QE2 to become Dubai hotel

Liner to be turned into 300-room hotel

The iconic QE2 cruise liner is to become a new attraction in Dubai after her owners announced she is to be turned into a hotel.

Operated as a Cunard liner from 1969 to 2008 out of her home port of Southampton, the QE2 will now reside at Port Rashid in Dubai, where she will be converted into a 300-room luxury hotel.

While the QE2 will remain stationary, the port around it will continue expanding as a cruise hub, with a projected 145 ships and 500,000 passengers expected to dock there per annum by 2015.

Speaking about the development, His Excellency Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chairman of the QE2’s owners Istithmar World, said: “The QE2 will be at the heart of Dubai in its permanent position at Port Rashid and contribute to the growth of Dubai as the city continues to develop and expand as a top tourist destination.”

The QE2 is nearly 300m long and in her heyday could accommodate 2,900 passengers on trips across the world.

Written by Alex Cochrane

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