Nakheel Claims QE2 in Top Condition
The great transatlantic ocean liner of yesteryear’s Queen Elizabeth 2, or QE2 as she is popularly known, is now in a better condition, thanks to a dedicated maintenance programme by Nakheel, than she was in when she arrived in Dubai in November 2008.
QE2 was a Cunard ocean liner before she retired after being succeeded by RMS Queen Mary 2 in 2004 and was bought by Nakheel who plans to eventually convert it into a floating hotel that will be moored at Palm Jumeirah.
Built in Clydebank, Scotland, QE2 was named after the earlier Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth and served as the flagship of the line from 1969. QE2 is currently berthed at Port Rashid where she has been since her arrival in Dubai and Nakheel has implemented a maintenance and repair programme for the cruiseliner.
A communique issued by Nakheel said that due to the maintenance programme the QE2′s current condition is better than it was when she arrived on November 26.
The maintenance programme involves keeping at least one engine of the QE2 running to provide power and lighting and to ensure that air is circulating properly throughout the ship to avoid unnecessary deterioration of, in particular, the key historic areas of the ship which Nakheel will be restoring and preserving.
Ive been on qm2,I dont like one bit. Not fit to sail in QE2s wake ! we all want the old girl back, why cant it be put back in service.? There must be ways and means of nulifying the Cunard sales contract. I would sooner have QE2 in any condition with or without solas 10 certificate than suffer another holiday on qm2. We were told by Cunard that qm2 was the replacement for QE2. What a joke.
Everyone wants QE2 back, everybody has got there credit card ready.
Please let me explain myself. I have been cruising many times, including caronia QE2, qm2, q victoria, my own boats, and The Waverley, to name a few, so QE2 bieng the most stable, the fastest, the most comfortable, the best value for money ,is a statement that I stand by. When the Captain of qm2 tells everyone that the ship is going to roll badly in a force 2 ! ! I was somewhat suprised, he was not joking ! the ship did everything barr a somersault, in contrast, in the Bay of Biscay in a force 8, you had to look over the side of QE2 to even notice that she was moving ! It was not until I studied qm2s underwater configuration that I understood just why she is in my opinion so uncomfortable in the water. At the stern end she has a flat metal plate the size of a tennis court a few inches above the water, what this does is to compromise the already flat bottomed hull so that in the end all that the ship relies on is shear weight for stability, Not good. But she can turn in her own distance which is why they have built her so, as to not need the assisstance of expensive tugs in port. She has now all the elegance and poise of a hippopotamus on a skateboard. There are very few areas of qm2 where one can sit at a window seat and while away the hours unlike QE2 where on a full ship you could always find a quiet window seat. The inferior dining, the illogical layout, the cramped accomodation , the general rusty appearence of qm2 have all been documented elsewhere , so I will patiently wait till QE2 returns to service.
I have to concurr – The QE2 is a one off – I have been in a force 12 – several times, on board this beloved ship!!! she takes it all in her stride!! – as one captain said – perhaps Capt Portett ” i’ts like slicing through the yellow of the egg” – she always handled storms so well -
Please look after her