A Rival for the QM2?

[PORT ROYAL]

19 minutes ago, London-Calling said:

Would any modern cruise passenger share a cabin , with multiple bunk beds and six communal toilets and a couple of baths for hundreds of steerage passengers?

Totally agree.  No “Steerage Class” is a great idea.

[London-Calling]

Clive has not revealed all the details yet: but I guess Titanic Ils steerage will be like regular cruise ship inside cabins, with private bathrooms.

[NE John]

This is all nice, a new ocean liner and all.  But why name it Titanic 2? Sounds like marketing on steroids. 

[London-Calling]

13 minutes ago, NE John said:

This is all nice, a new ocean liner and all.  But why name it Titanic 2? Sounds like marketing on steroids. 

...because it will look like the original Titanic, inside and out! 😉

[PORT ROYAL]

59 minutes ago, London-Calling said:

Clive has not revealed all the details yet: but I guess Titanic Ils steerage will be like regular cruise ship inside cabins, with private bathrooms.

Very interesting thought.. Does one predict an alternate restaurant for inside cabins, or will all Dining be true Silver Service, White Tie and Gowns?

[chengkp75]

47 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Very interesting thought.. Does one predict an alternate restaurant for inside cabins, or will all Dining be true Silver Service, White Tie and Gowns?

There will be different "classes" of dining, with 3rd class being  served at long, communal tables, and featuring "mash" and "stew" and other "simple fare".

[PORT ROYAL]

17 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

There will be different "classes" of dining, with 3rd class being  served at long, communal tables, and featuring "mash" and "stew" and other "simple fare".

With one’s dining scenario, will the proposed three classes also have their own communal and entertainment areas, with no infestation allowed in any areas above their station?

[rmsEtruria]

7 hours ago, London-Calling said:

Lol.  Due to SOLAS regulations, you cant build a replica Titanic in this day and age.

 

It will be a modern ship which looks like the 1912 one.  It wont have proper steerage cabins either!

Pity. No steam, no coal dust, no open lifeboats—where’s the attraction?

[NE John]

I read his online blogs via his homepage and actually like his writings and commentary. He seems to be a champion of taking less expensive cruises (via staying in less expensive cabins while avoiding suites) and I wonder if that will factor into pricing and cabin categories of this project?  

[chengkp75]

22 minutes ago, NE John said:

I read his online blogs via his homepage and actually like his writings and commentary. He seems to be a champion of taking less expensive cruises (via staying in less expensive cabins while avoiding suites) and I wonder if that will factor into pricing and cabin categories of this project?  

If he believes that the price will be under a billion dollars in today's environment (it was around $600 million in 2013), he's dreaming.  And, if he believes he can operate a small ship like that at prices that are competitive with even low end premium cruise lines, he's dreaming.  And, if he believes that he can drum up enough interest to fully book a ship with no balcony cabins, and vast numbers of inside cabins, and price them where he can make any profit at all, he's dreaming.

[London-Calling]

4 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Very interesting thought.. Does one predict an alternate restaurant for inside cabins, or will all Dining be true Silver Service, White Tie and Gowns?

There will be three classes of dining rooms like the original ship. The steerage one is basic decor

 

32 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

If he believes that the price will be under a billion dollars in today's environment (it was around $600 million in 2013), he's dreaming.  And, if he believes he can operate a small ship like that at prices that are competitive with even low end premium cruise lines, he's dreaming.  And, if he believes that he can drum up enough interest to fully book a ship with no balcony cabins, and vast numbers of inside cabins, and price them where he can make any profit at all, he's dreaming.

Irish stew etc.

[London-Calling]

Just now, London-Calling said:

There will be three classes of dining rooms like the original ship. The steerage one is basic decor

 

Irish stew etc.

Palmer has 23 Billion ish and is 69. Maybe he not worried about profit from the ship!

[exlondoner]

37 minutes ago, London-Calling said:

Palmer has 23 Billion ish and is 69. Maybe he not worried about profit from the ship!

In my experience people who make an awful lot of money do not do it by failing to worry about profit.

[London-Calling]

The best way to make money from crusing is to build another floating resort!

[chengkp75]

And, to waste money on putting "replica" lifeboats on the upper deck, doesn't help the bottom line.

[London-Calling]

It's a fine line between authenticity and practicality!

[NE John]

Also, after the implosion of Crystal line and the recent meltdown of that years-long world cruise leaving pax stranded for their funds, I would insist that any deposit given for a start up like this be held in escrow, available on-demand and fully refundable. For example, a small American river cruise company recently went out of business leaving 100’s without a job and customer deposits in unknown territory. 

