Tag Archives: Clive Palmer

Titanic, Titanic II

Sunday Titanic News

Clive Palmer and his plans for Titanic II still fill the news. At the press conference where the actual plans and pictures were revealed, he was asked if it was a hoax. His actual response cannot be printed here (this is a family-friendly forum) but it was a resounding no. Many are skeptical and rightly so. Building a Titanic replica will be very expensive but Palmer insists he will do it. Certainly the pictures of the proposed ship and its interiors are remarkable. He really does want to recreate Titanic by making it look like it was in 1912.

There will, of course, be some modern additions like a casino but normal luxuries like spas (there will be Turkish spas as on the original), televisions, outdoor pools, and Internet connections will be absent . As to what entertainment will be on Titanic II, Palmer is unclear. However one does not need to be clairvoyant they will likely try to sign some major stars (calling Celine Dion for one!) to do shows. I think a lot of well known comedy and musical performers will line up to perform on Titanic II.

Passengers can expect to find period clothing in their rooms and Palmer intends to sell packages that allow you to rotate through first, second, and third class. Titanic II will have less passengers than the original. Titanic and ships like her made money from cramming every nook and cranny to make money in the transatlantic trade. Today passengers are coming aboard for a holiday and ships are built differently. While large cruise ships can carry 2,800 passengers and up, smaller tonnage ships may just have 450.

Palmer likes to say sailing on Titanic II will be a chance to spend time with family. And he insists people are already lining up to buy tickets. Even better he expects people to line up to come aboard in port to have pictures taken on the bow to recreate a scene from the famous movie (you know that one, right?)

So is this for real? Many are skeptical but if anyone could pull this off, Palmer just might. As for Titanic II being in bad taste, he disputes that and says it will pay tribute to those who sailed on Titanic. The papers with the shipyard are scheduled to be signed in the next few weeks. Come 2016, the big news might very well the launch of Titanic II and possibly another Titanic replica down the road.

Some Recent Titanic II News Articles

1. Titanic II Is No Hoax, Insists Billionaire Mining Magnate(2 Mar 2013, Metro)
2. Titanic II ‘Not In Bad Taste’, Insists Maker(2 Mar 2013, Sky News)
3. The Titanic time warp: We knew it was being rebuilt, but as these amazing new designs show, it really WILL be 1912 all over again (Daily Mail, 2 Mar 2013)
4. New Titanic II liner Will Be So Successful A THIRD Titanic May Be Built Says Magnat(2 Mar 2013, Daily Echo
5. Australian To Build ’21st Century Titanic'(2 Mar 2013,Irish Times)*

*We no longer provide links to Republic of Ireland newspapers due to policy demanding payment for news links.

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Titanic II

Titanic II:Things To Ponder

Some things to ponder about Titanic II:

1) Actual construction has not started. All that we have thus far is a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese shipyard. An actual contract to build has not been signed yet.

2) Palmer has spent lots of time and money to publicize Titanic II, which will be a replica but built to modern day shipbuilding and safety standards. This publicity tour is a couple of things. First to convince investors and perhaps more importantly the Chinese government,that he is serious about this. After all, there have many who wanted to do the same in the past and it never got beyond the planning stages. Second, to drum up interest in such a vessel. He needs to show people are willing to put down serious money to sail on Titanic II. He needs to get the rich and wealthy to sign up first because they have the big money to spend.

3 )Why a Chinese shipyard? You usually choose a shipbuilder with experience in constructing these ships. Cost is likely a factor but the original Titanic was built in Belfast. The ship will be called the China Titanic informally by a lot of people.

4) What flag will the ship be flying? The original ship was flagged in Britain but today many ship owners skirt tough maritime standards by flagging ships in countries with lax laws about such things. The U.S., for instance, is so strict that few want to flag a ship there and go elsewhere. The U.K. would be the obvious choice but they are pretty strict as well. Palmer may decide the extra cost and hassle is worth it.

5) If I read the press material, they will be offering a first, second and third class on Titanic II. Hopefully third class passengers on this ship will not be sleeping in bunk beds and sharing bathrooms down the hall.

6) I doubt there will be any drinks served on Titanic II with an iceberg in it. Nor one of those Titanic slides for the kids.

7) And finally, will Celine Dion sail on the maiden voyage and entertain crowds with that now famous song?


Titanic II

Titanic II Updates

1. Billionaire Launches Plans For Titanic Replica(26 Feb 2013, Associated Press)
Clive Palmer unveiled blueprints for the famously doomed ship’s namesake Tuesday at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York. He said construction is scheduled to start soon in China. Palmer said 40,000 people have expressed interest in tickets for the maiden voyage, taking the original course from Southampton, England, to New York. He said people are inspired by his quest to replicate one of the most famous vessels in history.

