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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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.