[D&N]

I find the whole concept bizarre. As far as I can ascertain the original didn't have a ballroom. Therefore we would have no interest in it whatsoever 💃

 

I would welcome someone commencing a study of what might replace QM2. Looking into what could be improved on the current offering?; could it have a higher maximum speed in case it was needed?; what propulsion could be used?, and could that be designed so that it might be easily swapped out if a better option was found?

 

QM2 probably has no more than 25 years left and leaving thoughts of a replacement until close to that risks not having one in time.

 

[London-Calling]

QM2 has 30 ish knots, but rarely uses it. I belive a higher speed is not cost effective for such a big ship. Nobody travels on the QM2 for speed. She could do the trans in 5 days, but this is extended to conserve expensive fuel.

[LittleFish1976]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

If he believes that the price will be under a billion dollars in today's environment (it was around $600 million in 2013), he's dreaming.  And, if he believes he can operate a small ship like that at prices that are competitive with even low end premium cruise lines, he's dreaming.  And, if he believes that he can drum up enough interest to fully book a ship with no balcony cabins, and vast numbers of inside cabins, and price them where he can make any profit at all, he's dreaming.

 

He is only interested in having other people do the dreaming. He is just full of hot air. I hope everyone is just having fun with this topic and not taking any of it seriously - he would have no intention whatsoever of building this thing. It's all just publicity for the product which is Palmer himself and probably means he's going to resurrect his failed political party and have another tilt at a seat at the next election. He doesn't want to win a seat but just uses his interference in the election process to try to sway public opinion. Enough said I think from me on this subject.

[NE John]

1 hour ago, D&N said:

Looking into what could be improved on the current offering?;

LNG fuel and less emission engines to meet raising environmental standards, especially in Norway/New Zealand and other natural area. 
Maybe more outdoor dining? 

[chengkp75]

10 minutes ago, London-Calling said:

QM2 has 30 ish knots, but rarely uses it. I belive a higher speed is not cost effective for such a big ship. Nobody travels on the QM2 for speed. She could do the trans in 5 days, but this is extended to conserve expensive fuel.

And, in most cases, to get more speed and keep the power (and fuel) down, you need to go longer.  Look at the QM2 (86 Mw of propulsion power to move 80k tons displacement (actual weight) at 30 knots) compared to the SS United States (180 Mw of propulsion power to move 47k tons displacement at 36 knots).  The SSUS was pushing way above her "hull speed" at 36 knots, which is why it took so much more horsepower to move a smaller ship than QM2 does.

 

11 minutes ago, NE John said:

LNG fuel and less emission engines to meet raising environmental standards, especially in Norway/New Zealand and other natural area. 
Maybe more outdoor dining? 

Lots of people think that LNG is some wonder fuel that answers all the problems of marine fuel.  However, methane (which is what LNG is) when released through what is known as "methane slip" (or the amount of methane lost due to leakage, spills, and incomplete combustion to the atmosphere) is over 80 times the greenhouse gas compared to CO2 over a 20 year span, and over 20 times the effect over a 100 year span.  While LNG can make a ship "cleaner", the problems with methane leakage along the supply chain make it arguably worse.

[London-Calling]

50 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

He is only interested in having other people do the dreaming. He is just full of hot air. I hope everyone is just having fun with this topic and not taking any of it seriously - he would have no intention whatsoever of building this thing. 

 

It's not a publicity stunt!  Palmer really has spent money on this project and Deltamarin, the VERY respected naval Architects have been working on the design for years. The hull has even undergone water tank testing.

[LittleFish1976]

10 minutes ago, London-Calling said:

 

It's not a publicity stunt!  Palmer really has spent money on this project and Deltamarin, the VERY respected naval Architects have been working on the design for years. The hull has even undergone water tank testing.

 

Surely they haven't built a hull without the plans having been finished? Palmer says he will put the tender out in June to sign contracts in December and expects build to start next year (according to the news reports I can find). I'm surprised there's so little lead time on starting the build of such titanic proportions!

 

I won't be holding my breath but I do look forward to reading the reports here of your experiences on board in 2027 (his projected launch date).

 

[London-Calling]

2 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

Surely they haven't built a hull without the plans having been finished?

 

I believe the design is now complete. Tank testing happened in 2013. Construction has not began yet.

 

Tank test here: Titanic II Model Test - Hamburg, Germany - September 2013 (youtube.com)