2. Titanic Fans Get Cabin Fever As Liner’s Replica To Retrace Voyage(26 Feb 2013, Belfast Telegraph)
Though ticket prices haven’t been set, several customers have said they’d be willing to pay as much as $1m (£665,000) for a seat on the maiden voyage, claimed James McDonald of Blue Star Line, the company behind the initiative. The ship will carry 900 crew and 2,400 passengers and those behind the ambitious project have insisted that the liner will be equipped with advanced technologies – as well as more than enough lifeboats.


Titanic II

Titanic II Updates

1. Titanic II ‘Will Stop In Cobh’ In 2016 (22 Feb 2013, Cork News)*
A planned replica of the Titanic will stop off in Cobh before sailing to New York – just as the original liner did on its doomed maiden voyage over 100 years ago. Australian tycoon Clive Palmer, who is behind the project to build ‘Titanic II’, has indicated the vessel will be completed by Chinese shipbuilders in just over three years. He said that as soon as 2016 the new ship will follow the same route as the Titanic did in April 1912, when the vessel set sail from Southampton before docking in the Co. Cork port, known as Queenstown at the time, to pick up 123 Irish passengers.

*We no longer provide links to Republic of Ireland newspapers in protest to demanding payments for links.

2. First Images Of The Planned Titanic II Revealed (21 Feb 2013, Daily Echo)
These are the first, exclusive glimpses of how Titanic II will look when she arrives in Southampton for her maiden voyage in 2016. More than a century after the original Titanic left the city on her ill-fated voyage a full-scale replica is due to make her international debut in Southampton. According to the new computer generated images, Titanic II, which will be built in one of China’s biggest shipyards, is expected to be as lavish as the former White Star Liner back in 1912. If successfully completed Titanic II will defy sceptics who said the ship would never be built. Like her predecessor, Titanic II will have four funnels, a highly unusual feature for 21st century vessels, and mirror the look and outline of the first ship the wreck of which now lies on the bottom of the Atlantic. The interiors of the new ship are being designed to echo many of the features which caused such a sensation when the former Titanic arrived in the docks more than 100 years ago.


Titanic II, Titanic Miscellaneous

Tuesday Musings

*The Brisbane Times is reporting that Blue Star Line, the Clive Palmer company behind the plan to build Titanic II, has submitted paperwork to trademark Titanic, Titanic II, Titanic III, Blue Star Line, and Gigantic. Gigantic was included because Palmer believes it was name considered but never used by White Star. Since trademark does not convey ownership, he sees no problem with his application. Others may differ on that point. 20th Century Fox did trademark Titanic for use when Cameron’s Titanic came out but only for entertainment services, movies and motion pictures. Generally a trademark violation occurs when one party uses it in a way that reminds you of the trademark product. For instance Coca-Cola (and the word Coke) are trademarks of the Coca-Cola company. If you use either of those two to market a soft drink (or in some way to convey a connection to Coke), they can sue for trademark infringement. Cola is a generic term for flavored soda and not trademarked (except when part of a name like Pepsi Cola)

Is Palmer worried about copy-cats? That would be the only reason to trademark these particular words. Assuming this is true, he would want to prevent others from naming their ships Titanic II or III. It is possible other cruise lines out there (like Cunard, for one) see a profit potential in a Titanic replica and could have plans in that regard. There is also just a whiff that all of this might be some grand scheme of something else. What that might be I cannot say but time will tell.

Source:Brisbane Times, Clive Palmer To Trademark ‘Titanic’, ‘Gigantic’,19 Feb 2013

*The Jason Project, founded by Robert Ballard, is a non-profit partnered with National Geographic Society and Sea Reasearch Foundation, seeks to interest students in science. Many schools see this as a way to boost their science and math programs. Find more info at jason.org.

*The recent meteor that landed in Russia causing much damage reminded me of an old Arthur C. Clarke book called Rendezvous With Rama. The opening chapters of the book talked about how the need for monitoring asteroids and meteors came about when a large meteor came crashing down on Earth. Many lost their hearing due to the sonic boom, massive damage resulted from the shock wave to buildings and other things. His book is prescient on how even a small chunk of space rock can inflict a lot of damage. Imagine if it had crashed into a major city. It would look like either a small nuclear device had gone off or the city had been bombed like Dresden in World War II.

*I realize pizza chains seek to draw in customers with new formulations. Papa John’s sent out an advert offering a deal on its—gasp—steak and cheese pizza. According to their website, this pizza has steak, mozzarella cheese, and a creamy garlic parmesan and pizza sauce with an Italian herb seasoning. Those famous Philly steak places are probably laughing while the old traditional pizzerias in New York are just shaking their heads at this. One wonders what is next. Perhaps kung pao chicken pizza?

