QE2 Still to Berth on Eastern Edge of Palm Jumeirah

It has been rumored that Nakheel that the new home for the world famous cruise liner, QE2, is still to anchor of a luxurious marina development on the eastern trunk side of The Palm Jumeirah.

This was seen in 2009 by industry observers as one of the most effective marketing moves by Nakheel, one of the largest real estate developers. It is developing an iconic portfolio of innovative landmark projects in Dubai and also in key markets around the world in various sectors such as residential, commercial, hotels, retail, and leisure. Nakheel’s projects are estimated to be worth about $80 billion (Dh662bn). Upon completion, Nakheel’s waterfront projects will have added more than 1,000km of shoreline to Dubai’s coastline.

Purchased in 2008 by Nakheel’s parent organization, Dubai World, QE2 did embark on her ultimate journey from Southampton, England to Dubai in November 2009. Nakheel is to recommence construction on her eventual home; a luxury marina development that will establish a cultural centre and tourist attraction on The Palm Jumeirah paying homage to the ocean liner.

QE2 will form the pinnacle of a palatial pier, which will stretch 300 metres out from the trunk into the waters of the Arabian Gulf. A grand entrance to the pier will provide the gateway to a luxury residential and hotel quarter, which will feature elegant apartments, a private club and restaurants, retail, wellness centre and gardens. A high-end yacht club will service a marina attached to the pier, giving residences on the trunk marina views.

Plans for the QE2 include its transformation into an ultra-luxury floating hotel, featuring public promenades, retail outlets, cafés and restaurants, as well as a heritage museum displaying artifacts from the QE2 and maritime history.

The world’s most famous ocean liner will form the focal point of an exciting development that will be a must-see attraction on The Palm Jumeirah.

“QE2 will provide the third jewel in the crown of The Palm Jumeirah’s world-class destination offerings and the perfect complement to Atlantis, Cirque du Soleil, and Trump International Hotel & Tower.

Providing her with a permanent home in Dubai not only secures a sustainable future for one of the brightest stars of the global tourism and leisure industry, but also takes us one step further to making The Palm Jumeirah the centre of tourism entertainment in Dubai.

QE2 is arguably one of the world’s most famous ships. She has circumnavigated the world 25 times, crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and carried more than 2.5 million passengers including kings and queens, prime ministers and presidents, astronauts and the Beatles. She survived a 95-ft wave during Hurricane Luis, carried 3000 troops to the Falklands War and rescued 500 passengers from a burning ship. She is a record breaker for speed and endurance, has featured in films and television shows and draws crowds to every port she docks in.

Meanwhile, Nakheel’s Dubai portfolio includes The Palm Jumeirah, The Palm Jebel Ali, The Palm Deira, The World, Waterfront, The Universe, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Village, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Heights, The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Ibn Battuta Mall, Al Furjan, International City, and Dragon Mart. Nakheel is a key entity within Dubai World – one of the world’s largest holding companies and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Dubai Government across five continents.

QE2 History Reminisced

This week, I thought I would take another look at Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) seeing as how she is the world’s most famous ship and will be leaving service forever. My own connection to the ship began in 1969, not long after the ship went into service, on a ship visit in New York. Since then I have sailed on QE2 some 70-odd times. I did not really set out to make so many voyages; I just enjoyed being on the ship and it just followed naturally that it was the place to be during those times when one has a choice of where to be. Reminisced

During her service life, QE2 has garnered a long list of achievements. For many years, the ship was synonymous with luxury and numerous celebrities were included in the passenger list. Although for a long times, QE2 was the largest ship in service, she is considerably smaller than many of today’s mega-cruise ships. As a result, passengers often had direct contact with these celebrities, which made for some interesting experiences.

There was also QE2’s wartime experience as a troopship during the Falklands War. Without QE2 and P&O’s Canberra, Britain could never have transported an army half way around the world to the war zone. Thus, it is not too much to say that QE2 played a vital role in winning that war, which was important not only in the re-vitalization of Britain but in the Cold War because the Soviets were watching to see what kind of response the West would and could make to such a provocation.

QE2 evolved and grew during the course of her lifetime. The original concept was for a ship that could do both the transatlantic service between the US and Britain as well as cruising. Accordingly, she was built in a very technologically advanced manner but also in such a way as to allow her to be constantly up-graded. For example, the hull, accommodations and public spaces were such that it made sense nearly 20 years after she was built to remove completely her old steam engines and replace them with a diesel-electric plant – - a massive undertaking. QE2’s evolution also saw the addition of cabins, the addition and subsequent removal of a retractable glass roof, the lengthening of decks, the addition of new public areas and the modification of others, as well as various paint schemes. It is possible to look at a photograph of the ship and deduce the date the photo was taken give or take a year or two.

There was an evolution in the style of the ship as well. QE2 was built to replace Cunard’s original Queen ships: Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. For all practical purposes, the coming of the commercial jet in the late 1950s put an end to the use of ships as a means of transporting people from Europe to America. However, another factor in the demise of the old ocean liners was that the public viewed them as old-fashioned and dull. Therefore, QE2 was designed to be a hip venue reflecting the Swinging England of the 1960s. Her public rooms used abstract shapes, naugahyde, and spaceage lighting. Outside her curving lines of her bow and superstructure were a break from the past. She was not a traditional liner.

