Anybody else find it creepy that Entertainment Tonight is featuring

[Dover]

a segment on the new HUGE cruise ship, the QM2, that is eerily reminiscent of the Titanic in it's reputation as THE largest and most advanced design in luxury liner? They are even playing some of that haunting music similar to that from the Titanic movie subtley in the background during their tour of the ship. And it is decked out with grand staircases, a planetarium, very high end stores and restaurants, elevators that scale the outside of the decks, etc. Yeah, I can just picture it in a cold and watery grave. Why in the world would they want to market it that way? Tempting man's arrogance once again? I hope that's the ship docked in NYC to house the GOP VIP guests during their convention. Perfect.

[ironflange]

1. Let's not forget the recent accident

that killed several people.

[Dover]

3. Not sure which accident you are talking about. Missed that piece of news.

....

[demconfive]

7. The accident in France.

The ship was built at a french shipyard. After it was finished, but still in drydock, they opened it up to the families of all who worked on her. The boarding gantry that people used to get onboard collapsed, sending scores of people to their deaths on the deck of the drydock below. Gruesome, and a bad omen for a ship.

[maggrwaggr]

2. you couldn't PAY me to go near that boat

I have long suspected the next BIG-ass terrorist hit would be a cruise ship.

And what better cruise ship than that monster?

[Dover]

4. And the captain looked like a clone of the Titanic captain with a

white beard. They were definitely trying to sell the Titanic theme.
I'm with you....wouldn't go near the monstrosity.

[Lady Freedom]

8. You could not pay me to get near ANY boat!!!!

Water baaaaadddddd!!!!!!:scared:

[CanuckAmok]

10. That's the first thing I thought, too.

They've been advertising its Maiden Voyage for literally years now. I was going to surprise Mrs. Amok with a pair of tickets for out anniversary this year, but as soon as September 11th happened, I changed my mind.

Imagine the world's largest and most expensive ship--a floating altar of excess, and loaded with thousands of the wealthiest people in the world (mostly American) for its Maiden Voyage. What terrorist doesn't want a piece of that, huh?

on edit: it's a real shame, too, because there's something so delightful about cruising. If I could do anything with my retirement it would be to travel the world alternately by rail and sea.

[toodles_oduff]

5. Recent accident a bad omen?

Don't mean to sound like a superstitious goofball, but that accident was pretty bad and it seems that sea folk take note of such things. The Titanic had a couple of accidents before its fatal voyage. It's gets me thinking about the Titanic, Lusitania, Andrea Doria and throw in the Edmund Fitzgerald for good measure. QM2 is being promoted as the biggest, grandest passenger ship ever built though they haven't thrown the "unsinkable" adjective in the PR mix. Hopefully the vessel will sail the seven seas with nothing worse than another Norwalk Virus outbreak.

[Dover]

6. "The QM2 hasn't even gone down the slipway and already it's

part of legend."'

Excerpt from one article on the gangway collapse that killed 15:

The accident happened as families of the local shipyard workers who built the world's largest liner were being shown round.

"On behalf of all the French, I offer our compassion, solidarity, respect and grief," said M Chirac, who visited the town on the Loire estuary with his prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, and several cabinet members.

"A celebration was being prepared in Saint-Nazaire for the launch of the biggest and probably the most beautiful liner in the world when this tragedy struck."

The town's mayor, Joel-Guy Batteux, has cancelled plans for the celebratory street parties and firework display on Dec 20.

As residents of Saint-Nazaire came to sign a condolence book laid out beside the vast hulk of the QM2 yesterday, Emmanuel Audino, a machine operator in the shipyard, said: "This could have happened to any of us. We're all part of the same family."

He wrote in the book: "The Queen Mary 2 hasn't even gone down the slipway and already it's part of legend."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2003/11/17/wqm17.xml

[pasadenaboy]

9. I would go in a second

if I got a good deal. Anyone know of one, let me know.

[TreasonousBastard]

11. See if you can get a job on it.

Barring that, cruise lines have historically given great deals to single men, since they often have a vast surplus of single women.

It's a dirty little secret of theirs, but gigolos or hustling the women, many of whom are "of a certain age" and recently divorced, is not officially condoned or recommended.

[Enraged_Ape]

12. YES. I noticed this and it gives me the creeps too.

I guess they want to regenerate those feelings of romance that so many associate with the Titanic movie. But it comes off to me as weird and sort of morbid.

I'm also continually reminded of the first five minutes of the movie Ghost Ship.

You couldn't shanghai me onto that QM2 tub. I'd sooner jump overboard and take my chances with the sharks.