After months, if not years, of speculation regarding the future of the iconic former Cunarder Queen Elizabeth 2 comes news that moves are afoot to employ the ship as a luxury hotel in south-east Asia. Dubai World’s press release is intriguing in that it suggests that the ship may not stay in one location, and this opens up the possibility of passenger-carrying voyages between the ports in which she will operate.
Queen Elizabeth 2 left Southampton for the last time in November 2008, and has been in Dubai, albeit well looked after by all accounts, ever since, awaiting conversion into a hotel. Now it seems that her owners think that Dubai is not the right place for her. In mid-January the ship was moved to dry dock in order to prepare her for her journey east. Although Dubai World is working with ship managers from Singapore, there is speculation that once the conversion into a 500-room hotel is complete, her first destination will be Hong Kong. Despite the positive progress that seems to have been made, this is clearly another case of wait and see regarding QE2.