Over the years, as the pendulum of public taste swung back towards tradition, QE2’s interior gradually became more like that of the older liners. In addition, with new cruise ships entering the market which were even a more radical departure from the ships of the past, QE2 started to look more like a traditional ship.

This was tremendously fortuitous because by the late 1990s, Cunard was barely surviving and it was a good bet that the company and its flagship would soon expire. However, the Hollywood blockbuster Titanic, rekindled public interest in traditional ocean liners and seeing a market opportunity, Carnival Corporation stepped in and saved Cunard. QE2 would sail on for another decade.

QE2 Cruise Promotion

The Queen Elizabeth 2, or as she is more affectionately called, the QE2, went through a major refurbishment a number of years ago. Brought back to her glory days when celebrities, royalty and prominent heads of state strolled her teak wood decks, the QE2 is ready to offer her passengers luxury, pampering and an experience to remember.

With a variety of staterooms from a basic 150 sq. ft. room to a suite of 1,184 sq. ft., each room is paired to a specific sea-view restaurant. The staterooms have all been redecorated and amenities include 24-hour room service, TV/radio, direct dial telephone, hair dryer, nightly turn-down service, daily newspaper, full bathroom with shower and/or bathtub and 110/220 Volt outlets.

There are seven restaurants, including the Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia Grill, Caronia Restaurant, Mauretania Restaurant, The Lido and the Pavillion. Whether casual or elegant, they all feature the impeccable Cunard White Star Service™ with gourmet food for every taste. You can spend some time at the Sun Deck Bar where the views go on forever, or enjoy the piano player in the Chart Room or even stop off at the Grand Lounge, where a Broadway-style show might just be starting. Perhaps Lady Luck will be with you in the Casino and if not, you can sing your blues away at the Golden Lion Pub.

The QE2 features great health and sports facilities, including soothing treatments at the spa, featuring Steiner Leisure Spa Products, a Fitness Deck, Hair & Beauty Salon, two swimming pools (one indoor, one outdoor), golf driving range, table tennis, paddle tennis court and shuffleboard. There is a library and a book shop, computer learning center, cinema, video arcade, teen disco and a nursery for the wee ones. The Royal Promenade features shops for clothing, jewelry and even a branch of Harrods.

Whether you prefer lolling around just simply soaking up the ambiance of this luxurious ship, or want to be active, there is something on board for everyone. From concerts, to gourmet dining and from aerobics to a spa treatment, this is sure to be a cruise ship you will never forget.

Queen Elizabeth Ocean Liner Berths Port Everglades 1969

The next yacht — no it was not a yacht, it was the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth, once the largest ship afloat — arrived at Port Everglades on Dec. 8,1968.

The Queen sailed from England with a skeleton crew for her last Atlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades and tied up at berth 24 and 25.  It was  to become a tourist attraction, but after a year it closed and was sold to a Hong Kong company.

The ship sailed or was towed to Hong Kong harbor where it was renovated.  It mysteriously caught fire.  The small work crew on board couldn’t fight the out-of-control fire. The ship finally sank in the middle of the harbor.  Being a navigation hazard, it was cut up and part of the Queen’s haul was used as landfill at the construction of the new Hong Kong

QE2 To Stay in Dubai No UK Return

State-owned developer Nakheel denied on Wednesday the luxury cruise liner QE2 would be returning to her home city in the UK, just eight months after she was sold to Dubai for $83m (£50m).

Responding to UK media reports that Queen Elizabeth 2 could be destined again for Southampton, a company spokesman said: “Nakheel will not be selling the ship or using her as a cruise liner. There is absolutely no truth in these rumours.”

The Daily Echo in Southampton reported on Tuesday that “high-placed sources” had told the paper port bosses had been contacted about the possibility of a comeback by the Grand Old Lady of the Sea towards the end of the year.

In November, Nakheel bought the ship with aim of turning it into a luxury hotel. But the global downturn has thrown these plans into doubt.

The ship, once renovated, will form the centerpiece of the QE2 precinct on Palm Jumeirah.

Plans include 200 rooms, 10 of which will be suites, a 500-seater theatre as well as a 5,000 square metre indoor and outdoor wellness centre and spa.

It will boast five restaurants, with menus devised by the three-star Michelin chef Michel Roux.

Arguably one of the world’s most famous ships, the QE2 has circumnavigated the world 25 times, crossed the Atlantic around 800 times and has carried more than 2.5 million passengers.

Last Concorde to Join QE2 on Palm Jumeirah

Concorde celebrates its 40th birthday tomorrow, but according to media reports the last remaining British Airways is due to be shipped off to The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.

The Times is claiming that a UAE-based consortium wants to turn the aircraft into a tourist attraction, possibly to be marketed alongside the QE2 cruise ship.

Britain’s flag carrier donated six of its seven-strong Concorde fleet to museums after they were grounded following the Air France incident in 2000.

