, 2012 - 07:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If Chuck Norris had acted in that movie, he would have towed the Titanic safely to New York.
#15 I have the DVD, and absolutely loved it. You can watch the Downton series from the BBC if you know how.
May 01st, 2012 - 09:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#16 Yes, you're right about that. Any movie of his, no matter if its bad or not, is fun watching with my son.
What can we say…but..
May 01st, 2012 - 10:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Is it not true, that lightening never strikes in the same place twice .
We have no intention of finding this out,
But if this is what this man wishes to spend his money on,
Who are we to say otherwise, except, he could ave given some to us .
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1. Why build a replica of an illfated ship. it will be bound to attract some loonatic islamist trying to sink it.
May 01st, 2012 - 11:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 02. Why do the chinese navy need to accompany it, I wouldn't exactly feel comfortable having them to look at through my porthole, even if I was daft enough to buy a ticket.
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