QE2 Celebrates New Year Eve in Style

Almost 800 guests boarded the illustrious QE2 on New Year’s Eve for the ship’s first major event since leaving her home of Southampton for Port Rashid, Dubai three years ago.

Organised by Global Event Management, the black tie gala was touted one of the hottest tickets in the world with a price tag starting from AED 3000 and was expected to attract such names as Lindsay Lohan and Pamela Anderson.

Whilst the American celebrities may not have been in attendance, a more British affair was awaiting guests who enjoyed the sound and light display projected onto the ship coupled with a Brit-pop medley featuring The Beatles and Coldplay before boarding at 8pm.

“It was a great way to see in the New Year,” a guest said.

“Overall, although the ship itself is dated, its history of being a first class ship and having an opportunity to be on board was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Festivities were reserved to the outer decks with tight security onboard ensuring guests did not tour the interior of the historic ship.

An announcement is expected in the coming months to confirm the future of the QE2 with original reports stating she will be turned into a 200-room floating hotel off the Palm Jumeirah.

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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

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.

New Ferry Coming to Palm Jumeirah

The new marine mode is part of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) efforts to introduce new patterns of water transport in the emirate as an additional & express mode integrated with other transit modes in the emirate.

‘This Project is part of the master study and the Strategic Plan developed by the RTA to upgrade marine transport in the emirate,’ said Mattar Al-Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA in a press conference held yesterday to unveil this project.

He further added: ‘The project aims to meet aspirations & requirements of a new segment of the community and provide coverage in areas previously uncovered by marine transit system. The plan will be carried out over several phases in a specific timetable. It spans the Creek & coastal line of Jumeirah Beach to serve tourists in the emirate, and link downtown area with Nakheel projects (The Palm Jumeirah, The Palm Jebel Ali, The Palm Deira, and The World), as reported by AMI.

‘Ferry Dubai is the third project envisaged in the Strategic Plan of the RTA, following the Water Bus and the Water Taxi in addition to renovation of abras. It aims to uplift the level of marine transit services rendered by the RTA and thus catch up with the rapid growth witnessed by the emirate of Dubai. The Project also seeks to provide secure transit services for wide sectors of the community across Dubai Creek, water canals and maritime projects. RTA is keen to establish linkage and integration between transit modes in the emirate such as Dubai Metro, Public Transport and Taxis. Providing swift transit services is driven by the need to reduce the average waiting time of passengers, and improve the linkage & integration of public transport services’, said Al Tayer.

He elaborated on the specifications of the project by saying: ‘Ferry Dubai has a spectacular design, a dual base (Catamaran Low Wash), an air-conditioned interior, and comfortable seating for 100 passengers (84 seats as economy class, 14 seats as business class and 2 seats for people with special needs). Ferry Dubai will be fitted with 3 LCD & DVD monitors, 3 toilets (for men, women and special need persons), and a kiosk for selling gift items and snacks. Ferry Dubai extends 32 meters in length and 7.2 meters in width, and has a designed speed of up to 24 knots per hour. Each boat weighs around 20 tons and is fitted twin diesel engines of 450 hp.

‘In the first phase RTA will operate 10 ferries covering 4 key stations which include Gold Souk Station, Union Square Station, City Center Station and Al-Ghubaiba Station. Phase II will cover Dubai Creek extensions, following completion of the new bridges. In subsequent phases there will be plans to extend the service to link with Dubai Maritime City, the emirate of Sharjah, The Palm islands, The World and The Waterfront. The project, which is set to be completed in June 2010, is expected to ferry around 3 million passengers in the initial year.

Mr. Al Tayer concluded by saying, ‘Selection of the final design was made following a worldwide international contest attracting extensive participation from a host of companies specialized in boat designing from Australia, Europe and Asia, as well as leading local companies. The competition aimed to assemble the largest possible collection of diverse designs so as to enable selection & endorse the best and final design of Ferry Dubai’.

The press conference was attended by Mr. Mohammed Obaid Al-Mulla, CEO of RTA Marine Agency, Mr. Khaled Al-Zahed, Director of Marine Projects Dep’t, Mr.Hussain Al-Saffar, Director of Operation & Maintenance Dep’t, Mr.Sultan Musabbeh Al-Kutbi, Director of Registration & Licensing Dep’t at RTA Marine Agency, along with Ms.Laila Mohammed Taher, Director of RTA Executive Office, Mr.Peyman Younes Parham, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication Dep’t, and several other directors of the RTA.

Technorati Tags: palm jumeirah, qe2, dubai, ferries

QE2 Leaves North-East England For Final Time

Looming over the horizon she cut a majestic figure.

The Queen Elizabeth 2, whose lines never fail to impress, announced her arrival at the mouth of the River Tyne with a booming horn that reverberated through the air.

Cunard’s longest-serving express liner was met at the mouth of the river at about 7am yesterday by three tug boats which guided her through the breakwater, reports TNE.

Dozens of people lined the riverside to see her in. And they were not disappointed.

The great ship presented an impressive sight as she towered over Tynemouth Priory and dwarfed bystanders waving her on.

The morning was blessed with a fresh breeze and clear skies – and perfect lighting conditions for photographers who had been waiting since the crack of dawn to record the historic occasion.

The QE2 was guided past its mooring, before executing a gigantic u-turn to dock at the Port of Tyne’s Northumbrian Quay.

South Shields photographic club member Harry Wilson said: “Today is the last day the QE2 is in the Tyne and this is the opportunity to take as many shots as we can.

“It is a bit cold, but the light is great for photographs.

“We are very proud the ship has chosen to come to Tyneside on its last visit. We are thoroughly enjoying ourselves.”

Mike Ell of Hebburn said: “She is a beautiful ship. Compared to some of the modern box containers that come up here, she has lovely lines.

“It was worth getting up this early in the morning to come and see.”

Ahmed Khan of South Shields added: “This is history in the making. It is the last time she is coming here. I did not want to miss it. It’s as simple as that.

“It is the first time I have been up so close. It is pretty impressive.”

The QE2 has sailed 5.5 million nautical miles – more than any other ship and the equivalent of travelling to the moon and back 13 times.

Even after more than 40 years of service, she remains the fastest merchant ship in operation.

Ian McNaught, captain of the ship, who coincidentally hails from Sunderland, said: We are a symbol of the great British maritime nation. There will never be another one.

If you want a passenger ship built now you go to Italy or Finland or Germany, this is the last great British built Transatlantic liner and I think people have very fond memories of that.

Nexus ran trips every two hours from South Shields and the Royal Quays to give people the chance to get up close and appreciate the sheer size and scale of the ship.

A farewell reception was organised before it set off for Southampton on its final cruise before becoming a luxury floating hotel on the Palm Jumeirah development in Dubai.

Technorati Tags: QE2, cunard, river tyne, palm jumeirah, dubai