Qe2

[Tony Morcom]

The future of the QE2 has now been confirmed as reported by our friends at GCaptain.

800px-QE2_bow_15_October_2008.jpg

By Asa Fitch
Dubai’s decision to turn the Queen Elizabeth 2 into a floating hotel has ended years of uncertainty about the fate of an asset snapped up at the height of the global economic boom.
Istithmar World, the investment arm of the state-owned Dubai World, purchased the vessel in 2007 for $100 million from the cruise operator Cunard. The original plan was to turn it into a luxury hotel docked off of the Palm Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s artificial palm-shaped islands and one of its most sought after locations.
Then the crisis intervened, and that plan was delayed and finally abandoned. As it sat idle in Dubai’s Port Rashid, presently a less glamorous site, the QE2 became a hulking reminder of the effect of the financial crisis on the emirate’s business empire.
Dubai World was unable to refinance large borrowings and only last year completed a $24.9 billion debt restructuring.
Rumors swirled that the QE2 would be sold off to raise cash. Reports suggested it might be sent to South Africa to serve as a hotel for the 2010 World Cup. Another report had the boat going to Japan to house tsunami survivors before heading to Macau for conversion into a floating casino.
Now it will be in Port Rashid for good. The 300-room hotel-ship is expected to open in 18 months, once renovations are complete. Port Rashid, where cruise ships dock when they pass through Dubai, is getting a makeover too. There will be new shops and a maritime museum, according to Sultan bin Sulayem, the chairman of Istithmar World.
“Wait 18 months,” he said. “You will not recognize this area. Take my word. This is Dubai.”
Copyright © 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

[John Pruden]

the QE2 is at LIVERPOOL pierhead today and departs 2200 tonight.jp

[Ivan Cloherty]

the future of the qe2 has now been confirmed as reported by our friends at gcaptain.

800px-QE2_bow_15_October_2008.jpg

another report had the boat going to japan to house tsunami survivors before heading to macau for conversion into a floating casino.
Now it will be in port rashid for good. copyright © 2012 dow jones & company, inc.

"boat" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

[Capt Bill Davies]

the QE2 is at LIVERPOOL pierhead today and departs 2200 tonight.jp

John,

If it was a China boat I'd get in the car and drive the hour and a half just to take a look.
QE2.....wouldn't waste the diesel.


Brgds

Bill

[Ivan Cloherty]

John,

If it was a China boat I'd get in the car and drive the hour and a half just to take a look.
QE2.....wouldn't waste the diesel.


Brgds

Bill

Breaking News................... Liverpool is currently celebrating the good news circulated on the Merchant Navy site, overjoyed people are dancing in the streets and petitions are being signed stating that no more China boats should enter Liverpool

[Capt Bill Davies]

Ivan,

Any more of that and I'll postpone the first China boat instalment.

Remember..........All good things!

Patience.

Brgds

Bill

[John Pruden]

bill if it was a china boat i would drive down and pick you up mate.jp

[Ivan Cloherty]

Bill, please hurry, I cannot stand the strain much longer and my wife is getting fed up of sedating me

[Capt Bill Davies]

John,

many thanks, most kind.

Ivan,

Calm yourself, you might be expecting too much.


Brgds to you both

Bill

[robpage]

I know it is a sad thought , but the preservation of old ships is a very expensive hobby , I am pretty sure the Queen Mary has not had a perfect transformation without huge financial problems , Everyone wants to preserve one , no one wants to pick up the bill . If I was given a choice of save one last ship , then I would choose the City of Adelaide , over the much altered QE2 . Every ship I sailed on bar one has been preserved , mainly as new cars , razor blades , tin cans .