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

The New Cunard Queens

Until the dawn of the jet age, there was no better way to cross the Atlantic than aboard one of the Cunard Queens — ocean liners Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.

Sea travel remains a romantic way to travel, although the cruise ship has replaced the liner.

Yet as “The New Cunard Queens,” by Nils Schwerdtner shows, the ocean liner still exists.

This book tells the story of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria is a cruise ship, but the QE2 and QM2 are ocean liners — ships intended to move people from one port to another on a regular schedule.

Galveston, one of the Gulf’s biggest cruise ship ports, knows cruise ships. An ocean liner is a different beast, as Schwerdtner makes clear.

Cruise ships are the destination and ply tranquil seas. Ocean liners follow schedules. They confront storms; they have reserve speed to make up lost time. They do this while maintaining the same level of luxury and comfort as a cruise ship.

When Cunard brought Queen Elizabeth 2 into service, in 1969, the ocean liner seemed anachronistic. In the intervening years, every other shipping line converted their liners into cruise ships.

Yet QE2 proved so successful that Cunard chose to build a second liner to carry on its tradition of unparalleled luxury in ocean transportation.

Its 21st century liner, the Queen Mary 2 is a ship of superlatives. It was the largest and most expensive liner ever built, and one of the fastest.

Nils Schwerdtner shows how Cunard succeeded where everyone else failed. While his book was written with the cooperation of Cunard, it gives a balanced picture, presenting both the successes and failures along the way.

Schwerdtner provides a history of Cunard, which discusses the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. He also examining the construction of the new ships and the changes they have experienced.

Lavishly illustrated, with descriptions shipboard life and interviews with captains, “The New Cunard Queens is a delight. Schwerdtner also inserts interesting sidelights, including a chapter on Hamburg’s love affair with the QE2 and a profile of Beatrice Muller, who chose to live permanently on the QE2.

If you cannot book passage on a liner, but always hankered to, take passage on “The New Cunard Queens,” instead. It captures the glitter, fun and luxury of an ocean passage on this most romantic of transportation.

“The New Cunard Queens,” by Nils Schwerdtner, United States Naval Institute Press, 192 pages, $54.95

Mark Lardas, an engineer, freelance writer, amateur historian and model-maker, lives in League City.