*You know things are not doing well in the economy when local shops offer “Titanic bargains” just before they go out of business.


Titanic, Titanic Exhibitions, Titanic II

Titanic News Saturday

1. Titanic Goes To Scotland
Titanic Honour and Glory has been a travelling exhibition since 2002, winning widespread acclaim for its comprehensive range of items that tell the ill-fated vessel’s story.The exhibition’s permanent home in Grangemouth is being opened by Christine Bole, whose uncle William Young Moyes was a member of the crew that perished on the liner’s maiden voyage. Sean Szmalc, museum curator, told STV news “People talk about Southampton, Liverpool, Belfast, but Scotland’s got a lot of Titanic connections and it’s something we should really be proud about and remember.”

Source: stv.tv, Museum Dedicated To Titanic’s Tragic Story Opens In Grangemouth, 15 Feb 2013

2. More P.R. About Titanic II From Clive Palmer
Clive Palmer, the Australian billionaire behind the proposed construction of a Titanic replica, is telling the press about all the inquiries he has gotten thus far. The ship has not even begun construction and already some are willing to put up $1 million to be on its maiden voyage. I suspect the whiff of creative writing on that. Perhaps he ought to invite Donald Trump to do a celebrity apprentice show aboard the new ship or have it included in an upcoming season of The Amazing Race.

Source: Fox News, Australian Billionaire’s Plan For Chinese-Built Titanic II Gets Flood Of Interest, 16 Feb 2013


Titanic, Titanic Exhibitions, Titanic Miscellaneous

Titanic News For Superbowl Sunday

Sorry folks for being away for a while. Simply put, got busy and there was not much news to report on. February has finally arrived and it is Superbowl Sunday here in the U.S. For those outside of the U.S., it is a national day of watching two teams battling it out for supremacy. Like our Thanksgiving day, people gather together to eat lots of high caloric foods but not as formal as that day. In fact, according to recent news reports, many food companies see this as one of their biggest days of the year. Pizza ranks pretty high on the list, so those ovens get fired up early in the morning and the prep work is pretty frantic to get those pizzas out the door. If you have not ordered your pizza by now, it will be a long wait for it to arrive in time for the game.

Moving on, here are some Titanic stories you might find interesting:

1. Titanic Show Sails Into Macau (31 Jan 2013, SinoShip News
Professor Palmer said while Titanic was not scheduled to visit China or Asia, Titanic II’s ties with China will be significant. “I have commissioned CSC Jinling Shipyard to build and coordinate the construction of Titanic II in China,” he said. “This signifies the future relationship between Titanic II and China, as Titanic II offers a tremendous opportunity for CSCJinling to showcase their abilities and grow their business, as well as establish China in the luxury cruise ship market.” Palmer said Titanic will be remembered when guests meet to enjoy the same lavish eleven course menu as first class passengers did on April 14, 1912.

2. Treasure Hunter Continues Quest To Recover Gold Buried With Titanic’s Sister Ship(30 Jan 2013, IrishCentral)
According to the Boston Herald, Bayerle sought and was eventually awarded the exclusive salvage rights to the wreck in 2005 by now retired U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Gertner. But the twist in the tale came when another judge scuttled his lawsuit last week against a maritime historian he believes holds blueprints to the ship and the keys to the success of his mission. (Related story at Boston Herald)

3. Titanic Memorial(30 Jan 2013, C-SPAN)
This video is about the Titanic Memorial in Washington D.C. Has some interesting background information about the person who designed it.

4. Titanic’ Exhibit Sails Into The Grand Rapids Public Museum(30 Jan 2013, MLive.com)
 “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” opens February 9 and runs through July 7. Tickets can be purchased at startickets.com or at 800/585-3737. Tickets are timed and limited. Tickets for nonmembers are $17/adults, $16/seniors, $12/children 3—18; and free/children 2 and under. For members, tickets are $12/adults, $11/seniors, $10/children 3—18, and free/children 2 and under. Tickets include admission to the rest of the Museum.

5. Museum To Host Titanic Exhibition(20 Jan 2013, The Northern Echo)
Darlington Railway Museum will hold an exhibition and performance from the History Wardrobe on the famous ship, which sank on April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg. There will be displays of costumes, documents and survivor testimonies, with a show telling the story of dress designer Lady Lucy Duff-Gordon, who escaped from the ship when it began sinking in the North Atlantic Ocean. (Show date: 17 Feb at 2:00p.m.)

