Remember Titanic II, the modern-day replica of the Olympic-class RMS Titanic and brainchild of Gold Coast billionaire and former politician Clive Palmer?
That’s right, Clive Palmer announced construction of the 833-ft ship in 2012 and unveiled the designs at a press conference in New York with the help of John F. Kennedy’s daughter Caroline. Or did you forget?
“It will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic but of course it will have state-of-the-art 21st-century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems,” Palmer said upon announce.
The official promo for Titanic II is a thing to behold:
Palmer had it all planned out. Constructed in China, Titanic II would be the flagship of a proposed Brisbane-based cruise company Blue Star Line Pty. Ltd. It was due to sail from China to Southampton in England in 2016, ahead of her maiden passenger journey to New York.
The launch date was then delayed to 2018 due to “scheduling changes and minor financial setbacks”, and yet here we are, July 2018 and no Titanic II.
Watch Clive Palmer discuss Titanic II on 60 Minutes:
Its delay reminded many of the time in 2016 when his Jurassic Park-inspired dinosaur theme park in Queensland was shut only two years after opening. Remember Palmersaurus?
The news preceded a tumultuous period for Palmer whose Queensland Nickel was placed in administration in January.
A Facebook page, Titanic 2 2018, has over 2,000 followers who update each other on the ship’s construction and launch. One commenter said on the page: “Nobody wants to go on a ship like that because of its history you can go on Royal Caribbean Carnival or any of the other Cruise Lines it’s just a novelty many people won’t even be interested going on that ship.”
Another said: “Yes it’s true and will be getting a ticket when it’s done!! Everybody will want to go on it there’s a landmark one and also the ship that will sail from Japan to Dubai then from Liverpool to Washington DC in the same path of the titanic. I’m following it each day.”
Palmer is currently behind the billboard monstrosities adorning metro Australian cities that feature the slogan “Make Australia Great”. Like this one:
Many were relieved when a spokesman for Palmer said the billboards weren’t the mark of a political comeback.
“It’s not a political campaign and has nothing to do with politics. He’s just very patriotic and loves his country,” the spokesman said.
