QE2/Queen Elizabeth 2 Cruise Ship [Dubai/latest news/facts]
If you wonder what happened to the Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 ship and where is the famous QE2 cruise ship now - read our QE2 ship latest news from Dubai. RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship of Dubai to be sold to a Singapore private company. Here we also give you the rms QE2 cruise ship details (specifications and statistics) and all the fun facts – all about her crew/passenger/fuel capacity, consumption, dimensions, weight, speed, location (where is the QE2 ship today/now) and more.
According to the QE2 ship news (latest), this historically iconic and most famous (and still not scrapped) ocean liner of the old she will be refitted and transformed into a floating luxury hotel in Southeast Asia. The rms Queen Elizabeth 2 ship owner Istithmar World (an UAE investment firm with assets in North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa, a subsidiary of the Dubai World investment group) have decided to sell the ship to the Singapore-based investment holding Oceanic Group (a leading company in the Asia-Pacific cruise/leisure industry). The previous decision of Istithmar was the QE2 ship to be the luxury hotel hit on the “Palm Jumeirah” island (see the photo). RMS QE2 has been berthed in Port Rashid since her retirement from service in late 2008 when Dubai World through Istithmar acquired the ship from the Cunard Line for about £70 million – an absolutely great deal for the most famous UK cruise brand (well, probably after P&O) and its corporate owner Carnival Corporation & PLC, that’s for sure!
The Cunard Queen Elizabeth 2 ship latest news are from January 16, 2013 – she will sail into dry-docks for an expensive refit and top-notch renovations. The latest decision of the Arabs is a direct result from the restructuring of the Dubai World’s $25 billion debt, as all Istithmar’s assets are to be sold off over the next 5-8 years. Just so you know – there was another suggestion from bank creditors who in 2011 asked Dubai to sell the QE2 ship for scrap to the Chinese for £20 million, another reason being the $1 million a month cost of keeping her berthed in Port Rashid. The Singapore company, backed by investors in China, will pay Dubai World about $1 million a year, with an option to purchase the QE2 ship hotel after ten years for a min price of $35 million.
After a dry-dock refurbishment, rms QE2 cruise ship will sail to Hong Kong to start a brand new life as a top-class luxury hotel. According to the renovation plans, the Hong Kong hotel-ship guests will have the happy choice of choosing among her 100 suites (sizes range from 500- to 1200 sq-ft) and 300 Hotel-deluxe staterooms (sizes from 300- to 800 sq-ft), while dining options will include 7 restaurants and 10 bars&lounges. Additional spending opportunities – a line of top luxury boutique shops and the Royal Spa/Fitness facility. I am so glad this cruise liner has a better fate than the ms Mardi Gras ship! The Carnival Cruise Lines’ first ever ship – and the whole Carnival’s early history – was scrapped away for a petty money profit for all the CCL’s “starving” shareholders! Info source: Financial Times (FT com).
QE2 cruise ship specs & stats
- passenger capacity (1791), max capacity (1890).
- crew capacity (1040).
- fuel capacity (4381 tons) enough for around 7800 ml (at 32,5kn – 60km/h – 37,5mph), fuel consumption (18 tons an hour – 433 tons a day).
- year built – 1967, where was QE2 built (builder) “John Brown & Co” (Clydebank, Scotland, UK), launched&christened (20 September, 1967). First cruise (maiden) on 2 May 1969.
- cost to build - £29 million (£420 mill as of 2013).
- how big was the QE2 (dimensions) – length (963ft – 293,5m), width (105ft – 32 m), height (171ft – 52m).
- weight (70327 GT), draft (32ft – 9,8 m), passenger decks (12).
- speed (34kn – 63km/h – 39 mph), max speed (28,5 kn – 53 km/h – 33 mph), service (cruising) speed (20kn – 37km/h – 23mph).
- identification – IMO number (6725418), Call-sign (YJVW6), MMSI number (576059000). Read all the rest about the Queen Elizabeth 2 ship fascinating history at our unbelievably amazing Wikipedia website.
- And if you wanna know where is QE2 now – ms Queen Elizabeth 2 ship location (current position) at VesselFinder.COM