The seventh craft, Alpha Bravo, has been tucked away at the engineering base of London Heathrow Airport ever since, and was expected to be put on public display.

But the latest reports suggest that the plane – seen by many as a symbol of national pride – will now be dismantled before being shipped off to Dubai.

“Sending it to Dubai would be a kick in the teeth for Britain’s aviation heritage,” Ben Lord, spokesman for the Save Concorde Group, complained to The Times.

“Chopping off its wings and putting it on a ship would be the final insult.”

Last year, famed ocean liner the QE2 was retired from service and sold to Nakheel in Dubai, who are turning it into a floating hotel moored at Palm Jumeirah.

concorde, british airways, dubai, palm jumeirah

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.

QE2 Hotel Project Still Ongoing

Palm Jumeirah developer has said that the scheme was “ongoing” and that they were “investigating all options” to convert the famous QE2 into a luxury hotel development.

The company’s comments come after reports circulating on numerous maritime sites on the internet, suggested that the plans for QE2’s transformation into a floating hotel and tourist attraction could be sunk by the effects of the international credit crunch.

“The plans for QE2’s full restoration and refurbishment are ongoing as we continue to investigate all our options in leveraging this fantastic asset. We have no intention of selling the ship to any party whatsoever,” said a Nakheel spokesman.

QE2 has been moored at a berth in Dubai for three months after arriving in Nov 2008.

Nakheel said at the time that it was in talks with major hotel operators with a view to handing over the running of the QE2 hotel.

While no names have been revealed, it will be “most likely” a hotel operator will be chosen that Nakheel already has done business with, according to Manfred Ursprunger, CEO of Nakheel Hotels, QE2 Enterprises.

The hotel will comprise 200 rooms which will all be a minimum of 50 square metres and of these, around 10 per cent will be suites.

There will also be a 500-seat luxury theatre which will host productions rivalling those in London’s West End and Broadway, as well as a 5,000 square metre indoor and outdoor wellness centre and spa.

Other features include five restaurants and three-star Michelin chef Michel Roux will be in charge of the menus.

The ship will be able to hold 1,500 guests, including guests just visiting for dinner.

The ship will form the centrepiece of the QE2 precinct, on Palm Jumeirah which will also include a land area, complete with residential units and a yacht club.

QE2 QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 THE AUTHORIZED STORY

Nakheel Denies All Scrapping Rumours

Three months after bringing the former British cruise liner, QE2, to Dubai, developer Nakheel is still committed to its plans to covert it into a floating luxury hotel development by 2012, snubbing rumours of the project being put on hold due to credit crisis.

According to industry sources, QE2′s transformation has either been altered or put on hold due to the worsening economic conditions, with Nakheel scaling back on a number of major projects including the construction of its one-km tall tower, apart from cutting 500 jobs.

Though the cruise ship, has been parked at a berth in Dubai since its arrival in November 2008, Nakheel says it is going ahead with its plan of converting the QE2 into a 200-room floating luxury hotel, even in a credit-starved environment.

“The plans for QE2′s full restoration and refurbishment are ongoing as we continue to investigate all our options for optimising this asset,” a Nakheel spokesperson told Emirates Business.

Asked if the QE2 hotel would open in 2012, the spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on a date. But we have not revised our schedule. We are still aiming for the same timeframe. We haven’t made any changes to our plans.”

“Once these plans are complete, she [QE2] will undergo refurbishment – including restoration of key historical areas – and become the focal point of an extensive, multi-faceted precinct off the trunk of The Palm Jumeirah. A heritage museum displaying artefacts from QE2 and of local maritime history is a key feature of the precinct,” the spokesperson said.

Nakheel, meanwhile, had said in November last year that it was in talks with major hotel operators over the running of the QE2 hotel, without divulging any names.

However, the company said it would most likely be a hotel operator that Nakheel already had done business with.

According to recent media reports, a consortium in the ship’s home port of Southampton is considering resurrecting a bid to buy the vessel. The daily quoted a Nakheel spokesperson as saying: “We have no intention of selling the ship to any party whatsoever.”

via B24-7

QE2 May Be Cut Up for Scrap Metal

Nakheel the owners of Southampton’s former liner QE2 are remaining tight-lipped over fears that the world-famous Cunarder could eventually be cut up for scrap.

The current economic downturn is so serious that it has hit even oil-rich Dubai, where the liner, is now awaiting conversion into a floating hotel.

Sources close to Dubai-owned Nakheel, which bought Queen Elizabeth 2 for US$100m, have indicated that the current world financial crisis and reduced numbers of visitors may have seriously altered or postponed the plans for the QE2 Hotel project on The Palm Jumeirah.

QE2 Farewell Queen Of The Seas 40th Anniversary

It is rumoured that Nakheel is considering opening the liner to the public unchanged and just as QE2 looked when she left Southampton for the last time in November 2008.

Other options would include selling the ship for scrap, although not until public interest in the project has diminished.

Although Nakheel has yet to officially reveal any details of QE2’s transformation, it is known that the ship’s iconic funnel is destined to be removed and replaced by a glass structure containing luxury penthouse suites.

Next Page »