The Queen Elizabeth 2 will be turned into a luxury hotel
The former Southampton-based cruise liner 'Queen Elizabeth 2' is to become a luxury hotel in Asia according to her Dubai owners. It was said that the QE2, as she is affectionately known - would be scrapped.
However in a surprise statement her owners said she will be taken to Asia to be renovated. The Port of Dubai had planned to turn the ship into a hotel for Dubai but the current financial situation meant it was not able to afford to do that.
According to the statement millions wil be spent turning the ship into a hotel and shopping mall. The owners say her heritage will be preserved.
The QE2 is now moored in Dubai, her fate currently in doubt Credit: Kamran Jebreili/AP/Press Association Images
There had been reports on Christmas Eve that the liner, bought by Dubai investment firm Istithmar for around $100 million in 2007, was about to be sold to a Chinese firm for scrap metal. Cunard Line reacted to the claims on the company's Facebook page. They said:
"We have noted the recent article in the Daily Mail with reference to QE2. We remain in close contact with Dubai and can reassure you that to the very best of our knowledge this story is pure speculation - our best advice would be to ignore the story."
