More details were announced on Monday about the opening of the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) in Dubai as the city’s latest tourism attraction.
The legendary cruiser will open its doors to the public on Thursday with PCFC Hotels – part of the Dubai government’s Ports, Customs and Free Zones Corporation – revealing her dining, accommodation and entertainment attractions.
The world-famous cruise liner, which is now docked permanently at Mina Rashid, will welcome passengers on board to experience a selection of beautifully restored rooms and suites as part of phase one of the opening.
They will also discover five of the planned 13 restaurants and bars and explore her rich history in the adjacent QE2 Heritage Exhibition.
The grand launch of the QE2 will take place in October.
Hamza Mustafa, CEO of PCFC Hotels, said: “To finally open the QE2 is a dream come true for my team and I. It is one of Dubai’s most highly anticipated projects and we know that a lot of people are going to be very excited to see her for the first time, or to step back on board the vessel that created so many wonderful memories during her 40 years at sea.
“We have dedicated more than 2.7 million man-hours into transforming this legendary ocean liner into the multi-faceted tourist destination that she is today and I am very proud to reintroduce her to the world as she embarks on the next stage of her celebrated journey. It has been an honour to work on this wonderful project.”
The 13-deck hotel has been restored to her former glory – maintaining her most loved interior design features – including her period furniture, renowned paintings and famous memorabilia. The original porthole windows still add a maritime feel to the attractive modernized guest rooms and a number of her original restaurants have retained the same names and décor as her former years.
Adjacent to the hotel lobby is the QE2 Exhibition – an interactive museum that showcases the QE2 during the 60s when she was a pioneer in design, technology and lifestyle.
From small but beautifully designed ‘cabin’ style Standard Rooms starting at 17 sq m, to the 76 sq m Royal Suites belonging to the Queen herself – the QE2 will offer a selection of 13 room and suite categories for guests.
The gem in the crown of the QE2 are the two Royal Suites named after the Queen’s mother and grandmother which offer a private veranda, conservatory and dining room – in addition to a luxurious bedroom.
During the soft launch of the QE2, passengers can also experience some of the ship’s original restaurants including The Chart Room, The Golden Lion, The Pavilion, Lido, The Grand Lounge and the Yacht Club.
The hotel’s signature restaurant is The Queens Grill which offers a refined selection of British fine-dining dishes as well as a tasting menu that recreates a classic selection of dishes from 1969.
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