June 24, 2009
Dubai based QE2 may return to Southampton
This article appeared on Southampton newspaper daily Echo at
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/district/southampton/4453206.QE2_may_be_coming_back_to_Southampton/
MYSTERY surrounds an approach for legendary Southampton liner Queen Elizabeth 2 to make a stunning return to her home city.
The Daily Echo has learned from high-placed sources that port bosses have been contacted about the possibility of an astonishing comeback by the Grand Old Lady of the Sea towards the end of the year.
It comes less than eight months since she was sold off for £50m to become a luxury hotel in the desert of Dubai with thousands of well-wishers lining Southampton Water to bid her farewell.
It is likely that QE2 would have to sail to Southampton without passengers but it revives the tantalising prospect of the liner sailing with thousands of nostalgic travellers on her traditional transatlantic route to New York, where it is understood approaches have also been made by shipping agents.
Grand plans to convert the former Cunard liner into a luxury five star resort in Dubai have been torpedoed by the global recession, with QE2 now lying in a deserted container berth.
Owner Nakheel, part of the Dubai royal family’s development empire, has been forced to deny consistent rumours that the troubled project could be in jeopardy and ruled out a sale or sending her to the scrapyard.
A spokesman for Nakheel denied the company was behind any plan to send her to Southampton.
However, a senior cruise industry figure told the Daily Echo there were major doubts over Nakheel’s lavish plans and said it would not be insurmountable to return her to service. He added he had heard of plans to run cruises out of Dubai on QE2 and to take her to South Africa.
It would be relatively easy to restore the ship ready for cruising once again and would cost considerably less than Nakheel’s conversion scheme.
Currently she is home to only a skeleton crew of 36 under an eastern European captain and has just one engine running to provide power.
Port owners ABP declined to comment.
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/district/southampton/4453206.QE2_may_be_coming_back_to_Southampton/
MYSTERY surrounds an approach for legendary Southampton liner Queen Elizabeth 2 to make a stunning return to her home city.
The Daily Echo has learned from high-placed sources that port bosses have been contacted about the possibility of an astonishing comeback by the Grand Old Lady of the Sea towards the end of the year.
It comes less than eight months since she was sold off for £50m to become a luxury hotel in the desert of Dubai with thousands of well-wishers lining Southampton Water to bid her farewell.
It is likely that QE2 would have to sail to Southampton without passengers but it revives the tantalising prospect of the liner sailing with thousands of nostalgic travellers on her traditional transatlantic route to New York, where it is understood approaches have also been made by shipping agents.
Grand plans to convert the former Cunard liner into a luxury five star resort in Dubai have been torpedoed by the global recession, with QE2 now lying in a deserted container berth.
Owner Nakheel, part of the Dubai royal family’s development empire, has been forced to deny consistent rumours that the troubled project could be in jeopardy and ruled out a sale or sending her to the scrapyard.
A spokesman for Nakheel denied the company was behind any plan to send her to Southampton.
However, a senior cruise industry figure told the Daily Echo there were major doubts over Nakheel’s lavish plans and said it would not be insurmountable to return her to service. He added he had heard of plans to run cruises out of Dubai on QE2 and to take her to South Africa.
It would be relatively easy to restore the ship ready for cruising once again and would cost considerably less than Nakheel’s conversion scheme.
Currently she is home to only a skeleton crew of 36 under an eastern European captain and has just one engine running to provide power.
Port owners ABP declined to comment.
June 5, 2009
QE2 owners dismiss sale rumours
This on: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/8085096.stm
The owners of the QE2 have denied speculation that the cruise ship will be sold on instead of being turned into a floating hotel.
Cunard sold the Southampton-based liner for £50m to real estate developer Nakheel in the United Arab Emirates.
The company has told the BBC the ship will not be sold off, even though work on the refurbishment has not begun.
Nakheel has said it will make the QE2 the centrepiece of the Palm Jumeirah development on the Dubai waterfront.
BBC South Transport Correspondent Paul Clifton said the designers were "yet to finalise a concept for the refurbishment".
“ The company says the engines are used regularly, the propellers are turned ” BBC South Transport Correspondent Paul Clifton
Last year, Nakheel said the QE2's giant red funnel would be sliced off and placed on the waterfront.
It said a glass penthouse - the most exclusive hotel room in Dubai - would be built in its place.
Every cabin was to be replaced with new, larger bedrooms and the engine space filled with a theatre, ahead of a scheduled opening in 2010.
"Nothing has happened [since the ship was handed over in November] and critics suggest nothing will," said Mr Clifton.
"Other Nakheel projects have been delayed during the recession.
"But the company says the engines are used regularly, the propellers are turned and the teak decking protected.
"Nakheel states firmly that the ship will not be sold on."
Following four decades of service, the QE2 left its home port of Southampton for the last time in November 2008 on a valedictory two-week cruise.
Tens of thousands of people lined Southampton Water on 11 November to see the 70,000-tonne ship leave UK waters for the last time.
Nakheel has said the ship's anchor will be given back to the people of Southampton.
During its life, the QE2 has served as a troop ship in the Falklands Conflict in 1982, been around the world 25 times, crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and carried more than 2.5 million passengers.
The owners of the QE2 have denied speculation that the cruise ship will be sold on instead of being turned into a floating hotel.
Cunard sold the Southampton-based liner for £50m to real estate developer Nakheel in the United Arab Emirates.
The company has told the BBC the ship will not be sold off, even though work on the refurbishment has not begun.
Nakheel has said it will make the QE2 the centrepiece of the Palm Jumeirah development on the Dubai waterfront.
BBC South Transport Correspondent Paul Clifton said the designers were "yet to finalise a concept for the refurbishment".
“ The company says the engines are used regularly, the propellers are turned ” BBC South Transport Correspondent Paul Clifton
Last year, Nakheel said the QE2's giant red funnel would be sliced off and placed on the waterfront.
It said a glass penthouse - the most exclusive hotel room in Dubai - would be built in its place.
Every cabin was to be replaced with new, larger bedrooms and the engine space filled with a theatre, ahead of a scheduled opening in 2010.
"Nothing has happened [since the ship was handed over in November] and critics suggest nothing will," said Mr Clifton.
"Other Nakheel projects have been delayed during the recession.
"But the company says the engines are used regularly, the propellers are turned and the teak decking protected.
"Nakheel states firmly that the ship will not be sold on."
Following four decades of service, the QE2 left its home port of Southampton for the last time in November 2008 on a valedictory two-week cruise.
Tens of thousands of people lined Southampton Water on 11 November to see the 70,000-tonne ship leave UK waters for the last time.
Nakheel has said the ship's anchor will be given back to the people of Southampton.
During its life, the QE2 has served as a troop ship in the Falklands Conflict in 1982, been around the world 25 times, crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and carried more than 2.5 million passengers.
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