6. Titanic Museum Debuts New Children’s Gallery(25 Jan 2013, Branson Tri-Lakes news)
More than 2,200 people were on board the RMS Titanic when it set sail on its doomed maiden voyage more than 100 years ago, and the Titanic museum attraction in Branson is making sure people don’t forget their stories. This year, the museum added a new gallery dedicated to the children who were on board. Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, executive vice president of operations for the museum’s parent company, Cedar Bay Entertainment, said the new exhibit is just one way the museum is changing to appeal to new, and sometimes younger, visitors. This year the museum also is adding an additional audio tour aimed at children. The tour, Kellogg-Joslyn said, “makes the artifacts come to life and gives them a voice.”

7. Largest Paper Model Of The Titanic: Ronald Luntz Breaks Guinness World Record(20 Jan 2013, World Record Academy )
Ronald Luntz, 70, spent more than eight hours a day in his Apple Valley home for the past three months and built a 7-foot model of the Titanic which is a foot wide and 3 feet high and sets the new world record for the Largest paper model, according to the World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/. The Guinness world record for the argest model railway engine was set by the Thomas the Tank Engine character ‘James’, which is 264.3 cm high, 149.6 cm wide, 652 cm long (104.05 x 58.59 x 256.69 in) and weighs nearly 1.5 tons (236.2 st).  Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest model of DNA; it measured 28 m (91 ft 10 in) and was created by Nu Skin Greater China in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. “People don’t understand how sturdy cardboard is,” he said. “If you give me enough cardboard and glue, I can make you a bridge you can drive across. That’s a fact.”

Some odds and ends

1. James Cameron’s Titanic was a major hit but according to The Inquisitr the Taliban did not like Afghan boys getting haircuts similar to Leonardo DiCaprio’s in the movie. They arrested at least 30 barbers and many Afghan teenage boys who got the cut. Many were beaten and forced to shave their heads. Many tried to hide their haricuts by wearing hats. Underground barbers emerged to give the banned haircuts after hours and outside of public view. Another reason to oppose such regimes in the strongest possible terms.
Source: The Inquisitr, Taliban Hated The Movie Titanic And Banned Leonardo DiCaprio’s Haircut, 29 Jan 2013

2. A “Titanic” cigar measuring 19 feet long and 3 feet wide was recently sold for $18,500. It titanicigarweighs 1,600 pounds making it nearly 25,000 normal sized cigars into one. You have to wonder how this came about. Was it after a few beers where someone mentioned about the largest cigar ever made? Or a wager to see if you could actually make one and sell it. Since it can never be used (except by a giant), it can only be used as a display. Perhaps in the entry way of a building. Or if you really want to poke some fun at the anti-smoking crowd, have it placed outside one of their main offices. Should really get them up in arms. Nanny Bloomberg is probably already outraged and calling on federal agents to seize the offending Titanic cigar (possibly for violating some obscure law).
Source: 8countnews.com,  Titanic Cigar Sells For $185000, 2 Feb 2013


Titanic

Titanic II Gala Dinner Now Set For February

Readers here will recall that in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Clive Palmer decided to put the gala dinner for Titanic II in early December on hold. Now the gala is set for 26 Feb 2013 in New York. Invitations for the same high power guest list are being sent out. Palmer will unveil the Titanic replica plans at the dinner.

Source: The Australian, Sandy Delays Clive Palmer’s Titanic II Gala, 20 Dec 2012


Titanic

Palmer: Forget The Dinners, Breakfast Instead

Clive Palmer decided recently not to hold Titanic dinners out of respect for Hurricane Sandy victims. It will be breakfast, instead, in Halifax on 7 Dec 2012. Here is the blurb from the Chronicle Herald about it:

Clive Palmer, the outrageous Australian billionaire who is building a 21st-century version of the Titanic, is bringing his international road show to Halifax. Word of the visit Thursday from Palmer’s public relations firm in Australia is the first hint a Nova Scotia stop will be on the itinerary when the huge ship goes into service. “To honour the history of Titanic and recognize Halifax’s very special relationship and role with the grand ship, a Titanic Breakfast will be held at the Lord Nelson Hotel,” said a news release. The Halifax breakfast event is scheduled for Dec. 7. Palmer is to provide details of the Titanic II project afterwards. The release notes Palmer will host a series of Titanic culinary breakfasts and dinners around the world during November and December to promote the project.

I guess the victims of Hurricane Sandy no longer matter. Instead of big dinners it is now big breakfasts, presumably Edwardian style.

Source:The Chronicle Herald,Billionaire Building Titanic II Heads To Halifax For Breakfast PR Event,9 Nov 2012


Titanic

Titanic II Gala Events Postponed Due To Hurricane Sandy

Five gala dinners to celebrate plans for Titanic II next month have been postponed. The dinners were scheduled to be in London, New York, Boston, Halifax and Southampton. A spokesman said they were postponed out of respect for families who lost loved ones to Hurricane Sandy.

Source:news.com.au, Palmer’s Titanic II Plans Hit A Snag,8 Nov 2012